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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU parking thread

202 replies

TastingTheRainbow · 15/08/2019 12:18

Parking thread with a difference in that I am the one that parked inconsiderately and am now blocked in BUT I have a reason.

I am a midwife and was called out to an (unplanned and unexpected) home birth early this morning. Midwife 1 arrived before me and parked across the drive of the person giving birth. I arrived second and parked behind midwife 1 therefore blocking the neighbours drive.

Neighbours drive was empty so not blocking any car in and as it’s a typical new build estate there was no where else to park except miles away and when carrying heavy oxygen tanks etc. that’s not possible. Not very considerate granted but from what I understand it’s not illegal to block an empty driveway and in an emergency situation acceptable. I put a note in the windscreen explaining midwife on emergency call and left my phone number to call if it needs moving.

Have come out now and a car has parked behind me blocking both me and midwife 1 in (as I’m blocking her).

Not had a phone call from anyone asking me to move and have knocked on the house that the drive belongs to and there is no answer.

AIBU to think that while it’s annoying when you’re drive is blocked if you’re neighbour needs emergency attendance AND there is a note explaining this that you just put up with the inconvenience for a short time and don’t stop 2 midwives from attending to their other patients now.

Ps. If the house is owned by a mumnetter and you’re blocking in a black corsa, please let us out.

OP posts:
Magpiefeather · 15/08/2019 12:49

Or ask midwife 1 to move her car forwards as close as is possible to the car I. Front of her? Would give you a tiny bit of room to attempt to get out!

DragonOnFire · 15/08/2019 12:52

It is the neighbor's car? They are incredibly unreasonable. Poor new parents living next to these pricks.

Whether it's an inconvenience to them and any health issues they may have, the health care provider attending an emergency is the priority. You did all you could to explain & allow them to contact you.

Hope the police reprimand them accordingly and release you asap.

lunar1 · 15/08/2019 12:52

There are way too many details here of a very specific situation. This could easily be read and recognised by your patient or someone who knows her.

Original poster
TastingTheRainbow · 15/08/2019 12:55

@lunar1 The patient is obviously aware we are blocked in. The neighbours around can see we are blocked in and see is waiting by our cars. Anyone else has no clue what area this is or where I work or any details of the patient other than the fact that they’ve had a baby and so have no chance of recognising who it is. Bearing in mind the woman herself didn’t know she was pregnant I doubt anyone else knew she was pregnancy and is sitting there thinking “oh that must be x’s house”

OP posts:
HoneysuckIejasmine · 15/08/2019 12:56

Arsehole behaviour from the neighbour. No excuse for it.

MyCatHatesEverybody · 15/08/2019 12:58

I posted about my operation before you dripfed they had a double drive they could still get onto, especially since you actually said you blocked it, not parked across some of it.

Anyway, hope you get sorted soon.

elessar · 15/08/2019 13:01

Didn't know she was pregnant?! Wow.

If they weren't actually stopped from getting onto their drive then it seems like particularly unreasonable behaviour from them in the circumstances. Hope the police can help.

Nanny0gg · 15/08/2019 13:03

Any medical emergency trumps anyone's right to park on their drive.

I'm sure none of us would want medical personnel driving around looking for a parking space in a potential life-or-death situation.

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 15/08/2019 13:05

I posted about my operation before you dripfed they had a double drive they could still get onto, especially since you actually said you blocked it, not parked across some of it.
It wasn't a dripfeed, it was in the diagram.

MyCatHatesEverybody · 15/08/2019 13:09

@UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername The double drive looks blocked in the diagram, nearly everyone has some kind of border around their land so I wouldn't have assumed you could just drive over the corner.

FadedRed · 15/08/2019 13:09

Treat yourself to a foldeable trolley, costs about a tenner, and save yourself carrying heavy equipment. Your back will thank you for it.

Original poster
TastingTheRainbow · 15/08/2019 13:10

Right we are now leaving in a taxi, will update later.

OP posts:
Judashascomeintosomemoney · 15/08/2019 13:10

If they’re opposite a building site, it’s possible they often have their drive blocked and you’re the unfortunate straw that broke the camels back. Also, if someone parked across my drive and left a note saying ‘I’m a midwife’, I’m not entirely sure I’d believe it tbh.

Thehop · 15/08/2019 13:12

Post it on Facebook local pages and hope they’re pressured to move

Summerunderway · 15/08/2019 13:13

I was told police can get involved if your vehicle is a business one.... You need yours for your job op.

TuckMyWin · 15/08/2019 13:18

They might not have believed the note that she was a midwife, but wouldn't you ring the number to find out, rather than just deciding she was lying, blocking her in and buggering off?

strawberrypenguin · 15/08/2019 13:18

YWNBU and the person who's blocked you in is an asshole.

username678889 · 15/08/2019 13:25

Is the car in front of the midwife the patient? If so can't you get the keys and move it forward so you can all get out ?
I think yanbu if you left a note and you were sure enough room to get on the drive . Also the fact you knocked on and they ignored you .

Walkamileinmyshoes · 15/08/2019 13:27

Whoa .. welcome to modern UK. Where a midwife, presumably sent to an address she didn’t know, not sure what she’s going to find when she gets there, in the middle of the night, so I’m guessing who’s adrenaline levels are high (don’t they have to be, to get through these emergency situations), doesn’t immediately switch priorities from life-or-death situation to “oh my God, the next door neighbour might have just had an operation, I’d better make sure I switch my medical practitioner’s hat to Jeremy Clarkson’s”.
Jesus H Christ. I just cannot get over some people’s sense of entitlement.

Walkamileinmyshoes · 15/08/2019 13:30

OP there is literally NO situation, according to some people on Mumsnet, where you shouldn’t let your car hover in the air rather than inconvenience someone.

PanamaPattie · 15/08/2019 13:31

The woman was lucky that two MW turned up. I wonder why an ambulance wasn’t called?

flashdancer19 · 15/08/2019 13:34

I posted about my operation before you dripfed they had a double drive they could still get onto, especially since you actually said you blocked it, not parked across some of it.

No dripfeed as in the diagram and anyway having an operation wouldn't stop you being able to open the door and move you car.

OP, it's a bloody disgrace and the neighbour should be ashamed of themselves! In the meantime get the builders to bump the car out of the way?

God knows maternity staff are stretched enough without you being held up by an arsehole like that!

ItWentInMyEye · 15/08/2019 13:35

YANBU it was an emergency for God's sake!

loobyloo1234 · 15/08/2019 13:47

YANBU - people are such arseholes. You left a note - couldn't do any more than that in an emergency situation

To the person that mentioned 'drip-feed' - it's clear in the diagram Confused

Tonnerre · 15/08/2019 13:50

Could the father move their car forward to give midwife 1 a bit more space to jiggle out?