Another parking question: What would Ehell do?

[Psychopoesie]

Agree with Toots.

There's a similar parking arrangement at the nearby shops. If I'm picking up some burritos, I certainly *prefer* to get a spot right outside but there are other places to park. In the time I usually spend circling the block, I probably would already be eating my burrito if I'd parked further away.

Plus those spots here have a 1 hour limit. So people parked there are perfectly entitled to use that time. If I manage to snag a park there, I may go to the bank, grab a bottle of wine, grab some groceries, then get my fast food. I might just go, pick up my food and leave or eat it inside. Depends on how my day is going.

If I was planning to eat in my car, I might move to a spot with a nicer viewer but that's about it.

[Amara]

Off topic, but thank you, OP. I had never heard of car booting before. I learned something new today--and I like it.

[TootsNYC]

Exactly, plus actually I think that sums up why I didn't like it. We were no longer customers the second we left the premises with the food. If we were in there eating, that's different; we're still customers. But for a takeaway, you're only a customer for the time it takes you to get your food, not to eat it.

But then, you're now a citizen, with all the rights to park that anyone else has.

And moving so someone else can have your spot is *extra* nice--but it's no inconsiderate to -not- do so.

Also, the new space is literally a few seconds away? Ummm, the people who are looking for parking spaces can park there, and walk to McD's.

I can totally see why our XDH would fight with you about it. I would too! I'm not going to sacrifice my life so someone else can have it.

[sammycat]

I probably would have parked the car in the other street to start off with, then eaten my food in the restaurant.

Me too.

But if I did have to eat in the car for some reason, I'd just stay in my original spot, whether that be outside the restaurant or parked around the corner.

And now I really want a McDonalds cheeseburger with BBQ sauce.

[Jones]

When I've been in similar situations I've parked farther away and eaten on a outdoor bench. Unless it was bad weather, then I always prefer to take food to go and eat at home watching a marathon on TV with the rain dripping in the background.

[katycoo]

I probably would have parked the car in the other street to start off with, then eaten my food in the restaurant.

This.

[LifeOnPluto]

If not for the empty street nearby (and the fact it doesn't take that long to eat Maccas), I'd agree with you. But people circling the block had the option of parking in the empty street. So I don't think you and your ex were rude for staying in that spot to eat.

Although like everyone else, I am also wondering why you didn't just eat in the restaurant.

[Lynnv]

You were using the spot for the purpose for which it was intended-parking.  Whether you were parking to eat, check a map, comb your hair, call home to make sure the cats hadn't set the place on fire, or walk around the block really doesn't matter, IMO.

Sure-it is very nice of you to move from a popular spot to a less popular spot if it is an option.  But it isn't rude to use a parking spot to park in-even if you don't 'need' to be in that particular spot.  Truthfully, outside of handicapped spaces, noone needs to be in a particular space as a general rule (I am sure that there are exceptions and special cases that I am not thinking of). 

If I was in your shoes, and I often am as I travel and drive for work a lot, I would have stayed in the spot I found until I was done eating unless there was a nearby spot that I preferred because it was shady/had a nicer view/was quieter/etc.   I eat a lot of fast food in my car when I am doing field work, and I park where it is legal/convenient/free without a single worry about whether someone else would like to park where I am.

[sammycat]

But people circling the block had the option of parking in the empty street. So I don't think you and your ex were rude for staying in that spot to eat.

Good point. It's not as if there weren't any other options at all for the people who came later.

Although like everyone else, I am also wondering why you didn't just eat in the restaurant.

Ditto. I hate eating in my car. It's too cramped. If I have the option of a (restaurant) table, I'll just about always use it.

[perpetua]

Exactly, plus actually I think that sums up why I didn't like it. We were no longer customers the second we left the premises with the food. If we were in there eating, that's different; we're still customers. But for a takeaway, you're only a customer for the time it takes you to get your food, not to eat it.

But then, you're now a citizen, with all the rights to park that anyone else has.

And moving so someone else can have your spot is *extra* nice--but it's no inconsiderate to -not- do so.

Also, the new space is literally a few seconds away? Ummm, the people who are looking for parking spaces can park there, and walk to McD's.

I can totally see why our XDH would fight with you about it. I would too! I'm not going to sacrifice my life so someone else can have it.

