He tried to steal my parking spot!!!!

[Chicago526]

Things like this don't usually happen to me...

On Saturday, my mom and I needed to go to Woodfield Mall (one of the largest in the US, but also serves as the 'local' mall) to run a few wedding related errands. Of course, the place is packed from all the back-to-school shoppers, so it's hard to find a spot. Woodfield has their parking lot rows angled so that they are one way only, so I'm driving 'up' towards the mall when I spot a lady loading her bags into her trunk. Bingo! I pull over a little to the right so traffic behind me can get around while I wait for her to leave (this is common practice around here).

The car behind me suddenly hits the gas, comes flying around me, cuts in front of me and turns HIS signal on. HE'S TRYING TO STEAL MY SPOT!!!

Normally I'm not the confrontational type, but this is just too much. He wound up right behind the woman, blocking her in. Before he can back up to let her out, I pull up on his bumper (actually I didn't need to pull up that far) so he can't back up. I roll down the window and yell, "Hey, that's MY spot, now get lost". He of course, totally ignores me and just sits there.

Now, there's no way he can get the spot, because the lady can't leave until he moves. And I'm happy to sit there all day until he moves (the lady was STILL loading her car, so this wasn't inconvienancing her at all).

Well, a big, tough, male passer-by saw all of this, walks up to the offending driver, and starts chewing him out over stealing a spot from two women and speeding down a parking lot where people with kids are walking. After a couple of minutes of them yelling back and forth, the guy who tried to steal the spot decides it isn't worth it (plus he can't back up anyway) and takes off. By the time all this is over, the woman has finally loaded all 100 of her bags, put her kid in the car seat, folding her stroller and put THAT in the trunk, and was ready to pull out.

I wish I could have thanked the guy who came to our aid, but by the time I parked, he was long gone.

So, I guess I won one for the polite, considerate people of the world!

 

[laurie31]

Good for you

A similar thing happened to DH at Sam's recently. He was waiting for an AWESOME spot and someone whipped around him and pulled into it from the other direction after the car had backed out of it. Well, lo and behold this person was a *Sam's employee* with his name in huge letters on his vest. Heh. DH promptly went in and told the manager. The employees are not supposed to take the close places, and they certainly shouldn't be stealing them from customers. He was made to go move his car. Of course DH had already parked elsewhere, but at least the guy hopefully learned his lesson.

Laurie

 

[Dan Murphy]

Way to go!! I try to stay away from Woodfield, LOL.

 

[ziggystardust]

Good for you!

When I was in college parking spots were sparse! Every Tues/Thurs I would wait at the same spot at the same time, I knew the car that would be getting out at that time.
One day I did just that, I was the only one in the aisle, found the car and waited for almost an hour. Just as the person was coming out a car pulled up trying to get that spot, well I already had my blinker on. A fight ensued, but I got the spot.

Its a jungle out there somtimes!!!

 

[Tigger_Magic]

So, I guess I won one for the polite, considerate people of the world!

While I completely understand the frustration you experienced, I doubt that Miss Manners would approve of everyone's behavior in this situation.

 

[Pooh Crew]

Good for you!

I just have to add my parking story: During Christmas season, my mom and I were leaving a packed parking lot. I saw an older couple circling the lot as we were walking to my car-- which was fairly close. I motioned to them and they pulled up behind me. From out of nowhere, this young girl flies down the row going the wrong way and wedges in behind me so she will get the spot even though the other couple had been waiting! I motioned for her to back off and pointed to the couple waiting. She flips me off and pulls in a little closer. The older couple began to back up like they were going to go search for another spot. I got out and yelled to the girl that I had absolutely nothing else to do that day and would sit in that spot all afternoon...either way, she was not getting that spot and should be ashamed of herself for stealing a spot from an elderly couple at Christmas! By this time other people had come out and were watching the spectacle. They began clapping and cheering for me and jeering her! She finally drove off to the loud boo's of the other shoppers and the elderly couple got my spot. I am amazed at some people's sense of entitlement!

 

[Chicago526]

While I completely understand the frustration you experienced, I doubt that Miss Manners would approve of everyone's behavior in this situation.

True, but letting people get away with this type of behavior only encourages more of it.

 

[RealMickeysGirl]

Several years ago, I was in a mall parking lot waiting patiently with my blinker turned on for a car to pull out. Silly me, I had left them ROOM to pull out. A car with a woman and I assume her preteen/early teen daughter pulled up nose to nose with my car and backed into the parking place when the other car pulled out. They were laughing the entire time.

To this day I remember that event and think of it often when I have to park in shopping center lots.

 

[Chicago526]

Several years ago, I was in a mall parking lot waiting patiently with my blinker turned on for a car to pull out. Silly me, I had left them ROOM to pull out. A car with a woman and I assume her preteen/early teen daughter pulled up nose to nose with my car and backed into the parking place when the other car pulled out. They were laughing the entire time.

To this day I remember that event and think of it often when I have to park in shopping center lots.

Wait, wasn't that a scene in "Fried Green Tomatos?"

You should have done what Kathy Bates did, ram 'em! (okay, not really, but it would have been great!)

"Face it ladies, I'm older and have more insurance!"

 

[MidNite]

This is why I have been sooooooo tempted to carry eggs in my car. I've never done it, almost certainly never will, but the thought sure is comforting.

"Oops! Did I drop my egg on your car? I'm sooooo sorry. Tee hee."

 

[ChristmasElf]

DH and I were visiting relatives up North recently, and I had run up to the grocery store for something. While waiting for this woman to back out of her spot, this guy comes barreling around the corner and pulls right in as she backed out. I couldn't believe the nerve! He doesn't get out of his car, he just sits there.
So I circle around and park elsewhere. As I could see he was still in his car and I had a camera with me (as we were on vacation) I sneak up quietly behind him and yell "Hey! Smile" and click the camera.
While he picks his jaw up off the ground, I simply announced to him that I was on vacation and wanted to take pictures of everything I saw, even self righteous .

