What would you do in this situation?

[KevShmev]

You are getting in your car in a somewhat-crowded parking lot.  Your car is in one of the closest spots to the front, but there are several spaces available four or five spots back, and then a bunch available a bit further back.  You get in your car to leave, but realize that you have a handful of text messages, several of which you want to reply to immediately, as you'll be on the road for a little bit as soon as you start driving.  But there is a car waiting for you to pull out since that person wants your spot.  What do you do?  See the poll options.

[Big Hath]

I would probably vacate the space and go park in one of the spaces farther back to respond.  Combination of 1 and 2, I guess.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I'd stay in my car. The vultures can park elsewhere.

[King Postwhore]

If it were to only spot I'd vacate but with your description, with all those other parking spots I'd text.  What's 10 to 15 feet?  This coming from a fat guy.

[jingle.boy]

If it were to only spot I'd vacate but with your description, with all those other parking spots I'd text.  What's 10 to 15 feet?  This coming from a fat guy.

As usual, The King knows his shit.

[sueño]

I would probably vacate the space and go park in one of the spaces farther back to respond.  Combination of 1 and 2, I guess.

That's what I would do, as well.  I chose the second option.  People in real life always trump people on the phone.

[El Barto]

Yeah, easily the Big Hath option. I'm pretty slow at typing into my phone, and I don't like being an inconvenience. I therefore didn't vote, as none of the options fit.

[KevShmev]

If it were to only spot I'd vacate but with your description, with all those other parking spots I'd text.  What's 10 to 15 feet?   

This, exactly.  And it is what I did yesterday when this situation happened.  Like you said, had the parking lot been packed, no way would I have sat there and texted for five minutes while hogging the spot, but with spots all over the place, it ain't gonna kill someone to walk an extra 20 feet or so.

[Tick]

It depends what kind of mood I'm in but honestly, is it going to kill people to park a few spaces father out and walk a few extra feet? I never care how far out I park. Not a big deal. My wife always tries to find a close spot and I'm like, just park already.

[MetalJunkie]

It depends on exactly how urgent the text messages are. Family or friend emergency? People can wait. If someone wants to know what I'm doing or when I'm free, THEY can wait.

[KevShmev]

That's what cracks me up about some people: they'll sit there for two minutes waiting for a spot when there is one available two spots further away.  In that time they sat there waiting, they could have parked and been inside already.

[JayOctavarium]

I would have sat there and finished up what you were doing. In my mind when I am looking for a parking spot I don't even consider the fact that someone might be leaving until see the reverse lights pop on

[Tick]

I would have sat there and finished up what you were doing. In my mind when I am looking for a parking spot I don't even consider the fact that someone might be leaving until see the reverse lights pop on

Exactly. If you are sitting waiting for someone to leave just because they are in the vehicle that's your problem. As King said, if their are no other spots available you may feel more like you should move on. If their are plenty of spots then whatever, go grab one.

[TheLordOfTheStrings]

I don't really like texting that much, but I had a parking spot and a phone, so what the fuck?

[El Barto]

If it were to only spot I'd vacate but with your description, with all those other parking spots I'd text.  What's 10 to 15 feet?   

This, exactly.  And it is what I did yesterday when this situation happened.  Like you said, had the parking lot been packed, no way would I have sat there and texted for five minutes while hogging the spot, but with spots all over the place, it ain't gonna kill someone to walk an extra 20 feet or so.

A minor point of consideration is that often times in that situation a person can't back up because there are others behind him. That's what frustrates me the most about parking. Getting stuck between the guy who waits five minutes to park his fat ass 20' closer, and the long line of cars behind me, stuck just the same.

[King Postwhore]

For me, I try to get get close the the cart return, (not right next to it) so I can return my cart without walking a mile.  I never look for that close spot.

[sueño]

It depends on exactly how urgent the text messages are. Family or friend emergency? People can wait. If someone wants to know what I'm doing or when I'm free, THEY can wait.

I always feel that the person who sent texts already know they must wait until I can respond.  If the response time wasn't immediate, they should understand I am otherwise occupied.  I still regard my phone as MY convenience, not others'.

I cannot think what would make me stay in a parking space someone was waiting for.  I enjoyed the close spot, why shouldn't someone else?

I normally check my phone before leaving the building i'm in and reply there, if necessary.  Once I'm in my car, it is time to move on,

[Implode]

If I see someone behind me waiting to get into a parking space, I'd probably pull out, then drive out to where I wouldn't be in the way, park, and respond to the texts then.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I don't really like texting that much, but I had a parking spot and a phone, so what the fuck?

[Lolzeez]

I would probably vacate the space and go park in one of the spaces farther back to respond.  Combination of 1 and 2, I guess.

[Orbert]

If I see someone behind me waiting to get into a parking space, I'd probably pull out, then drive out to where I wouldn't be in the way, park, and respond to the texts then.

This.  I hate it when I see someone get into their car and I think they're going to leave.  No, they're not under any obligation to leave right away.  It's completely my fault that I got my own hopes up.  But I still hate it, so I try not to do it to other people.

[sueño]

If I see someone behind me waiting to get into a parking space, I'd probably pull out, then drive out to where I wouldn't be in the way, park, and respond to the texts then.

This.  I hate it when I see someone get into their car and I think they're going to leave.  No, they're not under any obligation to leave right away.  It's completely my fault that I got my own hopes up.  But I still hate it, so I try not to do it to other people.

Yes.   

[gmillerdrake]

I would probably vacate the space and go park in one of the spaces farther back to respond.  Combination of 1 and 2, I guess.

Yeah, this is what I've done.....seems like the best choice.

[KevShmev]

A minor point of consideration is that often times in that situation a person can't back up because there are others behind him. That's what frustrates me the most about parking. Getting stuck between the guy who waits five minutes to park his fat ass 20' closer, and the long line of cars behind me, stuck just the same.

Oh, I agree.  In those cases, I get in my car and get out of there as quickly as possible.  This was not one of those cases.   There were no other cars in the lane, so that car was able to swoop around and park somewhere else pretty quickly (which they did). 

I always feel that the person who sent texts already know they must wait until I can respond.  If the response time wasn't immediate, they should understand I am otherwise occupied.  I still regard my phone as MY convenience, not others'.
 

I couldn't agree more.  Anyone who knows me knows that when they text me, they might get a reply within minutes or several hours later; it really varies.  I would normally, like you, check my cell before even getting to my car, but I had went to the gym and left it in the car during my workout (in the counsel in the middle where no one could see it; I am not that dumb ), so I didn't see I had texts until I got back in my car.

[sueño]

  It's all not that serious to me.  Not that long ago, you had to wait til someone got home to get a response.  Folks need to chill...and let me get out of the parking space.   

[TioJorge]

As others have said, people know that I put my phone way down my list of priorities. Unless it's work related or otherwise pertinent, I might not respond for hours on end, or sometimes even at all that day and just give 'em a call the next morning. So usually in that situation I'd just wait it out till I got to a red light and/or wherever I'm going. If it's really important and demands immediate response, however, those fuckers can wait. Chances are that they'd not give two shits about my time if the situation were reversed.

[Zook]

If I see someone behind me waiting to get into a parking space, I'd probably pull out, then drive out to where I wouldn't be in the way, park, and respond to the texts then.

This.  I hate it when I see someone get into their car and I think they're going to leave.  No, they're not under any obligation to leave right away.  It's completely my fault that I got my own hopes up.  But I still hate it, so I try not to do it to other people.

Sorry Floyd. No I'm not. Muahahahahahahaha

[Ruba]

The second. People probably won't mind, if you respond to messages later. The guy in the other car will get mad if you don't leave.

[hefdaddy42]

Big Hath

[kirksnosehair]

I try my best to go through life treating others as I would like to be treated.  I'm not always successful, but I do always try.  With that said, I would just pull out of the spot and move somewhere else to reply to the text messages.  No text message is that important that it can't wait thirty seconds while I move my car for someone else to have the space I'm in.

[jingle.boy]

I try my best to go through life treating others as I would like to be treated.  I'm not always successful, but I do always try.  With that said, I would just pull out of the spot and move somewhere else to reply to the text messages.  No text message is that important that it can't wait thirty seconds while I move my car for someone else to have the space I'm in.

Similarly, no parking spot is so important that people could go another 20 feet to take the next one.  If there were no other spots (like my local Costco, at all hours of the day), I'd be courteous and pull out and pullover somewhere else to respond (as per Big Hath).  In the situation Kev describes, I wouldn't feel the need to inconvenience myself for the convenience of a random stranger.  Granted, the inconvenience is minor, but so too is taking the next available spot down.

[King Postwhore]

Yeah, I think people are missing the fact that there are parking spots all over the the place 15 to 20 feet away.  Waiting for a spot while there are other spots to park is just as ignorant as ignoring a person that wants your stop if that's the only space while texting. 

Like I said if that was the only spot I would pull out right away but not if there were many available spots to park.

[pogoowner]

They have no right to the spot, and they shouldn't assume you're leaving just because you got into the car. As you said, there were plenty of other spaces. I would respond before leaving.

[orcus116]

My exact same feeling. The way people get possessive about parking spots is unreal. I once had a grown man scream at and threaten me in front of his daughter because I pulled into a spot he was supposedly waiting for. Meanwhile there were plenty of other open spots around the parking lot.

[DebraKadabra]

I would probably vacate the space and go park in one of the spaces farther back to respond.  Combination of 1 and 2, I guess.

This.