Hey Asshole, Round II

[Anonymous]

As was the OP in the original "Hey Asshole" thread, I was called an "Asshole" on the streets of Washington in the last several days. Please help me decide whether I was actually an asshole and if so, how much of an asshole.

The place: A local mall parking lot in MoCo
The time: late afternoon, Saturday
The scenario: Target parking lot. Lots of little crosswalks. I stopped at each and every one of them to let pedestrians pass in front of my car and dash over to the mall entrance. At one crosswalk, there's a small crowd waiting for the cars to stop and cross. I stop. Pedestrians cross. A guy and his wife are walking up to the median, about 2 or 3 feet away, and I pull forward through the cross walk and am in the midst of driving away when he shrieks through my window at me "Asshole!"

So am I the asshole? In other words, was I supposed to yield not only to pedestrians in and next to the crosswalk, but also, potential pedestrians who were still approaching and nearing the crosswalk? I thought that after yielding to the group of pedestrians in the crosswalk, I was free to drive on...not sit and wait for all pedestrians who might eventually, sometime, using the crosswalk.

But I yield to group opinion.

[Anonymous]

As a PP in Ahole I said - it's all in how the audience perceives it. I think such language should be reserved for more severe offenses if we're simply talking about what the ped. yelled to you.

But...to your problem at hand. It's subjective. You're probably both right at different times. Not sure about this one.

[jsteele]

This is entirely dependent on the type of car you were driving. If you were driving a BMW, you were as asshole. If you were driving a SUV, you were an even bigger asshole. If you were driving a Camry or an Accord, you were not an asshole. If you were driving a Subaru, especially an Outback, then the pedestrian was an asshole.

Normally, I would follow your approach and yield to those in or near the crosswalk, but try to get by at the first opening.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I see I needed to provide a lot more detail. I drive a Toyota Corolla four door, manual (stick shift).

FWIW, my daughter was in the car wearing a Curious George costume at the time and singing a Wiggles song.

[Anonymous]

It is all perception, but geez, if you waited every time someone appeared to be close to the crossing point near any Target, you'd never get to go.

For me, it depends on the approaching crowd. If they are really close and have a child who could dart out, I do wait.

But if it is one of those days where there is constant people crossing in a billion places, I go when I have the chance (otherwise you are being a jerk to the cars waiting behind you).

[Anonymous]

LOL - if the approaching pedestrians are on the cell phone - I wait. Never know if they're going to see you or not!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I see I needed to provide a lot more detail. I drive a Toyota Corolla four door, manual (stick shift).

FWIW, my daughter was in the car wearing a Curious George costume at the time and singing a Wiggles song.

I was about to let you off of the hook because you drive a manual transmission car, but unfortunately you are a part of the Wiggles Industrial Complex, so I guess you're an asshole.

As a frequent pedestrian who has occasionally called a reckless driver an asshole, I will say that your behavior does not meet that standard. Yes, you have to yield in crosswalks, but you don't have to read people's minds.

[Anonymous]

If the story is exactly as it happened, then no you were not the AHOLE the ped was. I will generally stop for people approaching if they look like the need a break - old people, people with kids, it's pouring out - but otherwise, peds can wait their turn.

[Anonymous]

I'm the pp who said on the other thread that it was a good reminder not to prejudge a situation. So don't prejudge. But that means that the pedestrian could have had a bad day or he could just be a paranoid schizophrenic who yells at everyone! I think you're okay. He's nuts.

Or whether he was stupid like my husband once. We were on our bikes and stopped at a stop sign on a side road when a car on the main road slowed down to turn left onto our side road. DH made some nasty comment about the car not giving us the right of way. The poor young woman in the car heard and stopped and was embarrassed and let us cross in front of her. Then I pointed out to my husband that she didn't have a stop sign and she had the right of way! Moron! He was embarrassed.

Hope he didn't ruin her day.

[Anonymous]

I am so with Jeff on this one. I've had a theory for a long time that drivers of BMWs are all assholes. The newer the model, the bigger the asshole. Not a $$$ thing, just something about the type of people who like this car.

[Anonymous]

Ehn... BMWs and MBs are good cars. I wouldn't mind having one, though I don't.

It's vanity plates that are the real tip-off. OP, I think you were in the right in this story. If you'd waited for every potential pedestrian to cross, you'd have held up all the cars behind you. HOWEVER, if you have a vanity plate, you're an asshole. I don't care if you got out of the car and carried a little old lady across the street in your strong but loving arms.

(I was just menaced in a crosswalk by a guy with his initials on his plates. What, in case he forgot?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ehn... BMWs and MBs are good cars. I wouldn't mind having one, though I don't.

It's vanity plates that are the real tip-off. OP, I think you were in the right in this story. If you'd waited for every potential pedestrian to cross, you'd have held up all the cars behind you. HOWEVER, if you have a vanity plate, you're an asshole. I don't care if you got out of the car and carried a little old lady across the street in your strong but loving arms.

(I was just menaced in a crosswalk by a guy with his initials on his plates. What, in case he forgot?)

OP here again.

Heavens no, no vanity plates on my car. I do have an acronym by which I remember my license plate, which is a bit silly and self-congratulatory, but I don't think it could be construed as rising to the level of a vanity plate

No acts of heroism with the elderly either.

[Anonymous]

Ooh, tell us the letters and let us guess the self-congratulatory acronym!

HSM = Hot sexy mama? Something like that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am so with Jeff on this one. I've had a theory for a long time that drivers of BMWs are all assholes. The newer the model, the bigger the asshole. Not a $$$ thing, just something about the type of people who like this car.

I think people assume that. When I am driving my BMW and put on my turn signal to change lanes people will immediately speed up to close the gap so I can't get over. If I am in my Honda I am way more likely to be able to move over. So I actually have to drive more aggressively in my BMW or I'd be stuck on the highway forever. Crazy.

As to the OP - I dont think you were an a'hole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ooh, tell us the letters and let us guess the self-congratulatory acronym!

HSM = Hot sexy mama? Something like that?

Yes, something like that. I hesitate to say what it is, however, because there are so many DCUMers out there that I don't want to be honked off the Beltway or suddenly have legions of Washingtonians screaming "Hey Asshole" at me.