Signs of jerks

I saw this note on a car door this morning. Clearly the car-owner is trying to be pro-active, probably having learned from painful experience.

Roughly translated: 

"Nothin' to steal in this car! 

No use breaking the windows!! 

I've already taken care of it all!" (That's what I think the last line means.)

Later that day, I was doing research in the microfilm room at the National Archives. I had brought three reels back to my reader; the first 15 cm of one of the reels was torn, I noticed when I'd opened the box, and so I left the torn bit of film on the counter while I consulted the rest of the reel, intending to bring it all up to the counter when I was done. 

As I was working, one of the archivist/technicians started giving a woman a few stations away a hard time for having removed more than two reels from the filing cabinets. I glanced over to see her turned away from him, frowning, while he told her in a raised voice that "you have to follow the rules, miss."

Then he walked by my station, saw my reels and film, and stopped.

"Ah! Is this torn from one of the reels?"

"Yes, I found the reel like this."

"Well, we need to be informed of this sort of thing."

"I know, I intended to tell you..."

"So, this is part of the reel you're currently consulting? Well, then, what you are going to do, is once you're finished with this reel, you'll bring it up with the torn film to the counter."

"Uh, alright..."

"As for all of this, sir, you are only allowed to consult two reels at a time. There are signs clearly posted!"

"Alright."

"Alright."

By this time, my face was red with humiliation, which I think he noticed.

I later returned the torn reel to the front counter (another archivist kindly took it, even asking if I had been able to consult the reel in spite of the damage). When I went back to the filing cabinets for my next reels, I looked for the signage indicating the maximum number of permitted items. There were none at the long line of cabinets against the walls containing the series I consult for my research; the "plainly visible" signs were only taped on two other cabinets across the aisle, which I never use and so hardly noticed. 

I was thinking of bringing this to the archivist's attention as respectfully as possible, but in the off chance that he said something offensive (as opposed to merely responding with arrogance), I decided to take a few photos of the situation in the event that I was obliged to lodge a complaint about him. You know, just in case. Not that I was hoping it would come to that...

Anyway, here are the cabinets I consult: The sign in the plexi frame merely lists the different series of reels here, with no indication of how many one is allowed to consult.

Then here are the cabinets with the note. Plainly located and very clear. Too bad they were only posted here, especially as it's so very important to obey the rules.

An hour later, I returned to put away my reels and leave, when lo! a new, helpful sign had somehow appeared, right where there had been none before!

Roughly translated:

"Note,do not take more than 2 reels,at a time and remember to put them back in their place before leaving the room please.

Thank you."

My translation incorporates the punctuation errors. Because, you know, at the National Archives one follows the rules to the letter.