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KevinLA
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14 Aug 2011, 6:31 pm

In our garage there is a line on the concrete floor exactly where the garage door lands. If the car is in front of this line, the car will not be hit by the garage door when it closes.

A lot of times, I will park the car in the garage close to but clearly in front of this line.

My mother does not like when the car is close to the line and will go into the garage, start the car, and move the car up so it is not close to the line.

She doesn't say anything to me and isn't really upset with me.

I know she is being irrational, but it still bothers me when she does this.

Am I wrong to be bothered by this?



SammichEater
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14 Aug 2011, 6:36 pm

As long as the car doesn't get hit by the garage door, it really doesn't matter. It is of no importance whatsoever.


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jrjones9933
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14 Aug 2011, 7:48 pm

The sooner you get over the desire to make your parents behave rationally, the better. It only gets worse as they age, I assure you.


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justkillingtime
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14 Aug 2011, 8:02 pm

maybe she has some obsessive-compulsive tendencies.



MountainLaurel
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14 Aug 2011, 8:52 pm

Is it possible that when the car is close to the line, the closer proximity of the car to the edges of the portal blocks something large which she carts through that space, such as; garbage cans or lawn mower?



sacrip
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14 Aug 2011, 8:57 pm

You feel like she doesn't trust your judgement, that you parked the car where you did without regard to the door. Understandable to be annoyed by that. But chances are, if you pressed her to explain, she'd concede that the car is safely inside and not in the doors way, but she just 'feels better' with it a little further in. There's simply nothing you can do about that, just know it's not a slight against you.


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Ilka
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14 Aug 2011, 9:35 pm

Why dont you paint a new line where your mother wants you to park the var so you will never forget to park the car where she wants? That will make both of you happier, but mind ou, if she is like MY mother she will find another reason to be anoyed. I agree with justkillingtime, she seems to have obsessive-compulsive tendencies, or just to be a control freak like my mother.



kotshka
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15 Aug 2011, 5:02 am

It's not that she doesn't trust you to do it right, and rationally I'm sure she knows that the car is fine, but there is a strong irrational human tendency (especially with women, myself included) to want to be "extra safe" "just in case" something happens. As for me, I have poor spatial perception and I know that things might look ok to me but I cut it too close and it turns out it wasn't ok after all. For example, in your case, I might think the car was just over the line but then the door would hit it. I wouldn't trust my own judgment and would feel safer parking it further back.

By extension, I'm terrified to be in the car with someone else driving. I always stop slightly early for a stoplight and keep good distance between me and the car in front of me. Other people drive much closer and stop just at the last second. I know rationally that their perception is better than mine and we're not really in danger, but to me it looks like we're constantly about to get in a car accident and I can't relax at all.

I'm guessing your mother is like me in this regard. So I would suggest that you don't think of this as her not trusting you. Think of it as her not trusting herself and not being able to relax unless she can see with her own eyes that the car is ok. And try parking further past the line - you know she's going to move the car anyway. Again, don't think of it as having to prove your ability or anything. Think of it as you are helping her relax and be calm. I'm sure she will appreciate it, and it will be less stressful for you if she's not always moving the car after you park it.



jojobean
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16 Aug 2011, 12:26 am

A good way to prevent her from doing this is to put a Co2 monitor in your garage...it will go off with a started car and closed garage door.
Other than that I like idea of painting her line, so she will be not worried.


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techstepgenr8tion
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19 Aug 2011, 9:08 am

I can understand why your annoyed at a minumum - ie. you can't help but feel like someone is nitpicking your style, its perfectly natural to feel like you're being harped on here.

Up to you what you do with it though. If you decide to move your car further forward just to get her to stop doing it - fine. If you take your keys with you so she can't move it, that's stepping on toes a little but if you want to do it that way and talk go her about it when she looks for the keys, fine. Emotions are emotions though, they're guideposts that something needs to give, what you ultimately do though depends on what you think will yield the best outcome.


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