"Temporary" Venting Thread V

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

I step towards her car and wait for her to back out, where she'll have to go right by me and I can flag her down - and she snivels out the front! (squeezing by the concrete parking block thing).

If she purposefully chose a different route just to avoid you talking to her about it, I'm pretty sure there is nothing you could ever say to make her see reason.

I think Tessar's advice is sound, either contact the school if the parking is on their property (no parking warden, I take it?), or call the cops on her. (Not sure how things work over there, but over here, if you don't put your handicap card at the front window when parked on a handicapped parking space, you're illegally parked. They'll eventually waive the fine if you go to the station and show your card there, but people seldom forget to put the card at the window after having to go through all that.)

Or you could always, if she takes the handicapped spot again, whip out your mobile, pretend to call the police, and say loudly 'Yeah, there's some egocentric bint parking in the handicapped spot, [rattle off plate number] can you come and tow her illegally parked car?'

However, I reckon thinking of doing that is probably more satisfying than actually doing it would be effective. And if she does happen to have a card that allows her to park there, you kind of look like an ass yourself...

I don't like those militant handicap activists that will shut down a mom-and-pop restaurant if they can't afford to put in a ramp,

People do that?

[Rían]

Yeah, that's been in the news, unfortunately. Not very often, but when tougher disability access laws were first added, there were cases of this kind. Probably the laws have allowed for some reasonable exceptions now, because I haven't seen it much recently.

Yeah, it IS kinda fun to think about it! And I'm pretty sure she doesn't have a placard - it's happened too often. And she never gets out of the car - that's probably how she rationalizes it. But she's often in the space for a good 10 minutes - and that's more than enough for a disabled person to be turned away and have to park far off or in a space that doesn't allow for lifts Once she pulls in, all that the people that really need it see is that it's taken, and they have to go away

I think I'll contact the principal - maybe I can explain the ramifications that he hasn't thought of (like if I can't pull the scooter up next to the side door, I have to lift my 100-pound son and carry him to the back) and HE can put together a letter in the very faint hope that she might have a conscience to be touched by it.

[Mari]

That last plan sounds like a sensible one. I hope the principal will have enough 'power' to get the woman to leave the handicapped spot for the handicapped.

[katya]

Rian, I just read a thread on Reddit about people abusing handicapped parking spots. A woman parked in a spot without a placard or any visible disabilities. When the manager of the store she was parked in front of asked her politely to please remember to put the placard up, she freaked out and got angry about it. I was surprised and saddened by all the stories I heard about people becoming angry and belligerent when called out on things like that. It's understandable in a way (in the "i can comprehend it" sense), but a little baffling at the same time.

I have no memory of parking in a handicapped spot, for the record. Except when I had my mom with me, someone who has the placard but has a near invisible disability herself (multiple sclerosis- trouble walking, fatigue, etc.).

[Tessar]

I have been so paranoid since that second accident. Every time I have to slow down, I am anxiously and obsessively (uncontrollably--I literally can't stop myself) watching the person behind me in my rearview mirror, and I get super tense because I keep waiting for the impact.

It's really frustrating... I work so hard to learn how to relax myself mentally and physically because you have to be able to do that as a singer, but nothing I have tried (deep breathing, visualization, even saying a prayer, etc.) has helped yet. I know it will take some time, but seriously. I feel a panic spike every time I approach a stop light, stop sign, or the traffic ahead of me starts to slow down. It's just frustrating, and I know I have to be patient.

[Nerdanel]

i just heard that one of the people in my research group gave birth to her twins, a month too early, and one of them died. it just reminds me of what happened to my mum when she lost a kid - i know my friend is young and strong willed, so she will be fine. still, it's not going to be easy.. and there will be a lot of sorrow.

i'm surprised to find how much her pain hurts me.

EDIT: the other kid is ok, though, and so is the mum.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

As a twin, my heart goes out to your friend, and her baby. I can't think what life would be without my brother.

