Be nice for the sake of Nice

The hotel car park was full when we returned late from the really great Dublin Chamber event at the Leopardstown races so we had to park on the road – I hate that!

I got up bright and early before the trigger happy clampers were on the prowl to move it in as I spotted an early riser driving out.

Just as I was pulling into the car park another car cheekily cut me off and pulled in front of me – hopefully there were two spaces?

The car park looked full and my eager “friend” was ahead of me discovering exactly the same thing. Just as I was about to give up and go back onto the street I noticed a guy waiting on a delivery truck to move so he could leave …perfect!

At this point my cheeky friend with the KY reg (cute out in Kerry I was thinking!) started to reverse to get out of the car park. If I moved to let him out he would spot the guy waiting to leave and no doubt grab the spot for himself.

Nope my friend ….not going to happen!

This brave warrior held his ground and let him try to reverse all he liked – I waited until the delivery van moved and the other pulled out and went to take MY spot.

Just as I was manoeuvring into the spot a woman working from the hotel appeared and politely told me that the other guy was first and was entitled to the parking space!

I gave her a look and she blurted “This is hotel policy” with her own look right back at me suggesting that I was trying to be a smart ass by taking the spot.

“But he cut me off unfairly as I entered the car park” I bit back

“I’m sorry you have to give him the space” ..she was fighting the good fight on behalf of my cheeky Kerry friend.

“No way, he cut me off and I’m as entitled as he is to that parking space” – I wasn’t letting yer man get the space that I deserved!!

“Well, you’ll have to sort it out with him, because he won’t be happy” she said.

“Not a problem!!” and I started to pull into the spot, more than happy to have a showdown if the cheeky KY boy was up for it.

Just as I was doing that I thought of what I had been watching in horror on TV just ten minutes before this and I had a big word with myself ….Greg, what are you doing??

I turned around and exited the car park.

The poor girl from the hotel looked puzzled and very relieved at my change of heart – she gave me a big smile and thanked me. Crisis averted!

Instead I parked on the road with the Park By Phone App. I’d check the car park again in a while.

Just as I was standing by the car I noticed my cheeky man walking towards me after he had parked.

“Someone is just leaving” he says to me “Get in quick“.

Oh ..”thanks”

10 minutes later I was in the dining room having breakfast and my “buddy” strangely ended up sitting right next to us with his wife. He nodded to me.

I could easily have had a big stand up row with this guy and got the two of us all pumped up and angry for something very stupid and ruined both our days.

Maybe, just maybe we should all start to be nice for the sake of Nice?

Greg Canty 

Greg Canty is a Partner of Fuzion who offer Marketing, PR and Graphic Design services from our offices in Dublin and Cork