Was This Lady Rude Or Is This Normal Behaviour?

[evilly]

My husband and I recently went for a meal in a little village which is notorious for being difficult to park in. There is barely any parking and its dog eat dog to get any. We were very lucky to manage to get the one space that was free at the restaurant we were eating at. We got our or our car with our newborn baby but as we were assembling the pram a woman came along and in an unfriendly manner said 'are you staying at the hotel or just eating as we are staying at the hotel and have nowhere to park'. She obviously hoped we would feel pressurised to give her the space but my husband was quite firm and just said 'we are here to eat'. At that she became quite irate and summoned over a member if staff asking 'is this car park for hotel visitors as these people are only eating and we have no space'. Again she hoped that the member if staff would ask us to move in fear if upsetting a hotel guest but the staff member simply said the car park was for all customers. We apologise and walked on saying we hoped she found a space. It upsets me that she was willing to see us have to move our car and not have anywhere else to park even though we got there first and had a young baby. But part of me wonders if it is common etiquette to have let her stay since she was a hotel guest and would have had luggage etc. maybe if she had asked nicely we would have considered giving her the space but she was so selfish and rude we weren't going to. What are your opinions on this situation?

[2sp_]

You were both customers, so in my opinion, had equal rights on the parking space.

But there was no excuse for her being rude about it. If she felt that strongly she should have complained to the hotel about their inadequate parking.

[Khandro]

Though she was undoubtedly wrong, it's difficult to not let these things get to you, and I suppose the enjoyment of your meal was spoilt. Perhaps she should consider staying in another hotel with better parking facilities next time.
I have been to hotels where in similar circumstances, a staff member will park your car further away for you, and retrieve it when you are leaving.

[jomifl]

When we stayed at the Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos in Santiago de Compostella a flunky 'disappeared' our car at the beginning of our stay and 're-appeared' it when we left. All at no extra charge, glad we hadn't walked there :o)

[Khandro]

jom; They've been trying to catch that guy for years; he's the reason everybody goes on foot :-)

[joko]

if you had said you were just going shopping i would have agreed with her - but as the hotel operate an open carpark then as a hotel customer you had as much right as her to park there

perhaps they should divide up the carpark - into overnight guests and everyone else - that way people renting room always get a space - especially if you have paid for the privilege of using the car park - which you would assume you have if you stay overnight

[jomifl]

Khandro ^ ;o)

[boxtops]

The hotel ought to make it clear that it's a private car park for customers only (staying and eating), which would probably free up spaces so this doesn't happen again. Yes you were within your rights, yes she was rude and arrogant. I for one am glad you didn't give in to her. Some people think that blustering means you get your own way - well, she didn't this time, well done you.

[BlueToffee]

Being a woman driver I expect that she would have taken two spaces to park had there been two available !

Oh come on, it's a joke !

[Peter Pedant]

happens to me everyday

and you have a choice of giving it back with both barrels
or just saying meekly Oh I am sorry you have no place yo park, you should have been quicker......

[BlueToffee]

Of course you were within your rights to take the last parking space. How very rude of the other driver to even consider asking you to move.

Well done member of staff for your diplomacy.

[Peter Pedant]

O god you are going to down market establishments

You should have gone to Cliveden before it went bankrupt.
Keys taken by a car park chief who would in German throw the keys to a go-pher and bark orders in German. The gophers were all Serbian. Croat and Bulgarian and would complain in well - ost-land-spracht or something to each other, and then address him in German.

Blimey - 1935 and Gosford park or something.

and if you were in a Fiat / Trabi it was parked around by the servants' bogs or somewhere

[BlueToffee]

Peter P....there are a lot of rude people about, and there are some good and quick replies, just like the one you made. Here's another one....

I quite often hold the door open for people following me into/out of a premises without a thank you. My response is to say, 'I beg your pardon'? to which I normally get a reply, 'I didn't say anything'. My response, 'Oh, I'm sorry, I thought I heard you say thank you!'

[mikey4444]

She was a rude c*w. I think you were more polite to her than I would have been. Anyway, she lost the argument.

[mikey4444]

BlueToffee. That one about holding a door open really annoys me as well. I always say "Thank You" quite loudly...it usually does the trick. I also hate it when you are driving, perhaps down a narrow street and you pull in to let someone pass, and they regally sail past you. I open the window and shout Thank You !

[Peter Pedant]

No Mikey ! dont !

Someone sailed past me in a hospital car park and I said to the following ambulance Jesus what a so and so

and found the ambulance driver on the corridor and said o hello what are looking for ?

and he said you actually..... and I squeaked moi 0 but it was the fella in front driving like a tw+t and not petit moi

and yes he had taken my comments as applying to him

oops I tend to mind my ps and qs after that !

[puzzlepal3]

She demonstrasted the dog eat dog behaviour that you mentioned over parking. So don't be too surprised. As you say if she had not been so rude she may have got what she wanted ie the parking space. Shame to let her bad manners ruin your meal.NB If the hotel want to give guests priority over parking they should put up a sign to this effect. I doubt they want to do this though as they could then loose a lot of diners. Maybe take a taxi next time.