Over the top

Recently a man was banned from swimming in his local swimming pool for wearing a one piece nose covering face mask like the one shown above

As he said: "After you've been swimming for 40 years all over the world you know what works best for you and what's safe.

My lenses are plastic and are totally safe."

Gary Dark, manager of the leisure centre in Swiss Cottage, North London, where Mr Grimm swims, said the goggles breached industry guidelines.

He said: "Non-shatterproof panels in enclosed environments can cause facial injury on impact with pool surfaces or other bathers and may pose a further hazard in relation to broken glass remaining on the pool floor.

"Full face masks that cover the nose can also cause breathing difficulties if water is swallowed and may restrict vision which can cause an accident."

Mr Dark said he wanted Mr Grimm to continues swimming at the pool, and would welcome the chance to speak to him to find a solution.

All of the above in spite of the fact that the lenses are plastic and Mr Grimm has been using them safely for forty years

More and more interference in our lives and so often in the name of safety

Unfortunately common sense flies out of the window and rules are enforced with no interest in any objection however reasonable

Rules are rules

And so the world continues to move along a path which takes away personal decision and initiative

Some might say this protects us from ourselves

In some situations this might be right in others it is plainly stupid

Which leads to the point of redress, how do you fight petty rules

Answer with extreme difficulty

The first step though is to take issue with pettydom

The second step, do you have the energy or time to complain?

Do you do this?

If you do then maybe just maybe you will get a response or chance to influence the issue

If you do not then fine, but do not complain when you are confronted with yet another situation later

We must all make our contribution to ridding our environment of petty nonsense

And unless we compalin about petty rules they will just increase

Remember one path to fame and promotion in beaurocracies is to introduce some new rule

Usually at the expense of common sense and freedom

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We must all fight this scurge if we value what ermains of freeedom in our ever more tightly regulated world