Blocking a car park space

[birdsandbirds]

AIBU to think you can’t block a car park space (e.g. at a Woodland Trust site) by having people stand in it until your car arrives later?

We experienced exactly this today. We went for a dog walk in our local forest, which we do several times a week. The car park was absolutely heaving but we spotted one remaining space and indicated to park there.

There was a large group of people we’d never seen before, clearly organising a group walk for New Year’s Day, around 20-30 of them. Four or five teenagers were standing in the only free parking space. When we indicated to park, one of the group told us the space was “taken”.

My DP said, “Isn’t it first come, first served?” and they said, yes, we were here first and walk off.

AIBU to think that a parking space isn’t taken until there’s actually a car in it and that you can’t just reserve one by standing in it?

That's not how the world works, do you for example think that because you crossed the road safely today no one else will be run over tomorrow? 😂

Choosing not to argue with strangers doesn't make anyone a wimp, it's a perfectly acceptable choice.

It wasn't me, I was typing a reply and it disappeared, maybe wimp is no longer an acceptable insult 😂

Of course it is. But that doesn’t mean you need to act all wide eyed in astonishment when someone else doesn’t chose the same path

I wouldnt have moved. I would have stayed there all day if the wanted to play silly buggers. Who the hell do these people think they are?

No, I agree with you 100% it shouldn’t be like this but it worked.
We were in the same situation yesterday, luckily another car was leaving and we parked.

You seem to be making up your own story, I asked if you wouldnt be worried about repercussions, maybe we live in different worlds. I've had my tyres let down for totally inadvertently parking in the wrong place so I chose to avoid a possible repeat situation

No I’m not worried at all. Didn’t even cross my mind.

they obviously aren’t worried than someone is going to get out and smack them one, so why would i be worried about repercussions? Seems perfectly normal not to, doesn’t it?

100%. And I’d have parked blocked the end of the space of if I couldn’t have got in it and locked up and gone for my walk.

They had an intimidating air about them, not in a way that they'd slash tires (although you never know of course) but they looked like they own the place. There was a hugely entitled vibe coming from them all, the teenage boys and the adults. It was just the strangest experience and did upset me I have to say.

I would have died of old age before backing down on that one.

This sounds like a place near me. It’s often used for filming so in addition to local people walking dogs who understand the parking etiquette you get a lot of people visiting because a set is being built or they think they may spot someone famous - they have no idea about protocols and never park their cars considerately leaving huge gaps between vehicles yet not big enough to park in. 🤦🏽‍♀️

I do think it should be legal to run over people who do this.

I’ve seen someone slowly back into a space gently edging the reservees out of the way. I don’t know if I’d have the balls to do this though, but I’d certainly want to!

Probably depends on the size of your car. I only have a small car so probably wouldn't be intimidating enough but if I had a huge BMW SUV they'd probably jump out of the way sharpish!

They were rude but you are really dramatising the event, they informed you the space was taken and walked away, they were rude but going on about intimidation and feeling upset is OTT. You encountered rude people in the wild, no damage was done, nobody was threatened, you just didn’t get the parking space you wanted.

I’d love to just slowly drive in but my conscience and imagination would probably see one of them hurl themselves to the floor and claim I’d hit them with my car.

Thats the dilemma for me that would make me stop - but their smugness would eat at me forever!

Sounds like they were a bunch of arseholes

Same, I would have beeped them and half parked until they moved.

You didn’t have to back out. I saw this play out on Boxing Day sales. Someone stood in a bay to hold a spot. Another car blocked the spot and refused to let the car in. You should have done that too.

Not that it's the only consideration by any means, but was it a pay car park or a free one? If the former, had they already paid (and displayed a ticket on somebody's forehead!) and started the clock ticking on any time limits?

Even if it is free and totally unrestricted for time, the car parking spaces (if marked out) are clearly intended for the use of vehicles. If you couldn't justifiably park one car unnecessarily straddling two parking spaces, how can you acceptably 'park' no cars in one parking space?

I'm not saying you should have done this, but many people would have reversed towards the space, with their engine on and pumping out exhaust fumes right in their airspace until such time as they decided to move out of the way.

I saw a video on Twitter where a motorist who was being prevented from proceeding along rhe (major) road by Just Stop Oil protestors standing in his way simply turned his car to face in the opposite direction and revved his engine until the campaigners decided that they'd had enough of a faceful and moved of their own volition.

It was free parking. I'm over it now and have walked the dog in my local park instead as we were unable to do the walk we had planned.
It was such an entitled dick move of them.

I have seen this many times, I start reversing into the bay where they are stood and they almost always move. You can’t reserve a bay.

I’ve done this is my husband’s tiny convertible! I think most people aren’t stupid enough to stand in the way of a moving vehicle regardless of size, given even the smallest cars are still bigger and more dangerous than humans.

That's so sweet, them all wanting to park together because they're friends and can't be parted for an hour or two.😍
Meanwhile, in the real world the reservers were being cfs for trying it on. legitimate parking area = no car parked, space empty you park there regardless.