The Most Embarrassing Thing About Winter Driving in Minnesota
With winter weather on the way in Minnesota, I was reminded of the shame and embarrassment that comes with it. It is the dumbest thing in the world, and I have so reason to feel embarrassed about this aspect of winter driving, but I do. It is something that everyone in the state has had to deal with at some point or another and I'm out here taking it personally.
I hate the embarrassment that comes with having to pick your own parking spot in a lot that is covered in snow, and then it melts revealing you parked like a complete jackwagon. If that snow melts and suddenly my vehicle is straddling two parking spaces, I feel horrible.
If you are the first one in an empty area of a parking lot it's even worse because if you park wonky, it causes everyone else to park wonky as well to match you. It is so much pressure to get it right as to not ruin everyone else's parking experience.
I had one bad experience when I was living in the cities that I'm pretty sure is why I feel this way. I had to go into work really early after a surprise snowfall. I had to make up a parking space, and a few hours later a coworker arrived and asked me why I parked across two spaces. The snow had apparently melted since I'd arrived. I explained myself, and instead of a reassuring "oh yeah I totally get it", they just walked away. I never got the closure, and it still haunts me.
I know that it's utterly ridiculous to feel embarrassed about this. It's a snow-covered parking lot and no one can see any designated spaces. It's not like they have secret radar eyes that can detect where the lines are. But here I am, putting my embarrassment out into the world with the hopes that just saying (writing) it out loud will help me get over it.
Add "seeing the parking lot lines" to this list: