Is it Okay to Stand and Hold a Parking Space for Someone in a Big Crowded City?

Question

I'm from NYC where parking is a jungle. As an unwritten rule, it's simple "first come first serve". You get there first with your "car", you get the space. No place holding allowed, or tolerated here.

Of course there are some exceptions. Someone is moving and needs to park in front of their door, picking up or dropping of the elderly, making deliveries, doing work in the building.....etc....

When out of towners try to stand and hold spaces, arguments usually ensue.

Here in NYC holding spaces is considered like cheating, or cutting in on line. But it's not like that in every town.

After telling them about local NYC parking etiquette, and they still persist, should I give them a break, or just tell them to get out of the way and bogart the space?

LOL.....tough crowd here. Like me!

I take the space 99% of the time. If they "ask" nicely I'll maybe give em a break. If they act like the own the space, and get confrontational, I back them out of the way, write down their plate number, and snap a picture of them and their car with my cell. That usually chills them out pretty quick and let's them know they better not touch my ride unless they want to get arrested later.

Answer 1

No not at all. I use to do it but then put myself in the drivers shoes trying to park there but your blocking the way. It pisses people off so be cautious. If a druggie came along and wanted that spot, Id move. He might shoot you up with some heroin. (Ha ha, get it?) Anyways, I quess it all depends on the situation and time. Some people are going placces straight from work or on breaks and such and dont have time to find others. Just be sincere bout it and dont say f u, or go find another. Just do your good tern. Have a good day.. --- if I see you in a spot I want to park, Im running you over.

Answer 2

There is no "holding" a space for parking. I also live in NYC and I get furious when I see people do this. When I see a person do that and I need the spot, I will back into it and if the person doesn't move, I would just sit there and if the argument insues, I would call 311 to have a police partol come and settle it.

The worst is not the holding a parking space, the worst offense is the holding a seat on the subway or buses for a friend at the back of the line. Now that is an obvious cutting of the line.

Answer 3

I'm from Atlanta and there you take your life in your hands doing what you are describing.
As a matter of law (and common sense), pedestrians do not have right of way on the roads except in crosswalks.
Everywhere I have ever been, it's first come (vehicles only), first served with parking. That includes large and small cities. Pedestrians have no right to hold parking spaces for vehicles.

Answer 4

The NYC rule is pretty much the actual common courtesy rule for everywhere. Not just NYC.
If a human is willing to "Face to face" a car or truck then let them have it. I don't care that much! Its not my property, its common ground. I remind folks of that. Sometimes I will ask them if they have another one for me...ha ha.


I have "moxie" as you guys say it. I'm a Texan woman and we are fearless most time. Except for spiders- ha ha
I drive a big truck and don't care if I"m close to the door, its easier to just park way out. Yet with limited space, I normally just valet.

The only problem I have is when this a child. I actually will block the space until the parent gets out of their car to walk up and talk to me- or until the child gets back into the car. Endangering a child for a parking spot is wrong!

In a very busy MALL parking lot, with lots of traffic, I watched a guy put out his 4-6 year little girl and she ran across the parked cars and to hold a spot with cars already coming down the isle, including me.

I had one guy blow his horn and try to ram my car and then try to run me down once over this, I got out of the car and took a picture of the child standing in the spot, then sternly told the child to get in the family car and I wrote his plates down and took his picture with my phone.

He was really mad, cause he was trapped by other cars and too close to me to get out and he was caught by his own greed and stupidity.

Yelled that is child abuse and endangerment, I have called the police and they are on their way! I stood their as other persons watched and were trying to move their cars. Another mom with a stroller with kids and bags totally agreed.

He started to get out of his trcuk and the other Mother yelled, if you get out of that car I will file assault charges against you!

We waited for Mall security to get their and HE was such a wimp.
The police came and he scolded the man and warned. him. The other Mom and I both witnessed it and we both talked to HIM while the officer was there, and scared the crap out of him, cause the officer had the two kids sit in his cruiser the entire time.

The officer also informed him of the child seatbelt and child seat laws we have and told him that he needed to be a better parent.

I made it really clear that the most precious thing was that child he had thrown out of the car, not the parking space or the fact he needed other parents or the police to inform him of such.

I just left the Mall.... I was so upset that he would throw out a child to get a parking spot it ruined my day!

Answer 5

No, reserving a public parking space is not okay. When people choose to stand in front of my car, I choose to treat them as a threat. Standing in front of a car and infuriating it's driver is a quick path to a short life.

Answer 6

depends how long we're talking.... if they are running around the block and will be back in less than a minute, id say let them have it. if we're talking about running to the grocery store and they will be back in 15 minutes... i'd take the spot.

i'd probably also be a little more lenient with someone who is being nice to you about it, but if someone is getting mad, or treating you poorly, then you may as well take it anyways. (just be careful or you may find your car keyed the next morning)

Answer 7

Well, you can do whatever you want. We don't want half the city standing in parking spaces and then again we don't want corpses stuck underneath parked '98 VW Bugs. Whatever you do, the balance will maintain.

Answer 8

if there's no car and i see an open space but someone is fool
enough to stand in that space,i hope they realize my car will win the argument, no matter if its NYC or small town USA.

Answer 9

It's like you said, first come first serve. It's not just NYC that follows these rules. It's not law but it is considered common coutesy. Take your space.

Answer 10

I usually go with the choice that results in the lowest possibility of getting shot, stabbed or punched in the face. It really lowers the blood pressure.