Well, like I say. I consider it extraordinarily rude to take your (you general) sweet time over things when other people are waiting for those things. Other people don't, that's fine. People who dawdle over transactions, dawdle crossing the road, have five minute chats with supermarket cashiers about the weather when there's a line, and dawdle in parking spaces when they don't need to be there drive me nuts; just move out of the way already so everyone can get their stuff done quicker.

It really also is *nobody's* business why we didn't eat in the restaurant. Perhaps we preferred to eat in the car? But for the record, this particular branch of McDonald's does not have any seating on the ground level** and one must go down lots of stairs to access the tables and chairs. It was an accessibility issue.

(** at least it didn't at the time we lived there, but this was over 10 years ago and it may have been done up by now)

[Margo]

The problem for me is that the other people don't "need" the space. There is plentiful parking just around the corner, as you said. Having a bag of food and a drink tray doesn't make it inconvenient to walk 100m. If those nearby spaces weren't there, my answer would be different.

This is where I stand, too. Other people might *like* to have the space, but they don't need it (To my mind, the only person that might need it would be someone with a disability, and of course if they have a blue badge they would be able to park on the double yellows, if need be!)

I don't see that it is any different to parking there and eating in the resturant. Either way, you've parked for as long as it takes to eat your meal.

Of course, it would be very *nice* to move to give someone else a chance to use the space, but I don't think it would be inconsiderate or rude not to. (That said, I would prefer to eat somewhere quieter, so would probably move for that reason, and would probably park further away rather than bother circling around if I couldn't find a space on my first pass.)

[perpetua]

You know, for some people a 100m walk is not easy. (There are also plenty of people for whom a 100m walk is not easy who don't have a blue badge. I didn't have one at the time because it was prior to my official diagnosis, and therefore I was not in receipt of DLA, which is what gives me my entitlement to a blue badge). Can we please be mindful of such blanket statements that anyone should be able to park 100m round the corner and walk around, because it's beginning to feel like chastisement for laziness and that doesn't really seem like a very etiquettely nice thing to do. Why we didn't park 100m away and walk round really is our own business ditto not eating in the restaurant. The question is simply "is it inconsiderate to take up something you don't need to be using when someone else would like to/may need to use it?"

It's a bit like the table discussion, I guess: is it rude to sit at a table and read your book when people with food trays need somewhere to sit?  Or if you've just taken money out of a cashpoint and you're standing in front of it having a chat when there are clearly other people waiting to use it. Same principle, really.

[cross_patch]

You know, for some people a 100m walk is not easy. (There are also plenty of people for whom a 100m walk is not easy who don't have a blue badge. I didn't have one at the time because it was prior to my official diagnosis, and therefore I was not in receipt of DLA, which is what gives me my entitlement to a blue badge). Can we please be mindful of such blanket statements that anyone should be able to park 100m round the corner and walk around, because it's beginning to feel like chastisement for laziness and that doesn't really seem like a very etiquettely nice thing to do. Why we didn't park 100m away and walk round really is our own business ditto not eating in the restaurant. The question is simply "is it inconsiderate to take up something you don't need to be using when someone else would like to/may need to use it?"

It's a bit like the table discussion, I guess: is it rude to sit at a table and read your book when people with food trays need somewhere to sit?  Or if you've just taken money out of a cashpoint and you're standing in front of it having a chat when there are clearly other people waiting to use it. Same principle, really.

To be honest- I'm not sure what you're looking for. I know you posted for theoretical discussion, bit it feels like you are not interesting in hearing any dissenting opinions, so I guess I'm not sure how the thread is meant to proceed.

[perpetua]

I am - I just don't appreciate the insinuation of laziness or the relentless questioning as to why I just didn't eat in the restaurant.

[veryfluffy]

I am - I just don't appreciate the insinuation of laziness or the relentless questioning as to why I just didn't eat in the restaurant.

But you asked what other people would do. Personally, I would hate to eat in my car. Maybe if I drove a Bentley and the seats were more comfortable that the McD stools, or wanted to listen to opera while I was eating, or I had a phobia of chewing in public -- but I don't.  I also don't have mobility issues, and I also hate circling to find a parking spot two minutes closer to where I am going and would rather walk a bit further.

All of these details would be germane to the decision-making process.