I’ve just been on the Government’s website, paying the tax disc for the car; £170 for the privilege of another 12 months sitting in traffic jams and having my motor rattled to bits by pot-holes. How thrilling it was to see that the web page where the process of paying the fucker begins is entitled not "Pay for your Tax Disc" * but *"Apply for a tax Disc" --as if it’s something you really want to do anyway and which the Government might allow, if you ask nicely.

How I held my breath in anticipation as I entered my bank card details! Wouldn’t it be heart-breaking if my "Application" was turned down and I was unable to give the Government yet more of my hard-earned money? But thankfully, all was well, for I got to the 'final' screen and was greeted with the following message. A more niggardly person might have expected a "Thank You" of some description, after forking out £170, but I was just overjoyed to know my 'application' had succeeded!