Nothing gets Val's granny panties in a twist faster than a rumpushole usurping a handicap parking space, or the space around it. Like parking over the line, or ON THE ENTIRE STRIPED WALKWAY.
Thursday's blood-pressure-rocketing discovery was at the Sis-Town Casey's. It was not even a case for Travels With My Placard, because I was not intending to use my placard for parking in a handicap space. I was there for T-Hoe's weekly gas. I park at the pumps, and walk inside to pay, since you can't pump without paying, and I'm not going to use my debit card because card skimmers were found on their pumps before.
I park at Pump 4 or Pump 3, because that gives me the most direct line to the sidewalk's handicap ramp. I can't go up and down on a curb unless I have something to hold onto, like T-Hoe's side, or The Pony's shoulder. Nobody wants to try and scoop up a broken Val from the pavement.
Look what obstacle I discovered:
I got a picture for evidence, once I returned from my harrowing trip inside to pay. That car is parked entirely on the striped walkway that leads to the gentle incline of the sidewalk ramp. When I arrived, there were no cars parked on either side. Nor down to the left by the doors. It's not a busy time. I get there before the local high school lets out. I can't imagine that every other parking space was taken when this rumpushole parked on the stripes.
You can see that there is precious little ramp space available for Val to get onto the sidewalk.
I actually had to take a little step up. I WANTED to put my hand on the little car, and give it a bounce as I stepped up. After all, I have to lean on T-Hoe when I go up and down from curbs.
There was an early-twenty-something gal sitting behind the wheel, talking on her cell phone. As if she couldn't have parked off to the side, over by the air hose and water spigot, to talk on her phone. The whole time I was there (and you know that Val is not quick in her traipsing in and out of convenience stores), she did not go into the store, nor have a passenger come out.
I think young rumpushole needs to learn about STRIPES! They do not designate a special parking area for people to park and chat on their phone. I suggest starting with stripes of the black-on-white variety, in a prison, breaking rocks in the hot sun.
We face these people ALL the time. I would like to break a rock over their heads! We both struggle to get on sidewalk or front of store. Tommy has to lift a walker and step up backward holding onto the car. I need to pull up on something or use the car. It is not only hard for both of us, but dangerous since Tommy never uses the brake on walker. Still hard if he used the brake on the walker. It is disheartening that people are not thoughtful when people have trouble walking and getting up on curb without the ramp/cutout.
ReplyDeleteHeh, heh! You'd probably strain a muscle during a rock-breaking episode. I can hurt myself doing the simplest things these days.
DeleteI guess these entitled people need to park closer, so they won't miss out on a few more seconds of phone time that it would take them to walk from a regular parking space.
I didn't know which car you meant at first then I noticed the gentle slope of the yellow kerb marking beyond the white car. I'm guessing far too many younger people just don't know the parking rules these days.
ReplyDeleteThey're just idiots if they think a striped space in front of a ramp is a parking space! More likely, they know, and don't care that they're blocking it.
DeleteWhat if a wheelchair person needed to get into the store? Or the people I see around town riding in their motorized wheelchairs? No way could they get up on the sidewalk, since she's blocking the whole ramp.
I have often wished I could carry a citation book with me to issue tickets to idiots who violate common traffic and parking rules! I doubt they would even read (assuming they had the ability) the ticket, but it would make me feel good!
ReplyDeleteYou would have loved this situation with the gal sitting in the car. You could have put your elbows on the door and leaned in her open window to have a chat about the error of her ways!
DeleteWhat an inconsiderate idiot!!! There is no excuse. None.
ReplyDeleteThe only excuse I could think of would be an unconscious or deceased person behind the wheel, who had put the car in the first available space to keep from crashing into other people. That looks like a pretty good parking job for somebody at death's door...
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