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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

parking rage

44 replies

Casper27 · 23/07/2015 11:55

So after parking and popping into the local post office with 5 month old DS, I returned to find a man pulling up and parking exceptionally close to my passenger side. He visibly struggled to get out and his door was pushed up against my car. Realising there was no way could get DS' s car seat in so I said with a big smile " Excuse Me, I hate to be rude but would you mind moving your car over slightly. I'm going to struggle to get my son's car seat in and I don't want to hit your car". He's reply was a pretty aggressive and very rude " Oh For gods sake!" Followed by " can't you move your car!" Then "put your son in from the other side" not easy in his maxi cosi otherwise I would have done.

I stood my ground, he moved his car and stormed off - I said very loudly and politely "Thankyou". Totally Raging - I hate confrontation, why be soo rude to me.

OP posts:

SorchaN · 23/07/2015 12:51

Some people hate being called out (even politely) when they're in the wrong - they try to make it the other person's 'fault'. You did really well to stand your ground!

DadfromUncle · 23/07/2015 12:52

wanker I've had people fling their doors open into my car while I've been sitting in it - they seemed genuinely baffled when asked politely not to do it. To me it just seems a bit rude to scratch/dent other folks' cars but I am not totally precious about it. Like you (and your DCs) we were brought up to have respect for other folk and their property. Believe me, my car is nothing fancy either.

Noodledoodledoo · 23/07/2015 12:52

Is it just me who when I have my daughter with me I always try to find a space on an end, next to railings, next to a disabled space, next to a trolley bay, path etc.

In 10 months I have had once when I couldn't get her seat back in the car and this was at a village hall where I had been for baby group and another mum had parked so close you couldn't even open the doors at all on either car! I now park in a different spot at this session next to a tiny space which is rarely used - I am always completely in the space centrally but the end one is a tad smaller.

It doesn't take me any longer to park anywhere and I am a lazy moo who drives most places and rarely gets lucky with p/c spaces!

WankerDeAsalWipe · 23/07/2015 12:58

Dad my previous car was ding heaven - I had it from new and Ds fell into the side of it on his bike when it was sitting on the driveway 2 weeks after I got it - I never felt the same about it after that.

This car was 1 year old when I got it and only has 1500 miles on it so was immaculate - I'd like to keep it that way. :)

ChilliAndMint · 23/07/2015 13:09

Ikea parking spaces are very tight..

I get parking rage..in my street!

Next door have three cars..fair enough, there are 5 adults living there.
Parking is limited..all on road. Most of us park our vehicles considerately ..leaving only a small gap to free up the road for others. My next door neighbours don't. They just sort of abandon their cars where they see fit, often leaving a considerable gap not quite big enough to squeeze even my tiny car into.

MeeWhoo · 23/07/2015 13:11

I am probably one of the annoying ones who parks nect to your car on an empty bit of the parking.

I haven't been driving long, I am not great at parking and I am a shortarse, so I prefer not to park in between two cars if I dont have to (especially with 2 kids to get in and out of the car). However, I find it quite difficult to park between the lines in an empty parking lot as i have no reference at the front and back of the car and, being short I can't see the beggining/ end of the space very well with no other cars there. Having said that, I tend to park behind someone rather than next to them. (In any case I'm not in the UK so most of you don't have to worry!)

PatricianOfAnkhMorpork · 23/07/2015 13:27

MeeWhoo I'm also a shortarse but I nearly always reverse into parking bays as its as much easier to pull out. This is where you need your side mirrors properly set so that you can see the white lines, particularly the drivers side one. One you figure out how wide your car is and what the distortion is from the mirrors, its should be really easy to park slap in the middle of the space. Its sort of similar with the length of the car as you can usually work out the front of the space from where the white line is in relation to the nose of your car.

Basically you need to go to a car park and practice.

Sanityseeker75 · 23/07/2015 13:30

Slightly different but same parking theme - a couple of weeks ago we heard someone out side the house blaring their horn constantly so we guessed someone had blocked someone in (parking bays one side and garages the other but only 3 are used the rest are just sat empty). We knew it wasn't us as DH was in bay and I was parked the other side of the street in a bay as I couldn't get in by us. It was 10.30pm and then some mad cow decided to bang and bang on the glass on our porch door. I thought there must be a real problem so went and started unlocking doors and as I was unlocking porch door she started walking off - I went out to ask if there was a problem and she started shouting and swearing at me to move my car - someone had literally just dumped their car outside her garage. I told her that I could see why she was pissed off but it wasn't my car and seriously she just kept going on and on at me, it didn't mater how many times I said yes but it is not my car she just wouldn't have it. Another neighbour came out and she told her it wasn't our car and she then started having a go at her saying someone told her it was our car so it must be. I told the woman that it wasn't - even showed her the keys didn't work on the friggin car and said that she shouldn't be knocking more door like that again and instead of saying sorry she just still was ranting at me - at this point I told her if she knocked my door again like that I would knock her frigging head off, she threatened the car - I just walked in. She then went to park in a bay instead. I thought she was brave parking her car in the street after that as by this time a fair few people had come out and were not happy at the noise she was making.

