To think this was a complete over reaction on her part and no need for this behaviour , person parking in parent space when disabled.

[fatisnotafeeling]

I am a Personal care assistant and support an elderly lady in her 80s who has had a stroke, struggles to walk and has a disabled badge.

I take her food shopping on a Friday to a small Waitrose, it has a very small car park with 4 disabled bays and 2 parent and child spaces.
When we arrived there were no disabled bays but there was a parent one so I took that one and we proceeded to get out the car.
We were then confronted by a lady with a baby in her car shouting that we didn't have a child and should not be fucking parking there. I responded that we had a disabled badge and could park there, she proceeded to call me a slag and drove off at speed.

When we went into the shop we approached customer services and explained that we had parked in the space and did have a badge that was displayed. This lady then came in the shop and began ranting that she has a baby and we had parked in a parent space and shouldn't have, I just repeated we have a badge and my client cannot walk distances and we are able to legally park in those spaces.
More staff members including the Floor manager and store manager were telling her to calm down and we had every right to park in the space. She called me a skank and stormed off.
She was very aggressive and at the point I was shaking and verging on tears. She then came back again shouting and screaming that I am a fucking bitch and how would I feel if i had a baby (I have 3 DC).

I had the the managers between me and her and another staff member took me to the side away from it, apologised said I had done nothing wrong. I'm ashamed to say I had started crying by this point. Me and my client were both given flowers by the staff.

AIBU to think that there is just no need for behaviour like this and that I did nothing wrong. I know some people have things going on that we don't know about and I always take that in to account when out, I feel on the verge of a panic attack now and this happened nearly 3 hours ago.

I wish I could give you a big hug OP. I also wish i’d Have been there because I would have given her a piece of my mind.

Dandelion1993 Fri 10-May-19 14:38:29
What she did was awful but part of me thinks maybe she's had a rough night of no sleep and that was just her tipping point.

Bingo.
There it is.
There's always one.
Always.

I just don't feel that behaviour like that has any space in Waitrose a civilised society

I think I would have rung the police. that is terrible behaviour and very threatening.

I can't thank you all enough for your kind words, it has helped calm me down so much knowing that others are in agreement that I did nothing wrong.

When I was at customer services explaining what had happened in the car park, before she came in, I did suggest that they put a sign up saying that the spaces could be used by disabled badge holders. I think when I go back in I will ask to speak to a manager and see what can be done about that.

My charge has had a stroke and has limited to use of her arms and her legs, the only way she can get out is if we can get a disabled space because she just can't walk very far at all, and that is regardless of where we go. She is the most amazing woman, so very kind and would do anything for anyone so it has upset me for her because she would not inconvenience anyone if she had the choice.

She should have been told she was banned from the shop silly entitled cow! She should have been reported to the police/social services.

AIBU to think that there is just no need for behaviour like this and that I did nothing wrong.

YABVU to ask. You obviously know the behaviour like that is unacceptable regardless of any excuses or reasons. You had the full backing of the shop to further confirm it is not acceptable behaviour and you did nothing wrong. So why do you still have to ask the question? Why not just say this happened to me today, knocked me for six a bit and I feel shite/emotional and need some sympathy or help processing how shaken you feel.

... and I thought only posh people shop at Waitrose. Clearly not

hope you ok, OP! she obviously has issues.

Out of curiousity, did u check if the people parking in the disabled bays had batches. My local Asda (I know, less posh) has 4 bays and usually occupied. rarely with a BB on display.

When I was at customer services explaining what had happened in the car park, before she came in, I did suggest that they put a sign up saying that the spaces could be used by disabled badge holders. I think when I go back in I will ask to speak to a manager and see what can be done about that.

I think you are clearly overthinking this. Just park there next time. There really isn't any need to explain to CS why you parked there.

@clutterqu33n the problem I have is now, regardless of her right to park there, my charge will insist that we don't and that we wait for a disabled bay or return another time . She is an 80 yr old lady who wants to desperately keep her freedom, this will have knocked her confidence a lot and she does not like to inconvenience other people.

If they have a sign I am sure she would feel much more comfortable parking in these spaces should a disabled one not be available.

Would a formal letter from the store manager saying she can park there help? I'm sure they would do that. A sign might be more tricky and will take longer even if they agree to put one up.

Could you ask the manager at Waitrose to give your lady a letter stating that she has their permission to park in their P+C if the BB's are full?

We all know it's not necessary, but people of her generation are far too nice to do something they think may inconvenience someone else, even with a verbal OK from the store.

Wow she sounds like a right charmer! You didn't do anything wrong OP!

She sounds like an awful person and you were very unlucky to bump into her. The needs of an elderly lady who cannot walk far definitely trump's the convenience for a mother with a baby.

There is not enough spaces for every mother anyway so if you are lucky enough to get one great if not not.

Brokenwing - ODFOD

What is wrong with some people?!
I have 2 DC and am heavily pregnant but would give up a parent space for a clearly disabled elderly person!
She sounds crazy OP. The staff sound lovely and at least they helped you