Talking Your Way Out
The other day I was in the Financial District, and went to Starbucks to talk with my brother. As Golden Boy and I talked, there was a mild commotion (does that phrase even make sense? can a commotion be mild?) and I looked out the window.
Outside, a tow truck was hooking up a car parked in a commercial loading zone, and the car owner had raced outside to try to talk his way out of the whole thing.
When the car owner came back in, as he walked by us, my brother told him he'd dropped some money on the sidewalk. The guy said thanks and kept walking. Then he went outside again, stooped to pick up his fallen cash, and then spoke with the tow truck people.
He successfully talked his way out of having his car towed. By now you should already know I'm a bitch, so you probably won't be surprised to hear that I don't think he should have been able to do that.
Now what will happen is that he will brag. He will update his Facebook status. Ken Farcomb just talked his way out of a ticket and having his car towed! People will click that they like this. They'll congratulate him. They'll ask where he got away with it.
Then other people will see a parking spot, realize it's for commercial loading only, and instead of circling the block once more, will instead think of their friend Ken, decide they can get away with it, and park there.
Whereas if Ken had gotten his car towed things would play out differently. Ken Farcomb just had his fucking car towed and is PISSED! Then his friends would ask where he got busted, express their condolences, tell about the time they parked where they weren't allowed and say how much it cost them, ask where it happened, how much it'll cost, etc. Then the next time people see a commercial loading zone and consider parking there, they'll think of their friend Ken, and circle around the block again in a continung effort to find a legal parking spot.
But Green! You don't have a car! You don't know how hard it is to find parking! Well. It's true that I no longer have a car. But I'm not blind. And I USED to have a car, and USED to have to drive around to find parking.
Maybe Ken was running late, you tell me. Well, sucks to be Ken, is what I am telling you. Ken should have planned his time better, and alloted extra time to find a parking spot. Or he should have taken mass transit. Or even a cab. Or, if he was meeting someone (I didn't see anyone with him, but maybe he was having a work meeting at Starbucks) and had to drive into the city for whatever reason, he should have arranged to meet somewhere he knew he'd be able to find parking.
Maybe it wasn't his fault he was running late. Maybe his last meeting ran late and that's why he was running late for this meeting. Look, are you sleeping with Ken or something? Then he should have called his second meeting and told them, "My last meeting ran late, so I'm about 20 minutes behind schedule. I'm so sorry, can you meet at 11:30 or do you want to reschedule for another day?"
I do not understand people who know they're running late and don't bother to call the person sitting and waiting for them to let them know. It's outrageously rude. Especially when everyone and their mother has a cell phone. It's not like you'd have to pull over and go find a pay phone after digging through your car for a spare quarter.
In closing, Ken? You're an asshole. You got away with it once, but I hope you learn to manage your time better, read signs in the future, and don't get away with it again. Also, it'd be nice if you put some money in a meter that's about to expire for someone else.
Outside, a tow truck was hooking up a car parked in a commercial loading zone, and the car owner had raced outside to try to talk his way out of the whole thing.
When the car owner came back in, as he walked by us, my brother told him he'd dropped some money on the sidewalk. The guy said thanks and kept walking. Then he went outside again, stooped to pick up his fallen cash, and then spoke with the tow truck people.
He successfully talked his way out of having his car towed. By now you should already know I'm a bitch, so you probably won't be surprised to hear that I don't think he should have been able to do that.
Now what will happen is that he will brag. He will update his Facebook status. Ken Farcomb just talked his way out of a ticket and having his car towed! People will click that they like this. They'll congratulate him. They'll ask where he got away with it.
Then other people will see a parking spot, realize it's for commercial loading only, and instead of circling the block once more, will instead think of their friend Ken, decide they can get away with it, and park there.
Whereas if Ken had gotten his car towed things would play out differently. Ken Farcomb just had his fucking car towed and is PISSED! Then his friends would ask where he got busted, express their condolences, tell about the time they parked where they weren't allowed and say how much it cost them, ask where it happened, how much it'll cost, etc. Then the next time people see a commercial loading zone and consider parking there, they'll think of their friend Ken, and circle around the block again in a continung effort to find a legal parking spot.
