This evening I took Matt driving. He got his learners' permit on Monday and this was his second time out.
We own a stick shift and my theory has always been that when you first learn to drive, it should been on a manual. I've been careful about only driving when the traffic is light, starting out in empty parking lots and driving around our neighborhood. But this evening we noticed that the driveway between the new shopping center and the parking lot we've been using had been opened. I decided we'd start out in the parking lot of the new shopping center, Front Range Village, and then drive into our neighborhood. It adds some distance and there was zero traffic.
Matt was slow to get moving; he was having difficulty with the transition between stop and go... if you've driven a stick shift, you know what I'm talking about. It took him a few times to get moving but he finally made it and we came up to a stop sign. There was a security truck for the Front Range Village just sitting at the intersection and I realized that he'd been sitting there for several minutes watching us - probably since we'd changed drivers. Matt had a few more false starts and the truck pulled up next to us, his drivers' window next to ours, and asked if there was a problem. I told him, from the passengers seat, that we were having a driving lesson and that we were headed out of the parking lot. Remember, there is not another moving car or person within 1,000 feet of us and no parked cars within 500 feet. We were obviously headed out of the center via a back road. The 'gentleman' (and I use that term loosely) said that it was private property and that if he (Matt) needed driving lessons, he should take drivers' education. I said again that we were leaving and he just stared at us. I said, "Thank you, and goodbye," smiling a sweet smile and said we were on our way. I believe he was trying to get me out of the passengers seat and into the drivers seat so that we would leave as soon as possible... I didn't. I just sat and stared at him until he pulled away. When Matt got moving again, the security truck turned around and followed us, to make sure we were leaving.
I'll be sure to shop there every damn day for the next month, buying a loaf of bread at the new Super Target, a screw at the new Lowe's, and let Matt drive home every damn day. I'll be sure to leave the crowded parking area, park in an empty area, make a huge deal of changing drivers, hoping attract the attention of the security, and then slowly pulling out to get their attention. When the library opens, we'll be sure to annoy the security even more.
Maybe I made a bad choice by choosing 'private' property, maybe we should have shopped there first, maybe we should have stuck to our neighborhood. But maybe the condescending attitude of a rent-a-cop was unnecessary and our ability to annoy them - legally - has been confirmed.
Yeah, I'll shop there. And YES, I'll enjoy the potential confrontation.
Let me get this right. This was a parking lot where no one was parked and there were NO signs stating it was private property!?! Obviously this gentleman doesn't know the meaning of private property because unless it's clearly stated, you have every right to be there! I hope you park there next time and walk to every store just to piss the rent a cop off! I learned to drive stick and I feel for your son! Hope he learns it quicker than I did!
ReplyDeleteYep, you got it. No signs, no one within 1000 feet!
ReplyDeleteYou dont have to have a sign saying private property in colorado. It is hard to learn stick shift.
ReplyDeleteI dont think you need to have signs saying private property in colorado. I learned how to drive stick shift first also. good luck.
ReplyDeleteScott, are you in law enforcement in Colorado? I tried to look that up online but came up with nothing.
ReplyDeleteI thought you had to have things posted to know it's private property too! Especially some place like a parking lot that is considered public.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like this officer needed something to do to keep him busy.
ReplyDeleteI was trespassed off a mall property before. The Police officer said that the mall was private property and they could trespass me. There was no signs posted either.
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