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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask why people park right next to you in an empty car park?

68 replies

NotAnotherUserName5 · 10/09/2018 08:43

I was in a rush this morning, so wanted 5 minutes in an empty car park to make myself look human (lipstick mascara etc)

Car comes parks right next to me. They are just sat there Hmm

Just curious why people do this? The car park is huge. I was literally the only other car.

Do cars feel lonely?

OP posts:
firehousedog1 · 10/09/2018 09:28

Haha yes this is definitely such a thing. When you just want five mins to yourself but someone crowds around you in the most secluded environment Grin

IrmaFayLear · 10/09/2018 09:29

It's usually done by people who are bad at parking and like to line up.

Practising driving with ds, the car festooned with L Plates, we parked at a NT property in the farthest corner of the overflow car park, not a soul to be seen.

Return to the car, and the ordinary car park is not full, let alone the overflow. You guessed it. One car parked right next to ours right in the top corner. The fact that it was a Honda Accord with straw hats on the parcel shelf was a bit of a clue as to the occupants...

MarthasGinYard · 10/09/2018 09:30

I had this recently deserted car park

Got back to my car another had parked so close I couldn't get in my drivers door.

As I was about to get in through passenger door and shufty over I realised there was someone sat in it Shock

I said 'can you move so I can get in my car, why on Earth have you parked there the car park is almost empty'

'Because I wanted to park here' was the reply and she grudgingly moved.

Her people carrier was covered in dents and scratched....can see why.

firehousedog1 · 10/09/2018 09:31

Also, why do people park their car on a flyover over a duel carriageway? What are they doing? Do they like to shit people out or something to think they are an unmarked police car or do they just think 'I know, this will be a nice spot to check my emails or have my lunch'.

Mintylicious · 10/09/2018 09:33

I assume it’s because they think a lone car is a target for thieves and therefore that by parking next to yours they are cutting their odds.

AnnieAnoniMoose · 10/09/2018 09:34

All fucking day. Every fucking day.

...and they leave a cigarette paper width between the cars.

It’s my biggest Pet Peeve right now. I’m seriously fed up of it.

Jigglyjugs · 10/09/2018 09:38

Some people are just a special kind of stupid, that's what I have concluded. I actually have a friend who does this even though she has a 5 year old who will fling his door open without a second thought; the amount of times I've heard she's bashed into someone's car and just driven off!
If someone does it whilst I'm parking or just about to get out, I like to rev loudly and pull into a different space. I think I'll take on a PPs suggestion of constantly moving as they are parking, though Grin

daftyburd · 10/09/2018 09:43

Oh yes! I don’t notice so much now but remember this bugged me when DD was small. Instead of driving in circles waiting for one of the handful of patent and child parking spaces I would take myself off to the empty far end of supermarket car park. Then return to find cars parked so close I couldn’t get her in her car seat. Every bloody time 😐

ILiveInSalemsLot · 10/09/2018 09:44

Ive wondered about this for years as it always happens. I remember going somewhere first thing on a Sunday morning, parking up in a totally empty car park, going into a shop, came back out and two more cars had parked up. One on each side of me.
I can’t believe that one of the reasons is the driver can’t park in a box unless there is another car to line up with Confused

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 10/09/2018 09:48

Nobody is “weird” or “nuts” for doing this; they do it because they are human and it is innate; they don’t even think about it.

Humans are drawn to each other, always have been for survival, and it’s very hard to overwrite such an evolutionary trait.

Aspenfrost · 10/09/2018 09:55

I think they must believe cars get lonely!Grin

HappydaysArehere · 10/09/2018 09:55

I could ask exactly the same question. On one occasion some years ago we entered an almost large car park in the early evening to visit at a nearby hospital. As we walked out of the car park noticed a car ignoring the large empty areas and parking next to us. When we returned there was a long scratched area down the side where this car had been.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 10/09/2018 10:00

I remember visiting a supermarket late one evening. Hardly any cars in it.
We were just manouvering to reverse into a space when another car shot diagonally across the carpark and drove directly into the space we'd been about to back into.
The car park was almost empty! They could have had any space they wanted and there were plenty, even nearer the door.
We parked right next door and I got out and gave the driver both barrels for their stupid behaviour. I was 8 months pregnant at the time and all they could say was "Oh, were you trying to park?"
In a car park. Yes we were trying to park you insufferable oaf.
He saw me walking down the vegetable aisle later and ran away.

maggienolia · 10/09/2018 10:04

This used to happen in our work car park.
7am, car park 90% empty...Mr Reginald Molehusband would screech in with his Golf, and always parked where there was one space between two cars.
Every.Sodding.Morning.
I wonder what would have happened if I's parked one space away from another car, let him pull in and then moved...he would probably have imploded.

