Parking suck, for me or for this guy?

[Limescale]

I'm guessing this goes here.

Was pulling into Costco for the weekly shopping run, and thus began the usual round of parking roulette trying to find a spot in the overfilled lot.

Fate seemed to smile upon me when halfway through my first circle I noticed the glow of brake lights and reverse lights to my left.

Yeah! I thought as I turn to take advantage, only to then notice another car on the other end of the lot clearly waiting for the same spot. Aw damn! I now figured, not wanting to get in a fight over who can claim first dibs as the car in our mutual target pulls out.

Lo and behold, Fate smiled upon us both again, as no sooner did the first car leave, than the next one over flared its reverse lights and also started to back out. Perfect, now there's two available spots so no need for a fight.

The other driver waiting to park...seemed to think otherwise. As I pulled into the original spot that had been made available he rapidly flashed his lights, and when that failed to deter me, he began angrily honking his horn. This guy really seemed adamant that the first spot and only the first spot was good enough for him, and then he confirmed it by driving RIGHT PAST the second open rectangle of asphalt, giving me the finger as I got out of my car.

I just dunno. I mean okay yes I may have been slightly sucky for taking the spot he'd been waiting for, but, again, given he was immediately granted a second chance to park and get on with his day, his reaction seemed a might excessive.

What do you all think?

[wolfie]

I'd say it was a case of "target fixation" - he was so intent on the FIRST space, and you taking it, that he didn't notice the second one. I had a similar case a few years back.

I've finished shopping, and gone to my car. There's a car waiting in the aisle (back to me) that barely clears me. Just as I'm about to pull out, he sees another car about half a dozen spaces away getting ready to pull out, so he backs up to clear it (blocking me in). A couple minutes later, the other car finally pulls out. Aisle-blocker pulls forward (clearing me), but before he can get into the empty space, incoming car #2 swoops into the space. Aisle-blocker gets out of his car and argues with driver of car #2, ignoring me as I pull out. Meanwhile, incoming car #3 arrives from the left (direction I was turning as I pulled out). Since aisle-blocker was so intent on HIS space getting taken by someone who swooped in out of nowhere (and obviously was so focused on that spot that he didn't realize he was blocking another car that could otherwise have left, opening a space, before HIS space was vacated), incoming car #3 got my space. Love the smell of car-ma in the evening.

Same shopping mall, on another trip. It was just before Christmas (you know how parking can be), and I had a spot close to the door. It was amazing the number of cars that drove right past, looking for a space, even though I had my lights and signal on to show that I wanted to LEAVE. If they'd had the courtesy to let me OUT, they would have been perfectly positioned to take the now-empty space near the door.

[Eevie]

What an ass. If he's willing to act like that over a parking space, he can choose to walk a little farther from a different one.

[Slayer]

His reaction was excessive, yes, though you did take his parking spot. You should have taken the second spot, IMO, rather than the original.

Though with them right next to each other, it shouldn't make a difference in the grand scheme of things; it's just a matter of respecting the order. We all know people like to freak out over stupid shit so it just avoids conflict.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Going to have to disagree with you Slayer;

Second parking spot opened up right next to the first, limescale go into the first parking spot first (for whatever reason) so a mature adult would just pull into the second parking spot and go on with their day.

The idea that it's "their" parking spot is childish to me. We shouldn't have to tailor our actions because we're worried someone else is immature like that jerk. In the OP's mind, and it would've been in my mind, there's no reason at all for him to start freaking out because there's another parking spot right there. It wouldn't have even crossed my mind that he'd blow up because he didn't get his parking spot, and be so pissed that he'd skip the second spot that was right there.

How are we supposed to account for people being unreasonable and immature? Just assume everyone around us is a child mentally?

It also sounds like, to me, that the second parking spot wasn't in a spot that the OP could've pulled straight into, as the horn honker dude had to pass the OP first, and then the spot. If this is the case, it's entirely reasonable to me that the OP pulled into the spot that (s)he could pull straight into, then the other guy pull into the second spot that he could pull straight into.

[Slayer]

Personally, it goes by order. If the other guy was there first, then you should let them go first.

Yes, a mature person wouldn't throw a fit. Totally agree. We also know there are idiots in this world, lol. I would have waited for the other car to park first because they were waiting first; not because I want to tailor my actions to their immaturity but because it's not my turn. That's what I meant earlier about respecting the order.

Maybe the OP did, like you said, miss their chance to park properly in the second spot. Though reversing usually fixes that up pretty well hehe

Just my opinion of what I would have done (and what I always do). Not everyone will agree, I know that. No worries on it.

[PepperElf]

I'd say it was a case of "target fixation" - he was so intent on the FIRST space, and you taking it, that he didn't notice the second one.

that's not just in parking but in lane shifting too. my boyfriend has had quite a number of people who just HAD to squeeze their cars in the narrow spot in front of him... despite the rest of the lane behind him being wide open.

cos they were so fixated on getting in, they ignored the rest of the lane that was available.


as for whom should have taken which spot, it sounds like the other driver was overreactive. i'm not going to try to figure out which car would have been able to get into which spot more easily... at that point there's enough for both cars, and it's not the end of the world.

i mean if Limescale had been like "Face it, I'm younger and faster!" like the bitches in Fried Green Tomatoes, then sure the other driver would have a serious cause to be pissed off. but it sounds like it was more of a... "o drat, ... o wait, yay there's room for both of us now!" and the other driver was still fixated on being angry, regardless of the lack of the need for anger anymore.


Kinda like, say when someone's angry over something another person did, but the other fixes the issue right away... the first person doesn't always cool their engines down from the anger-rush, even though the reason to be angry no longer exists.