That she stood in a parking space?

[StyleO]

AIBU to think you can't claim a parking spot by standing in it?

Out with DH in his large vehicle today, we spotted two spaces and so he headed to the larger one. As we pulled in, a lady stepped into it and pointed over the road to a car coming out of another space. He wound the window down and she said "sorry my sister is parking here". So from what I can see her sister was moving her car closer to the cafe they were going into, that's fine, she may be disabled. What irked us is the way the lady stated it rather than asking politely.

I don't think it's technically a done thing but no harm if done politely. We found another spot rather than squeeze into the other smaller one we'd passed. It may or may not be noteworthy that the car that moved would have fit in either of the spots outside the cafe.

Also noteworthy that the spaces are not disabled bays, nor are there any in this zone.

I wouldn't accept it unless the person explained a disability.

It's like when we went on holiday to Greece and someone tried to stop us sitting in seats in front of them on a coach saying there friends were sitting there (nowhere in sight) just no

I see this happening often in local car parks, it is annoying but I try to see it as a First World problem (similar to people taking tables when their partner is still in the queue at Nero, and I am standing “seatless” with my tray), and not let it stress me out.

To all those who "wouldn't accept it", what would you do?
Run over her?
Ring the parking space police?
Or, what this charmer upthread has suggested: "Anyone tried that with me, they'd come back to flat tires (no criminal damage), pebbles do have a way of finding themselves inside dust caps"

Or just moved into another space?
As the OP has disappeared already said there were more spaces in the carpark, it's hardly crime of the century is it?
Do any of you sit at a table in Costa while your mate goes to the till? What, not ever?

Unless she's on wheels she has no business in a parking space.

Thing is though, there's not much you can do about it, short of running her over and that might be going too far.

People trying to reserve parking spaces by standing in them are twats

Yep

I’d pull in as much as possible and wait. I can be very patient and i’m Stubborn as fuck!

Do you really need a car? Shanks' pony is much better for you and the environment.

There's always one...

Yes, there's always one who can't spot a lighthearted joke

It is a bit off to do this (but I have to confess, I might have done it once or twice when desperate )

I can’t believe how many people are getting wound up about this. The lady explained what she was doing. There were other spaces available in the car park. What’s the issue? People actually suggesting driving into the space where a person is stood, what if she doesn’t move? People suggesting they’d park half in the space and leave the car like that? So you’d cause an obstruction to anyone else using the car park, not least the people parked either side when they’re trying to leave.

Why are there so many angry people about?

I'd have just driven into the space, revved the engine to scare her, silly cow.
You were there first, quite simple.

I think I would drive forward and speak firmly to the person to move. It is selfish of them to do this in the first place.

If all else fails I would park elsewhere but would still say to them that they were out of order unless they gave me good reason

I'd have still parked there.

@Straycatstrut - no, I did 'WTF' hands at her and she shouted that she'd seen the space first and then just stood there looking smug and glared at me until I did my usual doormat thing and moved out her husband's way. Entitled posh older lady. Car park at the start of a walk through some naice gardens, not a hospital or anything.

I had a guy do this at a petrol pump once. They stood guard at the pump so their wife / friend/ whatever could pull in at the pump. I just drove away and went to another garage . Couldn't be arsed.

I remember getting on a train home from work years ago, pretty packed, I made my way to a seat that had some bags on it with a man sitting next to it: he said, "My wife is sitting there". I knew what he meant but it was hilarious.

Think of it this way. The woman may have been doing a sit in (or stand in) protest.......

This happened to me once in a busy car park. I drove into the space as far as I could, turned the engine off. Turned the radio on and opened a packet of mints.
She gave up before I did.

That sort of thing would piss me off. Just general entitlement pisses me off.

It's a bit like someone shoving their trolley into the queue then buggering off for more shopping. If your car isn't in or turning into the space, the space isn't taken and free to be taken by someone else

"To all those who "wouldn't accept it", what would you do?
Run over her?
Ring the parking space police?"

No, @TheCanterburyWhales - I'd do what other posters on here have done - I'd either block the parking space, or drive part way into it (without risking the safety of the person standing there), and sit it out until they got bored.

I once went into a pub and got a drink with my friend, he went to the toilet. I went to sit down, the pub was empty.A girl materialized out of nowhere and said you cant sit there. Why not? I said. She replied my friends are coming in soon and they are going to sit there.
I said its a pub not your house and we stayed there sat with her friends all night. Some people are just really cheeky and will try it on.

Do you really need a car? Shanks' pony is much better for you and the environment.

Do you really need internet access? Much better for you to keep ridiculous comments to yourself.

I don't think she was being at all reasonable!

A much older guy did this to me once, except he started to walk so so so very slowly towards the space I just assumed he was a pedestrian who was going to walk past (I had already gone to pull into the space), so I waited for him to go past, except he turned around, folded his arms, refused to move then wagged his fucking finger at me. I was completely confused because then he started to walk off, so I slowly pulled into the space whereby he waited for me to get out to tell me how rude I was, etc etc. I had no idea until he point to his wife who had come up in a car from round the corner where I wasn't able to see as the view was blocked. He and some other much older guy then proceeded to bitch about me and in general rude people today. I felt like crying (it had been a really bad morning) at the unfairness of it.

It would be great if everyone who had to have a car, had a small one. But some of us have larger cars because we need the space, whether it's because we have more seats to take others places regularly, or we move a lot of stuff about often, or have to have enough space for a wheelchair or mobility aid, like I do.

I'm desperate for a smaller, nippy car, but my mobility aid is cumbersome.

It bugs me when people save a space like that but I've been tempted to do it myself

From the OP it sounds like the person was just moving their car from one space to another. In that case, it's no big deal, and fine.

I can't believe how exercised people are getting and no, I don't think how the person spoke was rude.

And some really nasty comments too - and the person talking about ensuring someone's tyres deflate

of course that's totally different to someone standing for ages in a space to reserve it, with no sight of the car.

He wound the window down and she said "sorry my sister is parking here".
I don't think it's technically a done thing but no harm if done politely.

Are people really starting threads about other people using or not please in their sentences, now?