Karma is a b*tch

[NewtonMP2100]

....unfortunately, doesn't always work that way.....people get away with far too much [ never getting caught - some truly evil, sociopathic people out there ]..........

[mrbigstuff]

Maddog wrote:
Well karma certainly is that. I would be just a bit worried about your own. Towing and a ticket, just because you were heated? Did they hurt you, ruin your stuff, steal from you, more than inconvenience you slightly? Did you ever consider that you might be over reacting? The amount of anger in your post, the seeking of justification, all just a bit of a rationalization that maybe you could have handled it a bit better.

Not judging, but just pointing out the irony that this was posted by someone with the nickname of, "Maddog." :-)

[wurm]

Inconsiderate people suck. Ignorant people, less so. Sometimes there's a fine line.

[Racer X]

If they are that ignorant, or that unaware of their surroundings, they probably shouldn't be driving.

[Robert M]

Hi everyone,

I've gotta say that some of you are far more tolerant of this type of obnoxious behavior than me. I live in a building and have two parking spaces. One is inside the building's a garage. The other is in our outdoor lot. On multiple occasions, at random times, I've come home to find a vehicle parked in one of them without my permission.

The indoor space even has my last name on the wall behind it. The outdoor space has signs that explicitly state the building owns the spaces. There is no reason in the world someone should park in either of the spaces without my or my wife's express permission. Like Racer said, how can someone not see where he/she is parking a vehicle? It isn't rocket science.

Originally, I'd contact the super about it. He typically is aware of the comings and goings of people in the building and often can get in touch with the owner of the vehicle. There is street parking for 60 minutes at a time and the car was usually moved within a few minutes. Once time, the owner was difficult to contact and I had to move my car multiple times before he finally showed up to get his car out of my parking space.

After that, I decided that I wasn't going to tolerate being inconvenienced by the issue. There is no reason for it. So, I told the super the next time it happens, I'm calling a tow truck. No warning. No waiting. I come home, find a car in one of the spaces, I make the call. If the owner of the car has an issue with it, so be it. I pay a monthly fee for each of the parking spaces and there is no reason for someone to use either of them without my permission.

Apparently, word has spread around and I've not found someone inappropriately using the parking spaces since I told the super I'd have them towed without warning.

On the other hand, my office has an issue with people blocking the driveway to our garage. It happens once or twice a day every couple of days. That's despite signs on the garage door that say don't block the driveway. Yet, people still park in the driveway or block it constantly to visit a nearby store.

I've heard reasons like:

"I didn't see your driveway." (Ridiculous! It's obviously a driveway and there are three signs on the garage door that says it's an active driveway, don't block it. Three of them!)

"I'll only be a few minutes."

"Oh! Sorry! I thought it was okay to park here."

"I'm waiting for someone."

"I'll move my car" (and then sits in it or stands next to it, not moving the car)

The list goes on. Some of the excuses are so ridiculous that it makes me wonder how the drivers made it out of elementary school, let alone high school or college.

We've spoken to the owner and employees of the store and it doesn't make a difference. They can't control over where their customers park.

Since I can't leave one of our vehicles in the driveway all the time - we'd be moving it constantly - my last effort is to put a very visible sign that says, "Active driveway, do not block.", on a post with a heavy but mobile base, on the sidewalk right next to our driveway. It's tall and obvious. Admittedly, I'll have to take it out and bring it back in each day but that's much less annoying than moving a car all the time and/or than having to ask someone to move his/her car and getting an attitude about it.

If the new sign doesn't work, I'm calling code enforcement and/or having the vehicles towed. No waiting, no further warning, no stopping at the store. Just a phone call. Again, like Racer said, how can someone not see where he/she is parking a vehicle? There is no mistaking the driveway of my office's building. And, there is ample street parking for an hour at a time right around the corner. There absolutely no reason anyone, other than one of my employees or I, should be in or blocking the driveway.

Robert

[RgrF]

I think you're conflating urban with suburban parking issues. City parking spaces are worth dueling to the death over.

[Robert M]

Rgrf,

While I agree with you, nobody is speaking about legal parking spaces. The issue on hand is self-centered obnoxious people parking their vehicles illegally and the resulting agita and inconvenience.

Robert