Need advice about a problem at my office (sorry long)

[HoneyPooh]

Our oral surgery office is in an office complex that is set up kind of weird. If you picture a football field with bleachers on either side facing each other and a parking lot where the field is that is how our buildings are. There are parking spots facing each building (bleacher) and there is a median down the middle of the lot (goal post to goal post) with parking spaces facing it on both sides. Make sense? On our side of the complex there are two buildings with an alleyway down the middle that is landscaped and has a flagpole. Our office is on the end towards the alley in our building and there is a lawyer on the other side of the alley in the other building. Where the alley comes out to the parking lot in front of the offices is a little landscaped area that juts out in the parking lot about one parking space wide that houses our mailboxes. Still following?

Here's our problem: For the last three weeks, every morning when I arrive at work one of the ladies who works for the lawyer's office has been parked facing the offices in the first space on our office side of the mailboxes putting her directly in front of our patient door. She has been there for the three years I have worked at the surgeons office and has always parked facing the median like all the other office employees in the complex do so as to leave the closer spaces clear for clients/patients. The first few days I thought nothing of it, then I started to wonder if she was injured or something so needed to park closer. Watched out my window for two days and she was doing her usual sprightly walk to her car each day.

For further explaination of our set up, our building houses us (oral surgeon), a general practice physician and a large cardiology practice. Their building houses them (lawyer), two empty office next to them, an eye doctor that is open one morning each week and a title company.

Every day when she is parked right in front of our patient entrance there are at least 15 or 20 empty spaces in front of their building. In front of our building is a constant parade of cars to the doctor offices.

Why would somone think that it is okay to park right in front of a doctor's office (or anyones office for that matter) as apposed to parking in front of their own office. It's obvious that she either doesn't want to take up a space in front of their office or has been told not to. So she parks in front of our door every day.

Do I politely say something to her and risk a scene, do I call the company we rent from? We actually had this problem when the general practice moved in next door to us as well. They had about 10 employees who immediately started parking every one of their cars along the front of the building every morning ( think there are 12 spaces facing the office in total). My boss had me call the landlord and they sent a letter to all the tenants about parking and being respectful of our neighbors businesses. They all moved their cars (except the doctor and his wife) but they have been very rude/cold to us ever since. I don't want our neighbors on both sides to hate us! The cardiology employees and all of our employees as well as both their doctors and ours have always parked facing the median to leave all the closer spaces empty for our patients. It just makes sense doesn't it?

My boss hasn't noticed yet and I haven't brought it to his attention, but he's pretty observant and will notice soon I'm sure. He walks right past that car every day now to get to the door.

Any suggestions? My hubby says to start parking in front of their door every day until they get the hint, but I don't want to be a jerk. Really, they've seen us carting patients woozy from general anesthesia out that door every day for three years, what are they thinking?

 

[poohandwendy]

I think you should talk to your boss and ask him what he wants you to do about it. He will probably ask you to do the same thing as last time.

I'm not sure why you are worried about your 'neighbors' hating you, after all they are in the wrong for using your spaces.

It's a shame that people will do whatever they can get away with, but obviously they need remindedof where they are supposed to park.

 

[Serena]

I think you should talk to your boss and ask him what he wants you to do about it. He will probably ask you to do the same thing as last time.

I'm not sure why you are worried about your 'neighbors' hating you, after all they are in the wrong for using your spaces.

It's a shame that people will do whatever they can get away with, but obviously they need remindedof where they are supposed to park.

I agree with all of it.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Maybe your boss can ask your landlord if you guys can invest in signs to put on those spaces that says "Parking for patients of Dr. Howie Pullem" (or whatever his name is )

 

[HoneyPooh]

Dr. Howie Pullem! I like that! Well, it's not like we have specific spaces for each office, we all just have seemed to mostly have respect for each other but sometimes people are clueless I guess. I don't want our neighbors to hate us because we are in close quarter here and we run into each other on the sidewalk and at the garbage area a lot and there a couple of huge picnic tables we sit at when the weather is nice to eat lunch together. It's just much easier when your office neighbors are friendly. I could almost think she must read the DIS since this morning, for the first time in more than 3 weeks, when I got to work she was parked in her old spot. Then I noticed someone had already parked in her "new" spot. We'll see what tomorrow brings. Doc is off until Thursday since his son is having surgery today so I'll keep an eye on the sitch and talk to him then maybe. He has a lot going on and I really hate to have to ask him about this stuff again, errggg! It's the minutae of life that wears us down isn't it? I handle the big stuff much better than I handle this little silly stuff.

