To use (a bit of) free parking slot to sit in car and eat

[HungryPerson]

Genuinely don't know if IABU or not 😆

I have several appointments today so I'm somewhat rushing around, with a couple of gaps. I drove to one appointment (in town centre, no dedicated parking for the place I'm going to) and parked in a town centre car park. The car park has a number of spaces that are free for one hour, so I used one of those.

My appointment only took ten minutes so I took the opportunity to go and buy a sandwich, went back to my car and sat there to eat it. So as not to drip feed, I'm pregnant and hungry! Don't know if that matters. It's also freezing, so although there was a bench outside, I didn't want to sit there.

While eating a woman knocked on my window. I opened the door and she asked me to move. I looked around and there were no more free spaces, and she was waiting for mine. I apologised (bc British 😆) and said I'd be done in a minute.

She then said "absolutely ridiculous." I said, "pardon?" and she ranted at me for a minute or two, the gist being that I'm selfish and entitled. I didn't say anything, just gave her a look and shut the door on her, and then I left. I was sitting in the car for maybe ten minutes max.

Altogether I only used the space for 25 minutes ish. And if I'd sat on the bench to eat I still would have been occupying the space. But I'm questioning myself now!

Was I unreasonable?

Not unreasonable but I can see both sides

YANBU. You should have shut the door and carried on eating your sandwich.

Why on earth did you move?
For all she knew you were waiting on someone/had just got there and were leaving your car shortly.

No you weren't. As you say, if you had eaten it outside your car would still be in the space. Tbh I would have just ignored her and closed the door the second she started ranting. Let her rant to herself.

Sounds fine to me, you could have got there early for an appointment and you'd have been sat in the car then as well. Presumably there is no sign saying cars must be unoccupied?

Nope not unreasonable at all although I can see why she's frustrated if she can see you in your car when she's waiting for a space. But if you'd chosen to eat your sandwich somewhere else then your car would still have been in that space, just without you in it!

You not you. As a home visiting health professional I park in such a space to eat as do my colleagues. Where else can we go. Yanbu.

Not unreasonable. You can do what you like whilst your car is there imo. I'd have sat there and ignored her, and probably found a few more things to do.

YANBU. What if you're waiting for someone? I always say that I am if asked to move in this situation.

I get annoyed with all kinds of inappropriate parking but you did nothing wrong here.

Yanbu

So by her rules, you wouldn't be able to stop and make a phone call? What an idiot

She is selfish and entitled. She was just pissed off that she didn’t get a free space and wanted to verbally abuse you. Vile. You did nothing wrong and I would’ve stayed as long as possible so that the nasty arse definitely didn’t get it.

You could have sat there until the timer said 59 mins and eaten your sandwich.

She was not entitled to the space you were occupying. Wish you’d had time to eat your sandwich, get out and leave your car a little bit longer!!

I would probably have said I was waiting for someone.

I think I’d have told her to fuck off.

It's your space for the hour. It makes absolutely zero difference to this person whether you're in the car, or the car is empty - it's not available.

Honestly - I'd tell myself she was probably having a bad day & running late. It wasn't about you, frustration & panic resulted in unreasonable rudeness.

Well unless there was a huge sign stating your car had to be empty at all times yanbu. You parked up, did your stuff and then ate your lunch, all well within the hour timeslot.

As far as I know there are no rules as to what you do during your hour parked in a car park space.

YANBU.
Next time sit in the passenger seat and eat your sandwiches. If someone comes knocking, say that you're waiting for the driver. Maybe I've done it in the past. Sorry, not sorry.

Wow she sounds a peach

She got out of her car to knock in your car window and berate a pregnant woman eating in her car out of the cold because she, Gabe driver who was not legally parked, wanted your car parking space instead that you were legally occupying

What a bit*h

As others said you could have been waiting for someone or you could have sat in bench to watch your sandwich. It's not like you overstayed the time.

I find it really annoying when I get back to my car but I'm sending a quick text before I set off to say where I am or making quick call to do same or answer something urgent (I can't stand so won't answer phone stops outside) or it takes me longer to put my seat belt on (disabled) and it turns out someone else i had no idea about suddenly wants my space

"I'm parked here it's not your space. Please leave me alone.."

On a rare occasion other drivers have been quite impatient and rude before or beeped at me and then it just makes me want to stay longer or get out and lock my car back up and go back to the shop

Someone asking nicely oh hi are you leaving would make me want to finish and leave quickly but if they beep or shout at me, oh that's not happening ...

Genius!!

Thank you all

No signs saying cars need to be unoccupied, or that spaces are only for use by customers of any particular place, etc.

I left because I thought it probably wasn't worth the aggro! I agree she was probably running late and frustrated. But there were plenty of paying spaces, and it's only 20p for an hour.

I'd have sat there and ignored her, and probably found a few more things to do.

This made me laugh 😆

^this although what if they sit and wait … 😂

YANBU and they were very rude!

I can definately empathise with both sides of the story.

Next time, eat in the passenger seat. That way you can pretend you are not the driver.

Yanbu.