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?

Ha ha ha
No

For all she knew OP also had an urgent medical appointment and she needed to eat before attending
Or she had along drive ahead and wouldn't have another chance to eat

We can play the what if game all day, but the facts are OP had the space to use for 1 hour and left well before the time was up.

How does one eat smugly by the way?

I’d have been annoyed with you. For all you know she could have had an urgent medical appointment. Car parks aren’t for sitting there smugly eating your lunch, take it home

And for all SHE knew the OP was a diabetic, having a low blood sugar or any number of other reasons she was there. She was rude.

Would you have been angry if she'd eaten the pie in Sainsbury's cafe before leaving the shop, @Merryoldgoat ? The car park space would have been unavailable for the same amount of time either way.

@SirCharlesRainier

no, I suppose I just feel things which are there for the use of many should be used with consideration.

When in a cafe no one will see you in the car and hope they might be able to use the space.

Once you leave and get in the car I just think it’s polite to leave as soon as possible.

A but like in a cafe. If it’s busy and I’m finished I won’t hang around chatting because someone could use the table and I don’t actually need it.

And being annoyed was internal. I wasn’t ranting or knocking on windows.

A but like in a cafe. If it’s busy and I’m finished I won’t hang around chatting because someone could use the table and I don’t actually need it.

I don't think that's at all the same, as the OP did need the space because she was still eating her lunch. Unless you are suggesting she drive around with a sandwich in her hand? She wasn't finished.

I feel like parking spaces are for parking and not sitting in.

You have to park before you can sit in your car. So you need to find a safe and legal parking place (convenient for the rest of your day) in which to park your car before you can sit in it and do whatever you like.

A parking space is a storage space for a car. It has to be key somewhere when it’s not moving. Whether you are in it or not.

A but like in a cafe. If it’s busy and I’m finished I won’t hang around chatting because someone could use the table and I don’t actually need it.

So people must get up and vacate a table the instant they’re finished? No sitting and chatting. No socialising? No lingering to enjoy the atmosphere.

That is a joyless view of cafes. And seems to miss the point.

You sound like you think the world should revolve around your wants and needs

Not sure what it's like where you live, but there are so many double yellow lines and resident only streets and enforcement cameras where I live that if I were to leave my parking spot and park on a road somewhere to eat a sandwich, I would stand a risk of getting a parking ticket.

So taking the risk of a £60 ticket to save a random woman 20p on her parking doesn't appeal.

Being polite doesn't mean disadvantaging yourself.

So you wait to finish your sandwich before vacating the space? Perfectly reasonable, you move when ready.

OP hadn't finished with the space, she was still parked and still required the space but you think she should've moved before she'd finished with the space?

What law says you have to be away from your vehicle to justify using a parking space? Have you never pulled into a space because you needed to send an email. have a coffee, make a call that required concentration and not to be driving at the same time?

Do you get out on your car in a winters day to do those things, or do you park legally and do them?

I think you're analogy is ridiculous.

These replies directly to me are hilarious - it’s like I’ve said the OP is the worst person the the world and should be dragged out of her car and shamed.

YADNBU

should have just told her you were waiting for someone.

It's got nothing to do with her

Next time just say you're waiting for your mum or whoever so you decided yo wait in the car.
Had you of sat on the bench eating lunch she wouldn't have known it was your car there so she still wouldn't have got the space.
Yanbu

You are coming out with irrelevant comparisons etc.

I don't think people should bolt their food and go instantly they've finished. But if there are people waiting for tables, I don't think they should linger and enjoy the atmosphere for a prolonged time, either.

To clarify- I don't think the cafe and car situations are the same, anyway.

I have done this, but sat in the passenger seat so I’m not disturbed!

This is one of those threads where it's baffling that people can debate it for 8+ pages.

If you get a parking space, you have a right to sit in the car. Your presence or lack thereof makes no difference to someone else wanting the space - your car is still there so they can't use it.

I think it’s a reasonable assumption that if looking for a space in a car park, a person in the driving seat is about to leave or just parked.

Okay, but then I told her that was not the case. She could have just said "ok great!" and waited.

Re. the Sainsbury's car park, that car park is specifically for people shopping in Sainsbury's. This one was a town centre car park, not affiliated with any business. I could have parked there and gone and sat on a bench to just enjoy people watching for an hour if I'd wanted to, surely?

I would have taken one hour to eat my sandwich after her rant. She is not automatically entitled to a car space. YANBU.

Haha. Yes. I would've too.

...I'm not sure I was that smug to be scarfing down a hasty sandwich in the cramped driver's seat of a car that was just barely warmer than outside, but okay 😆

I couldn't take it home because I was due to go to another appointment shortly after.

And again, genuine question - am I allowed to use the car park to park up, go and buy the exact same sandwich from the exact same place and then sit on the bench outside, or in the nearby park, to eat it? If not why not, and if so why is this different?

I don't think you are being unreasonable and I have often eaten in the car but I would probably not choose to eat in a car when the car park is full as I know how frustrating it can be waiting for a space.

HAHAHA. Just noticed that you've said it's only 20p for an hour. She's a nob. Also, where on earth is this that you can park for such a small amount of money?! In my area it's extortionate and it's not a city or anything.