Before you lose your cool...

[Rockdiamond]

I take the Metro North Railroad to work. At the station, cars park perpendicular to the track- and it's free to park. But there are no lines painted on the ground.
I get to the station usually about 11am+-. There are plenty of cars parked.
Every day you see people parking about 3/4 of a car width from the get next to them, basically taking up two spaces. Really gets my goat. Selfish!!

I drive a Tesla- one of the cool features is that you can get the car to drive itself a few feet forward and back- even when you're not in it.
So I line up the car, and use the app to back in between two cars- both of which were seemingly taking up 2 spots. The space was so tight that either driver would have to use a different door than the one adjacent to my car.
THAT WILL TEACH THEM!!

So- when I get back to the car that evening, there was a note on my windshield.
It said something like " Please don't park so close to my car- I had to climb in through the back."
Serves them right, yes??

A few days later, same situation. I used the app to squeeze Tessie into a spot.
But the note...it got me thinking.
So I left a note for the offending parker.
"Please do not take up two spaces"

When I got back to the car later, there was a note on my windshield.
"I'm sorry for taking up two spaces!! I park at about 6 am and there's no other cars here when I park"

Wow.
A really important lesson for me.....

 

[Lookinagain]

"I'm sorry for taking up two spaces!! I park at about 6 am and there's no other cars here when I park"

Well that's an interesting justification for taking up two spots. Is the lot empty when they leave for the day too? I would think that they would notice that it isn't empty then......

 

[Rockdiamond]

I guess I didn't make one part clear enough... there are no lines demarking parking spaces on the ground. So, if a person is the first one parking, they would have no way of knowing they were taking up two spaces. For sure others who parked later were inconsiderate. But my assumption that this specific parker was being a butthead was premature and incorrect.

 

[jaysonsmom]

Well that's an interesting justification for taking up two spots. Is the lot empty when they leave for the day too? I would think that they would notice that it isn't empty then......

It's not a "justification", it is a fact. If the note writer IS the first person to park in the morning, and there are no lines to show the parking spaces, they are NOT the offender.

 

[jaysonsmom]

I guess I didn't make one part clear enough... there are no lines demarking parking spaces on the ground. So, if a person is the first one parking, they would have no way of knowing they were taking up two spaces. For sure others who parked later were inconsiderate. But my assumption that this specific parker was being a butthead was premature and incorrect.

A good lesson to think before we act. Thanks for posting this @Rockdiamond! I always appreciate this type of story, and acknowledgement. Good story to share with my husband, who is a hothead, and goes off on people without being fully informed.

 

[Lookinagain]

It's not a "justification", it is a fact. If the note writer IS the first person to park in the morning, and there are no lines to show the parking spaces, they are NOT the offender.

You're right. I missed the fact that there are no lines.

 

[Rockdiamond]

And it happens right here- in this very thread....it's just so easy to "lose it" nowadays. Everyone is walking around mad.
Let's break that trend!!

 

[missy]

Truth. It's like we start out mad before thinking and trying to see others points of view...I have been guilty of this as well. But my dh who always gives everyone the benefit of the doubt and never has a bad word to say about anyone taught me this.

I now try to see the best instead of the worst and think OK, maybe this person is going through something or maybe this person didn't realize. And so on and so forth. It makes it so much easier to remain calm when you put yourself in someone else's shoes so to speak. Most people mean well. Or at least that is what I am trying to convince myself of so I don't walk around angry much of the time lol

Thanks for sharing @Rockdiamond We are all human and we all make mistakes and instead of seeing others as the enemy it's good to realize we really are all in this together. In a way since it's hard to apply tp politics but not allowed to talk about that here and that's good with me. Keeps my blood pressure from rising. One example where it can be challenging to see other points of view (trying to take away a woman's autonomy but I digress) but I keep trying

 

[seaurchin]

Well at least you didn't key his car!

Some unsolicited advice (because it's just so satisfying to give!) Take some photos of the parking problem, then attach them to an email to whoever is in charge of that and ask them to paint some parking space lines.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Dr Mr Mayor....heheheh

 

[LilAlex]

A really important lesson for me.....

