Saturday evening around 5:00, I was at the Backroads Casey's to get scratchers. I was not happy to see a car parked over the line at the lone handicap space. At least it's way down at the end, by the trash dumpster area, so without a parking space on the right side of the handicap one. I parked T-Hoe far enough away from that over-line car so that I could get my door all the way open.
It takes me a while to dismount from T-Hoe. Open the door as far as it will go. Move left foot out onto the running board, then the right foot. Then I kind of slide down from the seat, landing on the left foot while letting the right foot come off the running board when I'm halfway to the ground, so as not to bend the knee too tightly. THEN I have to hold onto the door and the side of the car, getting my feet balanced under me as I turn to close the door.
A lady came out of the store and stood on the sidewalk, waiting for me to close the door so she could get to the passenger side of her car. You know what, lady?
YOU WOULD HAVE HAD ROOM IF YOU HADN'T PARKED OVER THE LINE!
Yes, I know that she was not driving, but whoever her partner was should have known better. I always tell Hick when he parks on or over the line, heh, heh! Then he re-adjusts A-Cad, because he doesn't want to listen to me complaining my continued advice.
She didn't say anything, and I didn't look her in the face, but you know how you can tell by a person's body language when they're annoyed.
I'm really NOT sorry that she had to wait for me to get out of her way. The situation could have been avoided.
I don' t blame you one bit for not being sorry. I am not what I'd consider, very good at parking within the lines of a parking space and I always get out and look to be sure I'm within the parking lines. Many times, I need to back up and re-park and I do that because it bothers me if I'm not within the parking lines. I also don't like when people park really close to the parking lines even though they are still within the lines because it still makes it harder for the driver, being me to get out:)
ReplyDeleteKudos to you, for not inconveniencing other parkers! All it takes is one too close to the line to affect everyone else down the row.
DeleteA few times, I've had to wait, leaning on T-Hoe's hood, for close-parkers to come out of the store, they having squeezed in next to me after I went inside. One time I even had to climb into the passenger seat to wait, because it was at Save A Lot, and shopping takes a long time.
If I had been that lady I would at least have asked if you needed help. Not being the driver, maybe she didn't realise the inconvenience of the wrong parking. Even properly parked, would she still have room to open her door while T-Hoe's door was fully opened?I don't know about these things, since I walk or take the bus.
ReplyDeleteYou are a kind soul. I don't expect strangers to be my caretakers, so it did not occur to me that she might have asked to help. And she wasn't the driver, so the parking wasn't actually her fault. Still, it doesn't cost anything to show patience to somebody less-abled as they are doing the best they can, and not deliberately blocking your path.
DeleteIf that car was in its space, not over the line, there should have been room for both doors to be open. With our cars being different models and different lengths, they don't match up exactly. I was all the way to the sidewalk, her car not so much. Her door would have opened behind T-Hoe's, with room to not hit it. As it was parked, she didn't even have room to walk past T-Hoe's open door.
Grrrrr!
ReplyDeleteThank you for VALidating my angst!
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