A neighbor recently had a bad experience driving out of NYC during the recent heat wave. Her car overheated and stalled just outside the Holland Tunnel. She had a toddler and an infant with her, and street level temp was about 105 degrees. She knew that infants as young as hers can get heat stroke in as little as 15 minutes, so she asked a doorman if she and the two children could wait in the air-conditioned lobby until help arrived. The doorman refused.

Was he just being a prick, or are there liability issues that would cause him to treat a family in distress this badly?

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My life goes smoothly and in regular intervals

he was a prick, but probably following policy that didn't cover odd but important exceptions.

Sad to say it but there are a few "good" reasons. I have good in quotes for a reason. Of course, given the circumstances and the fact that she had two small children with her lead me to think he was just being a p---k.

1. The residents of the building are PITAs have nothing better to do and will complain/report the doorman for letting non-guests loiter in the lobby. (We have a few of those here)
2. The management company and/or board are "by the book" types and come down on all rule infractions so all staff must make bad choices in order to keep their jobs.
3. We just got hit with a scam that has been going on in high rises around here forever. Someone will come in and claim to have an interview/appointment with the building manager. While the doorman is calling the manager the "interviewee" will find a carpet to trip on or an invisible spot to slip on and suddenly he is "hurt" and in need of an ambulance. In our case, the front desk is monitored by our security system so the guy had no chance here.

There are a few others but you get the picture.

DM

What if the children had bombs???

About a week ago I attempted to deliver a package and a doorman refused to hold it for person it was delivered to. "What if its a bomb?" I quickly opened my tube of prints to show that I mostly carried air.

I can't stand people that follow rules to the point of absurdity.

Yeah, I think he was being a prick.

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Was your neighbor and her kids OK eventually ?

Yes, they were OK. There was construction going on nearby, and some of the workers saw that she was having trouble and came over and moved her car out of traffic and were generally very kind. She was able to take refuge in the lobby of the Film Forum until things got resolved.

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My life goes smoothly and in regular intervals