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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

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:
cologne4711 · 30/01/2020 19:25

I need to move to one of these places that has plentiful parking round the corner while the council car park is totally full. Sounds blissful

Where I live there is plenty of parking around the corner from the council car parks - but only for an hour. Ample time to eat a steakcake though.

lottiegarbanzo · 30/01/2020 19:27

Yep. And no-one should ever park more than a 20 minute drive from home. That way their steak bake won't go cold, while they do the only considerate thing and drive back to eat it at home.

Nalanoodle · 30/01/2020 19:28

People will do that though of the carpark is packed and they need to park. Everyone is busy and trying to get to appointment s etc. They were probably stressed out because they need to get parked up. Although it's happened to me when I've just nipped back to the boot with my partner. I don't think there's any other way to do things like this

lottiegarbanzo · 30/01/2020 19:31

Ah, well we have another option then.

'Businesswoman A' should walk back to the car park, move her car to the plentiful, free, one-hour on-street parking (that, as someone only visiting occasionally for business, the mandatory car-park business auditor will have advised her about). Then she can go to the cafe, eat lunch, make notes and calls.

That evens things up nicely!

StoneofDestiny · 30/01/2020 19:34

It's not unreasonable for someone to assume you are ready to drive out of the car park if you are sitting in the driving seat!
Just sit in passenger seat if you are going to be a while, or give them a friendly wave to say you are not going.

mummyrocks1 · 30/01/2020 19:53

I think You are unreasonable if the car park is full. I think it's really selfish when people sit in their car faffing about when there aren't enough spaces for others. It really annoys me. Leave the car park and pull up elsewhere.

TravellinTeacher · 30/01/2020 20:00

Two minds here, I don’t like making people feel rushed as I know that’s when mistakes can happen. But, having had to sit and wait for a parent and child bay while a single person ate their lunch in the drivers seat of their car, I can understand the person waiting’s frustration, especially if you didn’t let them know you weren’t pulling off. There weren’t any other free P&C bays otherwise I would’ve gone for one of those.
NB: it was a large supermarket car park where the parent and child bays aren’t next to the entrance, but next to a path, the disabled bays are next to the entrance and only had two being used, so had she been disabled, she would’ve had plenty of choice! She just didn’t want to park miles away (it goes disabled, then P&C, then standard bays).
I reckon best thing is to let them know you aren’t leaving or sit in the back/passenger seat which also gives you more room to sit comfortably!

maureen17 · 30/01/2020 20:11

like others have said sit in the passenger seat .

Bee2828 · 30/01/2020 20:26

YANBU. I get this all the time. If you are in a spot with a valid ticket then you can stay as long as you want imo. I have always been made to feel rushed at times.

FlamingoAndJohn · 30/01/2020 20:48

Once again, for your benifit, eat lunch wherever you like, but not the drivers seat of your car, because it is very likely that someone will assume you are leaving if they are waiting for a space.

Right. So it’s ok to sit and eat lunch in the seat on the left but not on the right?

Are we all good with that?

I’m looking forward to the threads started by people wanting to know why there are random women sitting in cars in their street eating steak bakes.

FelicisNox · 30/01/2020 20:49

Are you "within your rights" to sit tight? Yes.

Do others have the right to be annoyed that you are using a much needed space inappropriately?
Yes.

Car parks are exactly that: you park your car in a space for the use of a specific business NOT to loiter and eat. It's discourteous at best.

If you're at a hotel/restaurant waiting for a client then go inside and sit down? Why are you sitting in your car anyway?

Others who fall into this category are parents who park inappropriately when collecting their kids.... they think nothing of parking in front of driveways, private roads or even the carpark at Aldi/Iceland so other people cannot access it because they've decided that because they procreate they have a special parking dispensation. I had to deal with that today and felt like knocking on all the windows of all the parents on FB who had taken ALL of the parking spaces so we couldn't do our weekly food shop and telling the CF to all eff off.

