I once had to drive to the airport to pick up my housemate. I had circled through the pick-up area a couple of times already and was making a third circuit when I had to stop because there was a crosswalk in front of me and pedestrians were using it.

One of the officers who controlled traffic there immediately started blowing their whistle and yelling at me.

Officer: “Keep moving! There’s no stopping unless you’re actively picking someone up.”

There were pedestrians literally DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF MY CAR. And it’s not like I was driving some behemoth of a vehicle that was blocking his view; at the time, I drove a 1993 Volvo 940 turbo station wagon. He could clearly see the people in the crosswalk. I guess he just really wanted me to run them over.

For the record, I chose to wait until I WOULDN’T risk committing vehicular manslaughter before driving out of the pick-up area, going to the parking structure, and texting my housemate that I’d meet her on foot to help her carry her luggage to the car.

One of my most frustrating clients owns a security company. I was designing ID badges for him, and we were having a back-and-forth on the final touches.

Client: “It looks great, but can we increase the green in the eagle logo by 3%?”

Me: “But the eagle is gray. All of this is in grayscale.”

Client: “So? Just increase the amount of green.”

Not sure how to respond, I sent the same version under a different name.

Client: “See what I mean? Much better! Print ‘em!”

I used to work at a small furniture store (family-owned, single store). I hated that job with a fiery passion, but I got several stories out of it. We used to have two computers at the front counter for the manager and me to use to assist customers. There was also one in the middle of the floor for salespeople to look up product information and get into the invoice system if needed.

One day, after I’d been there for a couple of months, I came in and one of the salesmen flagged me down.

Salesman: “Have you seen this error before?”

I’d recently graduated college with the intent of going into IT/tech, so I was frequently tasked with being tech support, as well. I went to look at the computer, and it was an error that I hadn’t seen before (With the knowledge that I have now, the computer had fallen off the domain. At the time, I didn’t know what it meant.)

Me: “No. Did you call [Owner’s Husband]?”

Salesman: “Yeah, he says he’s on his way.”

The owner’s husband supposedly had his own IT business, but I have doubts about how much he actually knew. He came in and went to the computer, poked around for a minute, and then called me over.

Owner’s Husband: “Do you know what this error means?”

Me: “Uh, no. That’s why I had [Salesman] call you.”

Owner’s Husband: “Oh. Well, no one can sign in.”

Me: “Right, that’s the problem. We need to fix that.”

Owner’s Husband: “Don’t worry about it. Just give them your password so they can sign onto your computer when you’re not here. [Salesman] and the delivery guys usually get here before you and need to get the schedules.”

I stared at him because, even with my limited knowledge and experience at that point, I knew that was stupid.

Me: “Um, no, I don’t want to do that; that’s a potential security issue.”

Owner’s Husband: “It’s fine. Just write it down, and that way they can get on the computer when you’re not here.”

He then got up and left. They never fixed it in all the time I was there, and I was forced to deal with that store for another year and change. And yes, I finally threw up my hands and wrote down my password because I didn’t give a f***. I actually got to a point where I was tempted to do something that may or may not have been not-quite-malicious and then claim ignorance because since I’d been forced to write down my password, who’s to say if it really had been me or one of the other staff?

But then, a camera got put in to supposedly “watch the store”. Between the fact that it was a crappy camera with limited range and that it was set up on a shelf literally pointing at me, I called BS. And the camera was only set up because [Owner’s Husband] wanted to watch how much work I was doing because I kept asking for them to give me the raises they’d promised me, and he wanted to say I didn’t deserve them.

I really should have reported them to Labor & Industries, but when I got a new job, I was so relieved that I ran out of there like my a** was on fire.

I just read this story and thought I’d share my own experience.

In the early 2000s, my wife and I went on holiday to Spain with my wife’s family. This was not long after the World Trade Centre attack, and airport security was a little bit crazy.

As we were going through security in the UK, I got stopped. There was a screwdriver in my bag: a small one, about two inches long, for repairing my glasses. It was in a case WITH my glasses. (I also wore contact lenses.) The security guard insisted that it had to be dumped into their sharps bin. I argued that it was for my glasses; no, it still had to be dumped.

Me: *In exasperation* “Look, I’m not going to do anything with that. I could do more damage to someone with a fistful of my housekeys. Are you going to confiscate them?“

Well, that got me a warning and the threat of being barred from the flight, so I complied. And, in case anyone is reading this and thinking racism, no; I have Celtic ancestry, so I’m as pasty white as they come (and I was ginger in those days).

So, I surrendered my tiny screwdriver, and we passed through security into the departure lounge.

In the departure lounge, there was a gift shop. One of the things it sold, for about £5, was a combination corkscrew/bottle opener — with a two-inch, foldout knife blade — which I could have bought and carried on to the plane without anyone to stop me.

Related:
White Privilege Is Screwed Up

I work in a cafe counter inside of a chain retailer. I was not directly involved with this incident, but I got the details from the manager, and I saw the entirety of the exchange.

A customer came up to the register our store manager was counting and demanded service.

Customer: “None of your incompetent cashiers have been able to help me, and they said you were the manager!”

The manager closed his till and turned to her

Manager: “Yes, ma’am, how can I assist?”

Customer: “I want to purchase this toaster for the sticker price, which shows $1.50, but your cashiers are saying that is impossible.”

Manager: “Can you show me where it said it was $1.50?” 

The customer proudly showed her phone screen to our manager with a smug look as if she had caught him in a lie.

Manager: “Oh, I see the confusion. The price here is what we pay to display this toaster, and the price is for our inventory prices. It is listed as display — see here?”

The manager pointed to the name of the item which, instead of saying the type of toaster, said, “DISPLAY,” and then showed her that next to the price, it said, “INVENTORY PRICE”.

The customer started gasping like a fish.

Customer: “Well, this is false advertising, and I need to be compensated! You can’t overcharge me for a $40 toaster when you pay $1.50.” 

The manager held up a hand. 

Manager: “No, we pay $1.50 to display this. We pay the price for the toaster and then some.”

Customer: “Well, I want a discounted price!” 

Manager: “Sure. We can give you a discounted display price. Let me go get the display, and you can have that at a discount.”

Customer: *Shouting* “I don’t want a display that has been out and touched by people! I want a brand-new-in-the-box toaster!” 

Manager: “Ma’am, you do not have to shout, but you will not get a brand-new toaster for the display price. You can either get a display price for the display model, or you get full price for a brand-new toaster.” 

Customer: “No! The customer is always right! I will get a cheaper price for this. You will open that drawer up and take my $1.50, and I will leave with this brand-new toaster!”

Security had arrived after she had started yelling the first time and was waiting behind her.

Manager: “No. I will not be doing any of that. If you want that price you will have to find it elsewhere, and security will be escorting you out. Have a great night.”

The manager plucked the toaster from her hands and put it under the counter, and then he turned to his till, opening it to continue where he left off.

The customer reached into the till and attempted to grab money from the till. The security guard body-blocked her attempt, letting her know the police were on their way.

The customer freaked out and started booking it out the door. Little did she know, security had been having lunch with his officer friend in his office, and the lady was greeted by the officer’s partner who was waiting outside for their shift to start.