Holding Parking Space by Standing in It

Lpegasusx on 16/10/2018 - 13:25
Last edited 16/10/2018 - 15:30 by 1 other user

First time I've experienced this yesterday whilst parking inside Westfield. The green light on the ceiling lead me to a vacant space and as I pulled up, a man was standing in the space waving at me. He was on the mobile so initially thought he has mistaken my car. Waited for about 10 secs and realised he was waving me away! Finally dawned on me that he was holding the space for someone else. Basically called dibs on a space.

At this point, a number of thoughts and options went passed my mind, but I choose to drop off my wife/infant close to the shopping entrance and drive to look for another space.

Any one else come across this in Australia? I've been to a few other countries, i.e. Italy / Hongkong where I've seen this happen. Just never experienced it myself in Aus.

I understand that it's perfectly legal, just looked down upon as bad manners.

Automotive Parking

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 16/10/2018 - 13:28
    +128

    I'd run the guy over personally, that's totally not cool

    • pegasusx on 16/10/2018 - 13:42
      +20

      Yes believe me, one of the first thoughts that passed my head.

      • HighAndDry on 16/10/2018 - 14:09
        +13

        Not even that ridiculous. Just slowly drive into the spot - what's he going to do? Lie down in front of your wheels? Driving into someone at like 1km/h will do literally nothing to either the person or your car.

          • HighAndDry on 16/10/2018 - 17:24
            +18

            @dasher86: No no, the trick is to do it innocently and pretending you've no idea why they're randomly standing in a car space. So you smile at them, wave back, move very slowly, pay incredible attention to where your car is (and very little attention to them), have the windows up and pretend you can't hear them, etc.

            • Scrooge McDuck on 16/10/2018 - 17:27
              +13

              @HighAndDry: Or just pretend to be texting and not paying attention.

            • SlickMick on 17/10/2018 - 10:44
              +6

              @HighAndDry: I like your approach and that's what I would do. It could still end in violence though:

              I was teaching my wife-to-be to drive in Port Moresby. A pedestrian tried to cross the road in front of her, but she didn't yield and hit him. She was going very slow, but he was furious, and was going to punch her. I was leaning over from passenger side trying to defend her and explain that she is a learner and it was an accident, meanwhile she was yelling at him that he shouldn't be on the road :)

              I was lucky to escape that incident uninjured.

              • FUZHA on 17/10/2018 - 13:04

                @SlickMick: Oh dear misses! ;-) lol, love how she interpreted it!

              • Scrooge McDuck on 17/10/2018 - 15:38
                +10

                @SlickMick: Gotta love women who escalate fights with strangers, particularly men. It could be illusory superiority from never being hit back, that they expect you to fight for them, or both. And doing that while in your car is another level of irresponsibility.

                In reality it is very unlikely for anyone to come away from a street fight uninjured, ergo you all lose. And there are serious legal repercussions for assault/affray/etc. Violence is virtually never the answer.

                I hope that she has since improved her behaviour.

                • lonewolf on 18/10/2018 - 10:24
                  +3

                  @Scrooge McDuck: I get this happening to me all the time, from road rage to just random incidents and i am quite big and sporty / built (5ft 11, 90kg) and the ladies are usually like half my weight. My wife is always surprised and never understands why they do this as she says she would never do it. I cop more from women than i do from men as men know it could escalate while in this day and age of men bashing in the media, I think the idea is we will never retaliate even though they escalate it first.

                • subywagon on 24/10/2018 - 00:44

                  @Scrooge McDuck:

                  In reality it is very unlikely for anyone to come away from a street fight uninjured, ergo you all lose.

                  What??? I used to get perfect scores all the time back in the day using Ryu.

              • supajuicy on 18/10/2018 - 21:58

                @SlickMick: read your post and nearly choked - hit a pedestrian in POM … lucky to get away with that in POM and it didn't escalate, even if it was just a love tap.

          • Sxio on 19/10/2018 - 08:58

            @dasher86: This is a good point. If I took the park anyway, I'd be half expecting to come back and find my car has been keyed.

