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?

Even if this was true (and it’s happened to be more than once in IKEA car park), as the driver you wait or move on. You don’t go and bang on someone’s window and tell them to move.

If someone started going at me like that, the sandwich would quickly have become a three-course meal.

You were not being unreasonable, and she was being rude and entitled. You had every right to use the parking space for anything up to an hour, and you were using it for less than that. I wish you hadn't apologised, she needs telling to wind her neck in. She does not get to police what people do in their 1 hour slot, and sitting in the car doing something that you can't do while driving (e.g. eating your lunch or checking your phone) is entirely legitimate and none of her business

I’d have finished the sandwich, got out and gone back in the shop for something else….very slowly! (Obviously as long as I wasn’t in a rush after eating the sandwich)

I think I would have stayed the full hour just to piss her off more! Or said ‘oh you’ve upset my bladder now’ and got out the car to ‘find a loo’.

Presumably they're meant really for people who are going to spend and look in more shops so IMO I would have used a 20p space. You being pregnant is irrelevant.

There’s always one on every thread.

I always do this. Saves any confusion for anyone looking for a space.

What an entitled twat she was. 100% YANBU

OP did spend, she brought a sandwich.

Ach OP, she's feeling the spirit of Blue Monday! YADNBU.

'what's the other side? I can't see it. OP wasn't doing anything wrong.

I wouldn't for one moment think of getting into the passenger seat in this situation, and I wouldn't challenge someone sitting in the driver's seat but not going anywhere - I would assume they were waiting for someone, or had to stop for a valid reason. If I had been in your situation, OP, I'm afraid this woman's behaviour would just make me take longer before moving away.

NU. You are entitled to that space for an hour. What if you'd decided to eat BEFORE your appointment? First come, first served with that sort of car parking arrangement and she certainly shouldn't have been hostile with you.

I can understand someone knocking on your window and saying 'Excuse me, are you going to be long, I'm waiting for a space?' although I'd never do it myself as I don't like disturbing people who may be grabbing their only break of the day. But her rudeness was very U.

I wouldn't have done it because it's selfish. But I wouldn't ask someone doing it to move because I know they have every right to be there.

I'd have told her to fuck off and then finished my sandwich veeeerry, veeerry slowly. If she really couldn't wait then she had the option of paying 20p for a space, her choice, the entitled bully.

I would have stayed for the full hour. Except if I need the loo.

I was a community carer and worked double shifts, started at 7am and finished at 10pm with a 2 hour gap,
this happened to me once in tesco, was a busy Saturday but I was Ill where I was so hungry. Just sat there and finished my sandwich, then went back into tesco for a drink so sat there and drunk that. All the while cars are coming and going so twatty could have parked somewhere else. I gave up giving a shit when he shouted at me his time was more precious than mine!!

Had no one been rude I'd have eaten then left. If someone like this lady was rude to me I'd have stayed the full hour.

I'd make them wait, enjoy my sandwich THEN get out of the car and go for a walk, getting back ready to leave before the hour is up.

YANBU

except that you've made me want a sandwich!
<low carbing>

I would have told her to get fucked

You are entitled to the space for up to an hour, whether that's before or after your appointment. There was no sign to say 'your car may only be here if your body is in the medical centre'.

I would have done this (or probably taken my sandwich with me as I set off to do more shopping) 😁

Are you saying that I should have moved into a 20p space when the woman knocked, or that I should have used a 20p space from the beginning?

I don't really understand either viewpoint, can you explain why?

The spaces are for people using the town centre. I went to an appointment at a high street business and then I bought a product at a shop. If I'd gone to buy a sandwich in a cafe, for example, and sat there to eat it, I'd have taken longer but still spent the same money.

I was asking whether I was BU to stay there a bit longer while I ate, I didn't even consider that I was U for using the free space at all, so now I'm confused as to why you think so!

Yes it probably is irrelevant that I'm pregnant, everyone needs to eat! I was just adding context to why waiting another couple of hours wasn't really an option.

Haha apologies!