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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get really annoyed when someone parks next to me in a quiet car park!

95 replies

cheesycheesy · 26/08/2025 13:26

It really bugs me when people do this. Today I’m taking my ds swimming. Quiet car park so I park with plenty of space between bays so it’s easy to get out. Someone decides to park next to me once we’ve stopped so it’s a pita to get out! Why make it harder when there’s plenty of free spaces!

OP posts:
PigletSanders · 27/08/2025 08:43

JacquesHarlow · 27/08/2025 08:12

"you can see it, unlike the lines"

I rest my case entirely.

This is what I was talking about a few posts upthread. People just refuse to use their mirrors or reverse park, so the lines almost become irrelevant. So instead you get this absurd relativism "they're parked in a small car, so I'll nudge myself to a point where I can open my door irrespective of the painted lines".

It's why I see so many nose-first cars parked on or overlapping a painted line in car parks, but hey! they can open their driver's door at a good distance relative to the next car, so what else matters?

Show quote history

People are largely awful drivers. Any, and I mean any thread about cars and driving on here illustrates that. It’s pretty worrying.

SENMum1727 · 27/08/2025 08:44

You could park very squiffily (in an otherwise empty car park) to make others think you are bad at parking and put them off wanting to park next to you. 😅

Moonnstars · 27/08/2025 08:48

Is it sometimes a safety thing? I will park next to other cars in places where I am concerned about possible damage (so think maybe other drivers know better over where to park to avoid this) or my own safety (knowing someone else will be going to that part of the car park).

The thing I actually find more annoying about car parks (well supermarkets) is people causing a long queue to get into the car park as they want to park as close as they can to the store. My local Tesco is a nightmare as people will wait for a space near the entrance causing traffic to build up on the road, despite there being plenty of spaces if they drive in further and park further away.

Owly11 · 27/08/2025 08:59

JacquesHarlow · 27/08/2025 08:12

"you can see it, unlike the lines"

I rest my case entirely.

This is what I was talking about a few posts upthread. People just refuse to use their mirrors or reverse park, so the lines almost become irrelevant. So instead you get this absurd relativism "they're parked in a small car, so I'll nudge myself to a point where I can open my door irrespective of the painted lines".

It's why I see so many nose-first cars parked on or overlapping a painted line in car parks, but hey! they can open their driver's door at a good distance relative to the next car, so what else matters?

Show quote history

That’s not what I said at all. I always park central to my own lines but if someone else has parked wonky or has a small car that gives me more space. I have no trouble parking with lines only - I am simply saying why people do it and what the solution is.

GleisZwei · 27/08/2025 09:08

ErrolTheDragon · 27/08/2025 08:10

Yes, it’s poor parking skills. If the people who choose the same quiet distant corner of the car park were good at parking and just liked the area, they’d be able to do so without ending up too close to another car’s doors.

Parking was never taught - back in the day the manoeuvring was just 3 point turn and reversing round a corner. When our dd was learning, DH took her to an empty car park to practice, found her YouTubes on techniques inc wing mirrors …his own parking improved!

My instructor taught me to park properly, that was in the 1990s.

PhilosophicalCheeseSandwich · 27/08/2025 09:30

I learned to drive in the 90s as well. So I wasn't actually taught to bay park. I wish I had been, because I can't go forward into a space - I have to reverse in or I'll be wonky.

Anyway, I stand by my earlier point - you're better off choosing to park alongside other sensibly parked cars in the hope it's still them next to you when you get back, rather than park in an empty row that clearly acts as a signal to people who can't park well to join you. I've never gone for the empty section of the car park, and don't remember ever not being able to get in my car when I've come back to it.

Hankunamatata · 27/08/2025 09:37

DinoLil · 26/08/2025 13:43

Hahahahaha, yes, this!! Like when you park far, far away in the supermarket car park, miles from the entrance, tumble weeds blowing about and you come back to your car and about 37 other cars have suddenly appeared and parked right up next to you!

Yes! Each side if you

Skyflymom · 27/08/2025 09:46

I could have written this post! I usually park as far away as possible to the entrance (to get my steps in and to keep my car away from trolleys and careless people) and guaranteed there can be 40 empty spaces around me and someone will park right next to me! Someone did it recently at Sainsbury’s, I had my grandson with me and unfortunately no parent spaces left. Got back to my car and a guy was just parking next to me, I literally could not open the door wide enough to get my grandson into his car seat. As he exited his car I explained I couldn’t get my grandson in, the row opposite had 3 spaces empty all together. Me expecting him just to pull across into an empty spaces, nope, he pulled forward just enough and sat waiting whilst I was fumbling strapping the child in, then reversed back next to me. Some people are just idiots.

silverygreen · 27/08/2025 10:11

Park next to you in the furthest reachest of an otherwise empty carpark.

Sit close to you in an almost empty cinema.

Plonk themselves down next to you on a deserted beach.

I don't understand them.

silverygreen · 27/08/2025 10:13

1apenny2apenny · 27/08/2025 07:30

I’m glad it isn’t just me, this really annoys me! So much so that I often think I’ll print little notes and leave them on windscreens asking why they do it!

