Parking next to someone

[SpaghettiSquash]

I am sitting in my car in a supermarket car park which is half empty. I just needed to reply to a text before getting out. A stupid woman in a big 4x4 has just
parked in the space next to me and is very close which means I will have to carefully squeeze out of my car.

WTF do people do this? There are loads of empty spaces! I'm not near the shop entrance. Opposite me I can count 24 empty bays all in a row and there are plenty of other spaces free.

move to another space. You won’t have to squeeze out of your car.

This annoys me so much. I purposely park at the back away from everyone. A few weeks ago I parked near the end of an entirely empty row, to my left there was one space then loads of bushes. To my right there were about 60 spaces free. Someone drove past in a van and squeezed in the empty space between me and the bushes. It took him ages to get out of the van because obviously there was so little space. I was just sitting in my car waiting for him to hit it with his door, luckily he was very slim so managed not to! Fucking weirdo.

I just park where I want 🤷‍♀️. Don't have a big car though.

It can be easier to judge whether you’re in the space next to another car.

And there are behavioural elements to do with choices where people will tend towards other people’s choices. So there are loads of spaces but one person has parked in that bit of the car park. There must be a reason that bit is better. It must be more desirable. Unconsciously, people are more likely to choose near there rather than one of the empty, unchosen areas.

But yeah, if you're that bothered then just pull forward to one of the 24 empty bays?

Not this but this reminds me of when you’re on an empty bus or train and someone sits right next to you, wtf is that about 🤣

No idea but I just get up and move.

This seems to happen to me all the time. The FB spotted page in my small town is awash with people complaining about their doors getting 'dinged' (there seems to be one shop car park where this occurs more often weirdly). And yet people do this in a reasonably empty car park. Just about to get out of the car and someone drives in next to me. As a PP said, I just move to another row.

I would move my car but this kind of behaviour perplexes me too!
I'd parked my car once in a virtually empty car park. Started walking away and another car pulled in next to mine and I heard a thud as their door hit mine. I walked back and inspected my car (no damage thankfully) and driver looked suitably embarrassed. I had a bit of a go at them and asked, given rest of the car park was empty why the hell they had parked so close to my car. I was really annoyed..

What did they say? Any insight for this type of weird thinking?

It drives me mad when people do this. Same at the gym, whole row of empty treadmills, some idiot comes and uses the one right next to me and starts having a loud conversation on their phone.

I'd move my car too. I had this once, practically empty Tesco car park and I got back to find some arsehole has parked right next to me so it was hard to get into my car. I mean just why?

Maybe it's a safety in numbers thing and they think their car is less likely to be targeted if parked with others. She could have parked close without being right next to you though.

I have a small car and hate it when I get flanked by two massive ones. Even if I've reversed in it's tricky to pull out of the space when I can't see anything. There should be separate parking for small cars.

I did move my car. The point I was trying to make was why do people do this!

We really need someone who actually does this to come on and explain the reasoning, anyone?

Yes, empty pub, sit down for a quiet conversation with a friend and they come and sit at the next table. What is that all about?
People seem to have no concept of spreading out and having a bit of personal space wherever possible.

Don’t know why they do it but it’s annoying I always try to park on the end of the row so there is no parking space next to the driver door but of course it isn’t always possible Situation isn’t help by spaces in car parks not being wide enough for many cars. We sometimes stay on CL camping sites so maybe five vans in a massive field and you can guarantee someone always parks next to you especially if they have loads of kids.

I think people do this who can't park very well and haven't got their mirrors set up properly so they use an already parked car as their guide instead of the painted lines.

Humans are herd animals. The instinct to squeeze in next to someone, sit at the next table, plonk themselves down right next to you at an empty beach is strong.

In most.

Some of us would dearly love to stick a fork in the eye of space invaders but I've come to the conclusion we're the 'weird' ones lacking the herd instinct. 😁

This happens in campsites too. I can tell you it is really fucking annoying when you have to sleep in breathing distance of these people not just enter and exit your car by them.

A whole mainly empty 250 space campsite and you have set up there?! Fuckers.

I know exactly what you mean OP, I can go to the furthest part of a giant empty car park to try to avoi d a door clunk and someone will always be parked next to me when I return.If you need my car to judge a parking space when most of us manage to park perfectly well using the white lines as a guide then it's a clue you require a few extra lessons. And before someone says anyone can park anywhere they like,yes of course, but why would you when it's virtually empty? It always baffles me.

I’m a fat arse so would struggle. Fortunately I have a blue badge so plenty of room.

And yes they are always the campers with a million kids who are living in a time zone not known in Europe.

And they've brought the telly.

DH does this, it drives me mad. Our car is quite low and you have to open the door wide to get out comfortably. So of course he will go to park right next to the massive 4x4 that is parked right on the line, rather than in one of the many empty rows. He has improved slightly now that I make him move. MIL says FIL does exactly the same thing!!

I like to imagine that I smell particularly lovely and they cannot resist flocking to me.

In actuality it's because some people are unthinking herd animals. You might enjoy YPLAC on Twitter ('tis very therapeutic).

We always park at the far end of car parks or choose a dinner table at the corner.

For some reason people don't like seeing a car on it's own or people wanting a quiet dinner because some fucker always comes up right next to us even although there are lots of other spaces/tables. People are so weird.