Parking lot etiquette

[birdmom]

I was in the Target parking lot yesterday, and there was a car parked on my passenger side. I was trying to strap my DS into his car seat, but was struggling a little bit, trying not to let my car door hit the other car because he was parked a little close. DS was wiggly and I was having a hard time juggling the door with my hip and strapping him in. The owner of the car came, put his bags in his trunk, while I'm still struggling. Unless he was blind, he had to have seen that I was having a difficult time. Instead of waiting the few seconds it would have taken me to finish, he walked around his car, opened his driver door, almost closing my door on me and hitting my car with his door and he was trying to squeeze into his car. I was so pissed. I realize that it may have been an overreaction on my part, and that I may have been overly sensitive because it is hot as shit and my threshhold for rude people is almost gone these days, but would it have killed him to just wait a second? That's my vent for the day. I guess if that's my biggest problem, I'm not doing so bad, huh?

[ijack]

yeah, that's kind of rude. sorry!

[mollybrown]

In your case, I vote rude because it wasn't like he had waited long, and he touched your car.

I think if it's going to take a while, parents need to step aside and let other cars out of their space. DH and I were in the opposite situation once when we had our own kid with us. DH couldn't get DS strapped into his car seat because some grandparents were taking their sweet ass time getting their grandchild into his car seat. We must have waited at least 5 minutes while they figured it out. They were rude for seeing that they were in our way, and not making any effort to let us quickly strap our child in and go.

[birdmom]

I would never make someone wait if I was going to be long. He was in the seat, I just had to get it buckled. He would have had to wait for maybe 10 seconds for me to squeeze out from between the car and the door so that he could get in his car. I don't expect special treatment because I have a kid, and if I knew I was going to be long, I would have definitely stepped aside to let him in. I ended up walking around to the driver's side, getting in the car and pulling out of my spot before he did.

[ECB]

Jun 21, 2012 10:53:45 GMT -5 birdmom said:

I would never make someone wait if I was going to be long. He was in the seat, I just had to get it buckled. He would have had to wait for maybe 10 seconds for me to squeeze out from between the car and the door so that he could get in his car.

But this isn't what you said in your OP. The way I read it, you were strugging and it WAS actually taking you a long time.

[birdmom]

Jun 21, 2012 13:44:05 GMT -5 ECB said:

Jun 21, 2012 10:53:45 GMT -5 birdmom said:

I would never make someone wait if I was going to be long. He was in the seat, I just had to get it buckled. He would have had to wait for maybe 10 seconds for me to squeeze out from between the car and the door so that he could get in his car.

But this isn't what you said in your OP. The way I read it, you were strugging and it WAS actually taking you a long time.

I got him in the seat while the guy was putting his bags in his trunk. I was trying not to let the car door hit his car while I was trying to buckle him in the seat.

[drloretta]

We've had that happen a few times (me putting DD in while the next person over wants in their car). I typically stop what i'm doing and tell them they can go by me, because it's going to take a few minutes. I have never had someone be rude in that situation. They either thank me and pass by, or they tell me they're not in a rush (and usually that they've been there) and wait for me.

I've only had one rude person, but she was trying to park next to me and my cart was in the way of the spot (I was juggling bags and DD). She stopped her car in the middle of the parking lot (so no one could pass), moved my cart to the back of my car (so I couldn't get out), and yelled something about how she was going to use it when she could park. The thing that steamed me about that one was the completely open spot next to the cart return right across the aisle from us.

[birdmom]

Jun 21, 2012 14:45:16 GMT -5 drloretta said:

We've had that happen a few times (me putting DD in while the next person over wants in their car). I typically stop what i'm doing and tell them they can go by me, because it's going to take a few minutes. I have never had someone be rude in that situation. They either thank me and pass by, or they tell me they're not in a rush (and usually that they've been there) and wait for me.

I've only had one rude person, but she was trying to park next to me and my cart was in the way of the spot (I was juggling bags and DD). She stopped her car in the middle of the parking lot (so no one could pass), moved my cart to the back of my car (so I couldn't get out), and yelled something about how she was going to use it when she could park. The thing that steamed me about that one was the completely open spot next to the cart return right across the aisle from us.

I thought about stopping and letting him by, but it was only going to be a few more seconds. It would have taken me just as long to shut the door and let him by as it would have to finish strapping him in. I would have had to take DS out of the seat, shut the door and let him by, or leave him unstrapped in the seat while I shut the door. In those few seconds, he probably would have been on the floor. I'm usually patient with people in those situations (unless they're taking an extraordinarily long time), but I guess not everyone is.

[drloretta]

I think saying something would have made all the difference. Even an "I'll just be a few more seconds, I'm wrestling with a car seat".

[birdmom]

Jun 21, 2012 15:14:24 GMT -5 drloretta said:

I think saying something would have made all the difference. Even an "I'll just be a few more seconds, I'm wrestling with a car seat".

Yeah, probably. Looking back on the situation, you're right. In the moment, it just seems like common courtesy, KWIM?

[statlerwaldorf]

I vote rude. If I haven't started getting DD in the car and there is someone that needs in or out, I think the courtesy is to let them go first since it takes longer to get a child in the car seat. If they walked up while I was putting her in the car, they can wait. I always apologize.

[Deleted]

He's a super jerk. But I'm from KS and we don't even like to honk our horns at people;)

[curbsideprophet]

Maybe he was trying to get out the way to give you more room?

[ECB]

Jun 21, 2012 15:21:09 GMT -5 birdmom said:

Jun 21, 2012 15:14:24 GMT -5 drloretta said:

I think saying something would have made all the difference. Even an "I'll just be a few more seconds, I'm wrestling with a car seat".

Yeah, probably. Looking back on the situation, you're right. In the moment, it just seems like common courtesy, KWIM?

Ultimately this! Reading the full story - he absolutely comes across as rude. The way he handled getting into his car, etc.

But at the start of it - YOU know you were almost done. How is HE supposed to know? Saying something may have avoided the entire situaiton.