TomHardysNextWife · 10/09/2018 10:09

I had a new car just before Christmas and was very nervous of it getting damaged in a car park so found the empty corner with about 20 empty spaces. Came back to the car after, and it was shoehorned between a massive people carrier and an old truck..... by this time the car park was 90% empty. I had to climb in through the chuffing boot as the truck had parked so close Angry I just think some people are a very special kind of stupid frankly.

maggie222 · 10/09/2018 10:10

We go wild camping in the very remote Scottish Highlands in our campervan. We like to be totally away from everyone. We usually find a very isolated spot that has us driving down miles long off road tracks. We are the only people for miles and it is heaven...until some prick turns up when I'm all settled with a brew with his little tent and pitches it 3 METRES from the van door!!

I kid you not, miles and miles of open space on the edge of sandy beaches and they pitch there. I was half expecting him to ask to sleep in the middle of us.

This has happened twice and it's always Europeans..maybe it's for safety but I don't care. If you are worried about safety don't go wild camping on your own.

The last guy looked mortified when we started the engine and drive off to find another spot ALONE. He was stood on the top of a hill looking where we had moved to.

Bloody oddballs Grin

PrivateDoor · 10/09/2018 10:13

I would imagine the big car/little car thing is because big cars are trying to encroach on some of the space your little car has left - spaces are tight so I doubt two big cars together would really work!

As for the poster whose friend doesn't want her car to be lonely Shock What the actual??? Grin

PrivateDoor · 10/09/2018 10:14

Maggie how bloody annoying!!!! Tell me he didn't follow Grin

Sitranced · 10/09/2018 10:14

Because people are sheep and they can't drive properly so they need another car to align themselves into a space instead of using the lines on the pavement. Same reason why people can't stay in lane without drifting when no-one is directly beside them. Angry

Eliza9917 · 10/09/2018 10:19

I give no fucks anymore and let my door smash theirs when getting in now if people park too close to me.

My car is a shitty old fiesta and will probably go to the big old car park in the sky when I've finished with it, rather than be sold on so one or two more dents/scratches really don't bother me.

Iamtheoneandonly2018 · 10/09/2018 10:21

And another thing, WHY do people park nearest to or on the lines in a car park??? When you've parked in a more or less empty car park and come back to find, not only have they parked right next to you, but as far over to the line ( even sometimes on the line) as possible.!!!! Arghh

Rhondacross · 10/09/2018 10:23

I've got to wonder about this - if you can't see the white lines to park by should you really be driving? White lines aren't the only thing at a low level that you might not want to run over. Bloody hell!

MissClareRemembers · 10/09/2018 10:30

It’s making me think though: why does it bother us so much? Aside from people parking so close you can’t get in your car, that it. Don’t get me wrong, I love being left alone and hate being crowded but why is it so annoying when someone parks next to us in an empty car park?

I reckon sometimes it’s because we think we’re being rude if we don’t park next to someone!

Tildero · 10/09/2018 10:30

This happened to me a few weeks ago. I parked in my local multi storey carpark. No cars at all in the part I picked it for space to get Pram and DD out the car with minimal struggle. On return to car, a man drives and sits waiting to park his car behind mine! despite there being 50 plus other empty spaces around me.
He then proceeded to gesture at me rudely to hurry up putting the Pram in the boot so he could park up behind me!
Just park in another empty spot you idiot! Angry
I took my sweet time loading the Pram and DD back into the car, watching him get angrier and angrier,served him right!

Armchairanarchist · 10/09/2018 10:35

I know someone that purposely parks near really expensive cars because they think they're less likely to ding their doors getting in and out.

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