Just goes tos how ya. People are jerks all over.

 

[RealMickeysGirl]

Wait, wasn't that a scene in "Fried Green Tomatos?"

You should have done what Kathy Bates did, ram 'em! (okay, not really, but it would have been great!)

"Face it ladies, I'm older and have more insurance!"

That would have been great but I wasn't as old then and didn't have much insurance. "Several years ago" is actually more like 25 (giving away my age here )

 

[In Luv with Disney]

This thread has me laughing! Since I live in New York (Long Island) and was born and raised in Queens, we experience stuff like this EVERY SINGLE DAY! Going shopping during holidays is the WORST, because something like this is bound to happen!

Not all of us are rude in New York, but A LOT of New Yorkers live up to the stereotype!!!

 

[MBeds]

Well, one time i was waiting for a spot while the people were packing up their car...all the sudden, coming down the wrong way, comes a pick up truck with a couple of young punks in it...
When the car i was waiting for pulled out, he had enough room and zipped right in...all the while laughing at me...I thought to myself "mr. you caught me on the wrong day"...
Being that i'm deathly afraid of birds, i notice when they are close by, big or small...So, flying above me were a bunch of those seagulls...i suddenly got an evil grin on my face and after they walked in, i took the french fries i had been eating and threw them in the bed of his truck...Immediately it was full of these birds eating the fries and as i watched (from a safe distance cause they scare me to death) i see them also pooping all over the truck...

Now, i know i may be bashed for this but when they get out of their car and they are saying "ahhhh, too bad lady" and stuff like that, i was really angry...
Was it very immature??? ABSOLUTELY!! But i felt 110% better and it's not like i did something that did permanant damage...THe only thing i regret is not seeing their faces when they came out and saw all the bird crap all over the truck...and believe me, it was all over....

 

[MidNite]

Well, one time i was waiting for a spot while the people were packing up their car...all the sudden, coming down the wrong way, comes a pick up truck with a couple of young punks in it...
When the car i was waiting for pulled out, he had enough room and zipped right in...all the while laughing at me...I thought to myself "mr. you caught me on the wrong day"...
Being that i'm deathly afraid of birds, i notice when they are close by, big or small...So, flying above me were a bunch of those seagulls...i suddenly got an evil grin on my face and after they walked in, i took the french fries i had been eating and threw them in the bed of his truck...Immediately it was full of these birds eating the fries and as i watched (from a safe distance cause they scare me to death) i see them also pooping all over the truck...

Now, i know i may be bashed for this but when they get out of their car and they are saying "ahhhh, too bad lady" and stuff like that, i was really angry...
Was it very immature??? ABSOLUTELY!! But i felt 110% better and it's not like i did something that did permanant damage...THe only thing i regret is not seeing their faces when they came out and saw all the bird crap all over the truck...and believe me, it was all over....

I say, "More power to ya'!!"

 

[Tigger_Magic]

True, but letting people get away with this type of behavior only encourages more of it.

So, being rude/impolite/inconsiderate is acceptable behavior when attempting to teach civility to someone else?

This is a losing situation for everyone involved. Sure, you got "your" parking space, but at what price? JMO, but a parking space is not worth that price. And I doubt the person who drove off will change their behavior as a result of this incident.

 

[RadioFanatic]

one time (in band camp?) I was driving back from Boston and had to stop at a rest stop for a little emergency. I started pulling into my spot and put the car into park when I saw a truck pulling into the parking spot across from mine - problem was, he also had a trailer so he wanted my spot too and told me to back up! I said sorry, I was here first and went inside. After that, when i left, I noticed my radio was all static - the oaf took my antenna! And this "gentleman" was allegedly an "adult" in his 60's. Nice mature behavior.

 

[4greatboys]

Well, one time i was waiting for a spot while the people were packing up their car...all the sudden, coming down the wrong way, comes a pick up truck with a couple of young punks in it...
When the car i was waiting for pulled out, he had enough room and zipped right in...all the while laughing at me...I thought to myself "mr. you caught me on the wrong day"...
Being that i'm deathly afraid of birds, i notice when they are close by, big or small...So, flying above me were a bunch of those seagulls...i suddenly got an evil grin on my face and after they walked in, i took the french fries i had been eating and threw them in the bed of his truck...Immediately it was full of these birds eating the fries and as i watched (from a safe distance cause they scare me to death) i see them also pooping all over the truck...

Now, i know i may be bashed for this but when they get out of their car and they are saying "ahhhh, too bad lady" and stuff like that, i was really angry...
Was it very immature??? ABSOLUTELY!! But i felt 110% better and it's not like i did something that did permanant damage...THe only thing i regret is not seeing their faces when they came out and saw all the bird crap all over the truck...and believe me, it was all over....

No bashing from me. They certainly deserved it. I hate it when ppl think they can just do whatever they feel like without taking courtesy, manners or any kind of consideration in mind.

 

[Beth76]

So, being rude/impolite/inconsiderate is acceptable behavior when attempting to teach civility to someone else?

Oh please. So, why is it so wrong to be rude to rude people. You can't teach other people "civility". So, I see no reason to let them stomp all over you. I have no problem with the people on this thread who refused to move thier car and relenquish "thier" space. I'd say you're more likely to curb someone's rude behavior by fighting back rather then letting them win.

 

[Planogirl]

I agree that sometimes you just have to fight back. For you own peace of mind if nothing else.

Some of these stories are incredible!