Thursday, March 3, 2011

Writer's Workshop: Parked for a Quick Getaway

Thank you Mama Kat for this week's prompt to write about a pet peeve that shouldn't drive you crazy, but does. Now I am justified in my petty complaining, right?

I am baffled, befuddled, curious, and also annoyed.

Why is it that everywhere I go these days people insist on backing into parking spaces? The other night I ran to the grocery store at 9:00. There were 12 cars there. Four of them were parked backwards. Why?

They are doing it at the drugstore, at the gym, even at church!

Are they concerned about making a quick getaway?

"Run Martha, the priest saw we didn't put anything in the collection basket!"

Perhaps their reverse lights aren't working and they are trying to prevent an accident from happening when they back out of their parking space?

A phobia about backing into a lane of traffic?

A need for the hood of the car to be pointing due north?

A desire for a parking challenge now that we rarely have to parallel park?

Seriously, what's the reasoning here?

I do understand that it is easier and maybe even safer, to pull forward into traffic, even slow-moving or completely non-existent traffic. (Case in point: The grocery store at 9 p.m.)

That's pretty much offset by the fact that the lady behind you in the parking lot (ME!) does not expect you to jam on your brakes and BACK UP after you've passed an open parking space, especially when there are four more open spaces in front of your vehicle. Nor does she expect to have to stop in the aisle so you can take up both lanes in order to back into a space, instead of simply staying on your own side and pulling in.

Don't even get me started on the people who insist on backing into a parking space, but never fail to take up two spaces because of their ineptitude. I drove around a parking garage for 15 minutes the other day trying to find something wider than half a space. If you're going to do it, at least learn how to do it right.

Finally, please don't glare and gesticulate at me and every other person following convention by parking nose first while you're busy creating your own set of rules about how to park. That doesn't just make you annoying. That makes you a backass.

And nobody likes a backass.

This post was inspired by the Writer's Workshop at Mama Kat's. Play along!

Mama’s Losin’ It


© Trippin' Mama 2011

5 comments:

crinthia said...

I totally agree with you, especially when they don't do it right or take up the lanes doing it. It is more complicated then just pulling into the parking space. And frustrating because you can never find a parking spot.

Carri said...

Even worse is when they block up the entire parking lot because they don't know how to park - backwards OR forwards!
Visiting from Mama Kat's!

Making It Work Mom said...

Yes!!! I love it!!! I have never understood this backass thing. You must be in my head in the grocery store parking lot.
Visiting from Mama Kat's

Kate said...

Stopping by from Mama Kat's. LOL. I never really thought too much about this before, but point well made! Why DO people do this? The worst part is that sometimes they take so LONG to do it, and you're just stuck waiting there. Very aggravating!

Anonymous said...

LOL - Okay, I do pull through the spot (so that I am facing out) when I drive my husband's car. I don't like backing out in his car - I am short, 5'1, and I am convinced his car was designed for tall people. And I have had some near misses, so I do have some basis for my paranoia. So when the opportunity presents itself, I pull through so that I can just pull straight out when I leave. It's for YOUR safety LOL!

Andrea