Selfishness has taken over good manners.

howabout · 30/01/2020 20:54

Why go and do your supermarket shop at the shop next to the school at pick up time if you don't have DC? Loads of parents round our way use the supermarket car park for school drop off. The supermarket actively encourages it because it clears their access road and the parents tend to use the shop either on the way to or from school.

JassyRadlett · 30/01/2020 20:54

Do others have the right to be annoyed that you are using a much needed space inappropriately?

She’s... parking her car. In the car park.

She’s not putting on a small circus or breeding meerkats.

She’s parking her car. In a place designed for cars to be parked there.

lottiegarbanzo · 30/01/2020 20:55

Am now v. relieved that Greggs have brought out the vegan steak bake. For equal opportunities left-seated car-loitering.

isabellerossignol · 30/01/2020 20:55

Do others have the right to be annoyed that you are using a much needed space inappropriately?

I can't get my head round the idea of using a parking space inappropriately. If you're parked within the lines, you are using it appropriately. It is there to be parked in, it is what it is intended for. If the car is empty or full of people it doesn't make a difference, the space is still being used.

lottiegarbanzo · 30/01/2020 20:56

Not faffing obvs. Would never faff. Just loiter.

MrsBrentford · 30/01/2020 20:56

Steak slice

🤣🤣

Lweji · 30/01/2020 21:38

Yes, sitting in your car at a car park while eating is absolutely the same thing as blocking someone in their drive.

Lweji · 30/01/2020 21:43

How do we know that the people looking for a parking space are more worthy of the space than the people eating in the car? How do we know they're not just about to loiter around the city centre?

Why is eating lunch in the cafe more worthy than in the car?

What about all the mothers with children looking for a table with seats at the cafe?

What about all the residents who want to park in front of their own houses in the residential areas?
What about the delivery drivers who'd have to park a few meters away from their delivery address?

People! Think of others.

BackBoiler · 30/01/2020 21:45

Your middle finger is a useful thing Star

SalmonFajitas · 30/01/2020 22:18

@isabellerossignol

The car park of a doctor's surgery is for use while you're at your doctor's appointment. It's a small car park in a rural area with nowhere else to park. Some people do sit around chatting to people they've bumped in to when there are people waiting to park. That's not appropriate use of the parking spot. Obviously you're entitled to do it but it's massively inconsiderate. If you've parked in a shopping centre then it's fine - no different having your sandwich in the car than sitting in pret eating it.

isabellerossignol · 30/01/2020 22:37

@isabellerossignol

The car park of a doctor's surgery is for use while you're at your doctor's appointment

That's a fair point. I was talking about general public car parks, but I realise that I didn't specifically say that in my post. A doctor's surgery is presumably a private car park, which I agree is different, because as you say it is for people who are using that particular facility.

So, for clarity, I think that where a car park is open to the general public, for general use, then as long as you are parked between the lines, then you are parked appropriately. (leaving aside extreme scenarios like leaving the car there permanently because you can't be bothered disposing of it correctly).

whatdoyouthinkyouknow · 30/01/2020 23:29

YANBU

Car parks are there to park your car legally, safely and you've paid to do this. You could remain in your car for the full allocated time. It's still perfectly legal and acceptable.
If it states as you purchase a ticket that your car must be vacated immediately upon return to your car, then so be it. But I've never seen this in any car park I've parked in.

You can stay until your ticket expires should you choose.

There is no reason why you have to vacate your space immediately. I find this suggestion ludicrous.

You have purchased that space for a set amount of time. You are occupying that space, whether or not you are in the car makes no difference at all.

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 30/01/2020 23:33

I had no idea there were so many people determined to sit in their cars until their parking ticket expired 🤣

Toomuchtrouble4me · 31/01/2020 00:11

I think it’s quite selfish of you tbh. I live in central London and so am used to people queueing for my space as soon as I get my keys out - and am frequently the one hunting for the lesser spotted space - I would never sit and eat or make a call in a space that people need - give the space up, you no longer need it, they do, and then drive around the corner for your phone calls and meat pies. Of course if you’ve paid for it you can use it to sit and eat - or you could just be nice.