Posted on 10/27/2018 11:55:26 AM PDT by jazusamo
One time, I met a D.C. traffic-directing cop in the line at the mall and I remarked how dangerous her job was.
“I mean, people in D.C. drive so crazy,” I said. “You could get killed.”
“Oh no,” she said, “don’t feel sorry for me. Feel sorry for the people in parking enforcement. They get screamed at, spat on, cursed out – you name it. It’s horrible.”
I have to admit that this was the first time I’d ever had any sympathy for parking enforcement cops (also known as “meter maids”). I’ve always seen them as predators, scrounging around, looking for recently expired meters. They weren’t people – they were a problem. I hadn’t even spoken to a parking enforcement officer before but a few days after my conversation at the mall, I got my chance.
I was walking to my office when I saw a very serious looking parking enforcement officer rolling down the street on her segue. Right after she passed me, I said, “Excuse me, ma’am,” and she wheeled around.
“I just wanted to say thank you for what you do.”
The woman clutched her chest in relief.
“Oh my gosh,” she said, “I didn’t know what you were about to say.”
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I was working at investigating an old landfill. My client warned me about the owner - he had hit an EPA guy with a shovel and chased him off his property for trespassing. (The EPA guy WAS trespassing - not there on an allowed day).
When the owner drove up and saw us working I got all nervous, but gave him a wave and a smile. He knew we would be out there, and asked what we were doing. I explained it all to him in detail. And let slip a few remarks the were a bit derogatory to the EPA.
Things like: “Well - they want us to check it out, but with all this brush and trees growing - it can’t be all that bad - right?”
He was as friendly as can be. Later in the day he brought us out a bunch of cold water. Days later I had mentioned to my client that the owner had been to the site. “Oh - great - what happened!!?”
some of the articles on Fox are a bit preachy for my taste.
Cool Hand Luke. Nice.
Earily reminiscent to One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest.
Try being a repo man
Not wasting energy, time, and verbal ammo is lazy..
Who knew!
Well, feel free to waste yours spewing at someone who has no power to change it.
With that philosophy, I’ll bet you’re a busy little bee. Not very effective and/or efficient, but busy.
I agree, jazusamo.
I hear it’s always intense.
They’re Just Following Orders™.
the awkward 12-year-old at church, the withdrawn dad who sits alone at soccer games,
___________________________________________
Umm... Might be that that “dad” has his mind filled with what he wants to do to that awkward 12 year old.
The same thing in many cities here. Businesses complain the cost of parking is driving (so to speak) away business. Not only is the parking exorbitant but if your're late, the fines are $39 or $50 dollars.
You are correct, the intended purpose should be to circulate vehicles, opening up spots but it has turned into a revenue generator.
I’m nice to people all the time, but don’t write articles about it.
> If I’m willing to lay down my pride and unleash some kindness
You have to “lay down your pride” to be kind to someone. WTF.
And you don’t do it until SOMEONE ELSE tells you the job sucks.
-Lucas Jackson
Actually what a lot of us are taking issue with is the view that all meter maids are wonderful people just doing a job (like say the washroom janitor whose service we all appreciate). There are a lot of stories here about meter maids abusing their authority to issue tickets to folks who are trying to follow the rules. There is no law that says you have to overpay your meter by 20% or that a ticket can be issued any time in the ten minutes prior to meter expiration.
I practice it whenever possible.
I went to pay a parking ticket, put in all the time needed plus 5 minutes into the meter, got back to my car and found ANOTHER ticket on the windshield.
I was quite firm with the city clerk when I returned with photos.
In other words, thank you for the petty tyranny. Let me lick your boots.
Admittedly, complimenting a parking-enforcement officer would be a very hard thing to do.
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