Pedestrian Road Rage

[Jesda]

I went to the UPS store to buy a stamp and drop off an envelope this afternoon. I wrote a letter of praise to Bommarito Infiniti for their superb service.

As I was walking across the parking lot to my car, I heard a honk, looked back, and it was an older woman in a white vinyl-top Cadillac Deville. She then shook her head at me like *I* was doing something wrong by WALKING.

Foolishly... she parked right next to where my Q was parked. I knocked on her window and said "Excuse me, is there a problem?"

She said "You werent walking, you were sauntering. You shoulda paid more attention instead of wandering around like an idiot. People have places to go. Do you ever think about others?" She was going to the grocery store to probably buy something high in fiber. And since when is walking directly to my car considered wandering? Its not like a parking lot is a place to frolic and wander and celebrate a love for nature.

I then said "You drive a DEVILLE with a VINYL TOP, youre not exactly equipped to be in a hurry in the first place, lady"

She then said "Be rude about it if you want, you jerk"

I said "Oh I will! Its idiots like you that make West County look bad. Go f--k yourself."

She's actively living the West St Louis stereotype of snobbish, impatient, wealthy, rude people. Motorists here are unbelievably selfish.

I remember over the summer, it was a 100F day more humid than a sauna, and this old lady (at least 70) was driving a Toyota Solara. She had a flat, was stuck in the middle of the left turn lane, and tried to wave someone down for help but no one stopped. People even honked at her, despite her VERY OBVIOUSLY flat tire. I asked her to pull over to the side. I didnt have my hydraulic jack at the time, so in the sweltering heat on a busy road I put her spare on using whatever tools were in her trunk. The poor thing didnt even know how to use her cell. I dialed for her and she got a hold of her husband's caretaker; I think she said he suffered from Alzheimer's. We shared some stories about our lives and in all, I met a really interesting person.

When I was done I was dripping in sweat and my clothes were filthy. No big deal... I mostly shop at Wal-Mart. She wrote me a check and I ripped it up and gave it back. She asked what she could do to compensate me, and I told her to show an act of kindness to a stranger if she ever got a chance.

Its just such a shame that people here would leave an old woman stranded and then treat her like she was a nuisance. What they hell are they afraid of? Getting their precious $200 pants dirty? Physical labor?

Maybe the west county stereotype is sadly true.

-Jesda

[Anand]

mmeh... there are people like that everywhere...

anytime I see stranded peoples... I aleays stop to ask if everything is ok or if the y need help...unless I am late to work or class or something.. that kind of good citizen excuse won't work at my job for being late...

[elwesso]

Nice line...

Normally old people arent like that... I could see like a soccer mom or something like that, but normally old people are nice like that... I mean really, they are retired, they have all day to do nothing.....!!

[gabossie]

The reason for the term "Old Fart"

[The Mic]

I can relate to the "nuisance" part. When i was coming home from school all of a sudden my clutch blew. it was like 9:30 pm and i stuck in the middle of the street, across 2 lanes, attempting to push my car to the curb, on an uphill. Numerous cars just went around me. I mean, I was clearly pushing the car by myself! i was like "Jeez, it wouldnt hurt for someone to stop and help me" . Then after like 15 min of pushing some guys in an SUV stopped and helped me. One of them said "its amazing how people will just pass by when its obvious you need help". They helped me push it to the gas station. Since then I usually just stop and ask stranded people if they need anything .

[Zydeco]

"Its not like a parking lot is a place to frolic and wander and celebrate a love for nature."

Hahaha omg that some funny poopy stuff.

[Neejay]

mmeh... there are people like that everywhere...

anytime I see stranded peoples... I aleays stop to ask if everything is ok or if the y need help...unless I am late to work or class or something.. that kind of good citizen excuse won't work at my job for being late...

Same here^

[Cold_Zero]

I would say that Jesda got



by the old lady.ha!

[Jesda]

LOL!! If she didnt park in such a visible spot I'd have wiped my rear with a napkin and left it under her door handle.

[skydragoness]

People who don't know where the hell they're going and just jaywalk in front of moving vehicles PISS ME OFF. If there was a crosswalk in your case, then i'd say that old woman has no right to complain/honk. If neither of you noticed each other then your'e both at fault. In any case, the car has to stop for the oblivious person and deal with it, it's a parking lot and that sh*t happens all the time.

However,I commute to my campus, and there are many, MANY, crosswalks with bright yellow signs, and/or flashing lights that are designated places for pedestrians to pass. Case in point: today I was driving down main st., (a very busy st in Newark) and a gaggle of 8 stupid-looking girls decided to walk into my lane. They proceeded to stand there for a good 20 seconds because they had to wait for the 6-wheeler freight truck to pass thru the left lane. (when there was a crosswalk 25 or so ft behind me and 25ft ahead of them) I had to stop for those idiots, and as soon as they passed by i lit up the tires and went on my way. I hope i scared them. I hate jaywalkers. I HATE THEM.

[Jesda]

Inspired by Sircnay

[skydragoness]

The old hussy had nothing to complain about then. HA!

