to think that parents "reserving" play equipment is a bit shit?

[ruthosaurus]

I queuejumped today. I honestly didn't mean to. I saw a vacant piece of play equipment (a tractor, fwiw), vaguely clocked that a woman was standing near it but had no kids with her, and helped DS (20mo, too short to climb up on his own) into the seat. Ten seconds later, I was getting the unblinking stare of death from the woman and her two children, who I swear were nowhere near when we got on. A small steely voice piped up "We're waiting...". I told the wee moppet,that yes, it was called queueing, only to be informed by the woman that she had been waiting for a while on her children's behalf.

Well, really. Can people actually do that?

very shit. Silly woman.

apparently. lol.

omg. d'you mean she was reserving the tractor while her children played on something else?

what a muppet. her little dahlings need to learn to wait methinks.

They can try, but they have no right to be aggrieved when someone climbs on the reserved item.

That's a new one. Heaven help her if she ever stays in a Disney Hotel where you pay for the rides in the reception area and all the foreign children jump on the spare seats! (us Brits are usually a bit more reserved) She would burst a blood vessel.

But surely if you put your ds on it it was free. if you really are waiting (like you do for swings sometimes) you either grab it as soon as it becomes vacant or you walk away, not gaze at it and clal it yours until you can agther your little darlings.

I'D have ignored them by pleading ignorance. They can't be annoyed coz no one is that sad to "reserve" play equipment.

Sorry - she honestly thought that she could bagsie all the playground equipment for her brood and make a 20 mo wait??? The woman sounds like a loon who has never got over 'bagsies' at big school ..

I would have informed her that under the definition of many theme parks, reserving a space for someone else is actually queuejumping.

ruth, did you move for them to have a go or did you stand your ground? (I'd have done the former, I'm a wimp)

she's a crazy woman

I slunk away muttering. I kept bumping into her in the play area and once spotted her pointing me out to her friend.

Was mortified, really I was. I get really over-aggrieved when accused of something I haven't done and regress to the age of 14.

What a knobber.
Hovering near play equipment to bagsie it, I wouldn't have been able to hold back with a "Oh sorry, I didn't see the 'Reserved' sign"...

God, yes, Fimbo I've experienced that before! IOt's abmazing wehat oasses for acceptable in some cultures! Also have experiences some interesting erm, non-queueing techniques from certain nationalities/cultures which shall remain nameless at DLP as well!

It's the total lack of shame about it that just left me speechless.

I would of said "That's ok my children are very good at sharing"

This reminds me of taking DD to macdonalds last summer and grabbing a balloon off a nearby table that no one was sitting at, for DD(then nearly 2). Not a problem you'd think?

Wrong.

The two mums at a different table stared at us with such venom you'd have thought we'd eaten one of their DCs. Turns out that balloon had been for one of their brood (the 6 month old) who'd then dropped it (I assume) and watched it float away. They muttered and glared for another 10 minutes at the selfishness of my DD before finaaly buggering off with all the DC-including the baby who was fast asleep, not missing the balloon at all

Arf. This happened to me today whilst queuing for a rocking horse (don't ask). However, I took DD (20mo) off the horse and let the woman call her daughter over and go 'before' us. Seriously, the girl looked about 13.

Bizarrely, she only stayed on for about 30 seconds... perhaps the sight and sound of a toddler screaming and tantrumming right next to the horse took the edge off the fun Nobody else bothered us for a while either

I'm laughing at these stories but I imagine I'd be mighty pissed if they happened to me!

In the OP's situation, maybe a good response (if I weren't a coward) would be to say to my DD "come on darling, these children aren't good at waiting like you, never mind eh?"

I can't believe people are thinking it's ok to queue for something for their child, whilst they are busy enjoying going on something else. Very strange.

Stresshedric keep that in mind for next time Ruth, what a silly woman. Still thinks she is at school

FFS, what are parents coming to? She was a dick!

i'/d have pulled a face and "alright love"

then looked aorund for the men in white coats

"Didn't know they did Q-bots here. How much did you pay then?"

The person who is going to use the equipment is the one who should queue. Learning manners includes learning about patience and waiting one's turn for things.

This reminds me of Christmas in supermarkets when one person parks in the queue with a nearly empty trolley whilst the friend/partner whizzes round to get the "real" shopping and then joins the friend in the queue. I these people should be impaled with a stake of holly