            Best thing to do is just drive on.

        • Scrooge McDuck on 16/10/2018 - 17:25
          +49

          Just slowly drive into the spot - what's he going to do?

          Key your car, deflate your tyres, break your wipers, etc.

          • HighAndDry on 16/10/2018 - 17:27
            +4

            @Scrooge McDuck: Again, the trick is to act like an naive idiot so you don't get caught up in any altercation - you smile and say hi when you get out, you commiserate that "yeah parking is crazy here! I had to drive around for 20mins for this spot! damn, I hope you find a spot soon!", pretend you didn't know he was holding a spot "Oh, no I didn't know you could do that! So sorry, I'll remember for next time. Yeah I'll be right out if you want to wait", etc.

            Obviously pick your battles, don't do it if it's a bikie, etc.

            • Quantumcat on 16/10/2018 - 18:06
              +12

              @HighAndDry: And you're going to sit in your car watching him until he goes away? He can key your car after you leave

              • Scrooge McDuck on 16/10/2018 - 18:11
                +1

                @Quantumcat: Thank you for updating your avatar. The glitched background was very irritating.

              • liquid metal on 16/10/2018 - 20:48

                @Quantumcat: Dashcam

                • Quantumcat on 16/10/2018 - 22:46
                  +4

                  @liquid metal: That's not going to help you get your car fixed, unless he is kind enough to go out and get into his car with the license plate within the field of view

            • CanadaAye on 20/10/2018 - 09:11

              @HighAndDry: And they'll act like a naive idiot as well, then when you walk off they'll rip off your windscreen wipers and jam them up your tailpipe.

          • serpserpserp on 16/10/2018 - 19:49

            @Scrooge McDuck: Also potentially assault you when you get out of the car.

            • R4 on 17/10/2018 - 10:37

              @serpserpserp: Then you can belt him in self-defence

              Works for me

          • SlickMick on 17/10/2018 - 10:46

            @Scrooge McDuck: good point. that's the problem with parking incidents.

          • trapper on 17/10/2018 - 13:58

            @Scrooge McDuck: If someone drove into me I would probably jump up onto the bonnet.

          • cameldownunder on 18/10/2018 - 10:49

            @Scrooge McDuck: Wait for the other car to park and -not- do mentioned things

          • FootooMootoo on 24/10/2018 - 16:42

            @Scrooge McDuck: This is exactly why I just drive off when there is a stupid person Holding a parking spot. You never know what they might do to your car as they know where you have parked but you dont know where they are (don't have their number plate). A 30cm mark with a key is not worth fighting over a parking spot no matter how much you feel like running them over.

          • SlickMick on 17/10/2018 - 10:49
            +1

            @resisting the urge: I'd pretty sure they'd have cones and signs, and in any case approach your window and explain the situation, thus I still reckon this approach would be fine. I'd be taking the spot, then hanging around to take his rego in case he decides to get vengeful.

            • Sxio on 19/10/2018 - 09:01
              +1

              @SlickMick: Seriously? You're going to wait? Just to get 'your' spot?

              You must have a lot of time. I'm at the shops for a reason. I would drive on, find another park, get what I need and leave. I don't have the time or the energy to get caught up in a struggle over something that just doesn't matter. So what if he's a douche? They're everywhere. Move on, live your life, invest your energy wisely.

              • SlickMick on 19/10/2018 - 23:09

                @Sxio: How long? They aren't going to be that far away surely. In situations like this there no other parks - this is the quicker option.

          • CAPTCHHHA on 18/10/2018 - 14:40

            @resisting the urge: So if my dog left his faeces at the parking spot and I refuse to clean it after him does it mean the dog technically owns the parking spot?

        • trapper on 17/10/2018 - 13:50
          +5

          If you drive into someone intentionally you better be ready to get arrested…

          • HighAndDry on 17/10/2018 - 13:58
            +2

            @trapper: Oh of course. Never drive into someone deliberately, that's flagrantly illegal.

