Parking Lot Right of Way

[keyofdavid]

I was driving through a parking lot, which would normally be considered through traffic as I understand it. I was approaching what was the parking lot entrance to my right. A vehicle entered the parking lot and didn't yield to me, almost causing an accident. When I parked, he approached me somewhat aggressively and accused me of not yielding to him, because "traffic entering the parking lot always has the right of way".

At the time I honestly didn't feel I should be yielding to him as I'm already driving through the parking lot, and he clearly saw me. And right or wrong, he clearly saw me and could have avoided an accident, but he chose not to with aggressive behavior that bordered on harassment.

I let him go and let him think he was right (because he could have been), but it has always eaten at me who was right or wrong. I can't find this subject anywhere on the internet and I want to know the deal, because someone else did the same thing at another parking lot and I just yielded to them this time, even though they actually had a yield sign!

Does anyone know an answer?

 

[Just Blue]

I was driving through a parking lot, which would normally be considered through traffic as I understand it. I was approaching what was the parking lot entrance to my right. A vehicle entered the parking lot and didn't yield to me, almost causing an accident. When I parked, he approached me somewhat aggressively and accused me of not yielding to him, because "traffic entering the parking lot always has the right of way".

At the time I honestly didn't feel I should be yielding to him as I'm already driving through the parking lot, and he clearly saw me. And right or wrong, he clearly saw me and could have avoided an accident, but he chose not to with aggressive behavior that bordered on harassment.

I let him go and let him think he was right (because he could have been), but it has always eaten at me who was right or wrong. I can't find this subject anywhere on the internet and I want to know the deal, because someone else did the same thing at another parking lot and I just yielded to them this time, even though they actually had a yield sign!

Does anyone know an answer?

What state?

 

[keyofdavid]

What state?

South Carolina

 

[quincy]

I was driving through a parking lot, which would normally be considered through traffic as I understand it. I was approaching what was the parking lot entrance to my right. A vehicle entered the parking lot and didn't yield to me, almost causing an accident. When I parked, he approached me somewhat aggressively and accused me of not yielding to him, because "traffic entering the parking lot always has the right of way".

At the time I honestly didn't feel I should be yielding to him as I'm already driving through the parking lot, and he clearly saw me. And right or wrong, he clearly saw me and could have avoided an accident, but he chose not to with aggressive behavior that bordered on harassment.

I let him go and let him think he was right (because he could have been), but it has always eaten at me who was right or wrong. I can't find this subject anywhere on the internet and I want to know the deal, because someone else did the same thing at another parking lot and I just yielded to them this time, even though they actually had a yield sign!

Does anyone know an answer?

I tend to agree with the fellow who entered the parking lot from the road. He had the right of way and you needed to yield.

You would have had the right of way over parked cars backing out of parking spaces.

But every driver should yield if to not yield would cause an accident.

 

[Zigner]

Remember, the parking lot is almost certainly private property. I'm gonna go with 50/50. You both needed to be on the lookout for other drivers and not just plow along with the attitude of "You must give way to ME!"

Frankly, you sound like a younger driver, or perhaps an older driver who never learned what I learned long ago. It sucks when the other guy does something stupid causing you to be the one to avoid him, but is it better to grumble for 5 seconds now and avoid an accident, or grumble for the next many months dealing with the fallout from your desire to be right?

 

[adjusterjack]

Err on the side of caution and yield.

Otherwise you could end up right - dead right.

 

[LdiJ]

Remember, the parking lot is almost certainly private property. I'm gonna go with 50/50. You both needed to be on the lookout for other drivers and not just plow along with the attitude of "You must give way to ME!"

Frankly, you sound like a younger driver, or perhaps an older driver who never learned what I learned long ago. It sucks when the other guy does something stupid causing you to be the one to avoid him, but is it better to grumble for 5 seconds now and avoid an accident, or grumble for the next many months dealing with the fallout from your desire to be right?

The way I read the original post was that he genuinely wanted to know who was right and who was wrong, even if he was wrong. In my city, large parking lots make it very clear who has the right of way and who doesn't with stop signs and other signage, and smaller ones do not. Typically, the ones with signage do give the right of way to the cars entering the lot.

