Anonymous wrote:Was just out at a shopping center with our youngest, who is a baby. I was loading her back into the car when someone decided they wanted to park in the empty spot next to us. I already had the door open and you could clearly see the stroller parked near the trunk. This lady seemed intent on parking in the spot so I folded in my door enough to let her pull in, then we back to loading. Next thing I know, she's honking angrily at me. She wants to straighten out her car more? I wouldn't mind but she had such a nasty look on her face. She's the one that parked there!

Needed to vent...

oh boy.....listen OP - no one made you the Queen of Parking Spaces just because you have young children. I understand why you're annoyed, but you really have no leg to stand on with this one.

Anonymous wrote:We were at Tysons early last weekend and had parked about 20 spots away from the entrance when the garage was nearly empty. A car was tracking us on our walk back, looking for a spot. We packed our kids into the car as quickly as we could, but when we popped the trunk to wheel the stroller back and put it in, the driver got all exasperated and threw up his hands like 'COME ON'. All of this when the back half of the parking garage was completely open! In the time he waited he could have parked and walked into the mall already!

I'm just convinced people are lazy a-holes.

I would just take my sweet time in that case! Or another thing I've done... walked back into the store like I forgot something! lol!

Anonymous wrote: may have been annoyed, but I think it's a jerk move to honk when you're that close to someone. Couldn't she have just rolled down the window (assuming power windows) and asked?

*I may have been annoyed* [if I was the other driver]

Wow, she sounds utterly crazy. Feel pity that she has such a pathetic and angry life OP. Yuck!

may have been annoyed, but I think it's a jerk move to honk when you're that close to someone. Couldn't she have just rolled down the window (assuming power windows) and asked?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This happened to me a few years ago. She honked at me and then when she got out she told me she didn't want to hit me. Well then don't park there! Was it an old lady?

It was an old lady! I have two kids and I don't like to hog spots, but I would have been done in 45 seconds. There were plenty of other spots. She saw me. When I see other parents in the act of loading, I wait or park somewhere else. I mean, I get it, I get annoyed at the people at our preschool who park over the line so they can open the doors of their huge SUVs all the way. I park in the spot next to other kid carrying cars all the time, but if someone is standing there, seriously?

How close were you parked to the entrance of the store? The parking spaces closest to the entrance are gold for older people who might have mobility issues. Certain parking spaces have greater value than others, which may be the reason why this older lady went for this particular parking space when others were clearly open.

The very people for whom close-to-the-store spots are the most important should be the most empathetic about needing a few more minutes to get in and out of one's car.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This happened to me a few years ago. She honked at me and then when she got out she told me she didn't want to hit me. Well then don't park there! Was it an old lady?

It was an old lady! I have two kids and I don't like to hog spots, but I would have been done in 45 seconds. There were plenty of other spots. She saw me. When I see other parents in the act of loading, I wait or park somewhere else. I mean, I get it, I get annoyed at the people at our preschool who park over the line so they can open the doors of their huge SUVs all the way. I park in the spot next to other kid carrying cars all the time, but if someone is standing there, seriously?

How close were you parked to the entrance of the store? The parking spaces closest to the entrance are gold for older people who might have mobility issues. Certain parking spaces have greater value than others, which may be the reason why this older lady went for this particular parking space when others were clearly open.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This happened to me a few years ago. She honked at me and then when she got out she told me she didn't want to hit me. Well then don't park there! Was it an old lady?

It was an old lady! I have two kids and I don't like to hog spots, but I would have been done in 45 seconds. There were plenty of other spots. She saw me. When I see other parents in the act of loading, I wait or park somewhere else. I mean, I get it, I get annoyed at the people at our preschool who park over the line so they can open the doors of their huge SUVs all the way. I park in the spot next to other kid carrying cars all the time, but if someone is standing there, seriously?

Generally people who honk angrily at parents loading kids are the same people who either hold up the checkout line paying by check (or arguing about an expired coupon) and/or take forever to load their own groceries.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is entitled to a few minutes to get their car loaded up. Wait patiently if you want that spot so bad. Youre fine OP

+1

Some people are fast, some are slow. Some have kids, some don't. That's life.

+1
I do try to speed up a bit if someone's waiting for my spot (or conversely, find another spot if I see someone loading kids etc so as not to rush them.)

I don't understand why people around here insist on parking so close to other cars when there are plenty of spaces available. Unless there were no other spaces reasonably close by I'm with OP. The lady could have parked in a different spot and wouldn't have had to wait or straighten her car.

I have no problem waiting on someone who seems to be doing their best to move as fast as they can. Buckling kids into car seats and loading up a stroller and bags takes a few minutes, even for those of us who are really efficient. I would want that kind of consideration if I was the one loading up so I try to give the same to others.

Not to mention that most parking spaces around here aren't that big, so even if the car door is open just enough to squeeze your body through, the door will likely intrude a little bit on the next parking spot. If someone is in THAT much of a hurry and simply cannot wait for the other driver to finish up and close the door, go find another parking spot!

Anonymous wrote:It's not all about you. You were taking up 2 spots, and somehow she's a bitch.

Yes, she is. Because it's not about her either. She can wait patiently for a reasonable time while you load your family, as long as you close the door when at the earliest time you can do so and not dither around. We all need to remember that we are sharing the spaces in our community, be them parking or whatever, and a little patience and understanding is needed.

I realize people think they need to have what they want RIGHT when they want it, but she's not entitled to that either. OP was there, doing her thing before her arrival, and she gets to do so in a reasonable manner before people flip out. She wasn't "taking two spots" she was taking the empty space next to her car for a brief time to load her child. You do not get to dictate the manner in which this is done. You don't know her limitations, or the child's, or why the door needed to be open like it was. Even if it was just for ease or comfort, that's allowed too, as long as OP worked quickly.

This woman was grossly rude. And so are you for defending her.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This happened to me a few years ago. She honked at me and then when she got out she told me she didn't want to hit me. Well then don't park there! Was it an old lady?

It was an old lady! I have two kids and I don't like to hog spots, but I would have been done in 45 seconds. There were plenty of other spots. She saw me. When I see other parents in the act of loading, I wait or park somewhere else. I mean, I get it, I get annoyed at the people at our preschool who park over the line so they can open the doors of their huge SUVs all the way. I park in the spot next to other kid carrying cars all the time, but if someone is standing there, seriously?

How was she suppose to know you only needed 45 more sec to buckle in your kid (abd if you cant get yoyr kid sttapoed in quickly than by all means move so yoyte not endlessly taking up 2 spots)?

And she probably had to back up to re-align herself bc she could cut the angle right since your stroller was jutting out and you and the door were right in her area of turning.

We were at Tysons early last weekend and had parked about 20 spots away from the entrance when the garage was nearly empty. A car was tracking us on our walk back, looking for a spot. We packed our kids into the car as quickly as we could, but when we popped the trunk to wheel the stroller back and put it in, the driver got all exasperated and threw up his hands like 'COME ON'. All of this when the back half of the parking garage was completely open! In the time he waited he could have parked and walked into the mall already!

I'm just convinced people are lazy a-holes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you don't own the parking lot. I hate when people with young kids think the world needs to revolve around them.

Agree.

Both PPs- people have patience with your fat a$$ taking its time to exit your car. Moms are doing their best. Relax.