I Cannot Turn My Head Two Inches To The Left

[Dilorenzo]

I was driving into the parking lot of my wife's work to pick her up around about the 6 o'clock hour. Now, a thing to know about the company where she works (and I used to work), is that almost everyone in the building bolts out the door at 5 on the dot. (Or a few minutes before, but that's another rant). So, this means, parking lot is empty but for 3 cars, none of them near each other.

I drive in, taking it slow in the small parking lot, intending to drive to the end, turn around, and park right by the door so the wife can hop right in. Only before I do that, Mr. SUV who is parked in the handicapped spot (and who likely doesn't work there, I later learn), decides he's going to pull out.

All he had to do was turn his head to the left. Just a little. And he'd see me driving along. That was it.

But no, apparently his getting out of the lot was far more important than mine. So I swerve around, thankfully seeing it coming, and continue to the end of the lot. Only to look in the rearview to see that the asshole hadn't actually stopped at all, and was now well on his way out.

I've been driving for 2 damn months, and already I hate most other drivers...

[paxillated]

Reminds me of a story on one of the cop blogs I read. The author had been sensitized to the issues the actually handicapped face with parking, and made an extra effort to ticket the "able" jerks who park in handicapped spots.

His crew used to meet for coffee at a particular convenience store, when they could. That day, there were ten or so marked cruisers parked in the lot and on the street. Here comes Mr. Jerkoff-in-a-hurry in his big, noticeable, fancy SUV. He stops in the handicapped spot, leaves his engine running, and goes in. My good cop strolls out, ticket book in hand, and starts writing.

When Mr Need-it-right-now comes out with his hot dog, he throws his predictable hissy fit, Officer Goodguy just keeps writing. In that state, leaving the car unattended with the engine running is also illegal. The fines are not cheap.

Not only that, but now that Mr. Pity-da-fool has drawn the officer's attention to his big, brightly-painted SUV, the tickets keep on coming. Seems the asshat "figured out" that he didn't have to pay to park at work, if he just used local handicapped spots. Not any more!

P.S. Don't assume that someone who parks a vehicle with a permit attached, and gets out and walks easily into the store, is abusing the system. Some handicaps don't show. They might come out, limping, moving .003 mph, and even crying from the pain. Been there, done that, still have the (handicapped) placard.