On using Pay & Display Car Parks. Ettiquette and other questions.

[brucemillar]

So today I find myself at a pre-booked hospital appointment. This means that I have to park in the Hospitals Pay & Display Car Park. What could be a more simple, stress free task, I hear you ask? Or, maybe you are already thinking "it could only happen to him?"

Anyway. The entrance to the Car Park splits into two lanes with a ticket machine ahead of the two separate clearly marked and defined lanes & barriers. To assist those who should consider surrendering their driving licenses immediately. The hospital has put up several bill board sized signs in neon coloured lettering, saying: PLEASE USE BOTH LANES. BOTH LANES ARE OPEN. PLEASE USE BOTH LANES.

Now at some point there must be a 'babel fish' that I missed. As I approached the 1/2 mile queue of traffic all waiting patiently (no pun) to use the left hand lane and leaving the right lane completely vacant. Well, me being a kamikaze, devil may care, daredevil type!! I elected to follow the signs and USE BOTH LANES (not at the same time, that would be silly) no I just drove up the vacant right hand lane, to the vacant ticket machine, pushed the button, up went the barrier and I drive in. As I drive in I can hear several cars honking their horns. A quick look and I can see some of the queuing people making angry gestures at me?

Curious, I pull over and walk up the first car who's driver is still honking and shaking his fist at me, whilst his lady passenger looks on.

Me: "Is there a problem?"
Him: "you jumped the queue and that is just rude"
Me: Pointing to the signs. "I followed the signs that say USE BOTH LANES"
Him: " You still jumped the queue, if we all did that it would be chaos"
Me: "I'm not arguing with you. You are meant to use both lanes"
Him: (and I am not making this up) "F*ck off you pratt. You know what you did?"
Me: "I'm leaving now. I have an appointment. Have a nice day"

I then get back in my car (well it's my wife's car) and it's a BMW!!! maybe this explains the anger? I start to circumnavigate the car park in search of a space. Ahead of me are several cars all pulled up on the left waiting on people to leave (and blocking anybody on their left in). I drive slowly past them and continue round the car park. As I approach my entry point, a car pulls out dead ahead of me. The lady driver gives me a cheery wave, which I return as I drive straight into the now vacant space.

As I climb out my car - HONK....HONK.. It's my friend again now parked across my back bumper.

Me: "is there a problem?"
Him: "you just stole my space"
Me: "it's not your space you were waiting back down the other end"
Him: " you should have waited behind me"
Me: " I have every right to be here, I did not force in, you were happily waiting"
Him: "F*ck off you pratt"
Me: " have a nice day I'm off to my appointment"

So what is the etiquette here?

If somebody decides to stop and wait in a car park, should the whole world stop and wait behind them?

I did not see somebody pull out and blast around this guy, to cut in front of him. I was at the complete opposite end of the car park to him, driving at 5mph looking for a space.

Am I meant to decline that space and hail my rude friend over, allowing him to have it? This assumes that in the interim he has not found another space.

Should I have just accepted that we are, after all, in a hospital car park and knocked his teeth down his rude potty mouthed throat, safe in the knowledge that medical attention is on hand?

Should he be eating a full box of de-stress tablets before leaving home along with learning how to read simple, well written signage?

Is it because I is a BMW driver, and a "pratt"

 

[DSM10000]

Bruce

It isn't you!

There are people out there that should give thanks to whichever deity or cloud fairy they follow that breathing is autonomic!

 

[E53AMG]

So today I find myself at a pre-booked hospital appointment. This means that I have to park in the Hospitals Pay & Display Car Park. What could be a more simple, stress free task, I hear you ask? Or, maybe you are already thinking "it could only happen to him?"

Anyway. The entrance to the Car Park splits into two lanes with a ticket machine ahead of the two separate clearly marked and defined lanes & barriers. To assist those who should consider surrendering their driving licenses immediately. The hospital has put up several bill board sized signs in neon coloured lettering, saying: PLEASE USE BOTH LANES. BOTH LANES ARE OPEN. PLEASE USE BOTH LANES.