But Green! You don't have a car! You don't know how hard it is to find parking! Well. It's true that I no longer have a car. But I'm not blind. And I USED to have a car, and USED to have to drive around to find parking.
Maybe Ken was running late, you tell me. Well, sucks to be Ken, is what I am telling you. Ken should have planned his time better, and alloted extra time to find a parking spot. Or he should have taken mass transit. Or even a cab. Or, if he was meeting someone (I didn't see anyone with him, but maybe he was having a work meeting at Starbucks) and had to drive into the city for whatever reason, he should have arranged to meet somewhere he knew he'd be able to find parking.
Maybe it wasn't his fault he was running late. Maybe his last meeting ran late and that's why he was running late for this meeting. Look, are you sleeping with Ken or something? Then he should have called his second meeting and told them, "My last meeting ran late, so I'm about 20 minutes behind schedule. I'm so sorry, can you meet at 11:30 or do you want to reschedule for another day?"
I do not understand people who know they're running late and don't bother to call the person sitting and waiting for them to let them know. It's outrageously rude. Especially when everyone and their mother has a cell phone. It's not like you'd have to pull over and go find a pay phone after digging through your car for a spare quarter.
In closing, Ken? You're an asshole. You got away with it once, but I hope you learn to manage your time better, read signs in the future, and don't get away with it again. Also, it'd be nice if you put some money in a meter that's about to expire for someone else.
Labels: Golden Boy, How RUDE, People watching
posted by Green at 3/21/2009 09:36:00 AM
8 Comments:
I don't think you're a bitch at all... well not for what you say here. I agree completely. I hate driving, but find myself doing it and quite frankly if you have to drive into downtown then pay to park in a lot. That's what they're there for. If you can't afford it, don't drive downtown. It's pretty simple. What happens when he gets to park in the delivery spot, and the delivery truck arrives? He double parks blocking those of us who are playing by the rules (not that I condone always playing by the rules), but we are just tooling along, minding our business and now everything is blocked, traffic is jammed and we're all late, those of us who did plan our day, who were on time. Why? Because some selfish, cheap, car driver tried to steal free parking and ended up blocking the street. I say go with it! Yell it from the roof tops, smash their windows (oh wait did I say that out loud?)
This is awesome. It just comes down to the fact that there are people - and I know a few - who invariably think that the rules do not apply to them. Because I am a die-hard rule follower, this grates on me. Of course, part of the reason it grates on me is because I wish I could be more of a risk-taker, wish I wasn't always operating in the safety zone, doing the right thing, circling the block and or paying more money because I am afraid of the consequences. While I hate the people who think the rules don't apply to them, I am also a bit jealous of the carefree way they seem to live their lives.
Well, I don't agree at all. There is no reason for being towed away, when you offer to move your car yourself. It would just be idiotic to have the tow truck doing the same thing you could do. A ticket for parking at a space you're not supposed to: OK. Having to reimburse the truck driver for his way here: OK. But having to pay for a totally superfluous service just for the sake of punishment? Does not seem reasonable to me. And I am quite sure the rules do not say that - even though you are ready to move your car - the tow truck has to move your car in any case. At least they don't in other parts of the world.
SH, the reason for being towed away is twofold: one, punishment for parking where a sign told you it was illegal to park, and two, to move a car so the vehicle that DOES have the right to park there, can.
As long as people keep parking in tow-away zones and other places where signs clearly indicate they are not allowed, then I don't think towing is a superfluous punishment.
Well, does the law clearly say there should be a punishment for parking in the wrong place? It's not a criminal offense, is it? I get your point that - morally - it should be punished - as you may have noticed: I don't agree. In any case: Punishment by the tow truck is not something I would think of as a good instrument. But maybe that's just me, and I totally understand when people have a different opinion.
I got your wonderful card yesterday, and I wanted to thank you for your thoughtfulness.
I struggle with your self assessment that you are a "bitch".
You have been one of the warmest and kindest people that I have "met".
I am coming to San Fran with my son in April, and perhaps you could find 10 minutes for a quick "Fourbucks"
David
hello... hapi blogging... have a nice day! just visiting here....
heh. i just had my car towed...
sometimes i wish i didnt have a car. or at least lived somewhere with a garage.
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