What's wrong with getting a sitter? Certainly it would make it better for people who want to watch a movie, play, sporting event or whatever if they didn't have to listen to kids crying and whining. Does a kid that young get in free? It certainly cost her money to take all those kids, especially to a 10PM showing. In fact, I feel 10PM is too late for kids of those ages to be out!

Sometimes those people might really not have the money to afford the level of care you're offering. When Pepper had a urinary blockage, we went to the 24-hour animal hospital and the visit had already cost $100 before he had even been examined because it was after hours. Then the vet told us the diagnosis, that he'd have to stay overnight, that he'd need a bunch of tests and a bunch of drugs - we had to go from a 2-car to a 1-car family to pay for it, AND take out CareCredit to pay the rest. Granted, we did so, but some people might not be willing or able to do that for their pets.

I agree about small children and restaurants - one time, the GF and I went out to a pretty nice place (Macaroni Grill) just to have our date ruined by two kids who wouldn't stop YELLING, CRYING, and THROWING FOOD! I kid you not, this little boy threw food that landed on our table!

If I had kids, would I take them to Olive Garden (where they do cater to children) or Red Lobster? Probably, but I would tell them that if they were loud and/or obnoxious in any way that we would be leaving the restaurant early and they would be punished for it.

I second Manda that pet care can be really, really expensive. I have a little dog who has had his fair share of very random ailments (he's a runt) and the bills are INSANE!

Ok, onto the jerk list:
I have to add my downstairs neighbors! They're in a band, and every night the band practices. Their music is awful, but I'm not going to be upset just because they're practicing. I've had bands and I understand that practices don't always sound good. What bothers me is that they practice and play very loudly at 2 or 3 AM on WEEKNIGHTS nearly every day! While THEY might not have to wake up early for work, I DO! Nearly every night, I bang on their door with one eye open, my hair sprouting in all directions, and semi-slurred sleepy speech, letting them know that they need to STOP! Sometimes they adhere to my request, but other times, they find it comical and play louder. I've even had to call noise ordinance once. I don't do stuff like this. I'm not the kind of person that pisses all over other people's parades and I definitely don't want to sick Gainesville's Finest on anyone, but sometimes it just HAS to STOP!

And OHMYGOSH, if you don't flush the toilet in public restrooms, then you are SICK!
One of the most disgusting things ever is to walk into an otherwise clean restroom and then see a big load of turds and toilet paper just sitting in the bowl. How can, um, going number two impact your life to SUCH a TINY degree that you don't even REALIZE you left it in the bowl to begin with?!

Sometimes, I wonder if this not flushing thing is just done as a mean trick because these mysterious individuals just KNOW someone will walk into the stall and go "EWWWW!!!" A very crude friend of mine once told me that she purposely takes huge dumps in the stalls of the restrooms at her university because she knows lots of sorority girls are there and she likes to remind them that "they poop too AND their poop stinks just as bad as mine!"

Ok, my friend just went on the jerk list for a moment there.

Thanks for the compliment cbmare!

kappy - You know what I hate? When I'm in the left hand lane and going the speed limit or just over and I am actually still passing everyone to my right and someone tailgates me. At that point I always refuse to move over. I'm using the lane the way it was meant to be used. They can move over and pass me if they're in that much of a hurry.

If you really want it to stop, call your landlord. Your neighbors signed a lease too, and it might have something in there about a responsible noise level. DH and I had this problem once when we lived in an apartment and management made them keep it down. Of course my case wasn't happening that late at night. In your case, I already would have called the cops on them and not been as nice to go to the landlord first but that is just me... ;)

Mod - that happens SO often on the Northern CA to Southern CA route (I-5). It is a major trucking route, so there are tons of big rigs, and only 2 lanes. Your options are going 55 in the truck lane or going the speed limit (which is 70) or above in the fast lane. I can be going 75 in the fast lane, passing trucks on my right, and people flash their brights at me and get on my tail. Obviously if I can get over and NOT get stuck going 55 to let people over, I will. But 9/10 times on the I-5, if you get over in the slow lane, it takes you 10-15 minutes to find a break in traffic to get back over to the lane going to speed limit (because you're trapped going 55 mph between big rigs, and everyone is going 20 mph faster than you in the other lane).