Now at some point there must be a 'babel fish' that I missed. As I approached the 1/2 mile queue of traffic all waiting patiently (no pun) to use the left hand lane and leaving the right lane completely vacant. Well, me being a kamikaze, devil may care, daredevil type!! I elected to follow the signs and USE BOTH LANES (not at the same time, that would be silly) no I just drove up the vacant right hand lane, to the vacant ticket machine, pushed the button, up went the barrier and I drive in. As I drive in I can hear several cars honking their horns. A quick look and I can see some of the queuing people making angry gestures at me?

Curious, I pull over and walk up the first car who's driver is still honking and shaking his fist at me, whilst his lady passenger looks on.

Me: "Is there a problem?"
Him: "you jumped the queue and that is just rude"
Me: Pointing to the signs. "I followed the signs that say USE BOTH LANES"
Him: " You still jumped the queue, if we all did that it would be chaos"
Me: "I'm not arguing with you. You are meant to use both lanes"
Him: (and I am not making this up) "F*ck off you pratt. You know what you did?"
Me: "I'm leaving now. I have an appointment. Have a nice day"

I then get back in my car (well it's my wife's car) and it's a BMW!!! maybe this explains the anger? I start to circumnavigate the car park in search of a space. Ahead of me are several cars all pulled up on the left waiting on people to leave (and blocking anybody on their left in). I drive slowly past them and continue round the car park. As I approach my entry point, a car pulls out dead ahead of me. The lady driver gives me a cheery wave, which I return as I drive straight into the now vacant space.

As I climb out my car - HONK....HONK.. It's my friend again now parked across my back bumper.

Me: "is there a problem?"
Him: "you just stole my space"
Me: "it's was not your space you were waiting back down the other end"
Him: " you should have waited behind me"
Me: " I have every right to be here, I did not force in, you were happily waiting"
Him: "F*ck off you pratt"
Me: " have a nice day I'm off to my appointment"

So what is the etiquette here?

If somebody decides to stop and wait in a car park, should the whole world stop and wait behind them?

I did not see somebody pull out and blast around this guy, to cut in front of him. I was at the complete opposite end of the car park to him, driving at 5mph looking for a space.

Am I meant to decline that space and hail my rude friend over, allowing him to have it? This assumes that in the interim he has not found another space.

Should I have just accepted that we are, after all, in a hospital car park and knocked his teeth down his rude potty mouthed throat, safe in the knowledge that medical attention is on hand?

Should he be eating a full box of de-stress tablets before leaving home along with learning how to read simple, well written signage?

Is it because I is a BMW driver, and a "pratt"

Option 2 as it is the only thing the intellectually challenged seem to understand, however observation 4 is probably accurate and perhaps the proper course of action would have been to offer him your car rather than the space as he is more suited to it [emoji6]

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[Headhurts]

You are totally wrong Bruce, you should have queued even if it meant missing your appointment.

We love waiting in queues it the English thing to do.

Luckily you were in the beemer so it was expected.

Seriously though worry not, I would have done the same as you.

I do enjoy your posts.

Robin


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[Doodle]

It is entirely your responsibility, Bruce, that the gentleman concerned is a mouth breathing sh*t-for-brains. You should be ashamed at yourself

 

[chrisk2010]

Is it because I is a BMW driver

Yes !

With all car parks I don't believe there is much etiquette.

Get past barrier
Drive till you see a space
Rapidly assess that your car fits
Get in before someone else does !
Pray that car is not scratched upon return

The only time I would give someone a space would be if they are obviously sat there with the indicator on waiting for someone else to reverse out other than that it's first to find a space wins.

I got into Basildon hospital car park once only to see a line of car after the barrier all queuing and like a miracle a car behind the queue pulls out of a space to leave ... I was in that space quicker than bugs bunny on a carrot and caught a few eyes glancing in their rear view mirrors, I could almost the hate warming my soul at my clear stroke of luck

 

[KennyN]

Was the car park full and they were all waiting on a "one out one in" basis and you just rolled up at the perfect time that someone had exited allowing you to take a ticket and get in ahead of the line ??

