DPC member -->| |<-- this close to being arrested

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

06/29/2007 03:13:20 PM · #1

Me.
I'm still so &%**@ pissed off I can't see straight.

Rewind to about 15 minutes ago:
Test driving a customer's car, I drive through grocery store parking lot to run over some speed bumps to see how the suspension feels, and I see a woman about 80 years old, struggling with a full grocery cart and a smaller pull cart behind her, right in front of the store. I pulled over, put the flashers on, car parked in front of the store (technically a loading/unloading zone, no red curb), hopped out and went over to see if she needed some help. She was trying to get back into the store to call a cab, so I helped her in with the big cart and found an out of the way area in the front of the store where she could set aside for a few minutes while calling a taxi. I bid my farewells and walked back out.
When I got outside, I see the vehicle I was driving, being ticketed for parking there. I explained what I did, and why I did it, and that I had been there perhaps 2 minutes at the most, and I may as well have been talking to the brick wall. It was explained that because technically no one was in the vehicle, it was parked, and there's no parking in the loading zone.

For shit's sake. WTF is wrong with people?
Livid is a mild term for how I felt, and yet given a choice, I would have done it all over again. I wanted to choke the living crap out of that "for-hire parking lot official".

This is one ticket I am going to contest.

violinist123

Canon EOS-6D

06/29/2007 03:15:01 PM · #2

Was it a cop or some mall parking lot cop? If the latter I'd be using the ticket to light the fire on my grill tonight.

Judi

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

06/29/2007 03:15:14 PM · #3

They penalise people for doing bad....
they penalise people for doing good....

Whatever happened to rewarding people for good deeds....sheez!!

pamelasue

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/29/2007 03:15:47 PM · #4

if that wasn't a real police officer I would have torn the ticket up in his face!

fotomann_forever

06/29/2007 03:16:25 PM · #5

Originally posted by Brad:

This is one ticket I am going to contest.

I think I'd send this as a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper too.

06/29/2007 03:22:20 PM · #6

The tickets written by the Rent-A-Cops are as legal as if the Police Chief himself wrote it. There is a co-operative between them.

I am going to go back to the store, speak to the manager and find out the particulars and see if they want the wonderful publicity for who they have hired on their behalf to monitor and keep their parking lot safe and secure from thugs like me. ROFL

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

06/29/2007 03:22:26 PM · #7

Sounds like one of those stories that the media would love to run. "Good Samaratin gets ticket while helping 80 year-old women in need". Shopping center security guard says "I'm just doing my job". Our calls to XYZ Corp., that owns the shopping center, have yet to be returned...get the details tonight on the 6 O'Clock news..."

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

06/29/2007 03:26:17 PM · #8

Stress:
The confusion created when ones mind overrides the body's basic desire to
choke the living crap out of some butthead who desperately needs it.

I know the feeling.

Somebody go gimme a 10 on my challenge pic and make me feel better.

Message edited by author 2007-06-29 15:27:23.

mattmac

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

06/29/2007 03:27:15 PM · #9

Originally posted by Brad:

a woman about 80 years old struggling with a full grocery cart and a smaller pull cart behind her,....I bid my farewells and walked back out.

Did you get her number?
At least her myspace page?
She sounds like a cougar. Feisty!

LoudDog

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

06/29/2007 03:33:50 PM · #10

At least you didn't get beat down! I'm picturing Cartman (from south park) "Respect my athourata!"

KaDi

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

06/29/2007 03:40:28 PM · #11

Darn! You forgot to wear your Boy Scout uniform again, didn't you?!
:)

(Talk to the store manger, the regional manager, then call the local paper...you'll feel better.)

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/29/2007 03:46:10 PM · #12

You probably did more good than you think as I imagine the cop would have given the woman a ticket for loitering while waiting for the cab.

That story is probably a good reason we don't have the ability to explode people with our thoughts.

Where is this rent-a-cop's village?

thegrandwazoo

Nikon D750

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

06/29/2007 04:27:37 PM · #13

Too bad the "Don't be a Dick" thread was locked it would be a perfect place for that rent-a-cop.

Yup for sure this needs a phone call the the manager and a phone call to action news!

:-D

fotomann_forever

06/29/2007 04:30:30 PM · #14

Hey Brad, did you tell Mr. Rent-a-cop Hanneke's screen name?

Marc923

06/29/2007 04:38:04 PM · #15

Hey Brad, sorry to hear about the ticket. As fast as it happened makes me wonder if the security guy was watching you.

And thanks for being such a great human being to stop and help the lady. Not many people do that kind of stuff anymore. So to calm yourself down, think of how you made that lady feel.

bdenny

Sony DSC-H5

06/29/2007 04:39:58 PM · #16

Originally posted by Art Roflmao:

That story is probably a good reason we don't have the ability to explode people with our thoughts.

Speak for yourself :P

eta: Rent-A-Cops suck

Message edited by author 2007-06-29 16:41:05.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

06/29/2007 04:40:53 PM · #17

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Hey Brad, did you tell Mr. Rent-a-cop Hanneke's screen name?

No, but I did make give Dr. Phil a run for his money, as I was able to make a nearly instantaneous personality assessment, and give him his results on-the-spot. Told him he must hate his Mother and Grandmother and had no compassion for human nature.
Was not one reaction from the stone-faced man.

I think he was an outtake from the Sci-Fi Challenge myself - a total Android.

Message edited by author 2007-06-29 16:41:27.

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

06/29/2007 06:35:43 PM · #18

Originally posted by Brad:

For shit's sake. WTF is wrong with people?

Seriously, people leaving their cars just any ol' place. Really makes you wonder.

eac

Nikon D200

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED VR

06/30/2007 10:34:39 AM · #19

Originally posted by Brad:

What I found hilarious, is that you can say that "technically a loading / unloading zone" but oh what the heck, "I can park here because I am here to help that struggling older woman with her groceries because damn, it's the right thing to do!" Why not do the right thing, park in a proper spot... help the woman out, jump back in the vehicle that you were test driving and be on your merry way?

BeeCee

Nikon D40

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

06/30/2007 11:34:18 AM · #20

Because by the time he drove around to find a regular space, then walked back, the old lady may have already had time to have an accident?
He could have also said, "Ah well, nowhere to stop, she's on her own."

Right and legal aren't always the same thing.

Message edited by author 2007-06-30 11:36:11.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

06/30/2007 12:07:48 PM · #21

Originally posted by eac:

What I found hilarious, is that you can say that "technically a loading / unloading zone" ...

Wasn't he helping this woman in her effort to "load/unload" -- i.e., transport her purchases between the checkstand and motorized transportation?

What if he'd purchased a few cases of canned goods, and went to move the car close to the store to they would be easier to "load" -- wouldn't you have to "park" the car first? How is it even possible to "load/unload" one's groceries while sitting in the driver's seat?