It makes me NUTS. And some of the people are scary-aggressive getting on your tail and almost cause accidents.

People that talk during movies.

I personally feel that video/DVD usage is ruining the theatre going experience. People are so USED to talking during a movie (commenting, asking questions, etc etc) that they just can NOT shut up for 2 hours.

It makes me so furious when people talk, most people don't even whisper these days, they just talk in regular voices. I almost expect it from a typical Hollywood Blockbuster type of movie, but it's ALL movies these days. I went to see a documentary Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and two guys talked the entire movie.

I will shush. I will move. I will give dirty looks. It makes me so furious, I just don't go to movies anymore. I hate crying babies in movies too, but at least I can understand they are BABIES and babies cry. Adults talking during a movie that I paid 10 bucks for - NO EXCUSE.

Also, people that spit. What the **** is that all about? I've never in my life spit.

Here's the problem:
one of the downstairs neighbors is the complex's maintenance man and two others are the landlord's nephews. The landlord even parties with them sometimes, though obviously not super late on weeknights. I've told her repeatedly about the activities, and she says she's told them to stop several times, but I guess her nephews don't think they need to listen to "Auntie Sharon" (that is what they call her)

How about all those people who used to say (when he was on "terrestrial radio") that they hated Howard Stern and quoted things he would say on the air? If you don't like him - don't listen!

I'm not one of these (thankfully) but your post made me chuckle--I'm so used to videos and DVRs that if I don't catch it the first time I want a REPLAY! It's so funny that sometimes I'll be in the car listening to the morning news and they announce something that I half hear and I get all bummed out that I can't rewind my DVR and hear it again!!! Talk about getting used to something!

Oh, and Amanda~I hear you on the I5! Imagine this: we're in our motor home, in the right lane, going 55 (ish)--its about 9 PM in winter (dark). We're following an older pickup pulling an ancient trailer with very dim tail lights. Suddenly we are passed on the left by a sports car going over 80 who suddenly decides to pull in front of us (not seeing the dim lights on the trailer ahead of us). He runs UP ONTO the trailer, loses control, and spins off to our right (and hits the trailer we're pulling) and then crosses both lanes and ends up in the median (with car parts all over I5). We (and the truck ahead of us) slow and pull off to the right and go back to see if this stupido is ok (he, his wife and 20-something son are fine). We call 911 to report the accident and then we decide to clear the debris off of I5 (a bumper, a quarter panel, etc from his car) and what happens? The darn truckers start honking at us to just get out of the way so they can drive on (we had traffic completely stopped for all of 2 or 3 minutes). I couldn't believe that they didn't want us to clear the debris that could have easily caused another accident. Sometimes I hate California and California drivers!

my mother-in-law

nuff said.

:D

YEP! Same here! I even hit the rewind button on my cd player once. I'd forgotten that I'd put the radio on and not the cd. LOL. :o

OMG I wish I saw this yesterday! The worst day of my life. But I would still like to vent about it so here goes *ahem*

First! I would like to add the underaged minors on probation and their parents. I work at Sylvan Learning Center and we have a contract with Alameda County probation offices so that the county pays for these students to attend. The parents are NOT paying for any of this. Our assessment test to start the program is $195 Registration fee is $75 and hourly rate is $54 an hour. Again, the parents are not paying for ANY of this. So tell me why the students come in and try to get out if it. Lie to me and tell me you have a dr. appointment or have to go to work so you dont stay all 5 hours to test. I know thats a long time but your here for a reason!!!! Your not doing good in school and we are here to help you. And the parents whyyyyy are you letting your child come to the center by themselves knowing they dont want the help. I would sit there with my child until they were done. I mean you cant go tell your boss that its for your childs education!?! Ahhh!

And for the parents whose students are enrolled. Why are you constantly excusing your students when you know they need to be there for improve? They are there because they are behind. Quit pulling your kids out of class and making excuses when you cant do the Make ups. Hellooooo. Oh and your going to let your kid play sports and have the freedom they do when they are about 3-4 grade levels behind. How did your kid get so behind in the first place? Maybe because sports came first?!?! Hmmmm....

