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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parking - was I in the wrong?

56 replies

twosoups1972 · 03/06/2019 17:06

Parked in my local town today, spaces are diagonal to the road. There was a space in the end one so I pulled in but when I tried to get out the car, I couldn't as there was a bollard in the way. So moved the car slightly to the left to allow me to get out (and even then it was tight). I did notice there wasn't much space next to the next car but hoped it would be all right and I was only going to be about 20 mins.

When I got back to my car, some women were sitting in the car next to me. Woman in the back starts telling me that it was difficult for the driver to get in and she has a disability. I apologised and tried to explain about the bollard on the other side but she wasn't having any of it.

Should I not have parked there at all? I know it wasn't ideal but wasn't it slightly better that she could get into her car with some difficulty rather than me not get out at all?

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 03/06/2019 17:08

It wasn’t her problem you couldn’t get in and out your car. At least, it wasn’t until you made it her problem.

You should have found a space where everyone could get out.

BarrenFieldofFucks · 03/06/2019 17:08

Could you have moved forward or backward to allow you to open the door?

CheeseToastieAndABrew · 03/06/2019 17:08

Reverse in next time? Technically if you were within the lines YANBU but only you know.

BarrenFieldofFucks · 03/06/2019 17:09

Or come out and reversed in?

dementedpixie · 03/06/2019 17:09

Were you within the space? If so, you have parked ok

TheRealShatParp · 03/06/2019 17:10

Depends how close you parked? It’s very annoying when people park really close.
We’re the lines?

dementedpixie · 03/06/2019 17:10

And she must have been able to get in or she wouldn't have been in there

familycourtq · 03/06/2019 17:11

If you didn't leave a reasonable amount of space for the driver of the adjacent car that's a little inconsiderate isn't it? Only you can decide if you care OP.

Original poster
twosoups1972 · 03/06/2019 17:11

Yes there were lines and I was within them. I usually reverse into spaces but couldn't here as the spaces were diagonal and on a narrow slip road so no room.

OP posts:
Original poster
twosoups1972 · 03/06/2019 17:12

family I do care which is why I am worrying about it now! I just didn't appreciate a mouthful when I was trying to explain about the bollard (and apologise).

OP posts:
BruceAndNosh · 03/06/2019 17:13

I know it wasn't ideal but wasn't it slightly better that she could get into her car with some difficulty rather than me not get out at all?
You knew when you parked the car that you hadn't left enough space.
But you parked anyway.

NailsNeedDoing · 03/06/2019 17:18

If you were in the lines then you did nothing wrong. Don't worry about it.

TixieLix · 03/06/2019 17:18

Sometimes even when you're within the marked bay there isn't enough room. I went to the local supermarket early this morning and, despite there being hundreds of empty spaces, this daft woman parked her car in the bay right next to mine, and left barely any room for me to open my door. I drive a Fiesta, so not a big car by any means, and hers wasn't a tank either. In your case it was unfortunate there was a bollard there, but if it had meant me having to park very close to another car I probably would have found somewhere else to park if possible. You have to leave people enough room to open their doors a reasonable amount.

Crustaceans · 03/06/2019 17:19

You needed to specify that you were within the white lines in your OP. The way you’ve written it sounds like you stole some of another space.

Nicknacky · 03/06/2019 17:19

You can be within lines and still park inconsiderately. You need to park in the centre of the lines which the op didn’t do.

fairweathercyclist · 03/06/2019 17:19

You can't reverse into those diagonal spaces very well.

OP I used to worry about whether people next to me could open their doors. I'd park in a space, realise it was tight even though I was perfectly within the lines and I could squeeze in/out and go and find another one. Sometimes I'd move more than once.

Then I realised that in nearly all cases, the reason it was tight was because they had a massive SUV. At that point I decided tough. My car is old, I don't care if they scratch it and perhaps they will learn to n drive less anti-social cars. I really have little patience with people driving massive cars and then parking them in tiny spaces.

This is a different situation but I don't think it's up to you to make sure there is plenty of space around the other car, only to park within the lines.

You could not know that she could not shuffle over from the passenger side, but if she had a disability she really should have parked somewhere else (I realise it might not be bad enough for a blue badge but if you need lots of space you need to park accordingly). Had she managed to get into to drivers seat or were they both waiting in the back? If the former she'd got in even with difficulty.

EleanorOalike · 03/06/2019 17:19

Can you clarify if you were in the lines and if she was sat in her car when she said all this to you?

Original poster
twosoups1972 · 03/06/2019 17:20

bruce I wasn't sure if it was enough. It was close-ish but not that close, if I was the driver of the other car I definitely would have had enough room to get in. But I suppose it depends on the size of the driver.....

OP posts:
AgeBeforeBeauty · 03/06/2019 17:20

How did the women get into their car then? That's why they have disabled spaces in many places, so they have extra room to get in and out. It happens sometimes, don't worry about it. As long as you don't do it all the time Hmm

Original poster
twosoups1972 · 03/06/2019 17:22

fairweather driver was already sitting in driving seat. It was her friend or family member sitting in back seat with whom I had the conversation.

OP posts:
NewarkShark · 03/06/2019 17:23

If you parked in the lines then you did nothing wrong.

If there was another space free that had more space then that would have been better but if not, then what we’re you supposed to do?

NewarkShark · 03/06/2019 17:23

*were

TheAverageJuror · 03/06/2019 17:24

It's all good to say "if you were within the lines, it's ok" but parking right by one side of the line, when othercar is there can greatly impact on whether the other person can get in or not. So even if one is within the lines, the parking can be unreasonable. As other PP I can't workout why you couldn't go back ir front a bit to avoid the bollard?

HolesinTheSoles · 03/06/2019 17:26

I don't really see why OP is in the wrong if she was within the lines.

EleanorOalike · 03/06/2019 17:29

Sorry cross posted. If you were in the lines then she should have been alright. Some people just like to have a go.

We were having gas works done on our entire street and I couldn’t access my front path, having to park on my drive and use the backdoor. There was no parking available on the road at all.

My neighbour is elderly and her daughter transports her whenever needed but refuses to park in the large driveway. She parked completely across my driveway, blocking me in and gave me a mouthful when I had to politely and kindly ask her if she could please park in her mum’s driveway as I couldn’t get in and out for work (I work two jobs and have an hours commute for one).

The next day she blocked my drive way parking right across it again and I’d done my weekly shop and couldn’t get in to unload my shopping. As there was no on road parking at all, I would have had to park on another road far away and walk back and forward with about 12 shopping bags. The gas men let me double park while I got her and politely asked her to park in her mums driveway again and she went mad and started slagging me off to all the gas men! She kept saying her mother couldn’t walk to the car and that I was selfish and inconsiderate but we both live in detached houses and her driveway is wide and right next to her front door whilst mine is a fair walk away. The gas men did explain she should park in her mum’s driveway rather than completely preventing access to mine but she was furious.

Some people just like to be difficult!