An awfully small adventure

So I'm driving along the motorway when I see a sign saying, 'Narrow lanes for 2 miles', and I think, 'Why?'

If you're building a road why suddenly decide to make a bit narrower than the rest (there's no obvious reason for it)?

Was it an accident? Did someone spill coffee on the plans making the ink run resulting in a forever-narrow motorway?

Or were they running out of tarmac and had to cut corners/lanes?

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It took me about an hour and a half to get bored. And in that time I tried on several outfits. And got lost in the womenswear department in Howells.

The only dress I really liked was a long strapless - not topless as I told someone - eveningish dress. 'Could I wear that to a wedding, do you think?' I asked the assistant. She wrinkled up her nose, then looking at the dresses I was carrying, having tried them on, she sighed and said, 'Do you want me to take those?'

'Oh, yes, please. there are lots of little strap things to hang up.' That's what I said. What I should have said was, 'Of course I do, you snooty bag. That's what you're here for.' One day ...

* * * * * * * * * * *

Back at the car park I paid my money, got in the car and drove to the exit. I put my ticket in the machine.

'Cannot read ticket,' it said, pushing it out.

'Don't be stupid, of course you can,' I said, pushing it back in.

This continued for a few minutes, then the machine, exasperated, shot my ticket back at me, and it sailed out of my grasp, landing on the road beside the car.

I leapt out quickly to grab it and the machine began to pelt tickets at me. 'Oh, oh, er, don't, stop it.'

I jumped back in the car and had to work out - without my glasses - which was my ticket.

It's a wonder I ever got out.

Sometimes I think machines sense an inferiority complex and take advantage.

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Aneurin Bevan, creator of the NHS, looks towards Cardiff Castle. What I want to know is: if that was his normal stance, how did he avoid falling on his face?