And for my boss. Our ratios are 3:1. Whyyyy is it that when I get the schedule PERFECT WITH MY BOSS RIGHT THERE NEXT TO ME she goes and add another child to the schedule which puts us over. We dont have anymore teachers to call and have them come in so why are YOU adding kids to the schedule. Who do you want them to sit with? YOU dont know how to teach and I cant teach so how do you expect ME to fix YOUR mistake?!?! AHHH!!!

*BREATH* ok I am sooo much better now hehe

Thanks for making this thread!

Tellllll me about it! I had to go to one of the libraries on campus to find some articles, while I was over there I felt The Need, went into the ladies (in this case :?:) room, and the first stall I went in the most COLOSSAL pile of unflushed poo was sitting in the bowl! :barf: :rolleyes: :faint: I tried to flush but it wouldn't move. What the heck do you do, it's too grody to noodge it back in the bowl (rather shallow and flat and the turdzilla was in the shallowest part) to a place where it'll flush down ::lapses into angry muttering::

glory - how about those that answer their cell phone during a movie and continue the conversation in the theater...i guess they missed the first part that asked for cell phones to be turned off.

mandalinn- yes you are right...a lot of times money is the issue...however what i hate is that alot of people continue to make me feel guilty about not being able to help their animal with tests. they dont' understand i can't treat what i don't know. It hurts and pains me when i can't help, but makes me feel even worse when the owners then elect to make me feel like i'm a horrible vet because i can't figure out whats wrong with the dog without tests..that's more of my problem. But i guess maybe putting them on the jerk list is a little extreme.

I will second the pet ownership. I HATE poorly behaved dogs. The guy who let his dogs off leash when they KNOWS it is dog/people agressive. The dogs that bark non-stop at anything that moves, the dogs that jump all over people when you go to their homes and the owners that allow their dogs to be all over the place on the flexi leads. TAKE a fricking class and train your dogs! :)

I also want to add the jerks that HAVE to make the left turn out of carpool holding up everyone behind, the 3 lanes of traffic they have to cross just to save themselves .1 mile to the turn around up the steet and the jearks that will pull into the oncoming lane to make the left turn holding up all of the traffic so they can get across the street.

People who park in handicapped spaces that are NOT handicapped!!! Makes me wanna key a big scratch down the side of their car. :tantrum:

L1455s - god i second that with poorly behaved dogs. I was playing in the park one day with my dog and there was a bunch of us allowing our good mannered dogs to play together...well someone starts throwing the ball for her dog and my dog goes to play with the ball...her dog place large holes in my dogs ear with her teeth...she was like..."oh i'm sorry..my dog is ball aggressive"...well wtf are you doing playing ball around other dogs with your dog off leash if its ball aggressive...how stupid can you be. I work in banfield which is the vet office inside of petsmart...and i can't tell you how many people think they need to bring their dog/people aggressive dog shopping in petsmart...ummmm hello...stressing the dog out and exposing them to a large amount of ppl and dogs is not going to get them pet friendly. Oh well some ppl won't learn

if you are merging onto a freeway, you are supposed to be moving at a speed approaching freeway speed to make a smooth merge. You should not have to stop unless there is a stop or yield sign. of course you need to look and be prepared for quick adjustment if people are not going to let you in, but it is up to the already moving on the freeway people to either speed up or slow down or move over to let the mergers in.

my driving peeve is with pedestrians who walk about 0.002 miles per hour (who are not elderly or handicapped) when crossing an intersection, when a car is waiting to turn, and the light is about to change, or these same pedestrians walk at 0.002 miles per hour in a parking lot in front of a moving car without moving over to the side, etc.