Kenny

 

[brucemillar]

Was the car park full and they were all waiting on a "one out one in" basis and you just rolled up at the perfect time that someone had exited allowing you to take a ticket and get in ahead of the line ??

Kenny

Kenny

I honestly do not know the answer here. It is a huge single storey outdoor car park (I do mean huge). Made up of several central grassy bits with spaces circled around the. There is only one entrance and one exit. Traffic is directed by arrows on the ground, in a clockwise circuit. After the first grassy island it becomes freehand as cars start to go around again and others are attempting leave or enter. So a general free for all.

I was going around the first island when the cars started to queue behind one car that had stopped with it's hazards on. I sat for a couple of minutes and realising that nobody was going anywhere I went around the queue and joined the next lot of circling cars (who must have done what I just did to get where they were). On my first circuit the lady started reverse out and with nobody behind me and nobody in front or reversing backwards into the space, I drove straight into it. I am convinced that I did nothing wrong and was certainly not queue jumping.

I think my potty mouthed friend was having a mare and being in a hospital who knows why?

I was more concerned about the complete ignorance of the signage at entry and the response to me for obeying the signage. I had to laugh (but didn't) well not in his face.

 

[triple h]

i've done the same, gone past queueing cars entering the carpark and around others waiting for a space to become empty

not had anyone beep or gesture at me for doing it, 2 other cars did follow my lead though

 

[CLSMark]

I have a BMW and I would have parked wherever I damn well pleased. Even on top of somebody else’s car.


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[Deleted member 6183]

Kenny

I honestly do not know the answer here. It is a huge single storey outdoor car park (I do mean huge). Made up of several central grassy bits with spaces circled around the. There is only one entrance and one exit. Traffic is directed by arrows on the ground, in a clockwise circuit. After the first grassy island it becomes freehand as cars start to go around again and others are attempting leave or enter. So a general free for all.

I was going around the first island when the cars started to queue behind one car that had stopped with it's hazards on. I sat for a couple of minutes and realising that nobody was going anywhere I went around the queue and joined the next lot of circling cars (who must have done what I just did to get where they were). On my first circuit the lady started reverse out and with nobody behind me and nobody in front or reversing backwards into the space, I drove straight into it. I am convinced that I did nothing wrong and was certainly not queue jumping.

I think my potty mouthed friend was having a mare and being in a hospital who knows why?

I was more concerned about the complete ignorance of the signage at entry and the response to me for obeying the signage. I had to laugh (but didn't) well not in his face.

Sussed it, well the second part anyway.

You say that you drove straight in to the parking space, that was wrong. I can't remember who it was but someone on here insists that the police are taught how to park and reversing in is the ONLY correct way.

Don't start on about how you might have needed access to the boot, the police have said that there is only ONE way and that is reversing in.

(I never reverse in because the Mrs will kick off about loading her copious shopping in when the boot is in the wrong place).

 

[zipdip]

It is a crazy world out there Bruce,I keep well away from our local hospital car park,it is chaos and costly,we have a park and ride that stops at the backside of Colchester hospital,and for people of a certain age it is free,the first time you use the park and ride you go to the ticket window and present your bus pass ( i love that pass the only thing I have ever got for nothing) and they take note of the number and your registration plate and then you just drive in and get on the bus,today I drove to our local supermarket,this meant I drove through some rat runs,there were three cars in front of me the drivers all old driving Getz's or something like it, you know they drive like there will be a accident any minute,so we get to the most difficult part of the journey a left turn then uphill with cars parked every where,they of course missed the two cars coming down the road so I stopped right at the end of the road having just turned left,I said to my wife with any luck we will get somebody rear end us,in front the mess was finally cleared up and the cars were coming towards me ,enter a Harwich Taxis he went round me to find himself confronted by two cars bearing down on him,he went at 45 degrees across me and mounted the curb,off we go and I knew we were both heading for the same supermarket,along the way he wandered into oncoming traffic swerving to avoid a oncoming car,the two old people he had as passengers were on a ride from hell,I pulled up beside him in the car park and SWMBO wound the window down and gave him a few well chosen words,she must have picked them up from me,the taxis driver was unwashed about 60 who had not shaved for at least two weeks,and may well be still drunk from the night before,another trip to the supermarket at sunny Harwich survived.

