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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder why people have picnics in car parks?

92 replies

Tournesol · 25/05/2015 18:13

I dunno if it is just a National Trust thing but it seems people seem to be obsessed with sitting round their car having a picnic when if they walked just 50 metres they could sit in a proper lovely picnic spot with picnic benches and everything!

Can anyone enlighten me? Am I missing out on something here?

OP posts:

SenecaFalls · 25/05/2015 22:00

It's an American thing too, called "tailgating," especially popular at sporting events.

To wonder why people have picnics in car parks?

lljkk · 25/05/2015 22:05

No No NO, I'm American, I understand tailgating. It's a shared meal typical before a sports game. Highly sociable public celebrating in anticipation.

What the Brits do is an almost solitary in-car minimal style picnic in the middle of nowhere nothing happening nothing to celebrate & then off they drive.

People who drive up to the seaside. Sit in their car half admiring the view while snacking, and off they go. Or reading the newspaper. But no intention of stepping outside. Fantastic or terrible weather makes no difference.

Pipbin · 25/05/2015 22:10

I always wondered this until we went somewhere with some bird watching type friends of DM.
We all made sandwiches to take along and stuck them in a back pack. Walked around loads of countryside got back to the car and everyone pulls out their sandwiches. We sat in the car and ate. DH and I just looked at each other and wondered what the hell was going on. We then went off to some other countryside.
I have no idea why we ate in the car park except every single last one of them was a tedious fucker.

UsedToBeAPaxmanFan · 25/05/2015 22:12

Actually, Tournasol, I can understand it at Wimpole. If you have mobility problems and find sitting on the ground/rug difficult then you need to sit at a picnic table. The only picnic tables at Wimpole are in the bit next to the car park, before you get into the main bit of the grounds. If they are full, then I guess you'd go back to the car to eat.

When our dc were young and we picnicked at Wimpole, we always did so by the folly, but the rucksack plus food does start feeling heavy by the time you get to the chinese bridge.

Mrsstarlord · 25/05/2015 22:15

aahh.....Wimpole. Reminds me of my yoof!

minilegofigure · 25/05/2015 22:24

Good point almondcakes

VivaLeBeaver · 25/05/2015 22:31

As a child I had much experience of this. Though generally not allowed out the car. Picnic in the car. Parents with thermos would eat slowly, drink loads of coffee and then get the Sunday times out.

Me and brother were dying of boredom in the back.

Koalafications · 25/05/2015 22:50

Viva that sounds like my worst nightmare as a child but I would find it quite relaxing now!

SenecaFalls · 25/05/2015 22:50

Yes, indeed, tailgating in the US is very social. That picture I posted is from the annual University of Georgia (my team) vs. University of Florida football game, otherwise known as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

LittleMilkNoSugar · 25/05/2015 22:56

Two things you will ALWAYS find at National Trust sites;

People having picnics in the car park
Panama hats on parcel shelves

Trust me on this. Have a look next time you visit one!

Preciousbane · 25/05/2015 22:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maddy68 · 25/05/2015 23:06

Mobility restrictions, sometimes having to carry things , old people feel the cold more etc etc

I dont judge people's choices anymore than I would not expect people to judge my choices on how I spend my time. As long as people are getting enjoyment who cares?

Onecurrantbun · 25/05/2015 23:27

Was it Calke Abbey by any chance? We sniggered about it there today. The large field I can understand setting out ban etc but there was a couple in their car eating their picnic, who then drove to the fence to peer through at the deer and drove off. Similarly people out for a naice walk who cram into a tiny space so they can be 2 metres closer to the entrance....whaaaaaaat?

blackheartsgirl · 26/05/2015 15:25

I love car picnics especially when the rains lashing down or it looks ominous. or its freezing cold half way up a mountain. I know I know I am weird.

But I do have a ds who doesn't always cope too well with the weather, as he is autistic and my youngest dd who is the most whiniest 5 year old ever and hates and fears insects around her food. Staying in the car sometimes is essential for my sanity!

Radiatorvalves · 26/05/2015 15:35

We had a picnic on a rug in the car park at Leeds Castle yesterday. It is a nice grassy car park. And the picnic area was a good 20 mins walk away (and we'd been there before some one says I'm lazy!)

OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat · 26/05/2015 16:12

Is it because you have to pay quite a lot to park your car at NT sites but if you stay within sight of your car, you can not pay and move it if the car park attendant comes past?

But then many people who visit the site are members so park for free anyway?

People who visit NT sites are paranoid that other visitors are bad drivers or criminals so stay by the car to ‘guard’ it?

Do the people who picnic in the car park leave the car later to visit the NT property and grounds, or do they consider that picnicking in the carpark constitutes visiting the site?

whois · 26/05/2015 16:15

Because it's a very English thing to do! And most people are lazy.

'Hassle to carry it all' how much food are you taking with you?? Not hard to carry a picnic.

'People might be disabled' most people aren't.

Same as you go to any popular county park, countryside, point of view spot and its rammed right next to the car park and empty about 500 meters away.

I do agree it's nicer to eat your picnic IN the car when it's raining tho... Got to love a British day out to a rainy NT property and sit and have your cheese sarnie in the car. In the rain.

Niloufes · 26/05/2015 16:20

We are NT members and recently on the way home from cornwall (a whole day drive from home) we popped into a nearby NT carpark and had a picnic next to the car at the othere end of the grass overflow car park, we were there about 30 minutes max. Free parking, nice surroundings and clean toilets. Beats stopping in a garage cafe or motorway service station.

MargoReadbetter · 26/05/2015 16:22

We had a car picnic once when at an adventure park. Cheaper than local food, no queues and not worth carrying to the park. A quick dash to the car to refuel and back to the rides.

nagynolonger · 26/05/2015 16:42

Reasons we sometimes eat in the car,

We eat on arrival and want to eat and leave cool box etc. in the car.

If it's a cool day I would rather stay in the car and eat.

The picnic table often aren't that nice, already in use, surrounded by wasps.

Having said that we sometimes do actually go out just for a picnic down by the river. Every other weekend we take a picnic to a cricket match if the weather is OK.

Sparklingbrook · 26/05/2015 16:43

But what about the crumbs/greasy fingers and spillages?

LaurieFairyCake · 26/05/2015 16:50

I only eat in the car as I hate insects landing on my food

And that's where Radio 4 is and no other people

Sparklingbrook · 26/05/2015 16:54

I get that LFC. I had a wasp and cheese sandwich on a picnic once.

cococandyfloss · 26/05/2015 17:06

I live in Scotland...we always plan to picnic outside but then it is more windy and cold than it looks and we end up eating in the car.

Sometimes DH drives to the beach to eat his lunch and read paper in car (5-10min from office) as better view than his desk but too cold to sit outside !

The80sweregreat · 26/05/2015 17:31

Its the lugging, people just think ' we will eat here, put rug and stuff back in the boot, take rubbish to the bins then go for a walk'. Its a brit thing, used to live in spain and never saw it happen there at all! I like picnic at tesco idea...could cut out the going to buy the food for picnic, just rock up, buy eat and go. It could me a money spinner for the larger stores.

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