Yesterday the three of us (me, M and Pristine) went out for dinner. As we were approaching my (small) car in the parking area, we saw two women talking and one was leaning on my car. She was very carefree, chatting with another woman who also leaned on another car parked next to mine.
M would be driving that time and as we got near to the two women, he asked the one leaning on my car, “Is this your car?” in a stern manner.
The lady jerked and quickly walked away, along with her friend. They were throwing dagger looks at me as they left. I was embarrased at how rude my husband was. Would it hurt to just plainly, simply say, “Excuse me” instead of asking a ridiculous question like, “Is this your car?”
Of course, the lady took it very personally and thought we were looking down at her, like we are toughies because we have a car and she doesn’t. M started the “it’s not like that in Japan” and “if it isn’t yours don’t touch it” converstation but I was only half listening. Sometimes, he has no provisions to strangers. I don’t know about you but for me, what he said was just wasn’t nice to hear at all, especially we had a young child with us.
It’s not like the woman leaning my car was 250 kilos heavy. And it’s not like my car is a 24K gold painted Ferrari! But apparently, after I did a google search, some people take it seriously when other people lean or touch their cars. I am odd because I care less.
Tell me, what would you do if you caught someone leaning on your car? What would you say to them?
Finding Backroads 
I’m with you on this one. I’d have said, “Excuse me ladies”, smiled and then moved to get into the car. If they’d said anything negative I would have smiled some more and said, “Glad my car was there for you to lean on. Have a nice day!” Smile again!
.-= Maribeth´s last blog ..Just This Side Of Disaster! =-.
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I am a big WUSS when it comes to confrontation, so I probably wouldn’t have said anything, but made a big show of unlocking the car and hope that that made them move.
.-= Anne´s last blog ..Jack – Attacked =-.
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My husband would probably ask them to step aside politely but he will definitely check for scratches 😉
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I’m with you too. It’s just a car, mind you if it was a Rolls Royce ……….
.-= Seb´s last blog ..Pedometer Watches and Pedometers Their Uses and Features =-.
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LOL. Actually I can’t imagine M to be this tough. He always seem so nice and courteous. But I understand him on this one. And I did something similar …
“Sometimes we have to bitch around to let others know their boundaries!” – FB
.-= Charlotte | Life’s a Charm!´s last blog ..Summer Recap =-.
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Haha, I know I know it’s hard to imagine, given how boyish/gentle he looks but you won’t believe how insulting and rude he can get when someone ruffles his feathers…typical Japanese..everything has a rule…and no one should bend it!
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I would have said: “hey how’s it going bro!”. Started my car and drove away. It?s just a car… i can live with somebody leaning on my car.
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I am with you and see it as just a car, but I have instilled in my kids to make sure not to touch other peoples cars, I once witnessed a man getting very angry with a woman because her child had touched his car. I thought it was a little much personally, but everybody is different.
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hahah lols. kalai mana c maki oi! insensitive kaau. mygani wala cya glabay sa stranger.. hehe
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I cringe every time I hear my gears grind, I stall out, or I lurch forward. I know these are things everybody does when they are learning, I just worry about hurting my car.
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lol
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I probably wouldn’t say what you husband said, but I’d have the same B!tchy attitude 😉 I’d probably say excuse me, in a not nice manner and give them mean looks. ;-P
I don’t want anyone touching my car either!!
Basically I wouldn’t treat someone’s car like lawn furniture, so I’d expect people to treat my car like it either! just leaning on a car can put a dent in it…. they are all made out of plastic these days!
.-= ErikaJean´s last blog ..C25k – Week 4 Report =-.
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I will say”what are you doing here?”
**if I can.. LOL
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Maybe I should talk to them and ask them a favor to stay for a second, while I am checking my car if there is a scratch….
.-= limaj@harley handlebars´s last blog .. =-.
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I am totally with you on this. It makes both the parties feel awkward. Nice post btw!
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This is a funny one..Nice post!
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i must be in the minority then!
personally i think it is extremely rude to sit on someone elses car – rolls royce or clapped out nissan sunny. yes it is “just a car” but its use is not as an arse-resting place!
perhaps M could have softened the blow with an “excuse me” but i expect that regardless the outcome would have been the same: they were probably a little embarassed at being found out and that it was wrong. i mean why do it in the first place?!?!
luckily she wasn’t 250kg but what if she was and with studded jeans? grrrr
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It depends on the culture. In Canada, saying Excuse me would be more appropriate. In some cultures being nice is usually mistaken for weakness.
.-= Why´s last blog ..Why Do Ads Keep Popping Up =-.
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“It?s not like the woman leaning my car was 250 kilos heavy.”
?olitely advised to go on a diet.
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I would probably just say excuse me. At least in America, people usually look embarrassed about things like that.
.-= Becca´s last blog ..OLD =-.
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hahah…gidugo imong bana grasya? his off day. we all have those. my car is 25 years old and rusty, so it doesn’t matter.
Is yours gold plated? 🙂 Peace M.
.-= Gin´s last blog ..Finances- eh =-.
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There is absolutely no instance to where leaning on someone else’s car is considered halfway acceptable. It’s not about how much the car is worth or what company’s assembly line it came off of, at the end of the day it’s someone else’s property that you’re disrespecting. You don’t see me barging through your front door, stealing a beer from your fridge, changing the channel on you and taking a seat on your couch do you?
At the end of the day, cars are more than just a physical piece of property. It could be someone’s escape, someone’s hobby, someone’s livelihood. So PLEASE don’t lean against a car that isn’t yours.
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