Kroger , Ralph's / Compton CA

I was at the Kroger/Ralph's in Compton last night. Wow, you almost have to fight your way to get unloaded.

First getting parked in the staging area I was tricked and hassled. After waiting in pre-staging, a spot opened up so I began the angled blindside. Another driver came up and said one of the driver's there was pulling out. I was almost lined up on my first manuever and just should have finished my back, but I said okay and pulled up. Then all the sudden 2 or 3 trucks started pulling out forcing me out of the staging area while others began to pull up and back blocking my back in. But I layed on the horn and blocked everyone else until I got backed in. I don't want this to be a political or racial thread, so please try to avoid. Though I will say I felt this played a role. But plenty from the same races were helpful throughout the rest of the night. So maybe more geographical than racial.

When I got a door I journeyed on down into the pit. Come round the corner I noticed some drivers unhooking and not much space to work with. It turns out, with a truck on both sides, it is impossible to get in or out. Driver's have to unhook in order to let others in and out. But apparently this is just a courtesy as I found out. I politely asked the driver next to my door to unhook and he refused. I offered to lower his landing gear etc, and he gets out and says no. I say come on, look this is the way it is here obviously, it just has to be done. Before we were through speaking he was in a boxer's stance with his fists up egging me on. I looked over and saw "security" standing nearby ready to watch the show. I told the driver to get back in his truck. I was not going to lose my job or get arrested over this. So allowed the situation to calm but didn't get in the door. A supervisor came out and asked him to move also and he still refused.

After an hour the two trucks on the other side pulled out opening plenty of room. But by then the driver's for those doors were lined up waiting. Again I had to get aggressive and force them back with a standoff to get in. Not long after this, the driver who wanted to fight couldn't get out because the driver on his left side was asleep and wouldn't get up to unhook. I unhooked so a driver could get into the space on my right. This gave the idiot driver enough room to pull out that way so he bolted. But it's a one way lane so he didn't get far before he was faced off with oncoming traffic from the other direction. That lasted for about a half hour until he was able to back all the way down the lane to get out amidst all the other drivers backing and lining up.

It was a total circus so be ready. And have a reflective vest because they're required and they don't have any to give out.

 

I guess they don't have any way of enforcing it. I don't think contacting his company would have done any good as it was something I'd never heard of. Or he was independent. It was a really bad situation that could have ended very badly. There are going to be problems there. But what would you expect in Compton?