Things That Irk Me: When People Park in Your Space

When you live on a block that requires street parking, there are certain unwritten rules that neighbors usually abide by. Everyone has their own specific parking spot that they have been assigned.

Now I know that there is no way of reserving a parking space on the street, but as time passes and I’m talking about years, everyone understands that this car parks here and another car parks there.

I have this type of situation. I have been comforted knowing where to park daily. But recently a strange car has begun to park in my spot a little too regularly. It causes me to have to look around for a different spot when I come home.

Again, I know that no one can reserve a spot on the street, but it’s really frustrating when you’ve been parking in the same spot for a number of years and someone new intrudes on that!

I think that my sensitivity about parking comes from many years ago when I lived at an apartment building where parking was a fierce competition. I was forced to park in an awkward position one evening and when I came to get my car the next day it was scratched from the hood to the trunk and back around back. Ever since then I think I’ve had a bit of the sensitivity about having my own secure parking spot. I’m a little too possessive and protective about it.

After my initial annoyance of having “my” parking space taken on this particular day, I soon realized that it was just another one of life’s mishaps. A distraction. It’s just a parking spot! Why get myself in a tizzy over something so minor when there are other things that could be focused on.

Consequently, not long after I had the idea for this post, I looked out the window and the offending car had left “my” spot. I parked back in “my” space. Though I have it back for the time being, I’ve still decided that I won’t allow it to upset me if it were to happen again. As they used to say back in the day, there are bigger fish to fry! So let’s get to frying those bigger fish.