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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parking AIBU (with diagram)

103 replies

woolythoughts · 14/11/2017 11:18

So me and a and a red mini got into a head to head this morning – and I don’t think I was in the wrong.

I drove into the car park first, red mini followed. I see a space A (the one I ended up in) so I go for it. Make manoeuvres roughly like the ones in black in order to drive through into space. My car is a long wheel base so can’t just turn into a space in right car parks.

Red mini goes up other row. I presume they are going to park in space B.

No, actually what she was wanting to do was reverse back into space A. Except I was driving into it having completed my manoeuvre.

She kicks off at me for stealing her space – except I didn’t as it was where I was going all along and she was behind me!

Who was right and who was wrong?

Parking AIBU (with diagram)
OP posts:
Nothingrhymeswithfamily · 14/11/2017 11:56

I had one like this, we were both waiting for a space in a busy spot. When we started indicating the other car was over the other side of the car park. But we were there first, they just didn't see it. We let them "win" as whats the alternative, a massive pointless screaming match.

I have to drive a van sometimes and i probably would have backed down and found another space, as what you should have done was park behind the mini when you saw her reversing. But your car is too big to do that.

FlowerPot1234 · 14/11/2017 11:56

correction: I meant as they are reversing into a space...

RhiWrites · 14/11/2017 11:59

It’s a lovely diagram OP but you should drive through spaces, you were wrong not to take one on the row you were in.

It’s also kind of annoying to say you did what you did because your car is so bif and you can’t reverse it easily. That’s a problem you created yourself and others shouldn’t have to deal with it.

Go on your way and drive through no more.

glitterbiscuits · 14/11/2017 12:00

Gold star for the diagram!

I always drive through double spaces. Quadruple if I can! As long as the car park is quiet

But as you drove past the row with the space in I would have been surprised to see you if I was the Mini.

JudyGrandChamp · 14/11/2017 12:01

Although I, like many, have done this when there's no one around, legally you can't cross a continuous white line, and I am pretty sure there would have been one at the end of the first space you drove into.

SoupDragon · 14/11/2017 12:01

You were both probably unreasonable and reasonable at the same time but I'm not sure having a go at you was worth it.

I'm not sure why all the faffing about with a 3 (ish!) point turn in the lane behind A was easier than going into A at a shallow angle straight through to the space behind it though.

SoupDragon · 14/11/2017 12:02

legally you can't cross a continuous white line

How do you exit driveways that have one of those H bars painted on the road then?

FlowerPot1234 · 14/11/2017 12:03

JudyGrandChamp
Although I, like many, have done this when there's no one around, legally you can't cross a continuous white line

Grin Ha ha!

Er.. you are joking, aren't you?

RatRolyPoly · 14/11/2017 12:03

People who provide good diagrams can park where they like.

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 14/11/2017 12:05

You should only drive through like the OP did if you are absolutely sure that no-one else is trying to drive into that space from the front ie the proper direction.
If you are reversing in a car park, you have to keep a look out for other cars driving along the rows, plus pedestrians, plus other cars reversing out od their space. The last thing you need is someone driving into your space from the back!

problembottom · 14/11/2017 12:06

Fabulous diagram but I think YWBU to drive through like that, you were in the wrong lane for the space.

When you drive an Audi A8 do you not just encroach on everyone in parking spaces all the time and get on their tits?!

RagingFemininist · 14/11/2017 12:06

You were both NBU (or BU whatever you prefer).

In effect you both dealt with choosing your space in your own way. Neither of you could have known what the plan of the other was.
I have in the past found myself trying to get into a space when the other véhicule came in from the other side. I never thought they were ‘wrong’ for doing so.

However, she was very wrong for the shouting etc... esp as there was many spaces round for her to get into.

JacquesHammer · 14/11/2017 12:06

To the people saying "I've always done it, who says it isn't allowed".

It is fine to do providing you are sure no-one is going for the space you're driving through into.

The OP drove through into a space someone else was going to reverse park into and therefore was unreasonable.

I think someone must have had a contretemps in our local car parks - spaces used to be as per the OP's diagram; you could drive through one row into the next. Over one weekend they suddenly changed and are now offset so you can't Grin

pinyata · 14/11/2017 12:07

If this goes via the insurance it will be most likely settled on a 50/50 basis.

If anything the onus would be on you as you can she her vehicle reversing and continued to driver through a space into a second, you may have been in her blind spot. however as you have advised that you were stationary at the time of impact technically she reversed into a stationary car. Though she likely thinks you were still moving 2 different version of events and without CCTV or witnesses will be settled 50/50 both will lose NCD and have to pay excess.

I worked for a large insurance company dealing with refuted liability claims and this would be my opinion Smile

MyKingdomForBrie · 14/11/2017 12:09

She obviously has some anger issues if she was shouting at you over that!! It would have irritated me to be reversing into a space and then find you shooting into it, especially as you could have stopped on the first space you came in to, but I don’t think you broke any rules and annoying things do happen without the need to yell about them.

MilkTwoSugarsThanks · 14/11/2017 12:10

It's not so much that driving through to the space opposite is not "allowed" as it's "considered unsafe and bad practice".

GabriellaMontez · 14/11/2017 12:10

Can't drive through a space?! Who said?

Course you can. Although if someone was actively driving in it would be bad form. Not sure on the timing here, were you already parked and she was going round?

Anyhow as there were loads of places why did she bother? YANBU.

TonicAndTonic · 14/11/2017 12:11

Although I, like many, have done this when there's no one around, legally you can't cross a continuous white line, and I am pretty sure there would have been one at the end of the first space you drove into.

OK, I'll bite. How do you get in and out of spaces like this then without crossing the continuous white line? Grin

Parking AIBU (with diagram)
Skyechasemarshalsfanmum · 14/11/2017 12:14

I do not think it would be settled 50/50 with that diagram as op should not have driven through and mini was doing the right thing reversing into a space.

She should not have a go but may have been shaken thinking there could have been a bump betweens yous.

Beamur · 14/11/2017 12:17

I've never heard you shouldn't drive through a parking space! It's one of my small joys in life to do this and not have to reverse.
Surely the solid line rule is for highways, not (private) parking places like supermarkets?

JaneEyre70 · 14/11/2017 12:18

I was reversing into a space the other day when a driver did the same to me - drove through the space behind and took the one I was reversing into. I stopped, got out and acted all horrified "oh my goodness aren't my reversing lights working", they said they are - so I just smiled and said "well you have the space it's clearly very important to you" and got back into the car. Spaces are to be bloody parked in, not driven through Angry

LimePickleEnthusiast · 14/11/2017 12:19

First of all, superb diagram! Very pleasing.

I think you were both in the wrong. You were driving through another space to get to the one you wanted. She wanted the same space but wasn't indicating. You were both expecting each other to be mind readers.

She was more wrong because she made a fuss. It's hardly a big deal if there were more spaces. You were more right because you provided us with a brilliant diagram.

MinervaSaidThar · 14/11/2017 12:19

OP's was the smart move.

I assume if OP had seen that the woman was trying that reverse in, she would have let her have the space.

Guavaf1sh · 14/11/2017 12:21

YABU

TheBadgersMadeMeDoIt · 14/11/2017 12:23

I don’t think you were unreasonable in the way you parked. Some parking spaces are tricky to getting into even with a medium-sized car, so you have to manoeuvre however you can. As long as you’re careful I don’t see the problem.

But the mini-driver wasn’t unreasonable either - she couldn’t tell what you were planning to do. However, she was unreasonable for accusing you of stealing her space. It wasn’t hers, and she had no right to have a go at you.

And congratulations on the excellent diagram.