I talk on my blue tooth while in restaurants. But no one is paying attention to my conversation. BTW, it's just me and my son, so I don't have people with me that I'm supposed to be paying attention to. And I don't talk loud enough that other tables even pay me any mind. So I don't see a need to pull my son from a high chair, put his coat on, find my waiter so he doesn't clean off my table, and head outside for a conversation no one else is listening to. :D

Aside from that...my aunt is hooked on her blackberry. She texts while driving!!!! She veers a bit while doing this. She CONSTANTLY talks when she and I are shopping or in the car. And she's in from Chicago about once every couple of months, so you'd think that she'd want to enjoy some conversation with me during our time together. But...she won't change. She's too stuck in her ways. ::sigh::

We went through this. Took our cat in for tests. They did some tests, cost us nearly $500. They wanted to run 2 more. One for $500 and another for $300. We decided to wait it out. We were moving in a month. If she got better, we'd take her, if not, we'd put her to sleep for a lot less. She got better and we made the trip and she stayed better for another 4 months, then ended up much worse than she had been and was finally put to sleep. Of the two tests they wanted to run BTW, they said she was too old to even likely survive the treatments for those diseases and that it had to be one of them. So any money spent on those tests would have just been thrown away anyhow.

I keep having waitresses tell me not to do that, that they'll get it, everytime they catch me cleaning up food my son dropped. LOL I used to witness my cousin just walking away and leaving a complete mess her two most unbehaved toddlers made. But I was raised to pick up after my child and teach him to pick up and not leave a mess. He's too young to control his spoon, and he knows waaaaaaaaaaaay better than to ever throw the food in a restaurant.

I can't fault someone who forgets to flush nearly as much as the individuals who can't seem to actually hit the bowl, but instead have it smeared on the stall walls, seat and floor. Makes me wanna slap the crap outta them, cept they can't possibly have anymore crap in em after what they left. :mad::mad::mad:

I used to do the same thing, until my son came along. I was rearended when he was 1, and just because of a sudden halt on the interstate, not because I refused to get over because someone was tailgaiting. But it made me even more aware of not doing that. You don't know how scarey it can be to have a 1 yo in the backseat and be plowed into at 60 mph by a huge Silverado truck into your teeny tiny hatchback. :( And that guy was afraid the semi was going to plow into him, but the semi managed to thankfully get over, or I may not have been here telling this.

Maybe that's why it was still there. :D:D:D

I'll even add people who park in handicapped spaces just because they have a handicapped sticker but AREN'T handicapped. No, it's their mom's, brothers, sister's, whomever's sticker, but it's on the vehicle, and they're damned sure gonna use it. Despite the REAL handicapped person who's driving the lot waiting for a spot to open up so they can get their wheelchair out. :mad::mad::mad:

Dontcha just feel like creeping up on their backside and hitting the horn as hard and as loud as ya can? :D:D:D

almost heaven...but at least you ran some tests..its the ones that i can't even at least run one simple test that gets frustrating (and really only when they give me a guilty trip and make me feel like i'm a horrible vet since i can't fix the animal). Trust me..i've dealt with the lack of money...i have a client right now that bloodwork makes me suspect her dog has a tumor bleeding, however she can't afford x-rays. I told her, she needs to think seriously, if she would not be able to afford anything more, and the dog is worse tomorrow..she needs to end his suffering. Trust me, I hate to do it..but i'd rather put an animal to sleep if treatment can't be afforded than make the animal suffer. And i know that's a hard decision for an owner..i had to do it once when i was in college and had little money

About the vet bills, this same thing happened to us just this week. We are currently using a new vet, and one of our cats has not been feeling well for several days. Has lost weight, not acting right, etc. So we take her to the vet, and I`m hoping the vet will tell me it`s just some sort of bug going around and maybe give me antibiotics for it. We don`t have much money to spend, either, due to my DH having brain cancer and losing his job last year. I also don`t work full time because someone has to be with him at all times because he takes seizures.
So anyway, I tell the vet about one of our other cats that has been going through the same symptoms (thus me thinking it`s a bug) and before I made him an appointment, he seems to be getting better. She checks her temp., heart rate, etc and can`t find anything wrong with her. She recommends bloodwork for liver and kidney function, red and white cell count, etc. She also recommends testing for leukemia and FIV, which is a combo test.
Now I know the vet isn`t magic, and these tests are the next logical step, but we honestly couldn`t afford all those tests at once. So I chose the lesser of 2 evils and had her do the leukemia/FIV test, which thankfully was negative. We are currently waiting on 2 checks, and when we get one I can take her in for more bloodwork, but until then our hands are pretty much tied.
I have to add that we took our lab to this vet the previous week and spent $350.00 for testing of her heart. We just didn`t have much more to spend.
I have been a dog groomer for the past 20 years, and I would do all I can to take care of my pets if a medical situation arises. This is the first time in my life that I really can`t afford to do this, and we have 2 dogs currently that are dealing with medical issues, now the cats are getting sick.

