Is Common Courtesy Disappearing?

East Sunset
Riverton, WY
November 2016
It boggles my mind how some people like to do whatever they like. While maddening, it's also downright disrespectful to others. 

Okay, I know it is only a parking spot, but this parking lot is small and serves two busy healthcare businesses. When someone decides to take up two parking spaces, it inconveniences others who may struggle just to enter the building. 

Think about how our society depends on courteous behavior: parking, four-way stop signs, pedestrian crossings, changing lanes, turning, signaling, etc, and that's just on the topic of handling a motor vehicle.

Yes, we have laws, but drivers still speed, park erratically, don't yield to pedestrians and other drivers, etc. Take away the laws, and it comes down to the character of the individuals behind the wheel. I am not suggesting that this is a generational issue, but rather a societal one.


In recent years, I have noticed this disregard of others more and more frequently in my community. Earlier posts rants on this topic can be seen here:
          •  free-range shopping carts

          •  neighborhood watch

          •  close quarters

          •  deja vu

          •  "parking challenged" drivers


In the end, it all comes back to common courtesy or rather the lack of it, which makes me ponder how much our society depends on the concept of courtesy and what the future will hold if it deteriorates even more. 

What are your thoughts?


Comments

  1. Most young people are not taught to be kind or courteous and this is the results.....sad state of affair.

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  2. I think that same parking challenged guy was here too. Just last week I was grumbling about a big pickup parked just like that across 2 spots. It was a shiny new pickup so I assume that he was trying to avoid door dings - or maybe just too lazy to park right.

    I don't know that I would say that most of the rude folks are young however. Some of the rudest people I've encountered lately have been my own age (60s). And some of the most polite have been teens.

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  3. Exactly what you said!

    Politeness or lack thereof doesn't seem to be age specific (as Sara said), hopefully we can get some politeness back, but with the current administration ... it seems bad behavior gets rewarded.

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  4. Julia Schroeder, Lincoln NEDecember 1, 2016 at 9:16 AM

    Good morning Nancy .... my sister parks like that in her mid-sized town in NE, she does not want others to ding her doors. Personally, I'd rather park in straight, easier for me and the other person to back out.

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  5. I agree with your post Nancy. Although I was at a doctor appointment on Tuesday and an older gentleman held the door for me. I thanked him and he said sometimes he's afraid to hold the door sometimes because some women actually scold him for it saying that they're capable of holding the door. So, it seems that some women are making men afraid to perform common courtesies.

    Taking 2 spots is just rude, especially at a medical facility where many may not be able to walk very far. I do believe things are deteriorating.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  6. Courtesy? I don't believe it is taught anymore. That makes me sound jaded, but I get so angry when I see a person park in a handicap space and they don't have a card or license that designates them as handicapped. We were walking in from the parking lot at Walmart a few days ago and a big, burly cowboy pulled into a handicapped space and got out of his "big ole" truck. He jogged into the store. I was going to approach him in the store and say a few well chosen words, but Bill said it might not be a good idea since he was bigger than both of us.

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  7. I think that your post is a good reminder to do all we can, as we cannot but lead by example.

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  8. I think it falls to the Mothers and Fathers of children to instill common courtesy in their children. I have two grandsons who will take my arm when walking, carry stuff for me and open doors. Mostly their Mom has trained them well....but their Dad is a courteous kind person also.
    Seems like everytime I go to Wally World I end up taking carts out of the handicap area. This week a gal was parked there in a big old van, she was the only person and was unloading groceries to beat the band...I suppose she could have a hidden handicap...but I doubt it:)

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  9. Common Courtesy is not as common as I thought it was. I think what I've noticed the most is that people seem to bend the rules for themselves. It's okay if they do it because they know "how" to do it right/safe/ok but it's not okay if others do it. It's worrisome. That parking spot has me shaking my head. There's no need for that.

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  10. HMMM... This generation is a 'me' generation... I don't know if it will improve. Guess you can give them the benefit of the doubt...maybe they had an emergency...and had to park quickly....?

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  11. Yep, I've seen that type of behavior before. I find LOT of folks in my 55+ can't seem to get their car in straight. They aren't trying to take 2 spots -- they just park at an angle that makes the next space too tight. I doubt they even realize it. Sigh.

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  12. I agree, it is so disrespectful to others when people park like this. I see that here where people park their cars so no-one can park anywhere close to their "precious" cars taking up 3 extra spaces...grrr.

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  13. Yes, ma'am, I do believe it is. We often say that common courtesy, much like common sense, isn't so common anymore. :) Thankfully, I still run across it every now and then. I see it more often in farmers and ranchers than I do in the general public and our children were raised in the same manner. I hope that it has just become second nature to them to be thoughtful and courteous. Seems this is one of the things we, as a society, have lost on the road to progress.

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