To steal a man\'s parking space?
Tuesday September 14, 2004 - Permanent link to this post -
Nicki and I went to everyone's favourite Swedish superstore, Ikea on Sunday. It was hell on earth. Actually, the shop itself was only purgatory. The car park was deep in the bowels of Satan's cellar.
We were in the underground bit driving round looking for a space (as were hundreds of others. Sundays are very busy there, you see). A landrover was getting ready to leave and a people carrier had pulled up on the other side of the "road" with its reverse lights and indicators on to get the space. As I got along side it I saw a family getting into a car just beyond it. They were going slow as you like but it was definitely going to be worth waiting for a space, even if it meant stopping along side the people carrier and holding up traffic till they moved.
Anyway, As traffic had backed up behind me, Mr Landrover couldn't pull out and let Mr People Carrier in so it was all relient on Mr and Mrs Slow getting their Arstra in gear so I could park. There was beeping from behind.
Eventually Mr Slow put his foot to the pedal an I could park. A few cars came through and the Landy pulled out. As Mr People Carrier started reversing, a woman in a small red car (let's call her Ms Cheating Cow) nipped into his space. Mr PC went crazy and jumped out of his car to confront her. I joined him and berrated Ms Cow for a good few minutes about the atrocity she'd just comitted. People (we were on first name terms by now) had been waiting for ages with his indicator on for that space. I explained to her that it's hard enough for us [Men] to endure a trip to this place without having to put up with inconsiderate folk like her.
It's the lowest of the low, stealing a man's parking space. She might as well have punched each one of his children in the face whilst stuffing Swedish meatballs into his exhaust.
I was fuming. I left it though. I didn't want to get involved in anything physical, and Mr People Carrier had already gone on his way, looking for another space to be stiffed out of.
We ended up spending more than planned as everytime Nicki picked something up I'd tell her to pick up a couple, so that we don't have to come again so soon.
Finished off the day with a late lunch at Exchange Bar & Grill, which cheered me up a bit.
