AIBU to wonder why people park next to lone cars?

Not sure why you think I have a blue badge. I don’t, I’m fully able-bodied.

But some of us actually consider others and their needs, and don’t just centre ourself 24/7.

I never thought I’d be so annoyed by a parking thread😂

Need to snap the licences of these people, it’s just ridiculous. By all means park leaving one bay in the middle. Parking right next to someone in an empty car park is odd and 100% incompetent driving/parking.

I don’t find it strange to be considerate of others.

I find it really strange that you can hear about why your desire to make things slightly easier for you causes others problems and sometimes pain, and yet you still only case about your own convenience, and don’t give a moment’s thought to anyone else.

Because they’re allowed to

Perhaps, but you seeking protection for your car causes the car you go right up against to be more vulnerable to scrapes from you, either while you’re moving in and out of the space, or from opening a car door in a really tight space.

You’re also causing those with mobility issues or small children unnecessary hassle and perhaps pain, while they contort themselves in and out. Parking spaces are quite small.

So I suppose it comes down to whether you feel you should be considerate to others, or just care about yourself.

What a strange view of the world you have. I can park between cars perfectly well. I can park between empty spaces perfectly well. It’s just easier to park beside just one. When performing basic tasks, I don’t aspire to being able to perform all possible variations of the task with equal ease, because I have a life. Likewise when I want to go somewhere, I could run and get there more quickly, or I could walk. I choose whichever is most convenient for me.

It wouldn’t occur to me that parking next to a car would cause its owner “real pain” because those people - like you - have disabled badges they are free to use in order to have more space. I don’t park in disabled spaces. I don’t park in parent and child spaces unless I have a child with me. Doing that would inconvenience other people. Parking in a space I’m free to use is normal behaviour. Your attitude is not normal behaviour. Use your blue badge.

What do you mean, you don’t need parking practice?

Clearly you do, because you’ve already said you find it easier to park right next to someone, and even though you’ve now heard you could be causing another driver real difficulty and pain, you’re still doing a ‘I can park where I like’.

I mean, you can, but why would you not change your view having heard that? I can only imagine that really you know you’re no good at parking and feel anxious about changing what you do, or you’re just selfish and don’t care about others.

If you park alongside another car, or between two cars, one or both sides of your car are protected until those vehicles leave. I should have thought this was self-evident.

Don’t be silly, there’s no personal safety reason to park right next to another car. Even assuming some tiny advantage of there being another car near yours (the person likely away in the shop, in any case), then parking even one space over would give you any safety in numbers advantage, without crowding the other driver’s space and causing them to have to squeeze in and out of their car door. It’s inconsiderate.

As for dings, you’re more of a liability to the other car you’re squashing unnecessarily tightly up to, than when leaving a clear distance. Anyone whose driving is so poor they can’t use the painted line to steer by is going to be more likely than a fully competent driver to scrape the other car when manoeuvring tightly beside them. So doing this is a bit selfish really.

Well the mystery as to why drivers do this has been solved..

It's drivers who can't park between white lines unfortunately. They 'need' another car to line up against as they struggle.

I do plenty of reverse parking, I use my mirrors to guide my car in!

The more you practice, the better you get at it.

Personal space? What rubbish. Cars are machines, they don't need personal space. Others have mentioned plenty of good reasons why drivers might do this, such as personal safety advice, or to reduce the risk of dings.

I always park away from other cars if I can and have lost count the amount of times I have come back and someone is next to me and usually so close I struggle to open the door and I look around to a nearly empty car park thinking why?!
On A few occasions I have been in the car answering a text and a car has come up and parked next to me. After they have gone back and forth multiple times making sure they are level with me I have pulled out and moved spaces, much to their dismay.
If people can’t park without lining themselves up with another car they should not be driving at all. All drivers should be aware of the vehicle size and be able to park without needing the help of others.

Why are people going on like it’s the crime of the century? Due to my work pattern I often park in an empty car park and come back to a full one. Should no one park because other people seem to be unable to get in their cars? How many car park spaces do you feel entitled to?

🤣🤣

Yes!! I always wonder why?! It makes no sense to me!! Another-almost empty restaurant and the waitress sits me and whoever I’m with right next to the only other occupied table in the restaurant. Happens on a bus too and guaranteed someone will sit right behind me or next to me on an empty bus. Aaagh!

YANBU, OP, I completely agree with you - it's odd and annoying.

I once went down to my local shops, which has around 30 parking spaces. On this particular day, the car park was completely empty. I parked in a random spot. As I was locking my car, a second car pulled up, two spots down from me (which was fine!).

But then a third car pulled up, and guess where the driver chose to park? Yep, right between the only two occupied spots, despite there being at least 27 free spots. And she parked right on the line, so that I couldn't open my door fully, and had to turn sideways to squeeze out and in. Like - why???

I classify these people as the same sorts of people who - when entering a public restroom, where there are 9 stalls, and only one occupied stall - choose a stall next to the occupied one, to do their 'business'.

All the people who do this because they struggle to park between the lines need to learn how to park properly rather than inflict this awful behaviour on other people!

It’s amazing how often these people park so close that it’s difficult to get into your car as well.

It’s easier to line up .

So do I

I don't know, but I wish the fecker who clipped my rear offside bumper in a car park on Thursday hadn't. I know it was a white vehicle, that's all.

I always hope that if it just the two of them, the cars will mate and there will be lots of baby cars.

I don’t need to do parking practice. I can park where I like. I’ve never scraped or otherwise hit any other car, it’s just easier to avoid the possibility altogether and as I said, anyone can park in whatever empty space they like (of those which are available to their status, so disregarding disabled spaces in my case).

Maybe find something more meaningful to direct your attention at? And use your disabled badge, that’s what it’s for.

This is why if I’m in a cafe or on public transport and it’s half empty, I put my bag/coat on the seat next to me. I’m not having some randomer sitting next to me when there are plenty of other free spaces.
Personal space people.

Posting for the first time on MN just because of this thread.

This annoys me too OP!

Even worse is being in a cinema that’s pretty much empty and someone coming to sit right next to me or one seat over. Why so close? There are sooooo many empty rows and plentyyyyy more seats around. Fucking hell.

Same as cinema. Loads of space and people come and sit in row behind /directly in front of you.