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Car Wars cannot come fast enough.
Jan. 30th, 2018 12:37 pmAnd in today's reason why it's a good thing I don't carry a gun, we have this exhibit:
This bitch was parked in her fucking Escalade (of course) on a handicapped space's loading area. The parking lot was nearly empty. But she had to park there. No placard, no disabled plates, which wouldn't have mattered, since the load area is striped and has a clear NO PARKING label.
When asked why she was breaking the law, this pleasant example of humanity told me to go fuck myself. I told her I would be contacting the police and went to Rite Aid. When I came out, she had moved . . .
. . . to the Fire Lane in front of the store. At that point, the store manager, who I had spoken to earlier about the constant problem of people blocking handicapped spaces and ramps, sharply knocked on her passenger-side window and yelled for her to move to a legal space. Because there were only about 200 available. Finally, this pathetic excuse for a human from the eighty feet to a legal spot.
This shit pisses me off so fucking much. I have a placard. I use it when necessary. When I'm not having a good day, and know that the less I walk the better, but I need to go out to do something. Or when I know I will be having to deal with something bulky or heavy, like the weekly grocery shopping. Often, if I see a regular space close to an open handicapped spot, I'll take that and leave the blue curb for someone worse off then I am.
Because I can still walk fairly well. Because most days I am good enough to walk that extra hundred feet between the parking space and the front door. Earlier this morning I had trouble finding a parking space for my Hemo-oncology appointment, and ended up parking close to 250 steps away! I know this because my Fit Bit buzzed to tell me I had made my steps for the hour as I hit the lobby. As a reward, I skipped the stairs.
But I really just have so much trouble understanding the mindset that makes someone think that ignoring not one, but tow marked no parking zones in a nearly-empty parking lot is a bright idea. The sense of sheer entitlement is amazing. I'm sure owning an Escalade and getting 15 MPG in exchange for prestige factors in. But parking tickets aren't fun even if you have the money to pay them twice a week.
I'm certain that spending nearly twenty years working in transportation, most of it as a driver, has colored the importance I place on following traffic and parking laws. I drove to the Moon with Lord & Sons (over 238,900 miles, almost all of them in my assigned truck, my love, truck number L1114) and had started the trip back when I had to leave due to pulmonary embolisms in late 2010. The only moving violation I have ever had came about a week before I left when, distracted by my Nextel, I made an illegal right turn.
That's it. And I kicked myself up and down the street for being that stupid. Because I know how dangerous motor vehicles of any size can be, and I understood long before I needed one myself how important respecting handicapped parking and red zones are for other people.
It's just basic respect for other people! I've had to call the local cops on people partially blocking our driveway six or so times. I'm talking two or more feet into the space we have to exit. I understand that parking sucks in our little neighborhood. But that does not give you the right to impede our ability to leave our home in our cars.
If I was the Großherzog of California, I would make everyone who wanted a driver's license go through the same hoops and tests you need for the commercial license, including the annual physical and eye test. I'd also make it much, much easier to revoke a license for infractions. Bring back rail and trolleys! I'd love to see downtown San Jose filled with bikes, scooters, and pedestrians. So mote it be! I Douglas, Grand Duke of California, Lord Protector of Baja, Suzerain of the Colorado River Watershed, Baron Portlandia; order it be done!
Sorry, got a little carried away. You all may rise. But I'm going to be annoyed all day by this annoying woman and her annoying Escalade. Any chance of making her famous?
This bitch was parked in her fucking Escalade (of course) on a handicapped space's loading area. The parking lot was nearly empty. But she had to park there. No placard, no disabled plates, which wouldn't have mattered, since the load area is striped and has a clear NO PARKING label.
When asked why she was breaking the law, this pleasant example of humanity told me to go fuck myself. I told her I would be contacting the police and went to Rite Aid. When I came out, she had moved . . .
. . . to the Fire Lane in front of the store. At that point, the store manager, who I had spoken to earlier about the constant problem of people blocking handicapped spaces and ramps, sharply knocked on her passenger-side window and yelled for her to move to a legal space. Because there were only about 200 available. Finally, this pathetic excuse for a human from the eighty feet to a legal spot.
This shit pisses me off so fucking much. I have a placard. I use it when necessary. When I'm not having a good day, and know that the less I walk the better, but I need to go out to do something. Or when I know I will be having to deal with something bulky or heavy, like the weekly grocery shopping. Often, if I see a regular space close to an open handicapped spot, I'll take that and leave the blue curb for someone worse off then I am.
Because I can still walk fairly well. Because most days I am good enough to walk that extra hundred feet between the parking space and the front door. Earlier this morning I had trouble finding a parking space for my Hemo-oncology appointment, and ended up parking close to 250 steps away! I know this because my Fit Bit buzzed to tell me I had made my steps for the hour as I hit the lobby. As a reward, I skipped the stairs.
But I really just have so much trouble understanding the mindset that makes someone think that ignoring not one, but tow marked no parking zones in a nearly-empty parking lot is a bright idea. The sense of sheer entitlement is amazing. I'm sure owning an Escalade and getting 15 MPG in exchange for prestige factors in. But parking tickets aren't fun even if you have the money to pay them twice a week.
I'm certain that spending nearly twenty years working in transportation, most of it as a driver, has colored the importance I place on following traffic and parking laws. I drove to the Moon with Lord & Sons (over 238,900 miles, almost all of them in my assigned truck, my love, truck number L1114) and had started the trip back when I had to leave due to pulmonary embolisms in late 2010. The only moving violation I have ever had came about a week before I left when, distracted by my Nextel, I made an illegal right turn.
That's it. And I kicked myself up and down the street for being that stupid. Because I know how dangerous motor vehicles of any size can be, and I understood long before I needed one myself how important respecting handicapped parking and red zones are for other people.
It's just basic respect for other people! I've had to call the local cops on people partially blocking our driveway six or so times. I'm talking two or more feet into the space we have to exit. I understand that parking sucks in our little neighborhood. But that does not give you the right to impede our ability to leave our home in our cars.
If I was the Großherzog of California, I would make everyone who wanted a driver's license go through the same hoops and tests you need for the commercial license, including the annual physical and eye test. I'd also make it much, much easier to revoke a license for infractions. Bring back rail and trolleys! I'd love to see downtown San Jose filled with bikes, scooters, and pedestrians. So mote it be! I Douglas, Grand Duke of California, Lord Protector of Baja, Suzerain of the Colorado River Watershed, Baron Portlandia; order it be done!
Sorry, got a little carried away. You all may rise. But I'm going to be annoyed all day by this annoying woman and her annoying Escalade. Any chance of making her famous?
