On August 17, 2016, a debate broke out on Reddit Austin over parking etiquette and passive-aggressive notes left on cars, causing one such note to go viral by cracking up the Internet.
When Reddit user KelsoATX got into a Car2Go in downtown Austin, they found a passive-aggressive greeting-card on the windshield. The card had presumably been left for a previous driver by an offended party who felt their dibs on a parking spot went unheeded. Probably thinking the note was funny as hell, KelsoATX posted it on Reddit Austin. Naturally, the trolls clamored out from under the bridge to have their say.
The card KelsoATX published struck a nerve with frustrated commuters for all of the above-listed reason and more. Kelso’s Reddit post shows both the front and inside of the store-bought greeting-card, and both sides of the card are equal parts hilarious and facepalm-worthy.
The Front:
Inside the card, the mysterious authors go on a one-page diatribe about parking etiquette, integrity, and ultimately the fate of all mankind. Perhaps the bards who penned this particular sonnet of disgust chose the windshield-communication technique for its 100% proven track-record of changing hearts and minds.
If you don’t think that’s true, read the note, and prepare to be won over.
The Inside:
What was intended to be a funny post about exacting revenge on a stranger turned into all-out war over the rules of engagement for parking in downtown Austin. That may seem extreme, but for anybody who’s driven around in circles trying to find parking, it is no secret that the nearly 3,000 metered spaces in the heart of downtown Austin are hard to come by.
In case you’re not from Austin, and have never tried to park here, there are a few things you should know.
- Austin is still in Texas, and Texas has a lot of burly super-cab trucks.
- Much like musical chairs, there are always more cars than spaces in downtown Austin.
- Unless you have the love of mysterious ‘parking fairies’, you will be walking or paying $5-$20+ to park in a garage.
- After 20 minutes of trying to park, many people – understandably – lose their patience.
Though the City of Austin webpage lays out public parking options in downtown proper, and new apps aim to share parking availability with drivers, it’s still unwise to enter downtown on an empty tank. You could celebrate your next birthday before finding a space.
Hop on kelsoATX’s Reddit Austin post for a laugh — or if you just really want to get needlessly worked up over this topic.
(H/T – canyouactually.com)
Featured photo by Kevin Ballard Creative Commons licensed.
