the guy who "helped" me out of a parking spot
driving home from a drop-off with a big framed piece in the back seat. some guy in the lot sees me reversing slowly, and instead of waiting, he leans on his horn, rolls down his window and starts waving his arms like he's landing a plane. so i stop. because what else. then he gets out and comes over and says "you're too close to that truck, let me guide you."
i didn't ask. i was fine. there was a full car length.
he stands behind my bumper shouting "little more, little more, okay stop, you're good" and i do it just to end it. then he pats the back of my car like it's a horse he just calmed and walks off. never even a thanks, or sorry for the horn, nothing. just my daily reminder that men will insert themselves into a situation i had fully handled and then take credit for my own parking job.
should have just waited him out. next time i'm sitting there with my hazards on until he leaves.
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The patting the car like a horse is the detail that gets me. The whole thing is him needing to feel useful more than you needing help.
I've had this, not with parking but similar. Someone sees me carrying something and decides I'm struggling even when I'm not, and then I'm stuck performing gratitude for something I never asked for. There's no graceful way out of it. You stop and let it happen or you're the rude one.
You handled it fine. One full car length and he's landing a plane. Some people just can't let a quiet moment be quiet.