        • [Deactivated] on 17/10/2018 - 15:59
          -1

          Hold on, wouldn't it be quite normal to think about running someone over who standing in a spot where you would want to park? In an empty parking bay in a busy car park.
          I mean really you simply have 2 options;
          1, Park there (knowing you could possibly run the man down obstructing that very possibility).
          2, Park elsewhere (to avoid the risk associated with option 1).

          To me it would be a thought impossible not to think.
          Perhaps i'll hand in my licence tomorrow, I clearly can't be trusted.

            • [Deactivated] on 17/10/2018 - 16:40
              +4

              @Flanders: Not saying I have a grievance. Just there's a man in a spot where I want to park.
              You seem like the one with the issues and a little too much advice.

            • burningrage on 17/10/2018 - 18:54
              +1

              @Flanders: You remind me of someone in a The Simpson cartoon….

              Anyway, clearly the run over commeny is a banter.

      • maddoglee on 18/10/2018 - 23:41
        -1

        After running him over, you could have also raped him. Of course capture this on a webcam and micro SD that you bought from Ozbargain as well…
        That would teach him and discourage anyone else from standing in a parking spot.
        Judging by the jury of ozbargainers, you've got a get out of jail free card.

        • Meconium on 19/10/2018 - 01:11

          I've gone over and over this outcome in my head and come to the conclusion that yes, that's exactly what he should have done. Especially if the dashcam and microSD were price errors.

          Easy for us to say with the wisdom of hindsight though.

    • Dreamcast on 16/10/2018 - 21:03
      +2

      carmageddon - including parking dlc.

    • magic8ballgag on 17/10/2018 - 13:10
      +8

      I'd run the guy over personally

      No you wouldn't have.

    • stumo on 17/10/2018 - 15:37
      +3

      I would just roll right up to them, then sit on the horn until they move.

    • AMLagonda on 17/10/2018 - 16:56

      I sorry but If that happened to me I would have no hesitation in moving the car forward into the spot….

      • Jackson on 17/10/2018 - 21:44
        +2

        No one is doing anything for example if the bloke is Tongan or Samoan

        • iBuzz7S on 20/10/2018 - 18:34
          +2

          I dunno, Aussies are steamrolling Tongans at this very moment in New Zealand.

    • syousef on 18/10/2018 - 05:39

      Ozbargain. Life is cheap. 1 parking spot and "I'd run the guy over personally". +84 votes and counting. Followed by racist drivel. Then more drivel about the end of western civilization if you allow such a heinous injustice as someone calling dibs on a parking spot.

      How the hell are comments like these permitted by the moderators?

      • [Deactivated] on 18/10/2018 - 09:37
        +3

        I'd run the person over regardless of their race. I hate all races, including my own. And it basically is the end of western civilization. It will happen gradually, people getting away with more and more until we live in anarchy.

        • syousef on 18/10/2018 - 11:07

          The jokes about running people over are highly inappropriate. Even more so because I think some people would take them to heart and do it. It's a damn parking spot. It isn't worth anyone's life.

          • Scrooge McDuck on 18/10/2018 - 14:21
            +7

            @syousef: We aren't at a formal dinner. This is a community forum where most of the users appreciate humour.

            Black comedy has been around long before even the internet. And I haven't heard of any evidence of it inciting violence.

            Given that you have such a low opinion of our abilities to think for ourselves, and you have no qualms about spoiling the enjoyment of others: I think you need a major attitude adjustment.

            • syousef on 18/10/2018 - 15:15
              -4

              @Scrooge McDuck: Arent u the same guy that came down on me like a ton of bricks because you thought a joke about wanting "off this planet" was a reference to suicide? So murder is okay to joke about then? And you are talking to.me about attitude adjustments. Really? Hyocrisy isn't a good look.

              • Scrooge McDuck on 18/10/2018 - 16:03

                @syousef: No, that's a completely fabricated version of events!

