20 June 2009

Random Act of Kindness

| WanniAss
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There’s been a few stories lately about poor manners around the place so I’d thought I’d share this one. This morning in the carpark, I was organising a load of small change for the parking machine. A lady asked if I was ok for change. At the time I thought I was but was actually 20c short. After collecting her ticket and putting it on her dash, she came over again and gave me the 20c.

It was only 20c but it saved me a lot of inconvenience, so thanks to whoever you are and its good to know that such people are around.

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BerraBoy68 said :

GardeningGirl said :

BerraBoy68 said :

– give way to women, small children and the elderly;

. . . and then watch some oaf come barging through in front of you 🙁

I hear you, Gardening Girl. But that then becomes the oaf’s, very real, problem;)

ankle tapping is very subtle.

BenMac said :

Yesterday I was outside the Belconnen RTA about to pay for a 1/2hr ticket when a man who’d just got back to his car came up to me and gave me his ticket which still had ~25mins left on it. I’ve done this to other people many times in the past, but it’s great to see others being nice.

I knew a girl once who gave her ticket to an elderly woman as she was leaving the carpark. She got all the way home and and then saw a parking fine on her windscreen. The ticket must not have been visible on her dash. Then because she gave the ticket away she had no proof to say she had a ticket in the firstplace. she was being nice in giving a lady a 2 dollar ticket and it cost her around 70. Needless to say i dont think she has done that ever again. haha

GardeningGirl said :

BerraBoy68 said :

– give way to women, small children and the elderly;

. . . and then watch some oaf come barging through in front of you 🙁

I hear you, Gardening Girl. But that then becomes the oaf’s, very real, problem;)

GardeningGirl1:30 pm 21 Jun 09

BerraBoy68 said :

– give way to women, small children and the elderly;

. . . and then watch some oaf come barging through in front of you 🙁

Simple rules to live by:

– give way to women, small children and the elderly;
– say ‘hi’ and smile to people when you pass them while walking the dog; and
– if you’re ever in a position to help someone, or make their day just a little bit better, then do it.

I’m not sure of the biological chemistry of such things, or f it even exists, but I always feel much better about myself after helping someone else. It’s also good for my kids to see that helping others is just a normal thing to do.

rosebud said :

It’s easy to be nice when it isn’t actually costing you anything.

and yet so many people still don’t be nice. even though it isn’t costing them anything.

Nice to see some kindness for a change.
I wish the ratio were better though. For every kind stranger who gives a parking ticket with some time left or a spare 20c, there two dumb strangers hogging the right lane doing under the speed limit in peak hour while throwing ciggies out the window or throwing rocks at cars on Athlon Drive in Woden.

Hope some good karma goes her way!

GardeningGirl9:55 pm 20 Jun 09

That’s nice WanniAss, and nice of you to post!

TAD said :

Most people are nice, polite and generous. It’s only the occasional exception that makes us think otherwise.

There seem to be more exceptions around than there used to be.

Getting back to what the thread is about, I’ve had a few people let me go in front at the checkout when I’ve only had one or two items and they’ve had more. Thank you to the elderly lady in Coles and the mother and daughter in Lincraft 🙂

It’s easy to be nice when it isn’t actually costing you anything.

You are easily pleased.

What’s next, a thread when someone holds open a door for you?

Most people are nice, polite and generous. It’s only the occasional exception that makes us think otherwise.

I remember trying to pay for my parking one day and the machine spat out my ticket without registering the full amount, so instead of a full days parking I only got 4hrs. (I never push the button as the ticket always spits out when maximum is reached) The man behind me kindly gave me the money he was just about to put in the machine for a few hours parking and took my ticket.

Same carpark I had an elderly couple trying to give me their full days parking ticket aswell, however at that stage I had bought a prepaid 3 monthly ticket.

If my ticket has a fair bit left on it when I leave, I always walk back to the paymachine and put it in the bottom so someone else can use it.

I think it’s more taking the opportunity to do something that helps others, when the opportunity presents itself.

Rawhide Kid No 210:29 am 20 Jun 09

Its the “What goes around, comes around” syndrome. Isn’t life great!

stereo henry9:36 am 20 Jun 09

pay it forward

I share my parking tickets with others… I’ll offer it, or if no one’s around and it’s got a decent amount of time to go, I’ll slip it back in the ticket dispenser. I’ve benefited from this too, people will often offer me theirs and it’s always very welcome.

Yesterday I was outside the Belconnen RTA about to pay for a 1/2hr ticket when a man who’d just got back to his car came up to me and gave me his ticket which still had ~25mins left on it. I’ve done this to other people many times in the past, but it’s great to see others being nice.

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