Sometimes I wonder if I invite confrontation. Yes, I disagree to keep debates and discussions moving, but as far as every day life, I am a happy, friendly, outgoing person. However, I also believe in certain order and following the rules. I use my blinker when no one is around. I stop for the red light when there is no traffic for miles. I do not park in no-parking zones, and (the cause of this morning’s confrontation) I keep the drop-off lane at daycare/preschool open for people to drive through.
Here is what happened.
I was driving north, waiting patiently to make the left turn in to the ten minute parking outside The Boy’s school. Another parent (mom #2) was in front of me also waiting to turn left to park. A third parent (mom-in-pink) was blocking us from turning left by stopping in the no parking area of the circle drive. Mom #2 turned in to the drive, with her rear still in the street, which forced mom-in-pink to pull up. Mom-in-pink, however, only moved enough for mom #2 to barely get out of traffic. Mom #2 continued to creek closer and closer to mom-in-pink, but mom-in-pink barely moved. I continued to wait…and wait… and became a bit impatient, so I honked my horn.
After waiting for the next round of south-bound traffic to clear, I turned left in to the lot. Mom-in-pink still was not moving, so I honked again. OK, maybe twice. Finally she zoomed off to park in the big lot. Mom #2 lucked out and got a 10 minute parking spot, and I went on to the big lot as well. What did I find waiting for me? Mom-in-pink. And she was not yelling pleasantries! After being told how rude I am and being scolded like a I would never scold my child, I told her that she was rude for stopping the through traffic and creating a dangerous situation in the lot. She could have easily pulled through to the big lot, etc. Her reply was someone was leaving… to which I replied for the time that we waited, she could have pulled through and made it easier for everyone rather than leaving people with their tails in traffic or waiting to make a left turn. She was PARKED in the through traffic lane after all.
It was ugly and not one of my shining moments (at least I left my child in the car– unlike her), but it left me wondering, why do some people think the rules do not apply to them?
I spoke to the Director of the childcare and asked that she put out a reminder becasue this was not the first time in the last month this had happened. Well, it was the first time for the verbal arguement, but not the first time someone parked in the drive inappropriately. She asked me which parent it was, and I told her it was mom-in-pink. She asked me one question and then replied, “I have spoken to her before about stopping.”
Ah, the joys of mommy-hood.
So… why do some people think the rules need not apply to them? I have ideas, but let me tell you, I will be raising my son to know that he does need to follow the rules…even when no one is looking. Hopefully he does it too.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 at 12:52 pm and is filed under Both Sides of the Pond.
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