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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Bizarre Parking Stand-off (with diagram)

96 replies

PossiblyPFB · 14/01/2019 20:58

This afternoon, I parked up in a free 30 minute zone at the end of a long line of street parking in front of a shopping parade. There were several free spots available, and as I was parking facing oncoming traffic, and have a long car, I chose to park in the last space in the zone so that I wouldn’t inadvertently be blocked in if someone parked close, and have a good view to exit.

There was a full space left behind me with ample space for a car of any size to parallel park. After I got out of the car and was physically getting my dc out of the car on the kerbside, I noticed a woman pull up facing me, across an empty (!) space who was smiling, waving and flashing her lights at me. I looked up and she gestured for me to move my car. I ignored and continued helping my dc out of the car and put her on the pavement. The woman then opens her car door (pretty much into traffic) and really smilingly shouts out asking me to shift my car back so that she can park where I had parked.

I didn’t want to make a scene in front of my dc so I gave her a look and said, uh, I’ve already parked, could you not parallel park it behind me, or park it in the space you’re slung across? It was very odd. She said, big smile, ‘no, I’d like to park there, so if you could just bump it back that would be great.’

I was so shocked at her cheek in asking me to move my already parked car while removing a young dc from it- that I decided the best way is to give her the benefit of the doubt and just give in. I told Dd to stay put on the pavement and reversed the car so that she could have the space.

AIBU that this was off the charts bizarre behaviour when there were several alternative spaces, one of which she was slung across and could have reversed into? Not a huge deal in the scheme of things but..... mildly irritating. But....was I in the wrong to take the end space in the first place? I’m questioning everything now! It was so strange!!! Confused

Diagram attached.

WIBU????

Bizarre Parking Stand-off (with diagram)
OP posts:
theresaspiderinthesink · 14/01/2019 21:08

I thought guinea pigs too!

Zintox · 14/01/2019 21:08

I wouldn’t have moved. How weird of her.

Beautiful diagram and handwriting OP. Top marks.

Sparklingbrook · 14/01/2019 21:08

She was very unreasonable especially as you had to leave your DC on the pavement while you did it. I would have said no.

Whatelsecouldibecalled · 14/01/2019 21:11

Best parking diagram seen for a while. Also you have beautiful handwriting.

She WBU by the way x

theresaspiderinthesink · 14/01/2019 21:11

She's a cf and lazy parker who cant parallel park. Yanbu.

popcornwizard · 14/01/2019 21:11

I don't see guinea pigs, i see tics.

And a crazy lady who can't park. Insane.

AssassinatedBeauty · 14/01/2019 21:13

She was being beyond cheeky and you should not have moved your car! Just say no and walk away.

NicolaStart · 14/01/2019 21:13

How old is your Dd that was left standing in the pavement?

The whole thing could have been part of a kidnap plot Shock

PossiblyPFB · 14/01/2019 21:13

Yep I have to agree car design is not my calling.....

I do have RBF and maximised it. She knew I wasn’t pleased. DD is year 2 so old enough to stay put, any younger and I would 100% not have trusted her to. As we walked off, she asked me, why were you mad at that lady, mummy? I said, because that lady is LAZY sweetheart.

Part of me almost put DD back in the car and took loads of time buckling her in etc, but decided against it.

It would have been simple for her to pull forward and back into the empty space she was slung across. Too strange!

OP posts:
HappyLazzer · 14/01/2019 21:14

I'm really struggling with this because on the one hand you moved for the CF instead of leaving her to park in the numerous other parking spaces available, but on the other hand your diagram is amazing and the guinea-pig cars hilariously cute.

TSSDNCOP · 14/01/2019 21:14

She obviously couldn’t PP, and she had plenty of front asking you to back up.

That said, parking like you did is a bit “well I’m alright Jack”.

Guineapiglet345 · 14/01/2019 21:14

YWNBU! In future be more assertive and practise saying ‘NO’ with a big cheery grin and then walk away, if they shout anything after you just ignore.

If they can’t parallel park then they should take some additional lessons, nothing pisses me off more than people who ‘aren’t very good at driving’. You’re in charge of a vehicle that’s capable of taking someone’s life, you should make every effort to be the best at driving you can be and if you’re nervous or just generally not able to do certain manoeuvres then you ought to hand your licence back or take steps to improve.

Guineapiglet345 · 14/01/2019 21:15

Rant over!

mumsastudent · 14/01/2019 21:18

(off subject Rorschach Test - wonder what this seeing things in shapes means - tics versus guinea pigs - mmm interesting!)

TheFrequentNameChangingLady · 14/01/2019 21:18

Hang on, you left your young child unsupervised on the side of a busy road whilst you moved your car for a cheeky fucker? Seriously?
Are you stupid?

Trumpton · 14/01/2019 21:20

Maybe , just maybe , her guinea pig doesn’t have a reverse gear ?
Random thought can guinea pigs reverse ? Grin

Bigonesmallone3 · 14/01/2019 21:20

U need a back bone OP not a hope in hell of me restarting and moving my car because someone wants MY space

JustJoinedRightNow · 14/01/2019 21:22

I asked the PP that too and she’s explained the age of her DD (not technically a young child) so asking her if she’s stupid is pretty uncalled for!

Lazypuppy · 14/01/2019 21:23

YABU for moving your car!! How ridiculous

grinchypants · 14/01/2019 21:25

I just clicked on this because it said there was a diagram Grin

StealthPolarBear · 14/01/2019 21:26

Your DD looks a bit thin too. Are you feeding her enough?

BovrilOverkillOhMyInsides · 14/01/2019 21:28

I wouldn't have moved. What a CF. Wonderful pigs, OP.

Jux · 14/01/2019 21:30

A couple of years ago, dd and her (then) bf were driving somewhere when they found a side road they wanted to go down blocked by a car - with driver sitting in it.. They waited for the driver to move thear so they could get by, but she just sat there doing nothing. After a while, dd's bf got out to investigate. Turned out, the woman "couldn't reverse"; not that there was no room to reverse, but that she actually didn't know how to (make of that what you will).

Maybe your strange driver couldn't reverse and wanted to sweep into the space forwards?

PETRONELLAS · 14/01/2019 21:30

Gorgeous writing, great diagram. This is the gold standard!

PossiblyPFB · 14/01/2019 21:30

Actually, I’m not stupid, thanks. I’m a forthright person actually, the strangeness of the situation threw me off.

It’s a raised pavement in front of the shops, with three steps up from the parking spaces to the pavement, well away from the road or any danger. Dd is 7 years old so not a toddler! She very obviously wasn’t standing in the road. And because I’m a competent driver, the reverse procedure took less than 5 seconds. I was back with her within 10 seconds, tops.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have moved it for the CF but I didn’t and absolutely wouldn’t ever endanger my child.

Glad everyone is enjoying the Pigs! Smile

OP posts: