Drivers waiting for a space in shopping centre car parks

[Lydiaatthebarre]

Earlier today there was a queue of traffic backed out onto the main road from my local shopping centre car park - all caused by a driver sitting with his indicator on waiting for someone to unpack loads of shopping into the boot of her car, get two toddlers strapped in and leave the trolley back at a nearby bay.

AIBU to think that, yes, finding parking can be difficult at this time of year, but no, that doesn't mean that common sense and consideration for others (including the very stressed looking mother trying to get packed up and out of the space as quickly as possible because she was probably mortified at the hold up) goes out the window?

Actually I think this is very interesting. I was at m&s yesterday and there was a queue of 7 cars waiting for a space. There was a parent and child space available but no one took it, and I did wonder if under these crazy circumstances, it was justifiable to take the p&c space just to stop the queue backing onto the main road. I didn’t, and neither didn’t anyone else; but it was an interesting mull during the 25 minute wait!

If she could have easily used a blue-badge space instead, she was just being rude.

Even if she hadn't, it was still rude of her to steal somebody's space like that. I know MN posters hate P&C parking space and think they are for snowflakes , but stealing a parking space is rude and prove your a CF unless you are driving an emergency service vehicle frankly.

She also had no way of knowing if you had a blue badge yourself, so on all accounts, she was in the wrong.

Interesting problem.

My bugbear is people standing in spaces until whoever is in the car has got to them. I just park in them anyway, they soon bugger off when they realise you are not going to give way and that they are a lot smaller than the car they attempting to shoo away.

I have to take a blood test before I drive, if the result isn't in range, I'm not going anywhere for 45 min. You would not believe the crap I've had to take while people wait for my space.
I have to try and get in my car like a bloody stealth ninja so nobody sees me it stresses me out so much.

YANBU. I think they should have musical chairs rules in car parks, i.e. you can't hover for a space or go back you have to keep going round in the same direction.

My bugbear is people standing in spaces until whoever is in the car has got to them. I just park in them anyway, they soon bugger off when they realise you are not going to give way and that they are a lot smaller than the car they attempting to shoo away.

Sounds a tad like "bullying" to me

Oh and with regards to people waiting while you put your shopping away. I think this can be a dodgy thing to do. All fine if the person has indicated to you they are about to go, e.g. on Saturday we had a guy wave at us and signal that he was about to leave so we went for his space. However, people could be putting shopping away and then have no intention of leaving, they might be heading off to do more shopping. Or they might be planning on waiting in the car until someone else in the family arrives. They have paid for the space so they have the right to occupy it until they have finished with it.

Sounds a tad like "bullying" to me

No, it is called parking in an empty space. The last time it happened I had my car dented when the woman who claimed the space was hers, by dint of her standing in it, kicked my door. Security agreed with me that you do not bagsy a space by standing in it.

If you only come back to your car to drop your shopping, you just need to let the other drivers that you are not going, that's what normal human beings do.

Who would have such a sad life that they enjoy what they believe is some mini-power and waste other drivers time? No wonder there's so much road rage around, some drivers on here are just plain pathetic, it's scary.

you do not bagsy a space by standing in it.

But I would respectfully suggest resorting to assault* isn't really the solution ?

No, it is called parking in an empty space.

technically it's not empty if there's already someone in it, even without their car yet.

What really gets m goat is when you are waiting to get into a spot (not blocking traffic behind you) is that the person gets in their car, puts sunglasses on, puts seat belt on, adjusts mirror and seat?????? puts address into sat nav then pulls out like they have all day - just pull out of your space!

hopefully the near future is parking management system, and the world will be a better place. Not allowing more cars than there are parking space available would be a great start and so easy to do.

@Thentherewascake the thought that we might have a blue badge never occurred to me but you’re right!

Yes, I think she was just rude. One to chalk up to experience.

However, people could be putting shopping away and then have no intention of leaving, they might be heading off to do more shopping.

In which case, they should indicate that to the driver. If I'm not leaving and someone starts waiting, I just shake my head and make the internationally accepted "I'm not leaving" hand gesture.

But I would respectfully suggest resorting to assault isn't really the solution ?*

Given that I didnt assault anyone, didnt touch anyone, just refused to move my car that was legally parking and she KICKED my car, I still maintain I was in the right.

Gettingbackonmyfeet I LOVED your 'a very hooked bosom woman' comment

I must remember that one as I can picture exactly what you mean!

If someone looks rather impatient and keeps edging forwards while they are waiting for me to load my shopping in my car, I have been known to close the boot and walk off rather than let them have the space.

just refused to move my car that was legally parking and she KICKED my car
if you were driving towards her and near enough to touch her, that was more self-defence from her part, even if she had no chance against a vehicle.

I have been known to close the boot and walk off rather than let them have the space.

so you and the others posters doing similar, actually waste your own time going back to the shops after you're done just to spite a driver? You people have far too much time on your hands if you enjoy wasting it that way.

gettingbackonmyfeet

yes but I have children "
.I looked down at ds1 wondering if he had spontaneously turned into an elf of some description rather than continuing to be a small child

^ this hahahahaha I can just imagine it

So you and the others posters doing similar, actually waste your own time going back to the shops after you're done just to spite a driver? You people have far too much time on your hands if you enjoy wasting it that way.

It's utterly bizarre behaviour. Some people clearly do have way too much time on their hands.

All the pay on exit car parks where I live only let you in if there are enough spaces, so once you are in the car park there will be a space somewhere if you just look for it. Which is why people pulling stopping to wait, and blocking the traffic, drives me mad.

I was caught out by this (in theory, pretty sound) system once. Was on shift at a hospital, where I had never before started later than 7am, so had always had room to park in the staff (and only viable) car park. On a different ward one day, with odd start times, so arrived after everyone else, and wasn't expecting a space, but was thrilled to see the 'spaces' sign illuminated from the road. Drove in, round twice, only to find the 2 'spaces' were... one, 1/4 taken up by a support of some kind for the floor above, and two, impossible to park in as both cars either side were large and over the line by some margin, meaning I couldn't even get my car in, let alone fit myself and my big bum out!

Reported it to the car park folks when I eventually made it in, and they said they would look into it, as there would no doubt be more people arriving for shifts, thinking there were spaces, and then having the same problems. From the road, all was good, and there were spaces available, but sadly that wasn't the reality once through those barriers!

I think people tend to go into panic mode and assume that the space that is being vacated is the only one in the entire car park. I regularly find in this situation that when you move a bit further on into the car park there are many, many more empty spaces so there was no need for the queue whatsoever.

My other bugbear is people who cause queues because they're in over-large cars that they don't know how to manoeuvre, hence, taking about 20 goes before they get the car into or out of a space. It's regularly just one person in the car, too, so it's not as if they need a large car to pack several children into. FFS, if you don't know how to manoeuvre a big car, don't drive one!