 

[horseshowmom]

This kind of thing always amazes me, and I've been guilty of it many times. Why do we worry about what they'll think/feel when they obviously don't care about our circumstances? Why would the GP employees think they have any right to be rude/cold. If anything, they should have been embarrassed.

You're just trying to look out for your patients. Do what you have to do (after checking with your boss first, of course) and good luck!

 

[stinkerbelle]

Well, it's not like we have specific spaces for each office

well...sorry...that's your answer.

there are no specific spaces...park wherever you want basically. Unless it's a handicap parking space and she's parking in it illegally...you really can't say anything.

I suggest talking to the building manager and asking for "marked spots" if it's really such a sore point...otherwise...I don't think you have an arguement.

(yes - "playing nice" is fine...but there are no "rules" to play nice with in this case)

 

[LadyBears]

well...sorry...that's your answer.

there are no specific spaces...park wherever you want basically. Unless it's a handicap parking space and she's parking in it illegally...you really can't say anything.

I suggest talking to the building manager and asking for "marked spots" if it's really such a sore point...otherwise...I don't think you have an arguement.

(yes - "playing nice" is fine...but there are no "rules" to play nice with in this case)

Yes, but most places tell their employees to park away from the door so that customers/patients/patrons can have the spots right in front of the door. I think it is time for the landlord to send out another "yearly" reminder letter. Nothing rude, just a reminder. That is how it has been at the retail establishments/restaurants & hospitals that I have worked at...

 

[stinkerbelle]

Yes, but most places tell their employees to park away from the door so that customers/patients/patrons can have the spots right in front of the door. I think it is time for the landlord to send out another "yearly" reminder letter. Nothing rude, just a reminder. That is how it has been at the retail establishments/restaurants & hospitals that I have worked at...

Wherein I agree...and don't want to start a debate...technically...the woman still isn't doing anything wrong.

she is an employee of ANOTHER business in the complex...and she isn't parking in front of HER employers front door.



When I worked at Taco Bell...sure, I parked further away...but that didn't stop me if I wanted to park in McD's front door parking space next door.



I do agree that it's wrong what this woman is doing...by parking in 'front spaces'.

I work in a corporate park...there used to be a medical practice here...they had dedicate patient spots...as well as a dental place here as well.

I think the OP should speak to the building mgr about getting dedicated spots...as I believe all medical related places should have dedicated patient spots.

 

[Nana Annie]

I agre that without dedicated spaces, there is nothing that can be done. She really is free to park where she wants. And maybe she does have something going on that is not visible from just a glance.

I wouldn't let it stress you out so much. When I am a patient, I never think that the front spaces should be dedicated to the patients. The other day, I parked about 6 rows back from our doctor's office and it never occurred to me that I should have the privilege of parking up against the curb.

Not a big deal - I would just let it go. Or have your boss start a process to either get dedicated spots for patients or some firm parking rules.

BTW - I do think it extremely rude of the parker. But rude people should not ruin your day

 

[HoneyPooh]

Thanks for the responses! Well as of today she is still parked by the median and not in front of our office. I'm wondering if the general practice office complained about it since they got into trouble for it. I think my boss will probably try to have at least two designated spots for our patients. Mostly just because of the general anesthesia patients and needing to get them into their cars safely. Someone just having a tooth extracted under a local wouldn't be a problem, but the GA patients can barely walk when they come out. I didn't really let it ruin my day or anything, it was just irritating me that people just don't think sometimes. My DH still thought I should park directly in front of their door every day .