Since we moved to this new building on the edge of town next to Best Western a couple of years ago, there are a few things I have noticed.
First, did you know our parking lot is the official turnaround spot in Mariposa? Also, it handles child custody exchanges, probably a few drug deals and so much more.
Another observation I can make is too many vehicles have too loud of mufflers. Really? Do you need your vehicle to be that loud? How do you even hear yourself talk while driving?
Another huge issues is speeding.
You would think the biggest problem are those vehicles coming into town after going down the hill. That for sure is a big issue, but you would be amazed how many people can hit 60 miles per hour or better just crossing the bridge heading out of town.
In general, speeding is simply ridiculous in a town this small with so many pedestrians and a lot of tourists who are navigating it for the first time.
I’m sure some might think it’s just those pesky teenagers who get out of school and drive way too fast. Though that is true, it’s mostly adults who, for some reason, think they are Mario Andretti instead of Mario Jones from Hilltop Drive. I see you driver of that tan Jeep who thinks this is some sort of racetrack.
And don’t think even the big-rig drivers are immune to this behavior. The Lay’s Potato Chip truck that comes through here regularly goes way too fast. It’s a Tesla electric truck and it can speed up quickly, even after rounding the sharp curve heading toward Oakhurst. It’s a wonder the chips aren’t all crumbs.
Another issue we have encountered in our neck of the town are people who think our parking lot is public. Okay, I can understand some of the tourists not understanding, but it is mainly the locals who simply think they can park in a private lot and go do their business elsewhere.
And then there are the drivers who generally are from out of the area and on business who think this is also an overnight parking lot. Take the Unfi driver, for instance. He was told he could not park and block the parking lot between us and the hair salon building.
So he promptly decided to park on the other side of the lot right next to our building, nearly blocking in our personal vehicle. He then proceeded to go check into the Best Western and left his truck right there.
I decided one of his bosses should know this was happening and promptly sent an email to one of the vice presidents of Unfi. I got a response and an assurance it would not happen again. (This is not the first time I’ve taken similar measures.)
The truck was gone the next morning. And the following Monday, the day this driver stays at the Best Western, the truck and trailer were parked in the hotel parking lot.
Oh yea, and then there was the morning not too long ago when a street sweeper and about five other vehicles were all parked on the lot as we arrived in the morning. Nicole made quick work of them, reminding them we are a business and have customers.
They left quickly and haven’t been back.
There also once was a country music singer whose driver apparently decided our parking lot looked like the perfect RV park. We pounded on the doors but it took a long time before they came out and gave us the “we were driving all night because of issues on Highway 1 and decided to park and sleep here.”
Sure.
He did give a sort of apology and left us an autographed photo. I can’t recall the star’s name.
All of this leads me to question where courtesy has gone in this day and age.
I know that when I’m traveling out of town, I would not just pull into the parking lot of a private business and think I can park there because I’m so special. Trust me, I’m anything but special.
Neither are country “stars” or Unfi drivers or street sweeper operators.
To me, it just goes to the heart and soul of what’s wrong in America right now.
A lack of common courtesy.
Apparently people just think they can do whatever they want and have no regard for the property of others. Actually, it’s not everyone, but it sure seems the percentage of people with that attitude is growing.
We have been here for nearly two years and have yet to put those “no parking or your vehicle will be crushed” signs that have to have a county code on them to have teeth. We may have to do that because the private property violations are getting old.
I forgot to mention the two “City Tow” trucks out of Merced whose drivers decided the other day this would be a great place to stop and have a chat — for over an hour. Apparently they didn’t care if they were making it difficult for people to come and go to our business.
It was then that I thought about those signs. But how awkward would it be to call a tow truck to tow away two other tow trucks? Maybe that is what it is going to come to.
I will never understand such rudeness and wonder all of the time how they got that way. Bad parenting? A lack of caring for others? Ignorance? All of the above?
Maybe I was just raised right back in that small town in Indiana. Even as a young and hard-headed whippersnapper, I wouldn’t have thought to do what I see unfold in this small parking lot in Mariposa.
Sure, I did my share of dumb things, trust me. Maybe more than my share.
But I still had common decency, at least I think I did.
And it is telling to me, as well, that the vast majority of these parking lot violators are adults who should know better. They probably do know better but just don’t seem to care.
I will say it has been interesting being located on the edge of town. You see it all around here, from the chicken that decided this was going to be home for a couple of months to the guy who swore to us the sheriff’s office said he could sleep behind the building.
I often wonder if all “edges of town” are like this, maybe the fringe of society on the fringe of town? I’m sure there’s been a government study somewhere that could answer my question.
I guess even though some of these things have been maddening and seem quite ridiculous, they have at least provided me another subject for another column.
I wonder if I can order road spikes online?
Greg Little is editor of the Mariposa Gazette and can be reached at greg@mariposagazette.com
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