Woman in cafe, is this a new form of space invading?

[Bahhhhhumbug]

I know this has been done to death, the usual thing of people standing too close in queues, sitting next to you in an empty carriage etc etc. but this was a new one on me yesterday and l can't fathom why it bothered me so much, but here goes.
Went for a coffee whilst shopping yesterday and as it was late some of the popular window tables were free so l went and sat at one watching out the window as you do.
A man came and sat at the next window table to me and was then joined by a woman both middle aged, fiftyish. She took off her coat and turned to me and rather bruskly asked me if the seat behind her at my table (directly opposite me) was taken. I said no and to help yourself, resist g temptation to mimic her brusk tone. With that she put her coat with big fur collar around the back of the chair, turned round and started sorting out her coffee etc, leaving me sat at my table opposite her coat and partly blocking my view outh window.
Wtf? Just to clarify these tables have four seats around them so l had three empty she had two but they are small tables and only realistically seat three comfortably.

[RoboticSealpup]

in the prime top-front 'driving' seats
I've got to do the driving

Are you a bus driver?

[RoboticSealpup]

If the seat was directly behind her she is the only person close enough to access the pockets?

But she wouldn't see if anyone went into the pockets because the coat was behind her back.

[Bahhhhhumbug]

It was partly blocking my view, l was happily looking out the floor to ceiling windows to the square below, then next thing lm looking at solid puffa type coat one of those that sort of stands up on its own with arms outstretched and large fur rim hood on top. I can't see it was to do with her pockets being secure either as the chair next to her would've been much better for her to keep an eye on and in fact she couldn't see it at all where she left it.
The area is one of those where pick pocketing etc is very rare and it is a big open space to walk over to the tables so you would spot someone a mile off approaching your table.
Yes her coat was bulky but she had a perfectly good empty chair right next to her where it would have in no way intruded in her seating /leg room /line of vision etc etc.
As for the parking space analogy, that's a completely different situation, not that l do that. The lady wasn't waiting for my space, she just partly 'parked' in it whilst she had her own 'parking space' as well.

[TigerTooth]

Personal space-wise, I sat down next to a man on the bus earlier, in the prime top-front 'driving' seats

He made a big palaver of "oh I'll move shall I? As there are thirty EMPTY seats on the bus" - yes mate, move if you like, I've got to do the driving 🤷‍♀️

I don't understand this - were you driving the bus?

[Bahhhhhumbug]

reducator interesting about the restaurants, that makes sense actually as when you're near people you talk louder, then they talk louder and so on, so l can see how that would work.
No she wasn't saving my table in advance for people arriving as she and the man left before me.

[Bellsandwhistle]

If she was a social worker or probation officer she may have been worried about her client nicking something out of her pocket?!’

[Bahhhhhumbug]

Tigertooth l took that to mean the two double seats up front upstairs on the bus, so overhead the drivers seat and looking out the front window where children pretend they are driving. I took it that she sat next to the man in one of those double seats when there were several other seats available.

[heidipi]

This has reminded me that one of my friends used to work in a theatre where there was a sold out run of a play - an at-the-time A list celebrity's agent called and explained that she really wanted to see the play and would need x number of seats. The theatre rushed around and phoned a few people who had booked front row seats and enough of them obligingly moved into available 'house' seats with not such a good view but were given free drinks for the interval etc in return.

Anyway when the celeb and her entourage arrived it turned out that 2 of the seats they 'needed' were for celeb's hat and handbag

[FayFortune]

Im surprised sonmany people wouldn't be mildly surprised by this. It runs counter to expectations.

People treat tables as their temporary territory.

