Had an interesting encounter at Lowe’s this afternoon

[Capt Steve]

MYOB...

I was getting off of my Indian after parking in handicapped slot. Before I could get my helmet off, ear plugs out and my hearing aids in a guy a little younger than me {68} walked over and said something, apparently with some attitude that I could not hear.

I told him to hang on a second and finally got my hearing aids in and asked him to repeat what ever he had just said.

"You can't park a motorcycle in a handicapped space!" was his response.
I asked him if he was member of the law enforcement community and if so, told him I was going to need to see some identification. He mumbled something about not being a badge but repeated that I could not park my bike there.

I then explained {nicer than I felt like} that if he's not a badge where I park is none of his freaking business but at that point I cut him some slack and suggested that he check my license plate, clearly Handicapped. For the record I have perhaps the worst knee in Arizona and permanent nerve damage in my foot {same leg as the bad knee} and there were 3 empty handicapped slots available.

He got real sheepish and apologized, "I didn't see your plate, they should make the Wheelchair symbol bigger so people could see it better". Yeah right, the plate is the problem here keeping mind the my bike was parked nose in and he was standing behind it... DUH!

I accepted his apology and suggested he have a nice day...somewhere else.

 

[joe44va]

I can't imagine a real veteran acting that way. I guess it takes all kinds of folks to fill the freeways.

 

[BearBio]

It's like the "mask police" and "aisle police" in stores.

Generally, I just look at them and say "Bless your heart." Since I'm in the northeast, most people don't know what that means.

But I do.

There are health reasons for aisle and masks restrictions/suggestions. Nothing that I know of for veterans parking sites (I am both a veteran and a high risk individual.)

 

[bulletslap]

Lowe’s, I just wish after I buy 600 dollars worth of 3/4 inch plywood and 2 bys the lazy worthless help at Lowe’s would assist me in loading it and not go off an hide somewhere.

 

[RobertJ.]

As I age, I have decided to pass folks like this off as having a bad day. Perhaps it makes me a coward, but it sure makes life a lot less stressful.

It doesn't make you a coward. It means you have wisdom and common sense.

One of our favorite movie lines is John Wayne in "The Shootist", when among other things, he says he won't be insulted. We like to imagine that's our motto also, but the fact of the matter is that when we carry, we have an obligation to de-escalate. Like it or not, we may just be required to swallow our pride and take an insult.

 

[AlphaSig]

Seems like a veteran is enough said. I'd give up my parking space for any of you all vets.

 

[pittpa]

I think he hit someone whose wife, NOT a veteran herself, was a busybody; the current new word of the day for that is a "Karen".
Best not to say anything to that type, because you will never be right.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Golddollar]

Seems like a veteran is enough said. I'd give up my parking space for any of you all vets.

And I have. After my knee surgery I had a handicapped parking placard, but if I was at an American Legion or VFW I would pass up the handicap parking space and go to a regular parking space in case a veteran came along who was in worse shape than I was.

 

[Smoke]

When I'm out in public I make a conscious effort to avoid giving people a reason to start a confrontation with me. Thank Me For My Service gear and special parking areas (IMO) aren't that. If I'm alone I look for an empty area away from the door. If I'm with my wife we use handicap parking because it's usually not really optional and no one has ever seriously questioned my wife's handicapped status.

I said all that to say, I would've never parked there in the first place and I certainly wouldn't have done it in a company vehicle. Given my hearing it's highly likely I never would have known the woman was yelling at me in the first place but if I had I wouldn't have acknowledged it. The guy potentially reaching for a gun would have got my attention, not sure how that would have played out.

 

[BigBoy99]

Just tell them your truck IS a veteran. It was a military truck used in the Middle East and was repainted after being bought as surplus for your company use!

 

[jcelect]

Vets of a different era!

When I went in (1961) we were instructed to travel in the uniform of the day for the Naval district we were in when traveling under official orders! During the Nam era public opinion of anyone in uniform hit a very low point that I never want to see in this country again! There were no vet parking places! People in uniform were being attacked in airports, bus stations, trains stations, and on the street! During this time period new instruction were issued, travel in civilian clothes! During this time we(active duty and vets) kept a low profile and for many years after! Old habits are hard to break! In the latter few years I have been wearing a "pride cap" not a "brag cap"! Me and the wife have a handicap placard but most of the time we do not park in the handicap places, there are those that need it more and some day that may be us! To the OP, I understand your feelings and agree with you, but probably the last response to the pair should have been "Thank you for your service!"
jcelect

 

[mike from st pete]

Time to stop with special parking.
Expecting mothers or mothers of young children at the local WalMart.
Vet, 1st responder parking.
Even the local fire station folks park the ladder truck in the fire zone at publix.

Personally I prefer to park in the shade.

 

[steelslaver]

Your a vet, why you're at the store or what your driving isn't the issue. He was an jerk. But, on the Jarhead thing face it youu meant it the hard wt. Me calling a Jarhead one is different than me calling a soldier a dogface. A soldet caling another one is probably my buddy ribbing.

 

[Steve912]

Sounds like you struck someone with PTSD.

Nope.

You can learn about PTSD here, however:

PTSD: National Center for PTSD Home

 

[walter o]

i THOUGHT ALL YOU DECK APES CALLED THEM BELL BOYS NOT JAR HEADS

 

[pmanton]

I think I might have stuck a certain finger in the air. As for Jarhead--my first 9 years of service was with the Marine Corps. Jarhead is a compliment.

 

[max503]

Time to stop with special parking.
Expecting mothers or mothers of young children at the local WalMart.
Vet, 1st responder parking.
Even the local fire station folks park the ladder truck in the fire zone at publix.

Personally I prefer to park in the shade.

Personally, I prefer to park where I'm least likely to get a door ding. My wife complains that I always park in the north 40.

 

[glenwolde]

"Can I see your Parking Police Badge"

 

[wheelgun28]

I always figured my plan C would be to drop my pants, start drooling, and scream about the voices in my head that are coming from Mars. Then start speaking in tongues as loud as I can.

 

[dave1918a2]

Don't have Veteran parking spaces here. Wish We did. Used to have a young man at the gun shows asking Guys with marked hats if They had a right to wear them. I was standing with a group of vets when He asked Me if I had the right to wear My USS Arizona hat. I asked Him if He ever wore a uniform and He answered no. I said I don't answer to PuXXXXX and told Him to get lost as He didn't have the right to ask. I think had I been in OP's shoes I would have responded after getting Her question That indeed I am and have a nice day. And I would have been totally oblivious of Her jerk husband.