I guess the point I`m trying to make is that sometimes people feel like they have to do something, and they`re hoping (like I was) that the solution is simpler than it appears. When it`s not, that`s when things get tough.

Then there are those who don`t take their animals to the vet when it would be something simple, and let it get out of hand until it`s life-threatening.
I`m not in the mood to get started about that right now....

Ok, I just spent the last 20 minutes typing another story that ties into my previous post, and then our power went out for 3 seconds, and everything shut off and I lost it all, LOL! God, I HATE when that happens. So I`m just going to give the major details of the story.

Last year, Dh was in the hospital, had been there for a month after having been diagnosed with brain cancer and undergone surgery and some rehab. Was on the verge of starting chemo and radiation. We had very little money coming in, and weren`t sure about the future.
Our lab Sammy has a bad bout with her arthritis. She had been diagnosed with spinal arthritis by a previous vet in my hometown. This time it`s worse than I`ve ever seen her, so reluctantly (due to lack of $) off I go to the vet.
I get someone I`ve not dealt with before (and never will again, EVER) and she examines dog, and starts asking me if I know about this problem, and this problem, and this problem, and on and on. Sammy has bad ears, which I have attempted to treat many times in the past; nothing my vet ever gave me has worked for more than 3 weeks. Each time she brings up something, I begin to tell her the history on it and what has been done for it, but the vet cuts me off each time and starts in on another problem that I should know about, and why don`t I? She had a very condescending tone which I really didn`t like at all. I know the dog`s arthritis is acting up, that`s what I brought her in for, but this vet wants to run a barrage of tests for everything she can think of. After it`s all said and done, all the tests she wants to run will cost $425.00 just for the tests, let alone the office visit, and any treatments/drugs that may be given. I tell her money is a concern right now and I can`t afford to pay $425.00 today (which she makes it obvious that she is annoyed by this) and I end up ok-ing an x-ray (she found a heart murmur that I didn`t know about, but she acted like I should have known), an ear flushing, and a Lyme disease test, which I didn`t really want to do that last one but she was pretty adamant about it, so I said ok. I leave the dog there at their request and agree to come back later for her.

later, not only have they done what I okayed, but they also shaved an area where there was a hot spot that I had been treating, and TOLD her I had been treating, and it was healing up. It was $35.00 just to shave a 4" x 4" spot! I am a groomer, and where I used to live, whole haircuts weren`t that much! But I really get pissed off when I get the bill. Now after telling this woman I could not afford $425.00, I get handed a bill totalling $450.00!!!!:mad::mad::mad: This woman had an attitude with me the whole time, and I know she did this on purpose. She did nothing the entire time but try to make me feel like a terrible dog owner, and I deeply resent that. I should have complained, but I am not a confrontational person by nature and all I could think of was how I was going to pay for this, then tell my DH about it. I knew he would be furious, not because I spent the money on the dog, but because of the way it happened.
Oh, and remember the reason I took the dog in the first place? Arthritis acting up? Well, after the Lyme disease test (negative just like I thought) this wonderful vet comes to the conclusion that the dog is limping and stiff because she has ARTHRITIS. I sooooo wanted to throttle this woman. I really should have complained to the owners of the hospital, but there was so much turmoil going on in our lives at that point I decided I didn`t need to add to it. I ended up having to charge the amount on our credit card. Which is, after all, what we have one for.

Rant over now.:soap:

Same here! However, you can't always tell. It may be a heart condition. Just because they aren't limping or something doesn't mean they don't deserve one. I, too, don't think it is right for just anybody to use someone's handicap tags. It is assigned to a particular person for a reason.