[TigerTooth]

But she's put the coat behind her - opposite you, so you're side-on to the window. The coat (with outstretched sleeves) is side on to the window, it was puffy so at most only 1 cuff was touching the window - at most. So your view could not have been obscured. She just used an empty chair that you didn't need - but you felt ownership of the chair because it was at the table you were seated at. But you didn't need the chair. It was empty, she confirmed with you that it was empty, and it is not your chair.
If she had of put the puffa with sticky out arms on the outer chair on her table it would be in the way of passers by - coat being so huge and puffy as you described she did the sensible thing and popped it behind her on an empty chair.
You are being very unecessarily territorial and the parking analogy stands.

[Bahhhhhumbug]

She was facing the chap, he couldn't have reached her coat on the nearest seat to her and even the other seat he'd have had to do a lot of leaning across etc plus she was looking straight across at him. Tbh the best placed person to nick something from her coat was me, a complete stranger.

[Andylion]

but you felt ownership of the chair because it was at the table you were seated at.

She had ownership of the chair because it was at her table. As this poster explains:

People treat tables as their temporary territory.

Her table, her chair, regardless of whether or not she needed the chair. Ownership of the chair was understood by puffycoatwomanchairhogger as she asked the OP if she was using it.

[Bahhhhhumbug]

No l was facing the window, she was side onto it at my '10 o clock if you will, the chair she put her coat on was almost directly facing me so had anyone sat in it they' D have been almost directly facing me. So with the blow up headless person coat on it with fur hood on top it was obscuring my view considerably.

[yumyumpoppycat]

Actually the bus thing backs up the OP's position (unless the person in question is a child or really feels the need to pretend to drive the bus!) - the lady invaded your space in the same way it would be unreasonable to sit next to someone in the bus when there are lots of empty seats where you can sit by yourself.

[Bahhhhhumbug]

How can l be accused of hogging the chair and thinking of it as mine etc etc. My polite response to her brusque query if it was needed was 'no help yourself'. Hardly territorial or imagining some sort of ownership

[SchadenfreudePersonified]

She was burping loudly too, seemed better just to move seats.

I think you're right Bankruptcy - sometimes discretion is the better part of valour.

Some people are beyond vile.

[Bahhhhhumbug]

It wouldn't have been in passers by s way in the seat at side of her there is a big open space in front of the tables (on the cafe side not the window side)

[Carrotss]

It's kind of weird yeah, but the posts about passive-aggressively knocking the coat to the floor or spilling a drink on it are worse. Why would you react that way to someone doing something that is at worst a bit strange but completely harmless?

[Andylion]

How can l be accused of hogging the chair and thinking of it as mine etc etc. My polite response to her brusque query if it was needed was 'no help yourself'. Hardly territorial or imagining some sort of ownership

OP, are you referring to my post? I'm in agreement with you about her behaviour.

I think if you are seated at a table, it is "yours" as are the chairs that are placed with it. I was calling the woman with the puffy coat "chair hogger".

[Bahhhhhumbug]

No Andy sorry l was just adding to your very well put replies to another poster(s) accusing me of being possesive of chairs at my table etc. and thinking l owned them. When in fact l told the woman to help herself.

[SchadenfreudePersonified]

another couple came in and sat right next to us. I said FFS loudly and stormed off,

Not an over-reaction at all . . .

[TigerTooth]

Sorry - didn't mean to accuse - just saying you felt possessive of the chair - which is surely true since you objected enough to post here. I didn't mean to be rude, just genuinely cant get my head around it being a problem, maybe its because I live in central London and am used to being crowded. Plus you did indeed tell the woman to help herself-which she did.
Anyway I've just to go and pop my huge puffa coat into the dry cleaners...

[SchadenfreudePersonified]

After reading these, I have decided that as well as carrying an "emergency" pin, I shall make sure that I am never without a piece of chewing gum, or a really sticky sweet when I go out.

We can't always rely on scrambled eggs to punish our tormentors. . . .

[beeline]

Frankly why go to a coffee house where chairs are so close, I don’t.

Space is useful and overhearing other peoples babble is boring so find somewhere a little more elite and interesting than squishing into the High Street xx

[winniestone37]

Grow.Up.