There are stories which take journalists hours, if not days, to investigate and write, but the impact among readers, in spite of the enormity of the revelations, is limited when compared to the amount of effort and dedication put in.

Then there are stories which take five minutes to write, and in a world where it’s the little things that spark a reaction and attract attention, they go viral.

One such story was the clamping of a doctor’s car at Mater Dei Hospital last Sunday. Well, not his car. It was his wife’s car. He used it to attend to his Sunday duties at the hospital but, since the car number plate was not registered as having a permit, it was clamped. The good doctor left a phone number on the windscreen to alert any officers checking vehicles but this was not enough. Those responsible for the management of the parking areas around the hospital clamped it. When the doctor complained and explained the situation, there was “intransigence” at first. It was only later that the clamps were removed, without a fine being administered. The doctor spoke about his ordeal on Facebook.

It was a small, innocuous story which went viral in a few hours, and got people talking on the social media. Much more than any well-researched, investigative piece that we could have come up with.

Such instances also make us wonder about the depth of ignorance, envy and even hatred that exist out there. Because while many of the comments were in solidarity with the physician – as it should be, since it should have been common sense that once the matter was explained, the clamps are removed immediately, and should not have led to any “intransigence” – there were many others which exposed the bad side of humanity, something which we are seeing more often these days.

Some comments were related to instances when other cars were clamped – but the difference is that the drivers whose vehicles were involved were not doctors on duty, but people who were visiting patients or at the hospital for other matters. They failed to make a distinction between their predicament and that of the doctor, who was on duty. They thought it was unfair that their car had been clamped.

Others suggested that the doctor should pay the fine because “he can afford it” and “he should not be treated differently from others”. The salary comments are, to say the least, despicably stupid and envious. And then, yes, since he was performing his duties his car should not have been clamped. Or, at least, once he explained that he had gone to hospital in his wife’s car, the situation should have been clear enough for the clamps to be removed immediately, without paying the fine of course.

It is the “intransigence” that should have been avoided in these circumstances. The clamping of the car was technically correct, but once the explanation was provided, the clamps should have been removed without further delay and questions.

The hospital authorities should use this incident to come up with a less archaic and bureaucratic way how to provide parking spaces for doctors doing their duties. If not, the people managing the parking areas should be less pedantic in dealing with situations such as this one.