I get the urge to do that when giant vehicles park next to me in the other small car bay, saying: "Not a small car."

Badbadbunny · 27/08/2025 10:22

FenderStrat · 27/08/2025 07:24

If people have this much trouble in car parks, get the bus.

And then some brain dead numpty will come and sit on the seat next to you even though there are loads of completely empty seats elsewhere.

Same as they do in cafes, cinemas. Even the beaches aren't safe from such morons. We often walk to a quite part of the beach and then the "group from hell" appears and plonks themselves down right next to us, with their obligatory music, several screeching kids, loud talking, etc., even though there was virtually an entire beach they could have chosen, but no, we have to endure their noise, sand kicked onto us by their out of control kids, etc.

Fair enough on a busy beach, in a full cinema, full car park, busy cafe, etc., but completely brain dead, moronic and selfish when people do it when there are lots of alternatives.

People don't seem to have any respect for "space" of others. One of the good things (the only good thing really) of Covid was everyone having their own space and others not allowed to invade peoples' space.

applegingermint · 27/08/2025 10:40

Owly11 · 27/08/2025 07:52

It’s easier to park next to a car because you can see it, unlike the lines. If you want to park somewhere leaving enough space for yourself you have to find a space next to an already parked car that you can make enough space that can’t be filled eg next to a very small car or a car parked near to the lines on the other side or on the end of a row and so on. That way you are more in control of the space than if you try to leave an empty space next to you. I say this from years of experience of lugging a cello around and needing enough space to get it out of the back seat.

The thing is though that I don’t need to actually see the lines to know I’ve parked in them. It’s muscle memory and knowing the dimensions of our family car. Car park dimensions are standard and have been for some 50 odd years.

People who drive regularly and still don’t know where their car starts and ends baffle me.

GleisZwei · 27/08/2025 13:00

PhilosophicalCheeseSandwich · 27/08/2025 09:30

I learned to drive in the 90s as well. So I wasn't actually taught to bay park. I wish I had been, because I can't go forward into a space - I have to reverse in or I'll be wonky.

Anyway, I stand by my earlier point - you're better off choosing to park alongside other sensibly parked cars in the hope it's still them next to you when you get back, rather than park in an empty row that clearly acts as a signal to people who can't park well to join you. I've never gone for the empty section of the car park, and don't remember ever not being able to get in my car when I've come back to it.

We were taught to reverse around a corner, and that's part of the basic skill I employ when reversing into spaces. If anyone isn't confident reversing into spaces then find a quiet spot and practice, practice, practice.
I always reverse into the bays across from my house, because it's so much easier to get out that way, especially as some folk dump their cars very randomly and it's near a junction.
I only drive in if the car park is set up specifically to encourage that.

Original poster
cheesycheesy · 27/08/2025 13:10

applegingermint · 27/08/2025 10:40

The thing is though that I don’t need to actually see the lines to know I’ve parked in them. It’s muscle memory and knowing the dimensions of our family car. Car park dimensions are standard and have been for some 50 odd years.

People who drive regularly and still don’t know where their car starts and ends baffle me.

Edited
Show quote history

You can sometimes even “feel” the markings on the bays when you drive over them too. Also why can’t people just open doors to check they have parked straight before parking up. I was allowed to do that in my driving test

OP posts:
Sunshineismyfavourite · 27/08/2025 13:19

YANBU

I had this on Monday. DH and I parked up, quiet car park of 30 spaces with only 3 other cars there. Popped to shop. Came back 5 mins later and a couple had parked right next to us and the most bizarre thing was they were struggling to unclip a very large dog from the back seat and the door they were trying to get the dog out of was the one next to my car! They couldn't fully open their door to get the dog out. Absolutely bat shit!

Why would you make your life so difficult? There were loads of spaces with no cars either side.

SomethingFun · 27/08/2025 14:04

Swimming. Guarantee if you are swimming in an empty pool the next person to get in will swim right up against you so you have to move or be constantly having to get out of their way. These are the same people who are parking up against you in an empty car park op!

GleisZwei · 27/08/2025 14:07

SomethingFun · 27/08/2025 14:04

Swimming. Guarantee if you are swimming in an empty pool the next person to get in will swim right up against you so you have to move or be constantly having to get out of their way. These are the same people who are parking up against you in an empty car park op!

There's a recent thread you should read......it's called Territorial Swimming....or something like that.....😂

Glassmatt · 27/08/2025 14:10

YANBU and my DH is the person that does this and it gives me the rage. I say “You’re that person that always parks beside someone, why?” Then we fall out

bumbaloo · 27/08/2025 15:52

PigletSanders · 27/08/2025 08:43

People are largely awful drivers. Any, and I mean any thread about cars and driving on here illustrates that. It’s pretty worrying.

Show quote history

And the same people are convinced they are great at driving!

BlackCoffeeAndSugar · 27/08/2025 19:51

cheesycheesy · 27/08/2025 07:09

It’s just being an inconsiderate twat when you block someone in from opening their doors when there’s plenty of other convenient spaces to get into that aren’t blocking anyone else in.

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I try to park really far away just now as my bump is huge and if a car parks really close I need to squish it to get in. I now try to park at end of rows so as only pavement/grass beside me

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