No ... not in the Wal Mart parking lot!!!

This contains no nudity so stop now if that's why you're reading. But, the situation was so humorous & stupid, I just had to share. A few days ago as I was looking for a, somewhat close, parking spot at Wally's I came upon a literal traffic jam; it was almost directly in front of the main entrance at the store. I was in the midst of about 5 cars with blue mirror hangers (handicapped tags) vying for the second handicapped parking spot with a potential third spot on the opposite side possibly opening up also. I was about 6th in line of a group of stopped cars with their blinkers on waiting to 'pounce' on the open spaces. The lady at the front of the line of cars was patiently waiting for the person (who was oblivious) to back out of the space. Others behind her were doing the same, hoping for some sort of parking miracle. It ain't gonna happen ... this is combat parking for blue tag laden seniors!! There was no real place to go as the line was just about too big for anyone to move, so there we sat for three or four minutes but seemed it like an eternity. After a moment or two, the car second from the front had had enough and passed the first, obviously looking for greener parking pastures. Also, a large 1/2 ton pickup, (also blue tag laden) turned down the aisle from the opposite direction and immediately turned on their blinker, too. There's now about 6 or 7 vehicles lined up waiting for someone to move; it was a bona fide traffic jam in the parking lot. I had had enough ... and turned to go around the entire morass of non-moving sheet metal. The older gentleman in the big truck decided that he was going to get that spot (and break in front of the folks that had been previously waiting) and turned (to block) in front of me as I was passing the entire lot. It was like a slow motion version of jockeying to get into pit lane at Daytona as I waited for the 'big one'. Thankfully, his truck was long enough that he had to make a slow turn and allowed me time to shoot the gap. Yep, I was in the clear in front of the still stationary pack. It could've been a high light shot for the sports channel! I proceeded to head out to the further reaches and park. As I walked toward the door & past the still waiting cars, it was just too funny. Who would've thought!!! =-)

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RE:No ... not in the Wal Mart parking lot!!!

Funny! We always try to park on the outskirts of a parking lot. It can save us from door dings and prevents those traffic jams for us. I love seeing people circling the lot vying for a closer spot when, if they had just parked, they would be in the store already. A great joy and laugh are the people that wait and wait for a closer parking spot then get out wearing workout clothes!!!

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RE:No ... not in the Wal Mart parking lot!!!

We always park on the outskirts of the parking lot. We try and do what we can to prevent door dings, though they are as inevitable as death and taxes. We can always use the exercise and the walk to the store and back out are good for us.

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RE:No ... not in the Wal Mart parking lot!!!

I took Clark Griswolds advice and park far away, so I can be the first one out.

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RE:No ... not in the Wal Mart parking lot!!!

We always park on the outskirts of the parking lot. We try and do what we can to prevent door dings, though they are as inevitable as death and taxes. We can always use the exercise and the walk to the store and back out are good for us.

Also works well for anyone who drives nude so they can dress and undress without being conspicuous.

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RE:No ... not in the Wal Mart parking lot!!!

Walmart or any place, I pull into the first spot that i can pull on thru so that i do not have to back out. I refuse to go up a lane that takes me by the entry doors which then requires waiting on pedestrians.

I was with a guy one time and we pulled into a parking lot with only one other car in it. The guy I was with parked nose to nose with the only other car. I still scratch my head as to why he did that.

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RE:No ... not in the Wal Mart parking lot!!!

Well it was not at Wal Mart but the door ding monster raised its ugly head on my truck. Parking garage at the medical center I go to, spaces are not real tight but care is still required. After the appointment returned to my pickup and lo and behold I had been dinged. Small dent about an inch and a half long. Took it to my repair facility and was told the repair was going to run near a thousand dollars. Aluminum body so extra care needs to be required. Will always from now on use the handy cap spaces provided, may save me money and ire.

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RE:No ... not in the Wal Mart parking lot!!!

As always -- a true cross section of humanity at Wally World! And (next to drinking) maybe the most reliable measure of a person's inner workings: what happens to a person's perspective and behavior when they are behind the wheel -- the old "Mr. Walker becomes Mr. Wheeler?!" This applies to me as well as others.

Well, I do regret the time I took it upon myself to teach a "rude" driver a lesson (it was very un-Christian of me). That said, this is what went down.

At our local Walmart, a driver had used a good one-fourth of the adjoining spot. So rude, especially since it involved using 2 "premium" spaces because no one with a newer car would dare to squeeze in to what little space remained. Maybe a old, dented, rusted clunker would dare try. Well, it so happened, I was driving my old, ugly van.

So, I went ahead and backed into the remaining partial spot. I used my driver's-side mirror to install my old van within 2 inches of the newish, shiney rude guy's car -- on his drivers side -- making it impossible to get into his car. And, I was still nearly a foot inside the painted line on my passenger side, and easily exited the van thru the sliding cargo door. in short, I was properly parked -- he was not. Then I walked up near the store entrance. And I waited. And waited. Waited to see. So, as Larry the Cable Guy would say, "Lord, I apologize."

Sure enough, after a few minutes, a guy took his full cart out to his car. Yep! Rude guy. His car. It's fair to say his body language was in "WTF" mode, with a definite measure of rage, and angst (concern of damage to his driver's side by mine) mixed in. He tossed his loot into the trunk, oppened the passsenger door, struggled like hell to get into the driver's seat, started to back up ever so slowly. Suddenly, his rear bumper hit his shopping cart which he neglected to put away. So, he was forced to climb out of the car to move the cart.

This is about the time I thought maybe I did the wrong thing -- was the lesson out of purportion? But I watched on.... And, what I saw next made me feel like I had not done nearly enough!!

He moved his cart, but not to to a proper location -- he rested it against the rear of the vehicle next to him! Then, he actually re-opened his door -- banged it into the car next to his -- then struggled back into his driver's seat, slowly and most carefully inched out (causing a backup), and when he cleared the spot, he got out to inspect the side of his car. He looked. And looked. And looked. Inevitably, waiting drivers began to sound horns. (What's funny is that I knew I had not damaged his car in any way. There was nothing to find). And he gave up, and finally departed -- his shopping cart still resting on another car!

I was not alone watching this commotion.

The woman standing next to me asked, "Isn't that your van?" I answered, "Yeah." She immediately offered me a High 5!
A man said, "Damn! When I saw how that asshole took up 2 spaces, I wish I had brought my old pickup! I would have done the same thing!"
Another guy said, "I was tempted to do the same -- I'm driving a rental!" We all laughed at that! What does that say about humanity? Lol.

At that point, I was feeling some vindication from my impromptu vigilantes. A bit later, I did take time to look at the car he hit with his door -- fortunately there were no marks -- and I removed the cart he left.

I welcome comments.
Derek

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RE:No ... not in the Wal Mart parking lot!!!

when the parking is that bad, I go somewhere else where there is less traffic. I don't have to deal with Walmart.

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RE:No ... not in the Wal Mart parking lot!!!

when the parking is that bad, I go somewhere else where there is less traffic. I don't have to deal with Walmart.

My post was speaking in generalities. We don't shop at Walmart.

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RE:No ... not in the Wal Mart parking lot!!!

I appreciate your sharing the story of your recent trip to Walmart.

I always tell my friends and family that the best part of growing older is that you have more stories to share.

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