How would you respond to this comment?

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

Our post office is in a strip shopping center where the cars in the shopping center drive right by the storefronts. Two very wide lanes for traffic separate the storefronts from the busy parking lot. Because I often have a tote bag of boxes to mail I double park right in front for a moment and then unload the boxes inside. Then hop back in the car and drive off - takes like one minute literally. Have been doing this for years now.

Yesterday as I am climbing back into the car a lady from behind me yells, "I love it when people think the parking rules don't apply to them." I turned around and looked at her. Frumpy, not looking like she is a generally happy person to begin with. And I replied to her, "You are welcome." Well, that triggered her big time and my car door closed as her voice was raising even higher. Drove off with a grin on my face, sorry to say but it is true.

So what would you say in such a situation?

~ The Captain

 

[Stuart Ganis]

I would have told her that a lot of men and women are waiting for my product, gave her a sample and a business card and said your first order ships free.

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[GaryTha]

Maybe offer her some free beard wax?

 

[beginish]

I wouldn’t have said anything. No sense stooping to her level.

 

[Stuart Ganis]

I am an old guy, be careful when you talk to an old guy that way, you might be very surprised.

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[Stuart Ganis]

What does that mean, I have been out of school since 1960.

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[shavefan]

If someone stops where they're not supposed to and makes navigating around them difficult, that strikes me as self entitled. Park where you're supposed to. Walk 100ft, it's not like one can't use the exercise.

 

[HighSpeedSpoon]

The first thing I would say in such a situation might very well be something better left unsaid, and on a good day it would be. The next thing would depend on what I was trying to achieve. In my case - having the advantage of considering the matter from an armchair - the reply might go like this. ...

"You might be surprised at how much I agree with you that rules are not meant to be broken. Where we seem to differ is that I think rules are not meant to be worshiped either. They are meant to be applied with common sense, and most often with some latitude for special circumstances. In my case, I have a huge load to carry, and the post office makes no provision for me to safely drop off my parcels. Sure, it's true that I do it more quickly this way, but it is also true that my life would be at risk and traffic would be slowed and inconvenienced if I had to make 10 or 20 trips across the roadway each time I came here. How would that help anyone? Now I'm guessing you may have been bullied or otherwise done wrong by people who ignored the rules, but if you knew me better, you would know that I am not one of them. I don't want to upset or take advantage of anyone. I'm just trying to exercise my right - baked into the Constitution no less - to get my postal business done, and to do it safely and without taking half a day."

I think you would be lucky if you got to read that script without interruption, but if you did, you and the lady might both be headed down a happier road. But as I said, that's the armchair version of the script.

 

[Toothpick]

9/10 I wouldn’t say anything. Or acknowledge her at all. Just get in the car and go completely ignoring her existence. That’s what I generally do in public. That 1 time though if she caught me on a bad day I’d cuss her out and tell her to mind her own business.

But another way to look at it - You did park in the driving lane when you could have parked in a parking spot and hauled your shipments just a bit further and avoided this whole interaction. So you were in the wrong and getting upset over someone pointing that out makes little sense. Never mind the way she chose to point it out.

 

[Bakker1964]

Bring a dolly or cart with you next time, to facilitate moving your packages, and park in a parking spot. This assumes that the lanes across the storefronts are posted as "no parking", or "fire route", or some such. If there is no signage specifically forbidding stopping to unload, then tell the person to mind their own damned business.

 

[Rhody]

I would have waived and driven off
i learned my lesson a number of years ago when i was parallel parking just after a snow storm when a woman pulled into the spot as i was backing in. After i parked i noticed there wasn't enough room the nose ofmy car was sticking out into a driveway at a freshly plowed snow bank. The woman had gotten out of her junkie car and i grumbled a few expletives . She said something back and i involuntarily flipped her the bird at which point she said she was a cop. Based upon her car appearance and conduct i didn't believe her until she brandished a badge and a radio calling in my plate ..... Then a squad car came. Fortunately i knew the officer but he actually made me apologize to her which i delivered with my fingers firmly crossed behind my back.

Next time the captain should wear his uniform to the post office to avoid things like this from happening

 

[Lightcs1776]

You can't make everybody happy. Let it go and move on with life.

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[shavefan]

I would have waived and driven off
i learned my lesson a number of years ago when i was parallel parking just after a snow storm when a woman pulled into the spot as i was backing in. After i parked i noticed there wasn't enough room the nose ofmy car was sticking out into a driveway at a freshly plowed snow bank. The woman had gotten out of her junkie car and i grumbled a few expletives . She said something back and i involuntarily flipped her the bird at which point she said she was a cop. Based upon her car appearance and conduct i didn't believe her until she brandished a badge and a radio calling in my plate ..... Then a squad car came. Fortunately i knew the officer but he actually made me apologize to her which i delivered with my fingers firmly crossed behind my back.

Next time the captain should wear his uniform to the post office to avoid things like this from happening

She called it in on you because you flipped her the bird??? Lol, wow.

If I were you guys I'd just use the "free pickup" from home option that UPS and USPS offer. Or not leave the house. Ever. (Amazon delivers shaving supplies, food and toilette paper!). Sounds rough out there. I mean, nasty elderly ladies, rogue off duty cops, epic life threatening journeys across parking lots... Sheesh

 

[Haggises]

I’m just amazed that I agree with shavefan and not with beginish.

I’m going to have to go check that I’m me.

The answer to the OP - you’re in the wrong, she was right. You should have said sorry instead of being snarky.

 

[shavefan]

I’m just amazed that I agree with shavefan and not with beginish.

I’m going to have to go check that I’m me.

The answer to the OP - you’re in the wrong, she was right. You should have said sorry instead of being snarky.

I'm more amazed that I'm not on your ignore list!

 

[FarmerTan]

I'm more amazed that I'm not on your ignore list!

The night is young my friend!

 

[fast shaver]

I'm in a rural area & have no problem dropping off packages at the Post Office.

 

[cleanshaved]

I would not find myself in that position to need to reply but that's just me. No judging here, as I doubt anyone has never broken at least one road rule, including myself.
If I was in the old ladies position, I would have just shook my head and moved on.

 

[Raissermesser]

First thing that comes to mind is "I love it when people think I give a ****."

 

[preidy]

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Our post office is in a strip shopping center where the cars in the shopping center drive right by the storefronts. Two very wide lanes for traffic separate the storefronts from the busy parking lot. Because I often have a tote bag of boxes to mail I double park right in front for a moment and then unload the boxes inside. Then hop back in the car and drive off - takes like one minute literally. Have been doing this for years now.

Yesterday as I am climbing back into the car a lady from behind me yells, "I love it when people think the parking rules don't apply to them." I turned around and looked at her. Frumpy, not looking like she is a generally happy person to begin with. And I replied to her, "You are welcome." Well, that triggered her big time and my car door closed as her voice was raising even higher. Drove off with a grin on my face, sorry to say but it is true.

So what would you say in such a situation?

~ The Captain

Oh I think people now in general are less civil, patient and get "triggered" (I hate that word) at the drop of the hat. Maybe she was just having a bad day? I understand your situation and have done similar. What I do is put the emergency "flashers" on to signal a temp situation. Anyway. We should all try and count our blessings. To much negativity out there.....