Who is wrong here?

Want your take on this.

In commack, the trader joe/dollar tree/etc parking lot is always busy.

Getting a spot is like engaging in an extreme sport.

It's common that people follow you out and go take your spot, but is it wrong to stay in your car and eat?

Usually I leave so someone else can get my spot, but the few times I stayed in my car to eat my wrap, people get annoyed when I stay and they realize I'm not leaving.

Am I wrong? It's usually just to eat quickly.

I only experience this in this particular lot. I just quickly run there on lunch and scarf my wrap down before heading right back to work.

Do you ever experience this? What's the proper thing to do?

Please keep in mind that usually I drive away eating, but sometimes I do prefer to just sit for a few minutes and eat.

Who is wrong here?

I cant get mad because you are eating what i would get annoy is if you see me waiting or following you to your parking spot ad dont tell me that you are not leaving.

Re: Who is wrong here?

I don't know who is wrong but I too would be pissed if I saw someone just hanging out in their car eating in a full parking lot where I'm waiting for a spot. You could easily pull out and park somewhere else to eat your lunch. Had the shoe been on the other foot, I think you'd be annoyed as well.

Re: Who is wrong here?

I see absolutely nothing wrong with you sitting in your car in the parking lot and eating. I do it often, when I am on my lunch break from work also. I rather at least sit and eat it then have to drive while eating it with one hand, steering with the other, hoping nothing drips, etc.

I would NOT tell anyone I am not leaving either-I don;t owe it to anyone. The same thing if I am at a shopping plaza and putting my package in my car and closing it and going into another store. I am entitled to do so!

Who is wrong here?

Are you wrong...No. You got a spot, shopped at a store in the center, and are now eating. Sure it's common practice in busy place to wait for someone to leave, but you don't owe anyone anything. Could you drive to another place, sure, but to say you have to I don't agree. Now if you bought your lunch some where else and then parked there to eat that is wrong. I get more frustrated by the entitlement people feel. Like they deserve the spot you are already occuping. Is it frustrating, sure, but at the end of the day you were parked there 1st and I just assumed you were leaving.

Re: Who is wrong here?

I don't think you're wrong but as a courtesy it would be nice if you gestured to anyone looking for a spot that you weren't leaving yet.

I realize that's not always easy to do, but if someone is following you you could probably mouth something to them or get their attention somehow.

This is beyond what you asked, but I would hesitate to do that for safety reasons. Even with my doors locked, I try to never sit in a parking lot for too long. People are nuts and you never know who is going to pull up right next to you and do God knows what.

Re: Who is wrong here?

I should preface this by saying that I never follow people to their spot.

I say, it's your spot til you leave. The amount of time someone spends waiting for you to leave, they could have found another spot and walked.

Re: Who is wrong here?

I think it's common courtesy to go somewhere else if it is a very crowded lot, where it is clear that others are sitting and waiting/circling for a spot.

Now if this was a big huge lot, where the person was just being a PITA because they didn't want to walk, I'd feel differently.

I've run into those in the Target parking lot, where I can barely get my bags and my son in the car, and there's Joe Azzhole beeping up a storm at me to hurry up.

However, someone else posted a thread the other day about how you never really know the reasons why people behave the way they do, so in either scenario, in the grand scheme of things, it's probably not worth it to get worked up about.

Re: Who is wrong here?

i would get in the passenger side or wave them away and say your not leaving-because you arent leaving.

Re: Who is wrong here?

Message edited 9/30/2012 5:08:17 PM.

Re: Who is wrong here?

I would eat away but I would tell the person when I was walking to the car that I wasnt leaving. If they didnt see me tell them then its their problem.

Re: Who is wrong here?

If it were me I would drive back to work and eat in my lot there. I don't think it's fair to stay if it is a busy lot and everyone is waiting for spots.

Re: Who is wrong here?

Re: Who is wrong here?

Posted by Sweetlax22

Posted by chilltocam

Posted by Holly

I would NOT tell anyone I am not leaving either-I don;t owe it to anyone. The same thing if I am at a shopping plaza and putting my package in my car and closing it and going into another store. I am entitled to do so!

You might not "owe" anyone an explanation, but its just common courtesy - something that there's just not enough of these days (as has been the subject of other posts on here). It doesn't cost you anything other than a split second, to waive the waiting person on. I have to say, its that kind of attitude that just makes day to day life a little more stressful, for no reason.

To the OP, I don't think its a big deal to stay in the spot and eat, but again, just as a common courtesy, if you know the lot is really busy AND there is somewhere else you can get to easily, then I night do that.

Re: Who is wrong here?

Re: Who is wrong here?

No, if i didnt see the car start, or break lights go on within 30 seconds, I'd move on. Hysterical what offends people these days.

Who is wrong here?

Interesting the differing views.

I definately don't take long (it's just a small wrap, u know) but I probably will opt to move from now on. Like I said in Op, I usually do, anyway but it's because I feel forced to move.

I just get the sense that in that lot, it's expected u jump in car and scurry off. There's also a Quiznos in the lot and a sushi place.

Thank you!

Who is wrong here?

Where I work, we have to follow people to their spots all the time!!! The parking lot is crazy. With that being said, I ALWAYS roll down my window and say to the person I'm following, "Good morning! Are you leaving?" Some of them come to their cars for lunch or are waiting for people or are not leaving just yet, so I never know what to expect. When I leave in the afternoon, I try to leave quickly so someone can have my spot, but I hate when people don't say anything to ask if I'm leaving and then get annoyed if I hang out for a few minutes (if I'm carpooling that day and waiting for someone or going somewhere new and trying to plug the address into my GPS). I would gladly tell them that I will be leaving, but not right away if they want to wait around.

So, to answer your question -- they never asked, so you shouldn't feel obligated to tell them you're staying and you should not feel guilty about staying. It is your spot and you're entitled to sit and have lunch there.

Who is wrong here?

I don't see anything wrong with it. You could walk out of the store and eat on a bench on the sidewalk and that would be OK. You're just eating in your car instead. If the opportunity arose I'd just waive along anyone who was waiting for the spot.

Re: Who is wrong here?

I don't see ANYTHING wrong with eating in your car. To me it is your spot until you are done with it.

Who is wrong here?

No, you are not wrong. Just wave them on and let them know not to wait!

Re: Who is wrong here?

Posted by InShock

Posted by Holly
I would NOT tell anyone I am not leaving either-I don;t owe it to anyone. The same thing if I am at a shopping plaza and putting my package in my car and closing it and going into another store. I am entitled to do so!

Being "entitled" to do something doesn't mean you have to be rude about it. Common courtesy would be a simple wave-off to someone waiting. Not sure why you seem to have such a poor attitude about such a simple courteous act.

Posted by Teachergal

If it were me I would drive back to work and eat in my lot there. I don't think it's fair to stay if it is a busy lot and everyone is waiting for spots.

Re: Who is wrong here?

If I know someone is waiting for my spot and it's a really busy parking lot, then I try to hurry up and get out of there. I know I don't "have" to but it's what I would want someone to do for me. If I wanted to eat I'd just pull over somewhere else.

This reminds me of a "discussion" I had this week with a friend over whether or not it's rude to stop at the drive-thru ATM, and THEN pull out all your bills, sort them, sign your checks, etc. while someone is waiting behind you. I know they have a "right" to do that but in my opinion they should do all that before they park at the window so that someone else can use it.

Re: Who is wrong here?

No one is wrong unless they're pissed off that you're not moving. You have every right to eat in your car but I agree a courtesy wave is nice to do.

Who is wrong here?

If it were me I would probably drive to a less crowded place to eat. I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself with people hovering around trying to take the spot lol