Ready, Upset, Go.

Before I mention the upsetting thing, a picture of lovely happy muddy Labradors to ameliorate the aforementioned upset.

At the supermarket I park in the Disabled Parking, I have a sticker and it means I don't have to carry my groceries or push the trolley a long way. The spaces are poorly marked and able bodied people do this:

This business man was talking on the phone and using his tablet device. He squeezed in between me and the space next to me. I am too afraid to challenge people about it by myself.

I went in to pick up a few groceries, and no-one was parked next to me when I came back. A kind older man tapped on my window and said that someone had scratched my car very badly. He had seen a big 4WD try to fit in the tiny space between my car and another car parked legally in the Disabled spot. They tried to park, banged into my car and kept going for a while, and then quickly reversed and drove away before he could see their number plate.

The cowardly, horrid, awful, really nasty person who did this ran away. And my lovely car had a 25cm long dent and scratch. I cried and cried in the car, mainly because someone could just be so mean.

I went to the office of the people who are in charge of managing the car park and complained. I know you park at your own risk, but I wanted to make them aware of the issue. I was visibly upset and all the young man said was: We are marking the lines next week. Perhaps. Weather permitting.  That was it, no understanding words or commiseration or acknowledgement at all. Then he went out the back to continue chatting to his friends.

Shepherd & Heap? At the moment I think of them a Shepherd & Uriah Heep. (I know he wasn't obsequious, but it sounds right) The young man was either a Shepherd or a Heap, I can't remember because I was too upset, but with his smart shirt and tie he was beastly careless. To me, this is really upsetting: my lovely car that I have looked after so well is scratched and dented. Between the Cowardly Parker and Shepherd & Heap I've had a very unhappy and sad afternoon. I had to take to my bed and have a Georgette Heyer Decline.

I have insurance, but I know there is an excess and cars cost a lot to repair. I shall have to see what can be done though, because the Cowardly Parker has scratched the paint right off and it may go rusty.

More happy Labradors to distract me: Gilly and Sandy playing and Peri trotting away from the boisterous youngsters to do her own thing.

MrsDrWho and I stepped back in time and sewed February's Craftsy BOM #1. We have instituted Occasional BOM Sewing Wednesday. Next year we hope MrsReno and MsSportyTeacher are going to come along and we are all going to sew our new BOM quilts together. We are looking forward to it and I looked at new fat Quarters this morning. I may look again to cheer myself up.

Or not. I feel quite worn out from the Cowardly Parker incident. It's a good thing I prepared my Friday Food earlier: something for the Footy Finals this weekend. And now I need a nice cup of sweet tea and a hot water bottle to cuddle in lieu of a Labrador: they're outside playing!!!

Comments

[Jan]

Oh Cindy, How awful. I do hope you can get some fix worked out for you and your little green car.

[RoseRed]

I am so sorry about your car, some people are truly awful. If you can bear it, I think a few cross letters should be written - to the shopping centre (even if they don't mange the car park), the car park manager (not just the unfeeling boy at the front desk) and to anyone else you can think of - local paper perhaps, it might shame the cowardly Parker, if nothing else.

And husby has told me you can buy a spray one or something at a car parts store (do you have Repco in Tas?), that might be a short term solution. Hopefully one of your lovely real life friends can help you?

[monica]

Sorry about your car. :(

[Monika]

I'm so sorry you had to endure that. How mean people can be, the Parker and the store person. No compassion at all, huh?!

[Jill]

I'm so sorry about your poor car :-( some people are beyond understanding. How mean. I had a friend who witnessed a car park bingle, the offender knew they were being observed so they made a big show of putting a note on the windscreen but it turned out to be blank. Luckily their registration was noted. I hope the repair isn't too expensive and complicated x

[Megan]

It really is unbelievable how horrible some people are. Not only trying to squeeze into a parking spot they are not supposed to be in but also scratching your car and then just driving off?! Disgusting. I like to think karma will get them back but unfortunately that's not always the case :(

[deb]

Commiserations for your plight :( - its sad there are such cowardly people around who wont take responsibility for their actions - the world would be a better place without them ! Do hope you can get a fix without too much expense - would "Mr Dingo" be any help I wonder ? Glad you have those lovely lab faces to comfort you too. I loved the sepia square - very striking. Hugs for you thru the airwaves x

[Jennifer Rose]

:( that is horrible :( some people are just inconsiderate *insert swear word* you can get a spray like rosered mentioned that should stop the rust for the moment if you are really worried about it, just might be a different colour then the car :/ i only see the company that manages the car park doing something if you talk to the media and even then they would probably just say you park there at your own risk :/

i hate when people who are not intitled to use the disabled spaces use them, drives me insane. they don't realise how much of a problem it can be for people that need those spaces to have to walk even an extra ten feet.