 

[bluestreak]

He's just a sore loser, don't take it personally. On a bright side he's made an effort to come to hospital to right hinself.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

So today I find myself at a pre-booked hospital appointment. This means that I have to park in the Hospitals Pay & Display Car Park. What could be a more simple, stress free task, I hear you ask? Or, maybe you are already thinking "it could only happen to him?"

............

I'm with you. People are idiots. Same as where a 2 lane road becomes a single lane and they do not fill both lanes and for a massive queue. My personal favourite is when the car ahead of me stops to let someone, in a side road, join the main road......only problem is that we are the only two cars travelling our direction and there is nothing on coming.

 

[markjay]

...Or, maybe you are already thinking "it could only happen to him?"...

^^^^^^^^^^^
This

 

[zipdip]

Thinking on your post Bruce,I suspect many hospitals are like this,it would seem they used the same design for many of them Colchester has one road into the hospital,it is also used by the emergency ambulances heading for the A&E,you drive down the road and the gigantic car park is on your left and it has two barriers where you collect the ticket to park,just like you encountered,the thing is it does not work,unless the drivers at the front of the queue actually use the second barrier,as you say there is a line of cars maybe 6 or more cars just waiting,you in the bimmer saw what was happening,and so went round them and used the second ticket machine,thinking about it you come to this problem quite a few times,I can think of car parks at airports ,also a multi story car park at Basildon two ticket machines but most of the people use the inside one with a queue out onto a busy road,it is about time they all used the system at the park and ride,of course I do not have too because I am a chosen one,but that system takes a photo of the car and number plate you drive straight in and when you come back to the car it asks you to put the last 3 letters of your plate it displays pictures of the cars you chose your one it tells you how much you should pay,no queues no irate drivers.

 

[brucemillar]

I think what I witnessed is described as "herding mentality?" Where like sheep, they follow the one in front and will not break the chain, even though there are signs that are clearly telling them to do so.

I wonder if they sit there annoyed at themselves for their own lack of savvy to NOT follow the crowd and do the "right thing". When I come along and sail past them, their frustration with themselves boils into anger at me. What I saw, is every time queue formed, they were going to join it regardless of where it took them.

I have seen similar in Supermarkets where, you have several lines all queuing patiently when a cashier arrives and opening a "new" line. There is that moment of panic as a mass of humanity stares at one another, like gunfighters in the Wild West waiting in the first twitch or movement. At which point they all charge to the "new" line leaving lines that are now shorter than where they started. They then turn their attention & stares back to the line the they just left, looking accusingly at those who toughed it out and stood their ground. t is their fault they are now in a longer line than when they started.

This is why I prefer not to venture into Supermarkets or to employ Nigel Mansells theory of "aiming at a spinning car and holding your line, even as you enter blindly into the tyre smoke" You will miss it if you hold your nerve. At the Dartford Crossing I like to hold my lane (northbound) in the daily queues. 99.9% of the time I will emerge ahead of the constant lance changers who started ahead of me, and by some margin.

 

[clk320x]

Hospital car parks should be free of charge, no barriers in sight and no queues

 

[grober]

NHS hospitals made £174m from car park charges this year

 

[KennyN]

Hospital car parks should be free of charge, no barriers in sight and no queues

Then people park in them and sod off to work for eight hours taking up the already limited spaces for visitors and outpatients.

Our local hospital , RAH Paisley, used to be impossible to park at for the above reason but at least now there is a chance you can eventually get a space.

Kenny