Car Guard and Car Washer Aggression

MikeR

Well-known member
:YesNo::YesNo::YesNo: I them also.. sorry mate dont know where its all going to end
 

325iSmk2

Banned
What I find particularly annoying is the willingness of shopping centres to have these people present on their premises, thus being complicit in this harassment.
 

ChefDJ

///Member
Car guards I will tip if and when I deem it necessary, like if he was friendly and helpful and willing to take the trolley away for me and what not. I have no problem presenting him with a crisp tenner if he deserved it. He's making an honest living and I respect that.

If however I'm not even gone for 2 minutes, didn't bring any trolley, or if I'm in a position where I haven't got a cent in cash on me, I simply give the guy a thumbs up and say thank you very much. They know me and they know I'll be back again where they might get another tip. There's one who even knows my name and knows the cars I bring, and jumps up at the sight of my car as soon as I pull in, frantically indicating to me that there's a decent parking spot waiting if there's one available. This is of course at my local shopping centre that I frequent almost daily.

At malls I park underground only, and if a car washer approaches I simply smile and tell them no thank you and they leave it be. Have never experienced aggression with these guys. I dunno, maybe it's because I'm bigger than all of them. Maybe it's because I'm simply friendly towards them.

Now, window washers at the traffic lights are another story. Same with beggars. I do not and will not ever support them, and I used to. Some are aggressive, and I had an incident once with a window washer in Pretoria CBD which ended up with me aiming my ex-5er at him and gunning it. He jumped; I missed. End of story. Beggars I cannot afford to support. I pass by around 12 beggars one way each day. So 24 in total on return trips to work and home. These guys would have more than I do if I had to support them all every day (slight exaggeration intended), and besides that they're actually capable of getting a job if they tried, even if it is gardening or packing boxes in a factory because not one of them have a disability that's visible to me.
 
Never mind the car guards. EVERYONE seems to be extremely angry these days, with no regard to the lives of others.

Lost a good friend this weekend, he was taken away in a very inhumane way, real animals. :smashScreen::smashScreen::smashScreen::smashScreen::smashScreen:
 

Picard

Member
Was thinking the same thing last night. Stopped at the robots outside Greenstone Mall where there were about 5 of the window washers doing the rounds at about 5pm last night. Saw the guy approaching and immediately said no to him. Not sure what he thought happened but next thing he stops and bangs on the my SO's window saying he will hit me and some other swearing. Robot went green and both I and the SO drove off wondering wtf it was all about.

About two weeks back had a beggar at the robots also asking for cash...I told him no and he kept at it....gesturing that he is starving etc...and as the robot changed and I pulled off I got a wave of his fist.
 

ChefDJ

///Member
Sorry to hear Charlton.

And yes I agree, there's a lot of hate in this country of late.

I was saying just yesterday that driving on the roads has become a life-threatening act in itself. The amount of ruthless, careless, and angry drivers on the roads has increased dramatically. Every day on a trip to work and back I encounter so many of them, and think to myself that if I wasn't as aware and able to judge the actions or intended actions of others, I would be a dead man.

Also, if I was an incredibly angry person with mad road rage, I would be in so many fights with other road users per day, that I'd be a dead man anyway.
 

sash

///Member
I stay away from malls..... I have my specific weekly shop where i experience pretty much the same as Chef, the guy knows my family, cars and he is part of our local CPF( just to confirm he is a good guy).

Otherwise i also choose parking that is undercover and I try not to use the BMW to shopping malls, it seems to attract more attention than my daily family van(VW).
 

Venda Boy

///Member
car guards/washers at Church Square, Pretoria CBD are the worse. They will even chase you away or scratch your car if you refuse them to wash your car.
 

VictorMike

///Member
Llew said:
...or even Mall of Africa...

Well there's your problem right there. :)

Also.. tell your wife to watch out for guys knocking on her window, its generally a distraction, so that an accomplice can get up to some nasty activity on the other side.

My wife has a good strategy for that: leave a gap in front of you, and if a dude approaches, move forward.
 

peanut125i

Active member
Car guards honestly are more annoying than window washers. It's also very rarely that I will have cash on me, I don't even carry a wallet just a card holder so have nothing to give them. I remember when the car guards first started out they would ask if you needed your car looked after, though now it seems they automatically asume. As for window washers, last time I stopped I opened my window and told the guy I have no cash and he accepted and thanked me for telling him. So I guess it depends on the person and how they are treated. I'm generally quick to anger, but recently I have tried to keep that side of myself under wraps. Sometimes I can't manage but I'm hoping that going forward I will get better at dealing with my own issues an don't taking it out on others.
 

FastCarFan

New member
Try driving around in a convertible with the roof down these days in the bigger cities. You are harassed endlessly at every traffic light.
Just end up putting the roof up for some peace and safety.
 

JG_RSA

New member
FastCarFan said:
Try driving around in a convertible with the roof down these days in the bigger cities. You are harassed endlessly at every traffic light.
Just end up putting the roof up for some peace and safety.

True.
I only drive with the roof down at the coast these days.
Still OK for most parts in Cape Town though.
Chapmans Peak with the roof down :inlove:
 

peanut125i

Active member
Don't have a convertible, but the stories remind me about the guys at Harties on the way to the dam wall. The one morning they chucked stuff through my sunroof and expected me to then pay for it.
 

JG_RSA

New member
I admire the bravery (stupidity) of convertible owners who park their cars with the roof open. I would never consider that anywhere.

I saw a new(ish) SL Merc parked with the roof open at a beach last year.
Forget about the security risk; spray from the nearby crashing waves covered the car, interior and all.
There should be an institution (like the SPCA for animals) where you can report cruelty to cars.
 

Gizmo

Banned
Car guards set off my PDC all the time, it's annoying.:thumbdo:

Best solution is reverse park, unless you have a trolley.
 
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