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.

I have read all responses, thank you.

Something that has interested me is that there is a school of thought which says it is not OK to take an end space and leave a gap in the middle, a view shared by some but not all.

Apologies to those who feel the word "bullying" was inappropriate to the incident.

Thanks again

But there is a school of thought on here that you can’t sit at a cafe table until you bought food

He was rude but you were inconsiderate.

White male privilege at it's most blatant, perhaps?

White male privilege at it's most blatant, perhaps?

Yes, assuming people will pull forward in a lay-by is a white thing.

I agree that this is the most obvious manifestation of racial and sexual inequality in the UK today. I can't believe it took almost 100 posts before this became a race issue.

[I still need Brexit for a line if anyone is feeling obliging]

Not WMP just a prick in a 4x4. Plenty of other colour, other gender entitled twats could have done the same.

He's lucky there was a potential space at all.
In my village the popular way of parking in long bays is slap bang in the middle of 2 possible spaces, leaving 5 or 6 feet front and back but not enough to park another car

Honestly not making this up but twice I have had a parking bay reserved by a person waving at me saying ‘they are on their way’. I have driven at them saying ‘I am here’. Was I rude? Not really caring btw.

I can see his point, but I would never ask! It was sheer luck at all that you were both there and there were two spaces next to each other, if he'd come at another time he'd have had to parallel park anyhow.

Besides, if he was in a modern landrover I bet it had all the gubbins. I drive a massive pickup with reversing cameras and such, and parallel parking is a piece of piss in it because I have all the tech to help me.

It's very noticeable that men treat women drivers very differently to men.

Crikey, there's some touchy fragile people online today about.

^ This. Some very crazy overreactions on this thread. He thought op was reversing into the space behind, when she pulled forward again he asked her to reverse into the space behind, op said no, he drove on and parked elsewhere. Have I missed something? Why would you flatten someone's tyres for asking? That's psycho behaviour

Definitely a lot of projection going on here. Why does the man's sex have anything to do with it?

OP you were pretty inconsiderate. Someone rolled their eyes probably out of surprise for your lack of thinking.

The man's sex shouldn't have anything to do with it. But, MN is predominantly a female forum, and I would say that most women who have experienced rage, inconsiderate/dangerous/reckless driving have done so at the hands of male drivers. Obviously not always, and I'm prepared to be proved wrong.

Ah yes @donquixotedelamancha , I can see that how I worded it would make you think that's what I definitely thought it was.
It was not me offering a possible reason or a point for discussion. Because we can't possibly raise it if MN have discussed it a million times before.

The words perhaps was put there to be completely ignored. That's right... completely ignore that inconvenient little blighter and go on your little tirade about how every thread dwindles down to posts about WMP and Brexit.

It was not me offering a possible reason or a point for discussion.... The words perhaps was put there to be completely ignored. That's right... completely ignore that inconvenient little blighter and go on your little tirade about how every thread dwindles down to posts about WMP and Brexit.

My response was discussion- through sarcasm.

You asserted that lay-by etiquette difference is the 'most blatant' example of white male privilege. I noticed the perhaps, but it didn't change my assessment that a serious response would give more credit than the statement deserved.

I think it's not at all clear that there are sex and ethnicity based differences in lay-by etiquette, but even if there are, I would strongly assert that there are more blatant examples of social bias against women and ethnic minorities.

Bollocks to that, first
Come first served, you get your pick !!

I'd have said 'oh can't you park a car yet - maybe get a smaller car then' 😆

He was being an arsehole

So did he then illegally park right behind you or did I get the wrong end of the stick.

I think you were being unreasonable not to have some consideration and just move forward into the next parking bay.

It’s not difficult to treat others how we would like to be treated and it would have been far simpler for you both to be able to drive straight into a parking space. Instead you insisted on parking in the end space which would have meant the other driver parallel parking, obviously that’s doable but just a bit more time consuming.

You weren’t bullied or intimidated, he was close behind you as he assumed you would be continuing into the available space, he asked if you would move forward (because clearly you were unable to comprehend on your own that it would have been the helpful thing to do). You said no so he rolled his eyes and left.

Btw, the fact that he was a man and drove a Range Rover is sod all to do with it. You have no idea that he wouldn’t have had exactly the same conversation with a man and people aren’t defined simply by the car they drive 🙄

I think he was a bit rude and you were a bit inconsiderate

Ok. Let's assume Range Rover man posted this with his version. I'd say to him maybe she was a new driver and preferred to park on the end. Perhaps she's a nervous driver due to a recent bad experience and therefore preferred to park this way. She might have been about to load something into her boot and didn't want to risk scratching the car behind. It could be that she's fed up with being boxed in, particularly by very large cars, and finding it difficult to see to pull out into oncoming traffic. Plus any number of other reasons.

So instead of hoping to change somebody else's behaviour just to save yourself a minute or so of inconvenience, perhaps look at your own.

It's very noticeable that men treat women drivers very differently to men.

Absolutely agree.

The bloke was not crap at parking - he parked in the space behind Op. She just made his life more difficult.
And then complained on here about him.

Ah apologies, I just meant his behaviour in general... not lay by etiquette.

Is there even layby etiquette? 🤔

Its the assumption that She should move over because he wants that particular spot. And walking up to her door to ask her to do so, despite there being many parking spaces available elsewhere.

To be fair it could be good old RRP...
Range Rover Privilege 🤣 or just plain arrogance...
(Hides and takes cover from all the rocks about to be thrown at me by Range Rover owners)

Is there even layby etiquette?

If you read the thread, the assumption that one would move up when you are the first of two cars pulling into two linear spaces seems common.

I've never seen anyone block the first space and sit there, while someone else is behind; but clearly some people do- still I can't imagine it correlates strongly with either sex or ethnicity.

To be fair it could be good old RRP Range Rover Privilege

I drive a small car but would still move up. I don't think you should obstruct other drivers unless you need to.

You keep using the word privilege. I'm not sure that word means what you think it means.

My post was completely tongue in cheek, love. Yoire taking it rather seriously.

Oh and nice little bit of condescension on the end of your post there. I am aware of what privilege is and in my original post was using it in the right context.