My SIL was going into a store once when she saw this very perky young woman in a red convertible. The perky young woman pulled right into a handicapped spot. My SIL was just about to go over and say something when the woman got out of the car and reached into the back seat and pulled out braces. She had 1 leg.

CBMare ~ Ya, that's why I never say anything or do anything. I do look for a tag though and if I don't see a tag and they look healthy I will give them "the look". You all know the one.... lol

That's pretty much the same ordeal we had. My 13 yo cat refused to eat, was losing weight, seemed to be dragging her back leg and limping. They did bloodwork and x-rays. They then wanted to do the lukemia testing and some other disease I can't recall, but said that she likely couldn't survive the treatments for either of those at her age, so I figured there was no point in throwing that money away. Right before we made our trip, she did a COMPLETE recovery. Same old cat agin. We stayed with the in-laws during a guardianship case. Four months later, we rented a house, and paid a $250 non-refundable pet deposit. Two weeks later, she went completely the opposite way and worse. Now she wouldn't even drag herself across the room. I'd put milk right under her nose and she'd lay in it. Her tongue was just hanging out. So we took her in and they'd said she'd lost too much of something??? Don't recall. But the only option left was putting her to sleep. :(

With the pet deposit and putting her to sleep, I think in the end, I probably spent as much as I might have spent having those darned worthless tests.

I'm sure there are some who don't initially appear handicapped. But how many do we see regularly getting out and going into stores with no assistance, no limp, at a brisk pace, young looking, and in perfect health for all appearances? Plus, I know people who do this. They have handicapped cards because it's their spouse's or parents' car or something. But when the spouse or parent isn't with them, they take advantage of that card and park in the handicap section, even though they aren't personally handicapped themselves. :mad:

My son is on my jerk list today! he just got back from Iraq and is supposed to be spending time with his mommy, damnit! Instead he is with some girl...imagine that, lol. ;)

All of these are pretty good and are on my list too. But I have one thing to add..This has been going on in my life recently and I have been harassed by two girls about various of things that I had no part in. The harassment just now stopped hopefully and it was going on 5 months. The laws about online harassment are sorely in need of being updated!! Anyways, How bout people that tell you a secret and then are surprised when you already know about it since their "friend" that they confided in blabbed it and everybody knows already. And then they get mad at you about knowing and telling them the truth that their so called friend was the one that blabbed it. If you can't handle the truth then don't ask my help in figuring out who "told". And then attack me and every single thing I've ever said in their presence and twist things around to where the truth is so unrecognizable in order to make themselves feel better about their bad behavior.

i understand the money and test issues with vets, but sometimes you have to realize (in defense of the vets) that test are needed even if they are normal. In todays society if we aren't practicing high quality vet med, we can be sue and we can loose (trust me, just looks at your state boards web site...we could loose our liscense). I'm sorry but that's what i should add to the jerk list...all the sue happy people. Tests help us rule out certain problems..and if we didn't do those test and just "treated" with what we thought was right...we are legally in the wrong....and i understand money situations...but owners also have to understand what vets today face...its almost getting as bad as what human dr's have to face. Just think about it next time the vet wants to order test...you can decline...but we have to ask cuz if not...we could be sued. And sometimes negavitve test are good. Would you be disappointed if you went to your dr and he said he thought you had cancer and the test was negative. You wouldn't think the labs were silly. Trust me...i have treated animal with ab's ect without test...but I always offer the best care for the animal...because sometimes you can't tell what the problem is...and i've been burned many times that way. I'm trying to play devil's advocate for both parties. And i'm sorry if i started something that offends some...but its just my opinion...i didnt mean to hurt anyone's feelings.

Some of you have mentioned vet bills. I have to add car service bills to the list. What's up with charging $50+ for labor because they did a job that took them 5 minutes (changing a light bulb). I just took my car in for service and they charged me $484 for labor. They worked on the car for 2 1/2 hours. That's nearly $200/hour. I mean it's not like they are lawyers or something and that's not even including parts.

I really, really hate people who side swipe your car and leave. They don't even leave a note or anything. I have scrapes on all four corners of my car and not one of them is from me. Not to mention all the nicks on my car doors from idiots who can't seem to open their doors without slamming it into someone else's car.

