An anglicism I love for its descriptive scorn is jobsworth, a noun that connotes a low-ranking bureaucrat or other officious busybody who derives a peevish pleasure from enforcing petty rules (and sometimes from dreaming up new ones).
Here, courtesy of the Daily Mail and Overlawyered, is a pretty good example of what jobsworths do all day.
It may seem obvious that things left out in the rain will get wet. Not obvious enough, though, for authorities in central London, who have responded to the danger of damp public benches by sticking notices on them, warning: 'Caution: seats may become wet.'
The paper has a photo gallery of many other jobsworthy signs. Not sure whether it's funny or depressing. See for yourself.
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