A little while back I went to an automatic carwash that was behind a gas station. It was the kind with the metal rails on one side that guides your tire.
I pulled up to the control box and punched in the code at the bottom of my gas receipt.
I tried 5 times, and each time it gave me an error.
At this time another car pulled in behind me, blocking my only exit.
I looked all over the box and couldn’t find a ‘help’ button!? I opened my car door in order to ask the guy behind me to back up, but there was no room with the control box in the way (I could have opened the passenger door and climbed out, I guess).
I ended up putting my car in reverse and slowly backed out (very grateful the ‘shoe’ that engages the wheel hadn’t sprung up yet). The guy behind me took the hint and did the same.
Well, last night I was at a similar car wash, only the entrance to this one snaked around a building and was lined with trees/guardrail, meaning there was only one way in and one way out for a good 8 or more car lengths (vs 3 or so at the other one).
When it was finally my turn to enter my code there were a good 6 or 7 cars behind me and I really started to panic!
Thankfully the code worked! Also the box had a help button, and the option to enter a credit card.
I don’t know what I would have done if I was in the previous situation. I imagine I’d have to start waving to cars to back up.
I think this may be the starting of a new phobia.
So, any other bad carwash stories?