What? That you left the note on the wrong car? Clearly it was the second car that left the huge gap. We see this at trailheads all the time -- but, if it's a long hike, many do show up when the lot is empty and are still on the trail long after the late-start "breakfast-eaters" begin arriving.

We have super-tight parking at work, in terms of the space width and the ratio of spaces to employees. I hate when an early arriver takes a prime "end" space -- there's lots of room adjacent on the side where no one else can park -- and still manages to slop over into the next space. If you are starting a row and there is no car next to you, park on the far line and decompress the whole row!

 

[Rockdiamond]

What? That you left the note on the wrong car? Clearly it was the second car that left the huge gap

For me? The lesson is that I’d prefer to let the butthead off without getting angry- for one thing, it’s possible to blame the wrong person. For another, by getting angry- even at the “right” offending parker, I’m paying a price. Best to let it slide and find someplace else to park.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I take the Metro North Railroad to work. At the station, cars park perpendicular to the track- and it's free to park. But there are no lines painted on the ground.
I get to the station usually about 11am+-. There are plenty of cars parked.
Every day you see people parking about 3/4 of a car width from the get next to them, basically taking up two spaces. Really gets my goat. Selfish!!

I drive a Tesla- one of the cool features is that you can get the car to drive itself a few feet forward and back- even when you're not in it.
So I line up the car, and use the app to back in between two cars- both of which were seemingly taking up 2 spots. The space was so tight that either driver would have to use a different door than the one adjacent to my car.
THAT WILL TEACH THEM!!

So- when I get back to the car that evening, there was a note on my windshield.
It said something like " Please don't park so close to my car- I had to climb in through the back."
Serves them right, yes??

A few days later, same situation. I used the app to squeeze Tessie into a spot.
But the note...it got me thinking.
So I left a note for the offending parker.
"Please do not take up two spaces"

When I got back to the car later, there was a note on my windshield.
"I'm sorry for taking up two spaces!! I park at about 6 am and there's no other cars here when I park"

Wow.
A really important lesson for me.....

someone - who ever provides that carpark needs a can of paint

years ago now we had a modified suzuki 413 4x4 that had no doors or roof
(it was road legal just not at all praticle but loads of fun)
another car was taking up way too much space next to the only space available -way over our line
we parked very close and just stood up and climbed out the back

i dont think people learn their lessons, they just carry on their merry ways never thinking of others

 

[dk168]

My own story...

I belong to a local branch of a large service charity and it has 3 sub-committees.

Each member can express his/her preference which sub-committee he/she would like to part of.

I had been roped into the one that organises activities ever since I became a member in October 2021.

The leadership team changes every year, and the chair of each sub-committee is also a member of the leadership team.

The list of who is which sub-committee was communicated recently, and I found myself being moved to the one that organises social events.

I cannot remember asking to be moved or expressed a wish to be moved.

I initially thought my move was deliberate after the issues I had with a former member after helping out in the event that she organised.

After the fiasco with this member, and having been dressed down and labelled as a bully, I considered resigning from the club. However, I decided to stay as I am having so much fun.

So I asked the chair of the current activities sub-committee who is also next year's chair whether he wanted me to move, as I believe I would be more useful in activities than in social, etc...

It turned out the chair of social events asked for me specifically to be in his team.

I can see why after looking more closely at the list of who will be in that sub-committee next year!

Comments were made by the current members of activities that they would get me back to help out with events.

I joked that I shall have another set of members to upset!

No doubt I would help out with events and accounting related matters, as I am due to take over as treasurer in the year of 2024/5 and am helping out with setting up online payments for events etc...

It felt good to be wanted, and I am glad I did not throw a wobbly when I saw I had been moved without being asked.

DK

 

[Wink]

DK, Obviously you have been casting your bread upon the waters, and now it is coming back. Your good work, kindness and efficiency is being rewarded.

 

[dk168]

DK, Obviously you have been casting your bread upon the waters, and now it is coming back. Your good work, kindness and efficiency is being rewarded.

Thanks Wink for your kind words.

It's good to know I may not be everyone's cup of tea, I am some people's cup of tea.

DK

 

[Rockdiamond]

It felt good to be wanted, and I am glad I did not throw a wobbly when I saw I had been moved without being asked.

So glad it worked out for you DK!!!