Mare- I agree with the sitter idea. I have 3 young girls and I never take them to any late night shows. Nothing pisses me off more than when DH and I get a sitter so we can have a night out and there are young children in the audience making noise. In fact, this happened when DH and I went to see 300. Can you imagine? What kind of parent takes their children to see a movie like 300 at 10:30pm? A bad one. Irresponsible parents make me fume.

Cristina, I'm so glad your DS is back safely! I'm sure you'll have your time w/him I'm sure....surely you're a better cook than "she" is :lol:. Have a Veteran's day BBQ or something, he'll come running. And please thank him for serving!

I just wanted to comment on the handicapped placards and seemingly "healthy" looking people parking in those spaces. I had to have knee surgery this spring and received a 3 mo. temporary placard. I was on two crutches for about 2 weeks, then could get by with 1 crutch after the 3rd and 4th week, after that I didn't need them. I could drive after about a week post-op (surgery was on my left knee and I drive an automatic). I was in physical therapy 2 weeks after surgery for a total of 8 weeks. I had my good days, I had my bad days. Some days after therapy and being totally stretched out, I could walk without a limp--doesn't mean I wasn't having pain. I would use the parking placard because I couldn't endure walking long distances without rest. Even now, after 10 months post-op, being on my feet for long periods of time gives me a mean ache in my knee. I am 35 years old and feel "young". I'm sure I got those "looks" from people when exiting my car. I didn't care. Not everyone knew of my personal situation, and they didn't need to. They have volunteer h-cap parking enforcers where I live and work, they could've have easily asked for the i.d. card that goes with the placard ensuring that the placard is for you, not someone else. Granted I know there are people out there who abuse the placard by using someone else's, but in my case, I was definitely legit. Like someone said before, a seemingly young person could have a heart condition, or difficulty breathing, or some other inconspicuous affliction, we can't judge them solely by how they look, how old they are or how they move.

To your son - Thank you for your service to our country. It's not said enough to our vets and active service people.

I have to admit that I used my FIL's handicapped card a couple of times. I have plantar faciitis in both feet. Before I got some help for my feet, I could barely walk. I was limping and had to lean over on the basket to walk. The thought of walking a great distance in a parking lot was too overwhelming. I could barely walk more than a few hundred steps per day. I was constantly sitting in a chair and crying because of the pain. Once I got some therapy for them, I was oh so much better. I didn't use his card everywhere. Just in the over crowded parking lots where I would have to walk the entire length of the parking lot.

Why do some places put the handicapped spots far away from the door? There are several places around here that have them quite a ways from the door and have normal spots up close. These are in level parking lots. I can understand if it's in some of the mountain communities around here. There are some parking lots in the little mountain communities where the parking lot slopes. They put the handicapped spot on a level spot with a level sidewalk leading to the door. That makes sense. But a level lot?

Thank you NOELLE & MARE! :thanks: We are supposed to do lunch next week Noelle...that is, if he can fit me in his schedule, lol! Used to be my cooking was good enough. Guess he got his fill the first week home, lol. I'm just glad he's home from that god-awful place.

And you ladies are right...I used to judge people that parked in the handicapped spots with no obvious signs of being so. One never thinks about the inside or other afflictions. I figure all who is parked has a reason. And Mare...I have seen this as well which is odd. You would think all handicapped spots would be close to the door.

I just gotta add this to the list...my grandmother!!! OHHHHHH! That woman makes me so mad!

Contrary to all those lovely dovey grandmothers that everyone seems to have and just adore to death, my grandmother is the biggest witch of them all. I kid you not. When myself or my mother has a money situation, and we need to borrow money, she always gives us a guilt trip and then demands we pay her back immediately, even if it puts a hardship on us. Trust me, she's not hurting for money. Last year for x-mas, my mother and I actually had a little bit of extra money to spend, so we got her a few nice things that were passed along to her. The very next day, we get a phone call from her giving us a major guilt trip for having done so, and basically being mean to us. A week later, she comes out to our house giving us gifts of things that had been used before, still had food tacked on to it, and whatever else. Needless to say, we threw most of it out or donated it to Goodwill. I hate it when she does that because she can clearly afford to buy nice things, she just doesn't want to. Guess who ain't getting another x-mas gift from me ever again?

