They paved paradise...

...and put up a parking lot. 

Today's lunch expedition brought me to a bakery, a party supply store and then to the old standby - Sam's Club.  So that's three parking lots I had to maneuver, in addition to the one at work.  What has happened to basic parking lot etiquette?

Have you ever felt like Evelyn Couch from Fried Green Tomatoes and just go off on someone in the parking lot?  Towanda!!!  "Let's face it honey, I'm older and have better insurance."  I would LOVE to say that to someone (eventually, not now, as I'm NOT older, I swear). 

I found a wikiHow website that talks about parking lot etiquette.  Dang, there's a lot on there.  I was only really concerned today with how SLOW people walk when they're going across the walkway in front of the store!!  Oh, and the Mountaineer that took up two parking spots in front of the bakery.  That had me PO'd too.  I don't know if that was on purpose or what. 

Anyway, back to the slow walkers - am I the only one who picks up the pace when I'm walking on the crosswalk and cars are waiting for me?  I speed up and give the little "thanks" look and nod.  You know what I'm talking about.  Just a little acknowledgement.  That's all that's needed.  But today, this couple and their two children were crossing.  And STOP.  In the middle of the crosswalk.  They STOPPED for pete's sake.  Why?  I couldn't tell ya!  Kids kept walking forward, so it wasn't anything to do with them.  Did they forget their membership card?  Forget their shopping list?  I don't know.  By this point, I could barely see through the red tinge my eyes had taken on!  Seriously people, what is up!?!  And in my head, I'm questioning what type of example these people are giving their children!  Ok, extreme, but I couldn't help it.  It's a good thing that at that point a woman came out of the store carrying two canteloupes.  Inject your own melon humor here.  Heh.  Now I can't stop giggling.

The other thing that drives me the most nuts in parking lots is waiting for spots.  Yes, I will drive around the lot.  I will stalk people to their cars, especially if I've got little ones with me.  The shorter distance I have to haul them, the better.  So I car-stalk someone.  I wait.  And I wait.  And I wait some more.  I won't car-stalk the people who have really full carts.  I don't want to wait THAT long for their spot.  I find the person who walks out without a cart.  And wait.  And wait.  Seriously, what are they doing in that car?  How could it take that long to get in, buckle up and start the car?  Sigh.  So I'm waiting.  Eventualy they've got to back out, right?  Can I out-wait them? 

A long time ago, I heard or read somewhere that women are better for scooting out of those parking spots faster than men.  That men view it as territorial and they will deliberately slow down when they know someone is waiting.  Do you think that's true?  Sometimes I wonder.