He tried to steal my parking spot!!!!

[babar]

I am most likely in the minority here, but I honestly don't feel that it's "YOUR" parking space until your car is actually IN the space.

Did you ever stop to think that maybe the person who "stole YOUR space" has actually been driving around the lot several minutes longer than YOU looking for a spot to park?

IMHO the parking space belongs to whoever parks their car INTO it first.

That being said, many times I've been at the mall and take packages out to my car and then go back inside to continue shopping and someone will be sitting there waiting to take my space. Sorry, I'm not leaving.

nope, first come first serve. if i'm sitting there with my blinker on so obviously waiting for the space, then i got dibs on it baby!!!

 

[babar]

wait, did i just read john's garage is closed???????

I loved that place!!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

"...
Being that i'm deathly afraid of birds, i notice when they are close by, big or small...So, flying above me were a bunch of those seagulls...i suddenly got an evil grin on my face and after they walked in, i took the french fries i had been eating and threw them in the bed of his truck...Immediately it was full of these birds eating the fries and as i watched (from a safe distance cause they scare me to death) i see them also pooping all over the truck...

That is one of the funniest true stories I have ever read!

I remember years ago having someone steal a spot from me at a mall during pre-Christmas time shopping. Like one of the posters, it was a long time ago and I still remember it clearly. Too bad I didn't have fries with me!

T&B

 

[Danvers]

(hanging head in shame). I once threw a Snickers bar on someone's windsheild in the middle of the summer in Florida when someone actually threatened to kick my a...... if I took the spot that I had been waiting for. I actually left the store and came back a little while later...I found out it was an employee that WORKED at that store. Wow, was that a sticky, nasty mess.

 

[aunt2brant]

I say, "More power to ya'!!"

Diddo...I've been known to safely 'get back' at rude idiots before

 

[sandramaac]

Why are folks here being so nasty to one another. It am appalled at how awful everyone replies to each other in some of these threads anymore.

OP--love your story--you go girl. Well sometimes I like to take the I'm bigger approach in situations, AT TIMES that is, I am so sick of dealing with these people out this world, who have this attitude of 'self-entitlement'. Who just bully their way in this world. You did the right thing. I would have stayed in the spot all day.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

(hanging head in shame). I once threw a Snickers bar on someone's windsheild in the middle of the summer in Florida when someone actually threatened to kick my a...... if I took the spot that I had been waiting for. I actually left the store and came back a little while later...I found out it was an employee that WORKED at that store. Wow, was that a sticky, nasty mess.

hehehe

 

[wvrevy]

Actually, by allowing the rude behavior to win the reward of the parking spot, you are providing positive reinforcement for the rude person, encouraging them to continue their pattern of behavior. Psycholologically speaking, the proper response is to deny them that reward.

Not to mention that it feels pretty darn good to put the jerks in their place.

And to the poster that said they were in the minority....yep, 'fraid so. If someone is sitting there waiting on a car to pull out, it is extremely rude to pull into the spot before them. I don't care if you've been circling the lot for an hour and a half...it's still rude.

 

[Beauty]

These stories are hillarious!

Oh and parking spots are FIRST COME FIRST SERVE! There is no way its right to steal someone's parking spot. I love some of these ideas!

 

[jfulcer]

So, being rude/impolite/inconsiderate is acceptable behavior when attempting to teach civility to someone else?

This is a losing situation for everyone involved. Sure, you got "your" parking space, but at what price? JMO, but a parking space is not worth that price. And I doubt the person who drove off will change their behavior as a result of this incident.

Tigger_Magic - I've read your replies with interest. While I personally agree with what the OP did - in this case nothing but sitting there - I don't believe she was being rude or impolite. Just waiting for the spot that she had been waiting for.

I'm interested in what you would have done politely and considerately to indicate to this other person that she was waiting and expecting to park in that spot? The choices as I see them:

1) Drive away - this is reinforcing the bad behavior
2) Stay and yell/curse/honk - this is quite rude and is most likely to result in additional aggresive behavior.
3) Stay where she was and wait - The OP didn't curse or be offensive. Yes, she called out once - but wasn't cursing or offensive.

