Man attempts to bully me out of parking space

[RelaisBlu]

There was a parking bay with room for 5 or 6 cars and the last 2 spaces at one end were free so I took the end space. I moved back & forth to make sure I was within the white lines and right up against the end line to give maximum room to anyone parking behind. Whilst I was doing this a man in a Range Rover began to nose aggressively towards me at the end of the bay, as if to force me back into the space behind so that he could take the end space. I stayed firmly in the end space and turned my engine off whereupon he got out and came round to my window. I wound the window down and he asked me to move up. I refused and said I preferred the end space. He rolled his eyes, returned to his car and parked behind. I should also mention there were other spaces available, on the opposite side of the road and further down.

Was I unreasonable? Neither of us raised our voice but his whole manner was entitled and I really resented the initial edging forward. I would never do that - I would hold back, let the driver choose their space and take the one that was left.

When I was younger I would have felt obliged to do as he asked, just because he wanted me to. Not any more.

I also felt certain that if I'd been a man, he would not have behaved like that, which also made me determined to stand my ground.

YABU He asked you said no certainly can't see where the "bullying" occurred?

He sounds like an entitled twat

1. In the way he edged the nose of his car slowly forward towards mine, in an attempt to force me back

1. Getting out of his car to come round to speak to me

I found both of these intimidating and believe they were intended to be so

It is unusual to take the end one rather than move down but he shouldn’t have asked you to move. It’s prob because it’s harder to parallel park the RR. Try not to dwell.

A woman did this to me.
I had parked on the left in the last space behind a row of cars parallel parked. As I opened my door to get out the car in front of me drove off.
There was a loud toot from behind and a woman in a car making hand gestures for me to move forward into the space so she could park behind me.
I just ignored her and went to the cashpoint, she parked further down.

YANBU, people are weird.

Oh yes with the edging that’s intimidation. Nob.

yanbu
if he can't park properly he should get a smaller car

YANBU. It sounds like he was being quite aggresive both with his car and with the way he asked you.

And even if he'd hung back then politely said "oh, would you possibly mind moving?" you still wouldn't be unreasonable to say no.

Tbh it would have been far easier for you to pull forward than for him to have to parallel park. I'd be a bit pissed off at you in that situation OP.

It was unreasonable for him to ask, but a little unreasonable of you to park with a gap there. I would have gone for the penultimate space, leaving enough space behind me to ensure I didn't get boxed in when I wanted to leave.

Just opposite there were more spaces, including another end space Dermymc so we could both have end spaces but he seemed determined to have mine!

I can't imagine any situation where I would ask someone to move into another parking space just because I wanted that space. I mean even if I was hoping to get a particular space because it made it easier to park my great big landrover I cannot imagine feeling so entitled as to expect someone to move to make it easier for me to park, but that is probably because I was not raised with a ridiculous sense of entitlement and don't expect others to alter their behaviour to make life easier for me.

So no, you were not BU.

Quite so EmmaPeel

The way he did it was definitely rude and entitled but at the same time OP, I find it annoying when people park at the end and leave a gap. You could have been considerate of other drivers and pulled into the front space. But he was rude.

My interpretation of the incident is that it would be totally expected that a car in your situation would have parked immediately behind the last car and his "bullying" was purely an assumption you were doing the right thing and would be moving up. I think had I been the male driver of a Range Rover I would also have rolled my eyes. Parallel parking into a space requires more effort than manouevring out of a space and taking up the next space is simply manners. But of course I wasn't there.

I agree the way he did it was rude, although his request wasn't unreasonable. I have previously asked people to drive a few feet forward so I can get in behind.

The other side of the road would have meant him turning around which is a faff too.

Where's the diagram?

I can’t picture the spaces as you’ve described it but it’s first come, first served surely. Well done on standing your ground, and I say that as someone who isn’t the best parker but I drive a small car to take account of this, lol.

I’d usually say anyone who asked anyone else to move once they had already parked was unreasonable.

I don’t understand why you went for the end space and not the next in line though?

So sorry Lumisade I don't know how to do one though I know them is the roolz

I agree the way he did it was rude, although his request wasn't unreasonable.

Agreed. You made it a lot harder for the next driver to park, for no good reason. Selfish.

"Do you struggle with parking?"

What on earth is this rule that you have to pull up behind the last parked car? It doesn’t exist in these parts, I’m pretty sure!

If there are 2 spaces the first to arrive parks in the one they want. Lots of people prefer an end space because you’re much less likely to get blocked in by a prick in a Range Rover. Numerous times I’ve returned to my car to find the drivers either side obviously thought 3 inches was all I needed to manoeuvre my standard smallish family car out of the bay. You bet I’m going to use an end space if there’s one available!

The reason I took the end space Ali1 is because this is a road I park in often and my experience in the past has been that people cram into the parking bays as tightly as possible so that even if I leave a good space either side of my car, as other cars come & go I have got back to find the cars on either side are both too close and it is a real struggle to get out. So I always take an end space when I can and I notice other drivers do too - the end spaces are always occupied before the middle ones in each parking bay.

You did nothing wrong. In fact by taking the end space & having your rear wheels at the end of the parking, you maximise the space for other users and it makes access to the boot easier. I have a van & need space at the back to get the door open.
Poor menz who can't park their cars without using reverse or mirrors need to practice more.