Author Topic: The logic of a security guard (Read 952 times)

tyzack · « **on:** March 06, 2008, 11:18:46 am »

This happened to me this morning and I have to relate it:

I went to the post office to pick up a package, couldn\'t find any parking spots so I parked in a spot label (US marshals only; other will be towed). (The post office shares a building with the feds).

I hand the lady at the counter my package slip and she does to get it. The security guard (guy who runs the metal detector) (he was 65+, easily) came up to me and we had the following charming conversation:

"Excuse me, do you know that you just parked illegally?"
"Yes."
"The spot you parked in is clearly marked no parking"
"I know, I only came in to get a package"
"We will tow you"
"I doubt a tow will come in the 2 minutes i\'m in here"
"Where you parked is illegal"
"I know"
"Obiviously you don\'t"
"What?"
"You parked in an illegal spot"
"I know, but I\'ll only be here for a minute."
"That doesn\'t matter, you can\'t park there."
"I know."
"No you don\'t, you parked in an illegal spot"
"Yes, I know."
--- Package comes, I sign for it.
"Remember when you come back that you can\'t park there again."
"I know; it\'s illegal"
"You don\'t know it\'s illegal because you just parked there."
"What?"
"Maybe it\'s best that I forget this conversation"
"Okay."

SkyePrizm · « **Reply #1 on:** March 06, 2008, 11:25:01 am »

Wow. That\'s actually pretty funny! But i am sure when you were having that conversation, you were frustrated.

Security guards usually have some kind of power trip because they want to be real cops and they aren\'t. The ones at the mall drive me mad. They circle around my store every night at 9:25 pm, waiting for me to close 5 minutes early. we play this game everyday. its really asinine. They whole mall could be getting looted....but if i shut those doors five minutes early.....When i really need them, like ooooh, my store is shoplifted...they are nowhere to be found...except flirting with girls downstairs at Forever 21....

SlimPickens · « **Reply #2 on:** March 06, 2008, 12:04:50 pm »

His argument:

You don\'t know it\'s illegal because you just parked there

is severely flawed.

I hope you didn\'t catch stupid from him.

kindm's · « **Reply #3 on:** March 06, 2008, 01:49:46 pm »

I\'ll paraphrase what he meant.

Your an **** for parking in a spot designated for other purposes. But since he is older and he has some class he didn\'t say that.

You kept saying you know it is illegal but you left out the part about what you meant was "I don\'t care that it is illegal"

His point was if you knew it was illegal you wouldn\'t have done it.

You put your needs above the needs of the many. Was it that big of a deal ? No probably not but you were still wrong and he had every right to call you on it. So stop trying to be the victim and don\'t park where you shouldn\'t.

Do you do it with handicap spots as well ? or park in fire zones and leave your car ?

tyzack · « **Reply #4 on:** March 06, 2008, 01:54:22 pm »

I found it humours that he could not believe that I would intentionally and knowingly do something illegal. That is what was funny.

I was in a rush, I knew there was a low risk of getting caught, so I parked in the "US Marshalls only" spot.

I do not park in handicap or firezones.
Tommy Lee Jones never played a handicapped person or a fireman.

SlimPickens · « **Reply #5 on:** March 06, 2008, 04:08:34 pm »

Quote from: kindm\'s;182651

I\'ll paraphrase what he meant.

Your an **** for parking in a spot designated for other purposes. But since he is older and he has some class he didn\'t say that.

You kept saying you know it is illegal but you left out the part about what you meant was "I don\'t care that it is illegal"

His point was if you knew it was illegal you wouldn\'t have done it.

You put your needs above the needs of the many. Was it that big of a deal ? No probably not but you were still wrong and he had every right to call you on it. So stop trying to be the victim and don\'t park where you shouldn\'t.

Do you do it with handicap spots as well ? or park in fire zones and leave your car ?

I don\'t know tyzack, but I\'m gonna guess he knew exactly what the security guard\'s point was.

People knowingly break the law all the time. As soon as you go 1 mph over the speed limit you are technically breaking the law.

But there are degree\'s of breaking the law, and the punishment is generally reflective of those degree\'s.

Parking in a Marshall\'s official spot isn\'t even in the same ballpark of lawbreaking as parking in a handicap spot. At least there is a logic to the handicap spot that everyone agree\'s on.

I would put parking in the marshall spot in the same ballpark as driving 5 mph over the speed limit. And the penalty, in this case - listening to some pain in the ass security guard badger you - fit the crime.