"saving" a parking space while the driver moves the car

[Hopandaskip]

(NB: 1)there is more information, but I don't want to add it yet because I believe there are two different issues at stake and want your answer on the first bit before the extra info complicates it (If this is annoying to you, please feel free to go read another thread)
2) I will only be around for a shortish while. I am on a different time zone and I'm going to be AFK for much of tomorrow (your today most probably). If I do not respond immediately, or even within 36 hours then that is why)

I was in a car park today that has a high turnover. It wasn't particularly busy and within 5 minutes two or three spaces had opened up in the same area. I wanted a particular spot and when it opened up I sent my 11yo over to stand in the spot with our stuff while I moved my car (about 50 ft, not 5 minutes away). While I moved my car someone else decided they wanted that spot too and told my son he had to move. He replied that his mum was bringing the car over and she repeated that he had to move and started moving the car forward towards him (!) so he would get out of the way. I jumped out and tried to explain but the situation quickly deteriorated to shouting (oops, not my finest hour)

Sooo what I'm asking is...

1. can you 'save' spaces for someone by standing in them for a minute?
2. Who should have the spot? Is it the one who saw it first and claimed it, or the one who brings their car around?
3. does it matter how busy somewhere is? (it shouldn't in this particular case, but in future)

Come on now Worra, we can't have common sense applied to parking/blue badges/p&c spaces. You've been here long enough, you know the rules.

Good point Debeez

She should have stuck blue badges on the dogs and made them wait in the disabled parking bays!

no you can't rave spaces.
the first car there gets priority
it doesn't matter how busy it is, the first two points still apply.

now what is it that you couldn't tell us first?

squeakytoy

"there is more information, but I don't want to add it yet because I believe there are two different issues at stake and want your answer on the first bit before the extra info"

translates as "I am going to drip feed if not enough people tell me I was in the right"

and why bother posting and then telling everyone you are wandering off for the next couple of days, in that case, why not post the whole story from the beginning..

THIS

Huh.

Am wondering if this is a cultural difference because I actually think it's ok to save a parking spot. A bit annoying for the second driver, but there you go.

Mind you I'm from Canada where parking spaces are both abundant and generous, so that could colour my judgement!

Maybe MrsTerryP will come along and let me know if it's still like that over there.

Your explanation about the dogs doesn't change my view from reading eh OP - you shouldn't save spaces and you were in the wrong.

OP On holiday do you nip down before breakfast and leave towels on the deckchairs?

The 'special circumstances' addition illustrates even more clearly why it is first come and in their vehicle, first served.

How do you decide between the special circumstances -- what is more special?

The only rational rule to observe is first car gets the spot, including first disabled car to a disabled spot if there are two disabled cars in question.

I have found that the way to get a good spot is to get up and out earlier than everyone else.

I also think that sending your child to keep the spot potentially put him in danger, given that tempers can fray when parking issues arise, and therefore the U quotient increased.

People used to save spaces in my church on Christmas Eve and at Easter. It got to be such a problem that ushers were used to escort churchgoers to seats covered with coats and jackets and tell the space savers that that was not on and kindly pick up what they had spread over the seat to save it. Made for a little tension in the pews during Mass but after the second year doing it, people stopped saving places and made sure to arrive together and early.

No way should anyone be driving at an 11 yo trying to force them out of the way, but

that you ended up SHOUTING in defence of a space for your dogs at a woman who was actually there with her car and wanting a space for a disabled person.

I agree with you - not your finest hour.

Had this before once, literally couldn't believe they thought they could save a space. I had to just laugh and tell them I wasn't moving. The names they called me...

It happens all the time in Mediterranean countries... I absolutely hate the practice of saving the space just like I hate those who "save the table" while someone else queues for their coffee when the place is busy. Also hate those of stop all traffics behind them because a space will at some point be available IYSWIM.
I don't say anything to avoid fights but makes me
Very uncivilised practice.

Reverse thread:
"We finally found a suitable parking space, easy access for where we wanted to be and in the shade and some young, healthy woman ( not disabled) had put her kid in the space to 'saVe' it while she moves her car from a legal space only 50 bloody ft away. She was shouting like a madwoman about needing a spot in the shade for her dogs. On a hot day, who leaves their dogs in the car? "

I was also thinking IKEA too.
What is it with that place? Not only is there never anywhere to park but loads of people think it acceptable to stop their car in the middle of the car park just waiting until someone eventually turns up to vacate a parking spot. By doind so they then jam up the bloody carpark.