By Staff
Wikipedia defines a pet peeve as a minor annoyance that can instill great frustration in an individual. The term originated from the word &#8220peeve.” A &#8220peeve,” meaning something that is particularly irritating or annoying, is a relatively recent word. Its first printed usage was in 1911. The term is a back formation from a 14th-century word: &#8220peevish,” meaning ornery or ill-tempered.
Well, folks, I've got a few of those pet peeves. And, since we are all human, I can only imagine that you have one or two popping up in your mind right now.
I'm not sure if it's because women tend to be more vocal about such things or if men generally have an &#8220oh well” attitude about everything, but when I asked co-workers (most of which are women) about pet peeves, I got an earful.
First, I'll tell you about the ones that top my list. I think the thing that riles me the most is the fact that there are a number of people who don't feel putting shopping carts in the cart corral in a parking lot is necessary. Leaving carts to run wild in parking lots can cause some serious damage.
Let me explain. About a year ago, I drove into a local grocery stores parking lot. It was just about dark, and a light rain had begun to fall. Now, mind you, I like to think that I'm an alert driver. But before I knew it, a shopping cart had jumped in front of my vehicle and WHAM!
The cart didn't do much damage to my vehicle. A scratch down the front of the grill portion and then a little dent on the fender from the ricochet action of the event was the result of the incident. It is noticeable but doesn't hurt the driving of the vehicle.
After doing a little research and asking some questions, I was informed that instead of my being able to ask the store to help pay for the damages caused by the runaway cart, the store could actually ask me to pay for any damages to the cart. Apparently, runaway carts are not the responsibility of the store.
I hope if you are one of those people who don't feel putting a cart in it's designated spot in the parking lot that you will take heed to this information. By not putting the cart in the right place, you are putting other drivers in danger of damage to their vehicles, and if someone sees you leave the cart running free, you could be held liable for the damage to a vehicle. Something to ponder isn't it?
Also, on the subject of parking lot etiquette, I have one other pet peeve. Just so everyone knows how I feel, those parking spaces trimmed in blue with a picture of a wheelchair in them are not shopping cart corrals. I realize there are times when there are no vehicles parked in those spaces, but that does not automatically turn them into cart corrals. Those places are specifically for automobiles that transport people with disabilities.
My mother is handicapped and there are times when I take her shopping that we use those blue spaces for parking my vehicle. And, if you're wondering, yes I do have one of those handicap-identifying cards to hang from my rearview mirror for such occasions. I think those, or at least the regular vehicle tag, are required to park in those spots. Also something else to ponder.
I don't usually have any kind of soapbox to stand on because I think I'm pretty easy to get along with most days. However, I just wanted to let people know that parking lot etiquette is just as important as dining etiquette. So as you go throughout your shopping rituals, please try to remember that I'm watching. One never knows what I might write about in this space.
Lisa Tindell is a news reporter for The Brewton Standard. She can be reached at 867-4876 or lisa.tindell@brewtonstandard.com.