What really shocked me was that she looked to be around 60-70 and had I had been some violent nut job she would not have stood a chance. I totally get why she was pissed but is it really worth putting yourself in potential danger?

WankerDeAsalWipe · 23/07/2015 13:32

The best tip for those not driving long that I was given about parking in a quiet area where you don't have the cars for reference is to look at the space you want to park in from quite a distance and then just let you eye guide you there - don't be tempted to focus on the lines etc as you get close as it doesn't work.

See the space you want, clock it properly and then focus on that using your peripheral vision for hazards and just steer straight in - Bob's your uncle.

MeeWhoo · 23/07/2015 13:36

Thanks Patrician. I always reverse park anyway as I find it easier.

I'm ok with parking more or less in the middle of the space, my main problem is I can't see too much over the bonnet so I end up with my front wheels too far away from the "road" and my back ones maybe invading the space behind me and then I have to get out of the car to check and correct . That's why I park behind people, so I can clearly see where the front bit of my space ends, or next to them so I can "align" wingmirrors

In any case I agree I need to practise some more, it is on my to do list...

MeeWhoo · 23/07/2015 13:41

Thanks DeAsal, i'll keep that in mind.

starfishmummy · 23/07/2015 13:54

One of our neighbours is like Chilli's and leaves big, but not car sized gaps, when street parking. Then as the other family meners arrive home they rearrange fheir cars ensuring that they are all parked near their house.

muminhants1 · 23/07/2015 14:33

What does annoy me a bit though is when I park miles from the entrance so that its a bit quieter, only to come back to cars parked on either side of me in an otherwise empty row......why do people do that?

I do that because I always reverse into a space and I can't tell where I am if there are just white lines on the floor. So I park next to a car or preferably inbetween two cars. Sorry!

thecatsarecrazy · 23/07/2015 14:33

I was sat in the passenger seat once in MacDonalds car park, was just about to get out and a van parked next door, at an angle way over the line and totally blocked me in. I opened the window and my dh said um we want to get out, he looked at us and said well how long you gonna be? then grunted reversed out and drove off.

muminhants1 · 23/07/2015 14:36

What annoys me is when there are two huge Chelsea tractors and and a space between them. I park between them and then realise I can't open the door. So because they drive over-sized cars, I can't use the space and have to go off and find another one.

WankerDeAsalWipe · 23/07/2015 15:20

I do that because I always reverse into a space and I can't tell where I am if there are just white lines on the floor. So I park next to a car or preferably inbetween two cars. Sorry!

Okay :o but if the car park is empty, why not just drive through and park in an otherwise empty space? I can guarantee that you can do that in the row I'm parked on as I love a drive through space - i'm not one for reversing :)

bigbluebus · 23/07/2015 17:04

wanker It's not just in work car parks where people who pay gym membership try and get a space nearest to the door - the do it at the bloody gym as well. They even park in the disabled spaces rather than on a back row 10 metres away . Always baffles me.

I have a DD who is a permanent wheelchair user, so drive a Wheelchair Accesible Vehicle (WAV). It has a rear entry ramp and one of those stickers that asks people to leave room for wheelchair access. I try and avoid parking on the road unless I can put the rear end of the car next to double yellow lines, a keep clear or a drop kerb with entrance to something. Would you believe I have still had people park behind me and been unable to get DD back in the car in her wheelchair. If people can't make allowances in those circumstances they are no way going to stop and think "hey, the person in the next car might want to get a child seat in so I'd better make sure I leave enough room"

Bex83 · 12/08/2015 14:32

I've got a child car seat sticker on my car asking others to leave a bit of room as I got sick of struggling to get my son into his car seat - got it from www.carkid.net

LurkingHusband · 12/08/2015 15:26

Would you believe I have still had people park behind me and been unable to get DD back in the car in her wheelchair

Yes

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