[mrspao]

What a horrible thing to happen. That person will get their comuppance eventually. Did you notice if there was CCTV in the car park? Maybe your insurance company can investigate and get them to pay up for their misdemeanor.

[Michelle Lee]

Dear cindy,

Big hugsz to you. Some people are just so mean and irresponsible!!! They're just plain stupid. Anyway, don't think about the scratch now. It will only make you upset. Spend more time with the doggies and I'm sure they will cheer you up. Take care!!

[Kristen]

Unbelievable- what is the matter with people?! I hope you are feeling calmer now and that your insurance will take care of the repair.

[kgirlknits]

sorry about your car - it's such a blasted upset when people don't do the right thing, isn't it??

I can understand that accidents happen, and sometimes one's carelessness leads to inconvenience or damage to another, but own it! take responsibility as the decent thing to do and make it right.

grr...

hope it's not too costly to fix for you :(

[sue]

Oh how horrible. Does the supermarket have cameras on the car park that they could look at. I cant believe some people, thinking they can fit and then realising that they have damaged someone else's car. I bet they dont park there for quite some time either as they will have a mark on their car too. I do hope something can be done for it so it doesnt go rusty. I hope your week gets better.
XOXOXOX

[Leonie]

Oh no, poor you and poor car. It really is frustrating that people will do something like that and leave you with the damage to sort out. When people park in the disabled parking and they don't have the right to (and no sticker) you can probably call the Council and they may get fined. I would check with your Council and report the supermarket for having badly painted spaces that have resulted in your car being damaged. I would include the two pictures above with the car parked incorrectly and the damage to your car. Being careful to note the car in the top photo did not do the damage. It sounds like the people running the centre don't care at all and you have a right to expect the full space to be available for you. That is not an unreasonable thing at all.

Good luck.

[Glenys]

I'm so sorry. That is just awful. I know how much love and attention you give to your car. I presume you also get stuck paying the excess since the person who hit you can't be identified? Even more insulting when you were ignored while upset.

[Leeanne]

Oh no, that's terrible. All you can do is get it fixed as soon as you can and put it out of your mind. My car has lots of small scratches on the doors and not something that I have done myself. Hugs to you.

[Lois]

What a bummer Cindy....some people are just plain mean!! I hope your car doesn't cost too much to fix.

Your quilt blocks are looking great!

[Pixie]

That's just dreadful.

I'm sorry your sweet lil car was treated like that

We have lots of bad scratches on our car but it's very old,not nice ans shiny like yours.

Hugs

[Wendy]

that is just dreadful. No matter how desperate I am for a park I NEVER stop in the disabled parks. EVER. But I do know that some thoughtless people do. That is very wrong. Also I have seen the Seinfeld episode about this and showed me just what could go wrong!
I hope you are feeling a bit better today and that you car is easily reparable.
And what a rude young man. You did not have a good day at all.

[Melissa]

Oh, dear, how cowardly and mean was that! I am so sorry. When things like this happen to me, I try to remember to take heart in the fact that I would NEVER do such a thing. It won't fix the dent, but it makes me feel a little better to think of myself as good rather than focusing on the other man's badness. People like that will never change and our fretting and making ourselves ill with the negative energy of it all won't help anything. He's like a nasty old horsefly. Do you have those there? They are nasty black flies for which I believe there is no known purpose except to bite you when you are trying to work in the yard. They are so nasty that I've have looked down after a bite to see blood running down my leg. Maybe next time you go to the store you should take a giant human sized fly swatter, just in case!!!

[Cath Roberts]

What a horrible person but having a new little car meself that taken years to be able to buy on my own merit I truely understand your grief

[Judy-May]

Oh Cindy, I'm so sorry that this happened! People can be awful and sometimes just plain inconsiderate.

I had large scratches (self inflicted) up the side of the Sirion (the car before Nora, the green Neo) and I left them for probably 2 years with no rust problems. I got the gentlemen at Grubbs to fix it and they hand brushed it to prevent rust for the low low price of $45. Unfortunately the dents were still there but it was a stop gap.