[Jesda]

I had to stop for those idiots, and as soon as they passed by i lit up the tires and went on my way. I hope i scared them. I hate jaywalkers. I HATE THEM.

Indeed. Stupid-*** jaywalkers cause more than their share of accidents.

[MidwayParts]

LOL!! If she didnt park in such a visible spot I'd have wiped my rear with a napkin and left it under her door handle.

Im checking my door handle when I leave today. Thats messed up. rofl

[skydragoness]

I'm seriously considering.... (and no one better steal my idea)

of keeping a box of stale Tastycakes (east coast pastry company for those who don't know), and hurling them at pedestrians who jaywalk in front of me. Ha! How great would that be? Not only would they have frosting all over themselves, but the vast amount of people walking by would point and laugh.

[MainEvent212]

i say just get a brush guard...who wants to go in on me to split the cost of a custom 240sx brush guard?...anyone? we can try and get it to fit on aftermarket bumpers as well

[MECPInstaller]

Thats a great map lol. I know now exactly where your talking about. I've notice if i'm taking the offramp from 270 to take olive west where they're doing all the construction, hardly anyone lets anyone off the ramp, i end up having to nudge my car into the traffic and use the horn so i can actually get moving again. Some times blaring obscene rap helps scare some of the older drivers into letting me in:). Its like all the a$$hole drivers use Olive... I've never had any real frustrations on ladue rd or manchester. I got a new job over at best sound company on lindburgh so now i'm goign to have to put up with the crap everyday

[gogg]

I'm seriously considering.... (and no one better steal my idea)

of keeping a box of stale Tastycakes (east coast pastry company for those who don't know), and hurling them at pedestrians who jaywalk in front of me. Ha! How great would that be? Not only would they have frosting all over themselves, but the vast amount of people walking by would point and laugh.

lollerskates!!

Seriously though, pedestrians always have the right-of-way in parking lots, I've had someone slam on their brake and lay on the horn because they were going really fast (due to a lack of speedbumps) on the parking lot road right infront of a store and I didn't see him coming. The dude acted like i was a f*cking idiot, and he decided to edge forward even though I was like a foot away from his bumper and hit it once I was out of his way. Yea, I woulda told him something if he didnt look like he could kill me rather easily with his bare hands.

[rydwhite]

I've got a parking lot complaint.

Many times, parking aisles are one way since the spots are all angeled the same way and there is only room for one car to fit down the aisle. I hate it when people go the wrong damn way. I can't remember how many times I am going the right direction down the one way aisle and someone comes up the wrong way heading right at me and expects me to get out of the way. Pisses me off something wonderful. Anyway, anytime this happens to me, I lay on the horn until the back up. It deffinetly gets everyones attention in the parking lot.

So, I sit here now at my computer and I plead with all of you people to make sure to go down the parking aisles the correct way. Please people, it isn't hard to go to the next aisle to pull into a space. Proper parking lot etiquet is all I ask.

Sorry for hijacking. I'm now done.

[Chingon]

something similar happened to me down in Mexico but this was in a cross intersection. There was this lady that stopped opposite to me (i was walking) and wanted to take a left (my right). Well I was going to cross the street through the same place but took my time before stepping into the street because I was still trying to figure out wethere she was taking a right/left/or straight. So i cross and the ***** yells at me that I'm a "turtle" (literal translation). Well, how is it my fault that she did not turn her light on to let me know?? Anyways, I ignored her completely and continue walking slower across the street...

On the j-walk note: I'm not really against it (i'm Mexican after all), but you gotta know how to j-walk. I do it all the time, and know how to measure my distance, and when to run instead of walk. I also let know the drivers i'm going to j-walk (i don't just pop behind a parked SUV). I mean, if you are walking you gotta take the shortest route after all..? I know ppl are probably pissed at what i'm saying but I just see it as the walker's fault if they get their *** ran over and I do believe the j-walk attitude is too arrogant in some ppl/state/cities...

[vicki]

I'm seriously considering.... (and no one better steal my idea)

of keeping a box of stale Tastycakes (east coast pastry company for those who don't know), and hurling them at pedestrians who jaywalk in front of me. Ha! How great would that be? Not only would they have frosting all over themselves, but the vast amount of people walking by would point and laugh.

Dude Tastycakes are too damn good to waste on arsehole pedestrians

[Mr1der]

yeah, lucky for me, I don't get people honking at me...I think it's because I enjoy looking pissed off and being 6'4" 300lbs of pure white trash helps...

[vicki]

I've never heard excessive honking in the south probably because "an armed society is a polite society"

You'd get shot at for honking.

[Mr1der]

nah...

we're not a bunch of gun toting idiots...

well, ok, we probably are...but it'd be more likely to have a fistfight, that's about it...

I've got a few dumb stories over parking lots but I don't feel like typing them...

most of the time we'll stop and let people by...you'd be surprise how many times people will stop in the road to let others turn out despite it being illegal and rather annoying to others not to mention dangerous at times...

[skydragoness]

Dude Tastycakes are too damn good to waste on arsehole pedestrians

dammit i said stale!!

... i may just end up eating one by accident while waiting at a stoplight since i'm such a poor college student