[Tessar]

Oh no. I am glad that the mother and the other baby are fine too.

[Mari]

That's really sad

[Mari]

Pissing off your best friend by accident with something she thinks is a truism, but is something I really do believe in by means of a text message is the worst.

I hate fighting in person. I just discovered receiving a snappy text is worse.

[Nerdanel]

i talked to my friend who lost one of her babies.. and she's alright and the other baby is alright, and that's really great to hear.. and soon, i'll see her.

on the other hand, i have to leave dirty charlie behind when i leave morocco tomorrow.. he's such a wonderful creature.

[Rían]

I'm so sorry for your friend, Nel - I know your friendship will help her.

Mari - yeah, text messages are kinda dangerous - they're so easy to fire off, and you feel you have to respond right away. That's one of the things I tell the kids over and over - you DO NOT have to respond the second you see it!!!!! (for all they know, your battery died). Take your time!

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

That's one of the things I tell the kids over and over - you DO NOT have to respond the second you see it!!!!! (for all they know, your battery died). Take your time!

Also, you do not have to see it the second it comes in.
If I'm with a friend, I'd rather she keeps her attention on me than turning it to her phone every time it emits some sound. If she's waiting for an important message, fair enough that she would check whether this is it - but otherwise our phones should not always have first priority, over everyone else.

[Rían]

Originally Posted by Varnafindë

Also, you do not have to see it the second it comes in.

ex-ACT-ly - it will keep.

[Mari]

Ah, I don't usually respond right away and certainly not when in company. It was just a misunderstanding and apparently she was frustrated with me for something else as well, so... ( I gave her a call, I'm not going to 'fight' with text messages or something like that as a medium)
But, it's solved now, more or less.

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by Mari

( I gave her a call, I'm not going to 'fight' with text messages or something like that as a medium)

Sounds wise!

Good to hear that it's more or less solved

[katya]

Actually, I do check my texts as soon as I get them even if I'm with someone. I don't text a lot for pleasure, usually only to relay important information. So if I get a text, while it's probably not an emergency, it's probably something important that the person who sent it might be severely inconvenienced if I don't see it in a timely manner. But, I won't respond to it if I don't have to and I don't get that many texts in the first place so it's not like I'm reading them every 5 minutes. Most likely I won't get more than 1 in the time we're hanging out.

Ok so last night, while we're on the subject, something a bit on the other side of the spectrum happened. I was at a barbeque party thing and everyone else there had smart phones. As soon as one person started playing with theirs, everyone was. It was the lamest thing ever. I only have a regular phone (it just calls and texts and takes photos pretty much) so I was like "..."

[Rían]

Well, that's fine if you don't get a lot of texts, katya - we're talking about those people that get a lot of them. I'm sure you're polite about it, knowing you but some people just need to learn that texts can wait.

I don't always answer calls when I'm with someone else, but I always take a look at the caller ID if I'm away from my family, and will always take family calls (but ask the person I'm with to please excuse me for a second, and tell the family member calling that I'm with someone and need to be brief). I just don't want to miss an emergency family call, esp. with kids!

Sorry about your smart phone thing

[katya]

The thing is, I don't even want a smart phone. I had an iPhone for a while, and I didn't really like having it, in a way. It's sort of like, if it's there, I want to use it. So I would check my email and facebook every 5 minutes, play games if I was bored, etc. But if I don't have it, it's not even on my mind, and I don't waste so much time. I feel like I am more at peace the less distractions I have. Though smart phones do come in handy if you need to find out some information or use the GPS.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

I don't always answer calls when I'm with someone else, but I always take a look at the caller ID if I'm away from my family, and will always take family calls (but ask the person I'm with to please excuse me for a second, and tell the family member calling that I'm with someone and need to be brief). I just don't want to miss an emergency family call, esp. with kids!

The absolute worst is when someone doesn't excuse themselves, but just takes the call, and sits there talking while they're still with other people.