                What actually happened was that I made a comment about leaving Australia in reply to one highlighting tax inefficiency. You then replied to encourage me to suicide instead: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/5766396/redir

                Thank you for reminding me. You are the actual hypocrite here. You're making a serious objection to a road rage joke now, despite encouraging me to suicide previously.

                • syousef on 18/10/2018 - 16:05
                  -4

                  @Scrooge McDuck: I didn't encourage any such thing. I explained exactly what "off this planet" meant which was not to commit suicide. You refused to accept the explanation. Apparently when you're talking about murder though, that's just a big laugh.

                  You can't turn this around, simply because I never intended to tell you to kill yourself, regardless of your lack of comprehension skills. You however are completely behind the "joke" here to run people over and don't even deny it. I don't have to twist or interpret anything to prove hypocrisy.

                  But whatever you think. It's not my job to fix you.

                  • Scrooge McDuck on 18/10/2018 - 16:44

                    @syousef: Since you don't seem to be able to follow a link and read what you actually wrote, I'll remind you:

                    You didn't even use the phrase "off this X", I did. I wrote "off this rock" in reference to Australia, as a landmass surrounded by water.

                    You then replied, "If you move to America, bullets are cheap and widely available." Which you proceeded to defend as not encouraging to suicide against three different users ad nauseam.

                    • syousef on 18/10/2018 - 16:55
                      -2

                      @Scrooge McDuck: Nicely taken out of context. Want to continue with the next line. The one that said I'd rather you didn't?

                      Perhaps I should have asked you to find someone hogging a parking spot and run them over instead. Then we'd be best buddies, huh? Black humour. hahahaha. I like very much? Hmmm.

          • MITM on 18/10/2018 - 23:52
            +1

            @syousef: Yawn.

      • edwardcr on 18/10/2018 - 12:57
        -1

        Couldn't agree with you more, Syousef.

        If most of these comments are indicative of the general mentality of Ozbargainers it's a pretty sad world.

        • Scrooge McDuck on 18/10/2018 - 14:26
          +1

          What's sad is that you can't distinguish between black comedy and psychopathy, or that rather than assuming goodwill, you jump to the most negative conclusion.

          • syousef on 18/10/2018 - 15:21
            -1

            @Scrooge McDuck: You wanted to sensor and censure a joke about "wanting off this planet" because you thought itnwas a suicide reference. But now you are fine with jokes about running people fown. Try some logical consistency.

            • Scrooge McDuck on 18/10/2018 - 16:05

              @syousef:

              Try some logical consistency.

              Take your own advice. You have a completely distorted perception of reality.

              See above: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/6482623/redir

              • syousef on 18/10/2018 - 16:06

                @Scrooge McDuck: Thanks for linking. It doesn't make YOU look good.

                • Scrooge McDuck on 18/10/2018 - 16:10
                  -1

                  @syousef: I'm trying to tie up the split reply chain into one. You are the one cluttering up the thread with the same criticism in reply to two different comments.

                  • syousef on 18/10/2018 - 16:12
                    -1

                    @Scrooge McDuck: Oh that's hilarious. Not trying to clutter the thread by posting links to the same external thread twice and repeatedly replying to me. Keep going. This is brilliant. I really did have a dear friend my age pass away this week and I really could use the laugh at your logic gymnastics.

                    • Scrooge McDuck on 18/10/2018 - 16:25
                      -1

                      @syousef: No, my first link was to the external comment which you brought up. I linked to it because your version of events is completely fabricated. My second link was to your original reply to me in this thread. I was trying to tie up the reply chain into one.

                      • syousef on 18/10/2018 - 16:58
                        -1

                        @Scrooge McDuck: I brought it up because you were playing the victim when I told you I'd rather you didn't kill yourself and claiming that this means I told you to kill yourself, because comprehension isn't your strong suit. And now? Now you're upset that I don't think joking about people running each other over due to a parking dispute is appropriate. Now you want me to lighten up. And somehow you've convinced yourself that I am the hypocrite. You just can't have it both ways. Make up your mind.

                  • resisting the urge on 18/10/2018 - 16:26

                    @Scrooge McDuck: So you and syousef just got the wrong end of each others threads. Steady on.