This is where my new lifestyle comes in handy. I park in, what my cousin refers to as, "The Back 40". :D Not many people like to walk the nearly 1/4 mile to the Wal*Mart entrance, or whatever entrance. But Wal*Mart's usually the place I go. LOL So I'm usually parked back there all by my lonesome. With no door dings, nada. And I get in good exercise. ;)

almost heaven...i do the same thing. It really does help add the extra steps a day. I use to not...but once, i had to take my hubby's prized car shopping and someone put a nice ding in it..i felt crappy...ever since then i just park far out..its also because honestly...i am impatient...i'd rather walk a little father than wait and circle the parking lot to get that perfect spot....

and while we'er on parking lots...what about the morons who park in front of a busy store while another person "runs in" to get something...and usually there,s a front parking space. I see this all the time at the starbucks i go to...wtf people are you too lazy to walk the extra 10 steps from the parking space that is only 4 feet from where you are already parked...and btw...your holding up the traffic and making it difficult for others...ugghh!

My stepfather is one. A retired marine, he lost part of his leg in Vietman and wears a brace that fits over his calf (providing support for the missing flesh/muscle) and attaches firmly to his shoe. He is sensitive about his brace and nearly always wears long pants to hide it. He normally walks without any limp (unless he's tired or done too much walking that day) so he looks "fine" when he gets out of his car. His leg causes him a great deal of pain and he really needs handicapped spots.

I would never judge anybody in a handicapped parking place - they either need the spot or they have to live with themselves taking a spot from someone that does.

i agree with you glory..never judge a person, some people have disguised handicaps...its funny however, my dad recently had knee surgery and was incapciated and had limited motion for his leg, so the dr gave him a temp handicap tag for a few months while his knee healed..after about 1 wk..he stopped parking it in..i think he hated to feel as if he was handicap. However the funny thing is, it didn't bother him when he was parking in the hadicap space when my grandma (who is also handicap) was in the car. I guess he didn't mind if it was grandma...but didn't want to accept the fact he was handicapped...even if it was only for a short time period.

Actually Browneyed girl- My husband is a car mechanic and he doesn't get all of that money that you get charged for. The mechanics don't get all of that "labor" money that you get charged for especially at a dealership. I don't know how it works at an individually run shop. For example for one specific job and depending on how labor intensive the job is-how much time and how difficult it will be- there are a variety of pay scales that my husband's job uses. If my husband has to do work on a transmission that's usually a big job right there and you will get charged $200 an hour for labor but my husband will only see $50 of that, the shop pockets the rest of the money for part costs and of course to make a profit. Also at most places if there are no cars or not enough cars coming in to keep all the mechanics busy, then they usually take turns of who gets the single car that is there for the day and it's a bit like my husband works on commission as well. If there's no cars coming in then he doesn't make money period. It is so irritating at times because lots of people think mechanics make awesome money and I have to constantly deal with nosy questions from people as to why we don't have our own house yet and why we seem to be poor and blah blah since "mechanics" make good money or if it isn't that I have to deal with people constantly asking us can my husband fix their cars for free when he already works 12 hour days usually to support us 6 days a week so that I can work part time and go to college and I have a complete scholarship that covers all of my college costs thank goodness and before that my husband was also working Sundays as well. But I do understand the light bulb thing, I would say you're being overcharged.

Ok I am going to jump in. For any service industry there can be huge charges, car, vet, market, goomer, hair salon etc, resturaunt....the point is that there are ovehead costs, equipment maitainance,food cost, lab cost etc and profit.
We use to own a catering service, not so sood for the waistline :) but we had trucks, dish washing equipment, refrigeration, prep costs and it all gets passed onto the consumer. I won't disagree that the cost of living is going up faster than pay, but I don't think it is fair to pick on the service industry, you have the power of the dollar and where and how you want to spend it, sometimes it is a case of where you are and what you need to do but we all have the ability to shop around... just my 2cents.....