Scared to post this parking.

[Imsuchamess]

I am perfectly willing to be told I am being unreasonable but please do so gently I am recovering from a psychotic episode and I am delicate. Normally I wouldn't post when I feel like this but I really need to know if I am being unreasonable.

I live on a main high street there is no parking. I am on low rate mobility as is my eldest child and I am currently attempting to get high rate mobility for my middle dd. I also have a baby. I often end up carrying both my two year old and 5 year old from the car to the house.

The only place to park are residential streets. There is no where else. So I park in the street behind my house in a perfectly legal place. I know one car there has a blue badge so I never park in that space.

However I have been verbally attacked by two different residents for parking outside their house they were aggressively shouting at me while I was trying to get my two disabled dc In the car and my two year old.

Today I have had a note put on my car saying I am very inconsiderate for parking outside someone's house and that they now have to park halfway down the street (it's a small street) and that it's inconvenient for them as they have 5 children to drag up the street.

Please be gentle.

Why do people think they have a right to park directly outside their house ffs?

Its nice that I often get a spot near to my house but if I have to park a the top of the road it genuinely doesn't bother me at all.

OH has to park right outside because he can't walk

If you can walk and/or you don't have a child with behavioral issues why he hell would you get so upset about it?

If you have to unload shopping its a pita but millions of people live in flats and have had to carry shopping from kerb to front door and not starved.

I wish people would appreciate what they have e.g. the ability to walk, children who can walk rather than bitching about what they can't have e.g. a personal space outside their house.

I would give anything to not qualify for that fucking disabled space outside our house.

The fuckwit who reversed into my car last week won't do it again in a hurry.
I have had a lovely new bumper and numberplate that he has paid for.
I have also registered a complaint about him with the council as he is a tenant.
I have also made a complaint to 101.
If he does it again they will escalate their response.
Fucker.

YANBU!

I am shocked at this thread! I would never think to make a comment to someone parking on a street and to bring race/colour/whatever into it just shows how ignorant they are. Talking about you in the shop? Just plain bitchy and rude. Shame on them.

It's not like you are parking in someone's driveway ffs, public parking is first come first served.

Of course YANBU and what a complete arse that man is. I'm so sorry this is happening but really pleased to hear the police are treating this with the seriousness it deserves.

For what it's worth, you sound freaking awesome. I used to work in a specialist psychosis team, so I know what you're going through is no mean feat.

The guy is clearly a twat, and quite possibly racist, but he wasn't having a go because of the race he thought you were, he was having a go because he thinks he has a personal right to a public parking space.

I agree the police are going over the top.

Thank you MyFairyKing.

YANBU and I'm glad the police are taking it seriously.

I know the council wouldn't paint you a disabled space outside your house due to the busy road, but might they consider painting a space for you on the nearest-legal-on-street-parking (round the corning on this other road, closest available space to your house?)

I'm glad the police have taken their racist element of their threatening behaviour into account.

The guy is clearly a twat, and quite possibly racist, but he wasn't having a go because of the race he thought you were, he was having a go because he thinks he has a personal right to a public parking space.

It doesn't matter what you are arguing about, if you use language relating to someone's race it becomes a racist incident.

Eg - that is my parking space, you idiot - this is rude
- that is my parking space, you (skin colour/nationality) idiot - racism and unacceptable
- that is my parking space, you don't even come from this country (or similar as OP reported) - racist and unacceptable.

To feel threatened is bad enough but to feel that they are also judging you on how you look/talk is just awful hence laws to protect everyone from this kind of narrow minded attack.

Slightly off-topic, but when I applied for a Disabled Parking space it took over two years to get it. I counted down every day, but the week after I got it another neighbour started parking there. They had a blue badge, so there was nothing I could do.

I politely stopped them and explained how I got mine, so wondered if they wanted to do the same as one of the reasons I desperately needed it is because my wheelchair is accessed via a hoist in the boot, and because all the cars squashed in tightly to park back to back I couldn't use my wheelchair, unless parking in the blue space (that they'd created longer for me for that reason.)

They told me to fuck off, and just screamed at me in the street whenever they saw me inching along the pavement back home as I hadn't been able to get my wheelchair.

YANBU!

This is nasty, bullying, vile behaviour. I can't believe people get so het up about bloody parking! They should be ashamed of themselves.

I hope the police come down hard on them.

I'm in two minds. On the one hand I dislike racist behaviour or comments, but on the other hand I also dislike the police giving priority to this incident over other parking incidents. I appreciate the need to stamp out ASB and racism and to come down hard and fast though.

hummm :s

Yanbu.
I really dont understand why people get so bonkers over car parking. I once parked in front of a lady's house not blocking any access whatsoever. When I got back she told me id better move my car because I was making her dog feel distressed. Loopers.

Chronic While their behaviour sounds beyond vile, you were wrong to comment on them using the space unless it was one of those that has your car reg on it.

If I can't manage a walk and the road is busy, I occasionally use the disabled space on my road, maybe once every few months. The person who thinks it's 'hers' backs her car so close that she's practically in my boot! Not acceptable and pisses me off no end.

MyFairyKing surely you'd be mad if you were the one who requested the space and waited two whole years for it only for someone else to use it? It makes no sense to me how that could happen.

MyFairyKing - I assume you also have a disability? I'm not being provocative - genuine question.

Oh yes, I do have a disability and a blue badge - sorry if that's not clear!

Boomer but it's not anyone's space, despite who asked for it. Why would I be annoyed? It's a space on the road for anyone who has a blue badge.

I just politely asked, and said to them - I know you're not doing anything wrong legally, but I can't access my wheelchair, so is there any chance of not parking there? They had alternatives, where as I didn't.

The system is stupid because an individual has to apply for it, be deemed eligible and meet the criteria based on their needs and housing situation. which is pretty strict in my area. Then wait forever for it - and in my case local councillors had get involved as the Highways department kept screwing it up, and you finally get it and then anyone can park there so what the hell's the point?

I had to move house because of it. I think it was pretty damn selfish of them.

If you need a space - why don't you ask for an assessment?

That's terrible Chronic.

That is awful but again, he is not doing anything wrong. I don't need a space all of the time, just occasionally. I won't get it anyway because I have a garage that I can't use....because of my disability. Not that I have to defend myself but I was allocated my badge by a professional. I don't purposely make my neighbour's life difficult. I will move my car if I can but she has no right to make my life harder either.

From Disability Now:

"Do be aware that even if the bay is outside your house it does not belong to you and any Blue Badge holder can park in it."