                    The lawyers will end up banning humour on OzB for our own protection.

                    Because you joke about people reading about what to do on here and then doing it in real life, and it does change what is considered okay, over time, mostly because we all mis-comprehend what others type, and end up thinking x,y or z is acceptable

                    But none of that matters at all in comparison to the effect of regularly visiting shopping centres. These things cause all kinds of evolution, not just to human thought processes, values and mores.

                    In a generation or two's time, when we negotiate for parking spots from the comfort of weaponised, armoured SUVs, and do ourbest to manage AI with our fast depleting neural capacity, it will be plainly evident that all those forum threads made no impact whatsoever.

                    And the slightly longer lived among us will be having it things home delivered or living off-planet, literally

                    • syousef on 18/10/2018 - 17:00

                      @resisting the urge: I wish I were as optimistic as you about humanity leaving this planet so quickly. We need to do it, but I think the timeframe is thousands of years, not decades.

                      • resisting the urge on 18/10/2018 - 17:40

                        @syousef: It's closer than that. Only the top .005% will go, leaving entire populations spending every waking moment trying to get bio-robotic upgrades and placating the machines

                      • SlickMick on 22/10/2018 - 10:08

                        @syousef: Hawking was a smart guy, and he reckons your wrong.

                        And I've witnessed 2 low speed pedestrian hits, and just want to clarify that I'm being literal when I say I would put my car in that park and if the person doesn't move voluntarily, they would be nudged out of my way, and I really think you're way over the top considering that running over somebody.

                    • HighAndDry on 24/10/2018 - 10:45

                      @resisting the urge: I'm reading this comment to say: We should ban all jokes, but before that, we need to ban shopping centres first?

              • syousef on 18/10/2018 - 17:07

                @Scrooge McDuck: People saying they'd run someone over for a parking spot and you you claim you don't see evidence of inciting violence, yet I'm the one with the distorted perception of reality?

                For just one moment set aside my existence.

                Did you or did you not take offence at what you thought was a suicide joke?
                Are you or are you not now defending a joke about running people over as just being black humour?
                But you can't see the hypocrisy? What makes the first abhorrent and the second something you expect everyone else to lighten up over?

                We're not at a formal dinner party indeed. We're down the rabbit hole, and digging fast.

      • locknuts on 19/10/2018 - 09:15
        +3

        They just made abortion legal in QLD up to 22 weeks. Sanctity of life is well and truly being eroded. The death penalty will probably be reintroduced soon. Who knows, maybe they'll have convicts fight to death in a circular arena? That will satisfy the blood lust of the masses.

        Pretty the post was joke though.

        • syousef on 19/10/2018 - 09:33

          I genuinely believe there are people here who would run others over for something this petty if they could get away with it.

          • resisting the urge on 26/10/2018 - 12:58

            @syousef: If I could get away with it:

            Bankers? Yes.
            Lawyers? Yes.
            Doctors? Maybe.
            Children? Yea-Nah!
            Convicts?
            Gladiators?
            Embryos?
            Convict embryos?

            I hadn't thought about the last four. Thanks for the laugh @locknuts!

      • RocketSwitch on 19/10/2018 - 12:22

        True nature of people.

  • [Deactivated] on 16/10/2018 - 13:30
    +20

    Ahhhhhhh. I hate this. See it a lot at Westfield
    Doncaster.

    Rules should be the first car to the spot is entitled.

    • HighAndDry on 16/10/2018 - 14:16
      +22

      As far as I'm concerned, that is the rule and I'm sticking to it.

      • Scrooge McDuck on 16/10/2018 - 17:29

        Does a trolley count as a car? How about 2?

        It works for the boom gates!

    • [Deactivated] on 16/10/2018 - 14:21
      +4

      I've had many altercations because of ridiculous parking scenarios.

      I had a person refuse to leave their spot because they spotted a car following them from the mall exit so both those drivers insisted I am trying to jump the gun. The other car wasn't even close as they had to circle around to get in to the one way lane.

