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Builders wrote horrible disablist word on my van.

127 replies

ArseholeBuilders · 12/01/2020 09:05

NC for this. I'm pissed off about this and am fantasising about revenge.
A house a few doors down from mine is being renovated, so there has been a builders van parked outside on the street. The other day I came home for lunch and parked for half an hour before heading back to the office. Our street is difficult to park on and the only space was directly behind their work van, so they way I was parked meant they couldn't open their back doors. That's the way it is on our street, it's very congested with parked cars so you park wherever you can find a space. Also I was parked outside my own bloody house.
Of course they still had access to the side door, but they must have got pissed off at the inconvenience because when I got to work I noticed the word 'spastic' written in large letters I. the dirt on the back of my work van. (Sorry, it is a truly horrible word and one I would never use, and any decent person would say the same) I'm 99% sure it was one of them because I saw them throw me a filthy look when I got out the van, and that word most definitely was not there when I parked as I checked the back to make sure I'd left a couple of feet clear behind me. I really can't imagine any of my neighbours doing that. Most were either at school/work and those who weren't are quiet and pleasant retirees.

If it had been a swear word or a rude drawing it wouldn't seem so bad. It's the fact they used such a vicious word that upset me. their van has no logos or company names on it so I've no idea who they are. I've checked their reg for tax and MOT and they're all up to date.

I should probably let it go, and there's probably not much I can do, but I have to admit I've been daydreaming about getting revenge on those little shits. Any ideas? Grin nothing harmful or illegal of course.

OP posts:
ArtichokeAardvark · 12/01/2020 10:57

You should definitely log it with 101 OP

Dear god. Do you really think the police are going to be remotely interested in this? A bunch of builders MIGHT have written something horrible on OP's own van after he/she pissed them off. This is clearly high crime and they must be brought to justice. Hmm

LordOfTheWhys · 12/01/2020 11:02

You left a couple of feet behind you whilst parking so close to them that they couldn't open their back doors? That's very selfish. They won't be able to get everything they need out the side door.

Anyway, as PPs said, you don't know they did it. Let it go.

MonstranceClock · 12/01/2020 11:03

I had no idea that word was so bad.
Yabu though. I live somewhere where parking is like yours but I still wouldn’t park like a nob. I park elsewhere and walk.

Plumbus · 12/01/2020 11:03

You should definitely log it with 101 OP.

Definitely. Would be good for their 'hate crime' stats...

(But seriously, don't).

Aridane · 12/01/2020 11:11

I assume @PlomBear is being ironic with her 101 dictat!

Aridane · 12/01/2020 11:12

Yeah go and chat with your neighbour. Make it clear that you won't be putting in a report about discriminatory harassment this time but that they need to behave themselves in future.

Eh?

CJsGoldfish · 12/01/2020 11:14

If they were there when you parked, why didn't you ask them if they needed to access the doors you blocked before you blocked them? Or even just let them know that you were just stopping for half an hour? Why so inconsiderate?

Of course, no one should have written that on your van.

gamerwidow · 12/01/2020 11:16

You left a couple of feet behind you whilst parking so close to them that they couldn't open their back doors? That's very selfish. They won't be able to get everything they need out the side door.

No, this has been covered. She was parked in the opposite direction to the van, the rear of her van was parked a few feet away from the van doors to give them room. They were not parked bumper to bumper.

missyB1 · 12/01/2020 11:21

Some firms of discrimination are considered far more acceptable on Mumsnet than others, I’ve seen it time and time again and this thread is an example.
Racism? Totally unacceptable and must be condemned!
Hate Speech? Well people must have their freedom of speech and own opinions you know....
Disabilist slur? Yeah we can probably let that go, after all the builders had good reason you know......

Bluntness100 · 12/01/2020 11:21

Yeah blocking them from opening their doors was shitty. They were clearly pissed off and wrote this because of it. Both in the wrong.

Forget about revenge. Because writing that word was them taking revenge on you. You then taking revenge on them, for taking revenge on you is batshit. Let it go.

MrsJBaptiste · 12/01/2020 11:22

Should we all park in such a way that anyone with a van can open the back doors?

If it's a van in use on a busy street then yes as the builders will be in and out of it all day. In a supermarket car park, of course not.

If you parked behind a minibus that said clearly needed room for disabled access, would you block them in too?

gamerwidow · 12/01/2020 11:37

If you parked behind a minibus that said clearly needed room for disabled access, would you block them in too?
Not the same.

ThePluckOfTheCoward · 12/01/2020 11:41

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

SanAntonio · 12/01/2020 11:43

You should definitely log it with 101 OP

And back in the real world

missyB1 · 12/01/2020 11:46

well said ThePluck

Ofthread · 12/01/2020 11:53

Sorry but, parking inconsiderately is not equal to ableist abuse. One of these is a public order offence, and one is just inconvenient and annoying.

OP, I suffered a sexist verbal abuse road rage attack the other day (in my case I had done nothing to provoke it). I made the mistake of posting about it on a local facebook page and some lovely men saw it fit to continue the abuse. I was also told to drop it etc. It's fine to stand up for yourself and call things out that are not ok. I wish more people would.

Aquilla · 12/01/2020 11:55

'Log it 101,OP'.
Really hoping the first poster to suggest this was taking the mickey 😂

Ofthread · 12/01/2020 11:56

I also received veiled threats of violence on that post from one of these men.

Unfortunately, the world is full of assholes, who get a mild kick out of winning the internet.

GoodDogBellaBoo · 12/01/2020 11:57

If it’s a busy street someone else no doubt would have parked there if you hadn’t.. Rude and childish to write on your car.

Ofthread · 12/01/2020 11:58

Surprisingly @Aquilla, the police do take racist, sexist, ableist harassment seriously. I'd leave it up to them to decide, but let's hope you never have to suffer something like that.

itsgettingweird · 12/01/2020 12:03

As a parent who has recently sent the cps laws on hate crimes to ds school because he's constantly called a spastic (and if it was racist language they'd deal with it quickly, more harshly etc) I'm with you.

You probably passed them off with your parking (although if they could access side doors i thought that was what they were for?) but that is utterly disgusting if them in a response.

However it's only actually a hate crime of you have spasticity as a disability which my ds does.

I still feel there's a hierarchy of protected characteristics in social policies but in law there isn't.

viques · 12/01/2020 12:04

If you knew where the builders were working you could have knocked and said you had parked behind their van but would move if they needed access. Would that have been such a difficult thing to do?

Why can't people just be nice to each other? There seems to be an attitude (on MN certainly) that unless you are continually being passive aggressive and scoring imaginary points off other people in even the most casual of engagements you are making yourself into a universal doormat.

DickDewy · 12/01/2020 12:04

You should definitely log it with 101 OP

...if you want to look like a complete and utter fool.

Let it go. And don’t park inconsiderately.

selfcare · 12/01/2020 12:06

Wash your vehicle?

viques · 12/01/2020 12:07

And yes, whoever wrote that on your van was a pig, but my point is that if it was the builders it was in your power to stop the situation before it had even started.

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