MINIMUM 10 PEOPLE. DO NOT EXCEED.

Signs clearly marked this fact both inside and outside of the elevator in the parking garage. Therefore, only half of our group boarded and joined the family going up, as the rest of our group waited. As the doors closed a family of four barged through and took their places. I should mention that the three adults were large.

Calmly, I mentioned that there was a 10 person capacity on this elevator. They ignored me, as they pushed the button for their floor.

Within two minutes, Ron looked at me. I knew something was wrong.

A couple more minutes and everyone else figured it out too.

The panic started. The folks that had barged on started pushing buttons and screaming into the intercom. The lady in the back started to panic, as well as her daughter. The screaming grew louder and louder along with the incessant hammering on the buttons.

Finally, Ron (completely annoyed by this time) calmly stated, "Just relax, that's not going to help, they know we are stuck."

The intensity immediately decreased, but the people who had caused the problem continued to yell into the intercom. Then, I said, "We are in this mess because you boarded an elevator that clearly stated the capacity and you chose to ignore it, so YOU need to RELAX."

They ignored me again, but they did stop yelling. Ron could see the attendant through the crack in the door, so he knew that the elevator was merely not moving. Eventually, he stated this, so immediately the man started pulling on the door until he tore one of them off the hinges which completely irritated me because if we were not completely level with the floor it would be hours before they could get us out. Thankfully a few minutes later the attendant successfully released the doors and everyone poured out...and we headed for the nearest stairwell. Did I mention that we had Jaela (three years old), Jadin (9 years old), Kade (12 years old), and Chayse (7 years old) with us?

Thankfully we survived the ordeal and it was relatively short...it could have been hours. However, it is typical of my San Francisco experience...often people ignore the rules (or laws) and do as they please.

A few days later, I commented that sometimes I just don't know what to do with these people that seem so unbelievably rude to me, as the culture I was raised in does not behave like "this."

My oldest daughter commented, "People here don't know what to do with you either, mom. You even tell them there are too many people on the elevator!"

In my defense, I stammered, "I was nice about it..."

My daughter conceded that I was polite, but direct.

I realize that a few years ago I would have never dreamed of saying anything, but a few years ago I would never have had that experience from beginning to end.

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A lady in Costco told me recently, "You are too polite."

I was waiting to enter the aisle because I just can't bring myself to rudely charge forward into people. Personally, I really don't like being hit by carts (and I have been), so I refuse to risk running over anyone else. I realize this requires me to breathe deeply and be patient. I also realize that sometimes my inability to acclimate to the way things are done here leaves me frustrated at the end of the day. I also realize charging forward is not perceived as rude here by most folks, but I continue to be horrified.

2012 will mark my second year in California, and I continue to struggle with not allowing my perception of rudeness to taint my days. I cannot give others permission to ruin my day. I need to just accept how it works here and move on...politely.