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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:
glitterfarts · 14/01/2019 22:04

I park like you originally did all the time outside my own house, leaving the space outside NDN free. Not because of convenience, but because I have a big car and it would totally block the light from their front room and she has a baby.

If people can't parallel park they shouldn't be driving, it's a basic skill. Surely it is tested when you get your licence?

Betty777 · 14/01/2019 22:05

God people on here can be so unnecessarily rude.
'It could have been a kidnap plot', 'your child could have run into the road', 'she could have mounted the pavement'......errr yeah, but if we thought like that about parenting then we'd never leave the house??? My DC is much more likely to smash his own face in falling off his scooter.

I'm sure she wasn't parking on the side of the M1, or she probably wouldn't have left her child there to move the car? Hmm

Plus she was smiling the whole time whilst asking? Bloody odd but I possibly would have moved it too (i'm normally a cold-hearted cow but occasionally am overwhelmed with trying to help pathetic people)

1Redacted1 · 14/01/2019 22:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WellBHoise · 14/01/2019 22:07

I want a guinea pig car!

meow1989 · 14/01/2019 22:12

Beautiful diagram, although it took me ages to realise it was a key in the left and side and I couldn't work out why parallel parking was needed!

She was BVU and odd, I wouldn't have moved.

Hohofortherobbers · 14/01/2019 22:16

Fabulous diagram, I've never seen better. You didn't have to move but if you hadn't and she was a bad patker your car might have come off worse so you probably did the best thing. Your 7 year old dd was absolutely fine standing on the pavement for this, as I'm sure she is every day for a multitude of other reasons Hmm some people....

PossiblyPFB · 14/01/2019 22:19

Early prototype

Bizarre Parking Stand-off (with diagram)
OP posts:
TokyoSushi · 14/01/2019 22:20

She wanted to park there because she's crap at parking, she won't admit it so goes around forcing others out of parking spaces with a smile and a tinkly laugh. Very odd behaviour!

PS your diagram is beautiful, what fabulous handwriting!

Yabbers · 14/01/2019 22:28

But.....even if she couldn’t parallel park, the empty space on the other side of the junction was free.

YWBU for moving. Would have been a big fat nope from me, and there would be no fight because I’d just walk off.

YABVU for doing such a beautiful diagram. Puts the rest of us to shame.

cushioncuddle · 14/01/2019 22:28

My son drove into a car park for a Sainsbury's local and another car also drove in behind him.
Son drove straight into a parking space and got out the car.
The lady in the car that drove in behind him wound down her window and started shouting at him to move his car as it was her space.
Son asked why she thought that.
She said she could tell she spotted it before him so it was hers !!!
There are bonkers people out there with bonkers logic !

SophiaLovesSummer · 14/01/2019 22:28

Oh OP I've been here since was all fields and hills and in aaallllllllllll those years yours is the BEST DIAGRAM EVER GrinStarGrin

SophiaLovesSummer · 14/01/2019 22:29

But obv not long enough to get my asterixes and bolding right tho Blush

PossiblyPFB · 14/01/2019 22:31

Awwww thannnks! 😊 amazing what you can achieve in dry January.

I might be a ‘Bad Mother’ but I’ve got mad diagram skills & kick-ass handwriting going for me, so.... 😂

OP posts:
Sophisticatedsarcasm · 14/01/2019 22:35

I’d have given her the finger, people like her really piss me off....

GoGoGadgetGin · 14/01/2019 22:36

I am so jealous of your handwriting and guinea pigs!! For me this is the only point to the thread!!

greathat · 14/01/2019 22:37

I love the guinea pig cars. My guineas can reverse very well. Much better than I can parallel park

Fromage · 14/01/2019 22:38

How utterly bizarre.

fwiw I'm more up for a confrontation and had I been on my own, I would have said 'No, I don't need to do that - you should park properly in the space you're already in' or I would've asked 'why?'

BUT

if I had my young child with me, I probably would have done the same to avoid confrontation.

And if I put on here half the life-endangering things I've put the kids through, I would be banished from mumsnet forever. Ignore the 'you are a bad mother! You did a reasonable normal thing using your own judgement and knowledge of your own child, who I have never met, wherein you, a competent adult, put her in no danger whatsoever but SHE COULD HAVE DIED/BEEN KIDNAPPED/EXPLODED etc.'

If anyone says that to you in real life, chuck one of your guinea pigs at them. Grin

delboysskinandblister · 14/01/2019 22:38

I love your guinea pigs, handwriting and niceness to the CF.

Think she has done you a favour.... If you hadn't have move she would have not pulled out properly and probably pranged your car.

But I would feel exactly as you. So on that count you are not unreasonable.

freshfoodpeople · 14/01/2019 23:09

I want need an early prototype guinea pig car.

I wouldn't have moved my car. If I'm driving around and can't find a space that meets my needs at that moment I just keep driving until I do. It would never occur to me to ask someone to move their vehicle!

Jux · 15/01/2019 11:48

I hope Mercedes or Bentley read this thread and see that the future is not just guinea pig cars, but generally small rodent cars. I would love to see guineas and rats and cutey little vole cars all driving about.

veggiepigsinpastryblankets · 15/01/2019 11:58

I have to say I read your OP gleefully looking forward to this woman kicking off and looking stupid when you (rightly) wouldn't move. Well done for being the bigger person!

I used to be crap at parallel parking but it never occurred to me to demand someone else move to accommodate me. Instead I practised in quiet places until I could do it. Because not being able to manoeuvre your own rodent car is embarrassing, not something you draw attention to!

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