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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

To not want to be rushed out of a car park?

603 replies

MsMarvel · 29/01/2020 12:30

Travel around for work, so regularly use public car parks to then work at client sites (hotels, bars etc) always arrive early so never have any issue getting spaces in busy car parks.

Because i work in a public area at a client site, when i get back to my car like to grab my lunch quickly and make some phonecalls before heading home (todays journey is a 2 hour drive home)

Im fed up of people trying to find spaces in car parks seeing me going into my car, amd sitting behind me waiting for me to leave! I normally end up feeling rushed and just leave, but today i decided to sit and eat the steak bake i bought on the way to the car. Woman sits behind me for like 5 mins, then goes past slowly peering into my car giving me proper evils. Should add, engine not on, so not sitting with idling engine.

Aibu to take some time before leaving a parking space??

OP posts:
waggydog21 · 29/01/2020 12:32

As long as your ticket is valid, it’s fine. Just a signal to say you aren’t leaving - shake your head or whatever. I sit in my car waiting for classes to finish etc because it’s warm.

Russell19 · 29/01/2020 12:32

It annoys me when a car park is clearly full and people sit in their cars not caring. Couldn't you move away from the car park and park up somewhere else not as busy?

smemorata · 29/01/2020 12:32

Yanbu but why don't you sit in the passenger seat so as not to get stressed?

june2007 · 29/01/2020 12:33

If your sitting behind the wheal it looks like your about to go and if it,s a busy car park and you can move, then it seems reasonable that you should. Eat before you sit in your car or find a different spot.

AdobeWanKenobi · 29/01/2020 12:33

Not at all U. Just ignore.

I once had a very irate woman beeping and arm waving as I was sat in my car answering text messages on Ikea car park. The baffling thing was the car park was half empty and a dozen spaces surrounded her, but she wanted mine.

People are weird.

saraclara · 29/01/2020 12:33

Just wind your window down and tell her you're waiting for someone. It's not really fair to leave someone waiting for your space if you're not leaving yet. If I see someone hovering, I let them know straight away if I'm not going yet. Saves them waiting and saves the evils.

Lockheart · 29/01/2020 12:33

They're not BU to think you'll be leaving, YANBU to sit and eat lunch etc. If you see them waiting just tell them you're not going yet.

HappyExteriorSadInterior · 29/01/2020 12:34

Hi OP,
YANBU in my opinion. I'm just the same. I sometimes just pretend to be on my phone and don't make any eye contact until they get the idea!
Take as much time as you need!

LittleMissGrumpyGrot · 29/01/2020 12:34

YANBU! I think it's perfectly acceptable behaviour!
What I don't like (except that I do really because you pay at the end for the time you needed instead of paying in advance for a guesstimate) is when you pay at the machine and then it's Wacky Races to get out in the allotted time frame. What even is that? Does anybody know?

MrsStrangerThing · 29/01/2020 12:35

I mean if there's no other spaces, it really is annoying when people faff around. Especially if the space is for a particular business. I would reverse out and loiter in the carpark eating the steakbake, you can then move the car if you are in the way of someone else leaving.

I particularly hate when people stay in their car when parked in a disabled space.

HappyExteriorSadInterior · 29/01/2020 12:36

Good idea other's have suggested about sitting in the passenger seat, I'm going to try that myself!

saraclara · 29/01/2020 12:36

Expecting people to read your mind instead of, y'know, actually communicating with them, is at the heart of so many unnecessary issues and arguments.

YesThatsATurdOnTheRug · 29/01/2020 12:36

I think YABU to not let her know you're not leaving yet.

Chemenger · 29/01/2020 12:37

Sit in the passenger seat. Then they’ll assume you’re waiting for the driver and can’t move.

HeadSpin5 · 29/01/2020 12:38

For me this would depend on how busy the car park is, and whether you give any indication that you intend to stay. Yes you are within your rights to stay as long as you like but I think it’s courteous to let people know if you are not intending to love, especially if sat in driver’s seat. All the more so if it’s rammo in the car park

Frothybothie · 29/01/2020 12:38

I went with dh to a railway exhibition. I was happy to sit in the passenger seat and knit - he wnet in for an hour - the looks I got. It was as though I was a baglady sleeping in the car (so I may have closed my eyes but).

Mia1415 · 29/01/2020 12:39

YANBU I normally shake my head to indicate that I'm not leaving and then ignore them.

TheNoiseHurts · 29/01/2020 12:40

YABU that's really annoying

user1493413286 · 29/01/2020 12:40

Why not just tell them you’re not going? I park in a public car park for work which is very hard to find a space in so I do follow people returning to their cars and it doesn’t take much for them to say they aren’t going. I’ll often pull out the space to sort my satnav out etc because I know how stressful it can be trying to find a space in some car parks

DesLynamsMoustache · 29/01/2020 12:42

YANBU. DH has given me lifts to places before and stayed in the car in the car park for an hour or so, messing about on his phone or whatever. I've done the same with a book! It's fine to wait for 30 seconds or so if you think someone is about to pull out, but not to sit there breathing down someone's neck when it's clear they aren't in a hurry to leave.

Sparklfairy · 29/01/2020 12:42

Sit in the passenger seat. No one ever expects you to move then Grin

Apolloanddaphne · 29/01/2020 12:43

If you have paid for a ticket you can stay as long as you have paid for. Even if it is free car park you can still sit in your car as long as you please.

GloriousGoosebumps · 29/01/2020 12:47

Have you considered sitting in the front passenger seat or back seat to eat your lunch? Then drivers looking for a space won't assume you're about to leave the carpark.

NameChangeNugget · 29/01/2020 12:49

Let others be annoyed, bollocks to them.

As long as you have a valid ticket, why should you move? They should have got there earlier! Grin

Jaxhog · 29/01/2020 12:52

It annoys me when a car park is clearly full and people sit in their cars not caring. Couldn't you move away from the car park and park up somewhere else not as busy?

Well, tough! If someone has paid to park there, they can stay as long as they've have paid for. Why don't YOU go and park somewhere else?

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