What should she have done?

 

[delilah]

I am going to start keeping a baggie of cookies or something similar in my car for the seagulls. If you feed them, they will come.

Too bad there aren't many seagulls in Indianapolis. This is a great idea. I wonder if it would work for grackles.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

Tigger_Magic - I've read your replies with interest. While I personally agree with what the OP did - in this case nothing but sitting there - I don't believe she was being rude or impolite. Just waiting for the spot that she had been waiting for.

I'm interested in what you would have done politely and considerately to indicate to this other person that she was waiting and expecting to park in that spot? The choices as I see them:

1) Drive away - this is reinforcing the bad behavior
2) Stay and yell/curse/honk - this is quite rude and is most likely to result in additional aggresive behavior.
3) Stay where she was and wait - The OP didn't curse or be offensive. Yes, she called out once - but wasn't cursing or offensive.

What should she have done?

What the OP did that I believe was rude was to pull forward blocking the other rude person in -- the other person could not back up to let the parked car out, thus escalating an already stressful situation.

What I would have done: calmly advised the other driver that I was waiting/signaling to pull into the parking space; told him/her that their behavior was inconsiderate. If they choose to force the issue, I would find somewhere else to park.

As someone else pointed out, public parking spaces aren't assigned and don't have my name on them. It's not "mine" until I pull into it. Besides it's JUST a parking space. There are more important things in life to get upset about.

 

[MsDisney23]

The same thing happens here as well1 Glad you got your spot!

 

[alliecats]

What I would have done: calmly advised the other driver that I was waiting/signaling to pull into the parking space; told him/her that their behavior was inconsiderate. If they choose to force the issue, I would find somewhere else to park.

How would you have calmly advised the other driver, seeing as how he was in one car, and you were in the other, behind him? Not side by side, etc. So how would you have pulled that off? Just curious.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

How would you have calmly advised the other driver, seeing as how he was in one car, and you were in the other, behind him? Not side by side, etc. So how would you have pulled that off? Just curious.

Put car in Park. Turn off ignition. Open door. Get out & walk to other car. Talk. It's actually quite simple and easy to do. And somewhat more polite than "I roll down the window and yell, "Hey, that's MY spot, now get lost"."

 

[BethanyF]

Way to go!! I try to stay away from Woodfield, LOL.

LOL...sometimes I wish I could. At least I am going back to my weekday shifts so I dont have to fight the weekend parkers.

 

[darrose]

Tigger_Magic....I think that by turning off the car, and approaching the other driver you may be putting yourself into a dangerous situation.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

Tigger_Magic....I think that by turning off the car, and approaching the other driver you may be putting yourself into a dangerous situation.

True. I was simply answering alliecats question. I would not advise anyone actually doing this; the safest course of action is to avoid a parking lot confrontation (over a parking space of all things) with a complete stranger.

Some of the antics suggested or tried on this thread are equally as dangerous and could even be criminal. But what's a little danger or law-breaking as long as we "win" and get what "we" want.

 

[Chattyaholic]

And to the poster that said they were in the minority....yep, 'fraid so. If someone is sitting there waiting on a car to pull out, it is extremely rude to pull into the spot before them. I don't care if you've been circling the lot for an hour and a half...it's still rude.

What is rude to one person may not be to another. And I already knew that I was in the minority on this one.

As someone else pointed out, public parking spaces aren't assigned and don't have my name on them. It's not "mine" until I pull into it. Besides it's JUST a parking space. There are more important things in life to get upset about.

BINGO!! Exactly how I feel about it too!!!

 

[wvrevy]

What is rude to one person may not be to another. And I already knew that I was in the minority on this one.

What's the difference in this behavior and "cutting" into line at a park ? Either way, you are being discourteous to someone who was there before you were.

Sorry, but rude is rude, regardless of your point of view.