The lot of parking

September 12, 2008 - 10:55 AM by

Sign-Israel-parking1.jpgSometimes I feel that I’ve been living in Israel for so long that I’ve lost sight of what similar experiences are like in the U.S., my native land. Take paid parking lots and garages, for example. Does one generally enter into a personal conversation with the parking garage attendant in the U.S., or is that an Israeli cultural phenomenon?

In my quest to find parking in the Tel Aviv neighborhood of Florentin today, at the very busy hour of 12 pm, my friend Andrew directed me toward a public parking lot on Yehuda Halevy. “If it’s full,” which it was, “wait for a couple of cars to come out and then try to get in.” So even thought the sign said “The parking lot is full”, I persevered and reentered the lot, waiting behind another car.

When I pulled up to the attendant’s window, she — yes, she, an unusual sight in a lot — said, “What, the fact that the full sign is out there didn’t mean anything to you?” Somewhat taken aback by her opening salvo, I stuttered and said, “Well, yeah, I saw it, but then I saw three other cars come out.” At that, she closed the window, kept the gate down and ignored me. And then the cars behind me began beeping. When the driver behind me got out of his car to demand an explanation, she said to him, “What, you can’t see I’m talking to someone?” That someone was a driver on the other side, attempting to exit the lot.

So I waited patiently, or so I thought, for at least four minutes (!), and then politely knocked on her window, pointing out that several cars had now exited the lot and I would probably find a spot. “You’re not very patient, are you?” said she. “Me?” I said. “I’ve been waiting patiently for the last five minutes. Doesn’t that count for anything?”

“Nah,” she said. “You’re all the same. And you’d better start learning some patience before that baby comes out,” pointing to my pregnant belly.

With that, she gave me my receipt, and I pulled into the nearest spot.

Tags: , , , , • Category: General, Immigrant Moments, Israeliness 

Comments

One Comment on The lot of parking

  1. Nicky on Sun, Sep 14th 2008 8:28 AM

    2. This is common practice in most Tel Aviv parking lots. Sometimes the queue spills out and down the road, with everyone waiting outside a lot that says Full.

    I guess it’s her way of making herself feel important. Normally though when you’re pregnant in Israel people go out of their way to help.

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