 

[Foamback]

And uncontrolled intersections give the vehicle on the right the right of way

 

[quincy]

And uncontrolled intersections give the vehicle on the right the right of way

No. That’s not true.

 

[Foamback]

My answer was incomplete

https://zutobi.com/us/driver-guides/uncontrolled-intersections

 

[quincy]

My answer was incomplete

https://zutobi.com/us/driver-guides/uncontrolled-intersections

And that article is also incomplete and therefore inaccurate, not taking into account paved (main) versus dirt (not maintained/private) roads.

 

[Bali Hai Again]

Remember, the parking lot is almost certainly private property. I'm gonna go with 50/50. You both needed to be on the lookout for other drivers and not just plow along with the attitude of "You must give way to ME!"

Frankly, you sound like a younger driver, or perhaps an older driver who never learned what I learned long ago. It sucks when the other guy does something stupid causing you to be the one to avoid him, but is it better to grumble for 5 seconds now and avoid an accident, or grumble for the next many months dealing with the fallout from your desire to be right?

You can provide a gesture with one hand that can’t be seen by the other driver if it makes you feel better and/or say something without moving your lips. Drive defensively and try not to upset others in front or behind you. There are lots of angry people in general out there that will hurt others for any absurd reason.

 

[zddoodah]

I was driving through a parking lot, which would normally be considered through traffic as I understand it.

Please explain what the highlighted means, including who considers this.

And right or wrong, he clearly saw me and could have avoided an accident, but he chose not to

Huh? Earlier in your post, you wrote that he "almost caus[ed] an accident." So...was there an accident or not?

Does anyone know an answer?

You haven't asked a clear question or given us any way of understanding how the vehicles moved in relation to each other. Uneducated guesses won't be helpful to you.

 

[keyofdavid]

The way I read the original post was that he genuinely wanted to know who was right and who was wrong, even if he was wrong. In my city, large parking lots make it very clear who has the right of way and who doesn't with stop signs and other signage, and smaller ones do not. Typically, the ones with signage do give the right of way to the cars entering the lot.

The one you are replying to was right about the age, though it had not the first thing to do with answering my question.

I left out a lot of detail because I just wanted the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth regarding this situation, and in case it happens again. Which really it did, as I explained in the original post and the one you are replying to chose to ignore that (I recently yielded to someone who was supposed to yield to me, and I let it go completely).

I didn't want judgement because of my age or any other factor. I want to know who was right and who was wrong LEGALLY, PERIOD.

The reason this has eaten at me is because I was 15 years old in a high school parking lot, and he was a coach there (or just the PE teacher, I can't remember). I was driving in the outermost lane of the parking lot approaching the entrance/exit on my right, which means I could have made a right and exited the parking lot (I don't know why someone would ask for me to "give more detail" on that).

He was making a right into the parking lot. There was no traffic outside the parking lot. There was no hurry to enter the parking lot.

It has been almost 40 years later and I have never ever ever had another issue like this with anyone else, except who I yielded to and it reminded me again.

It was just him.

I have never caused an accident and I have a perfect driving record. I practice defensive driving and I always watch others around me which has saved me many times from being in an accident. I know the law pretty well. I am still obviously trying to educate myself.

His moves were aggressive. He flew into the parking lot and almost ran head on into my car without any intention of slowing down whatsoever.

Let me repeat that. He clearly saw me and came barreling towards me and intentionally was going to hit me had I not slammed on brakes. His intent was CLEAR.

He then proceeded to speed into his parking place so he could get out and I guess attempt to intimidate me (he failed).

Had I known the clear law I could have stood up to a bully and put him in his place. And I can do it to a future one in case it were to ever happen again.

I do want to agree that we should just use common sense in this situation, but the law should be clear cut and dry, especially since "coach" was 100% sure of that when he told me.

WHERE IS THAT LAW, COACH?

Asking for a grown up friend who isn't such a small naïve wimp anymore.

 

[Foamback]

Stand up for yourself self kid! Good job! Coaches and PE teachers generally aren’t all that smart or good at teaching skills except bullying and coddling the athletes.