Courteous or Rude?

I have never forgotten the lessons I learned in Sunday School. It doesn’t matter how long ago that was, those lessons for daily living still occupy a prime spot in my brain and have become the essence of what I believe in. Such simple things as: do unto others as you would have them do unto you; try to give a helping hand whenever you can; practise what you preach; live and let live; what will be will be; walk on a crack, break your mother’s back; what goes around, comes around; those who throw stones, shouldn’t live in glass towers and on and on.

I actually do believe in the idea that if we all did one nice thing for someone else each day then this world would be a better place. I always say thank you when someone holds a door, hands me my purchases, or takes my order at a restaurant. I never bud in line, try to give room for cars to merge onto the highway and leave enough room so that the car in front, isn’t blinded by my lights when driving at night.

As I’m sure you all know, I live in an apartment building. It’s a huge building with approx 400 suites. The tenants all park underground.

The other day I left for work and was in an especially cheerful mood because the sun was shining and I felt great.

I proceeded to back out of my parking spot and headed toward the door. At the moment that I had just started to move forward; the in door started opening. I quickly moved as far over to the right as I could to allow the oncoming car to get by me and I stopped to wait.

The car entering the garage wasn’t sure if he could manoeuvre between the post to his right and my car. I knew there was plenty of room so I just stayed where I was and waited patiently for the car to enter. His car was blocking the exit, so there really was no place else for me to go.

He finally made it around the obstacle course and smiled and waved at me as he passed. Right behind him another car came whizzing in. The woman drove tediously around the post and as she passed me, looked straight in my eye, shook her head and mouthed the word, asshole.

I was shocked. Here I was thinking that I was being polite and courteous by waiting for the cars to enter rather than trying to get to the exit which would have impeded their progress, only to be sworn at by some twit.

I think the timing was what turned my gesture from courteous to rude from the perspective of driver number two. She probably was blaming me for driver one taking so long to enter, when really it was just his lack of driving skills and had nothing to do with me at all.

Below is a picture of the garage and the placement of my parking spot, where I backed out and where I stopped. I think you will see what I mean.