      Had other people reverse back quickly to block me and it's not like they were there first but happened to be a car or two too far ahead.

      • HighAndDry on 16/10/2018 - 15:19
        +8

        they spotted a car following them from the mall exit

        That's not how that works - you wait for a car space, you don't wait for a car driver. If you're at the spot first, then that's yours. The person leaving the spot doesn't own the damned car space that's ridiculous.

        • [Deactivated] on 16/10/2018 - 15:30
          +8

          Try reasoning with people in Chadstone on a Saturday afternoon.

          • HighAndDry on 16/10/2018 - 17:32

            @[Deactivated]: Hahahaha……. yeah nah I'm alright thanks.

          • shaiguy on 16/10/2018 - 20:44
            +1

            @[Deactivated]: Chadstone's definitely the worst shopping mall carpark in Australia… by far…

            • burningrage on 16/10/2018 - 22:16
              -1

              @shaiguy: Your alternative would be to pay for it.

              Chaddy is the last major shoppingtown which doesn't charge for parking for as long as it takes (Knox is next but hey, that mall is going down real fast after going chicken from redevelopment so it doesn't count)

              Seriously, be careful what you wish for.

              Besides, I always get a parking at Chaddy and rarely wait for more than 5 minutes. Tips: DJ car park and that area always last to fill for some reason. B block gets filled around 12pm onwards. I don't park at A block and only sometimes underground at second level (Mezzanine I think)

            • phocus on 17/10/2018 - 13:58
              +2

              @shaiguy: I would like to throw Kmart burwood as a contender. Small spots with trashy people dont mix

            • blehgg on 18/10/2018 - 09:32
              +1

              @shaiguy: I'd raise you a Sunnybank, Market Square, QLD - (but its more of a shopping square)

    • SlickMick on 17/10/2018 - 10:57

      Just define "first car to the spot"… me waiting with indicator on for traffic to clear makes me first right? Not the idiot who comes screaming around the corner and drives straight into it in front of me??

      I really don't want this to become a race like apparently roundabouts are in Qld. A car on my left cut me off as I was entering roundabout. I was giving way to my right, and expecting the one on my left to give way to me. I was pulled over for tailgating her. I argued my case, but was told that the rule is: first on roundabout wins.
      I remember a colleague years ago saying he reckons he can creep his wheels onto the roundabout to take right of way and I thought he was just an idiot. But apparently it's the ones that make the rules that are the idiots.

      My car has great acceleration. I reckon I could beat the guy on my left onto roundabout at least 50% of the time. But is that really what we've become?

    • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 19/10/2018 - 13:11

      I can concur this happens every weekend at Doncaster.

      My pro tip - just slowly drive in and when they yell at you lower your window, fake a puzzled confused look and start yelling "no Inglés no Inglés" over and over until they yield.

      One time a big bloke refused to yield so I just turned off the engine, pulled out my phone and starting watching Netflix loudly until he finally walked away. Persistence wins.

  • Haroharo on 16/10/2018 - 13:30
    +1

    What nationality was this man?

    • [Deactivated] on 16/10/2018 - 13:31
      +86

      I think we all know. We just can't say it.

      • 87percent on 16/10/2018 - 15:47
        +49

        First thought would have been Asian for sure… It's ok, I'm Asian so I can say it

        • Scrooge McDuck on 16/10/2018 - 17:34
          +10

          Really!? What's e^(iπ)?

          • SlickMick on 17/10/2018 - 11:18

            @Scrooge McDuck: why did you have to do that? 16 minutes later and my brain hurts

            • Scrooge McDuck on 17/10/2018 - 16:17
              +6

              @SlickMick: It's a shibboleth.

              The irony is that, if an Asian can say something but a non-Asian can't, that standard itself is racist.

              In reality, racial differences are statistically significant. Cultural differences even more so. But offence seekers typically lump referral to cultural, along with religious et al, together with racial differences under the umbrella term "racism" and demonise it no matter how veracious.

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