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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:
Travis1 · 15/08/2019 14:50

@diz29 you know different trusts work in different ways? Just because it wouldn't happen in your area doesn't mean it wouldn't happen anywhere Hmm

purplecardigan · 15/08/2019 14:50

Don't agree diz. As a midwife our trust has only just stopped us being sent out to BBA's (even unplanned/concealed pregnancies). Just because your trust doesn't does not make OP a liar!

LaMarschallin · 15/08/2019 14:53

I should also explain that my post was in reply to diz29 who had expressed doubts about the veracity of the situation.
In quite strong terms.

Is that ok to say?
Otherwise it just looks like I'm randomly casting doubts whereas my post was meant in quite the opposite way.

MrsMozartMkII · 15/08/2019 14:55

What an arse!

Hope it's resolved soonest OP.

Samcro · 15/08/2019 14:57

I am confused
the op left the note on her own car? so I assume neighbour comes back, see's car blocking part of their drive and blocks them. most likely that have their drive blocked a lot if there is a building site opposite.

Travis1 · 15/08/2019 14:59

Yes @samcro but OP says she left the note on her back window and car has parked right up her arse so in theory should have been able to see the note without issue.

StormTreader · 15/08/2019 15:01

It sounds like the first midwife didnt leave enough room between her car and the car by the wall if she cant get out to then let you out.

Samcro · 15/08/2019 15:02

or they might not have. just saying that chance's are they didn't.
the lady the op was dealing with didn't know she was pregnant , so it s not like the neighbour would.
just think its odd the way the neighbour is being deemed and arse. normally blocker of drives get slated on mn.

OrchidInTheSun · 15/08/2019 15:03

Not blockers of drives who leave notes explaining they are a midwife attending an emergency Samcro.

FuriousCheekyFucker · 15/08/2019 15:16

Was this the note?

AIBU parking thread
Lllot5 · 15/08/2019 15:17

If the patient didn’t know she was pregnant than the neighbour wouldn’t know, maybe they didn’t believe your note.
I’d be inclined to go and get a couple of builders to bump car out the way.

LakieLady · 15/08/2019 15:17

YANBU.

If the neighbours saw the note and blocked you anyway, they are arseholes.

Even if I was blocked in my drive, and I saw a note on the "offending" vehicle, I'd be forgiving in these circumstances.

supersop60 · 15/08/2019 15:20

YANBU.

Technonan · 15/08/2019 15:21

I'm amazed anyone would find this unreasonable. What I would find unreasonable is the midwife arriving too late to save the woman giving birth or the baby because they didn't want to park across an empty drive. Priorities, people.

redcarbluecar · 15/08/2019 15:30

YANBU. You left a note.

littlewriggler · 15/08/2019 15:33

I don't think anyone is being unreasonable, except the posters here who would have a problem with it!
You should be entitled to park as close to the house as you can when attending an emergency, it's an emergency.
But, I don't think the neighbour has blocked you in on purpose. They probably saw the note and thought oh OK, I'll just park behind instead of calling them out to get onto my drive. They probably didn't think to check to see if you were blocked in at the front too.

longtompot · 15/08/2019 15:33

YANBU Its annoying to have someone park across your driveway, but people are allowed to providing you are not blocking a car in. There is clearly space for the neighbour to park on their drive, but looks like they have decided to be an arse about it. You can bet they are inside watching what is going on.

flamingjune123 · 15/08/2019 15:34

Of course YWNBU. Thank God for midwives like you

HunterHearstHelmsley · 15/08/2019 15:35

I'm just going through this in my head, as though it was my drive.

I really don't think I'd stop and read a note. I'd be pissed off that someone was over my drive and wouldn't check.

Random question, but what is the note written in? Is it one of those big laminated ones or just written in biro?

My thoughts are definitely that the neighbour has got home, seen a car blocking his drive, parked and gone inside. If he was late back/working nights then he is probably asleep. I disconnect the doorbell and wouldn't hear the door being knocked.

Jaxhog · 15/08/2019 15:49

I wouldn't normally condone someone parking across a drive, but I think you did the best you could in the circumstances. I'm guessing they didn't see your note, as it would be pretty unreasonable to block you in if they did.

Hope everyone is ok, and you get things sorted.

smileylottie87 · 15/08/2019 15:50

I have a double width drive entrance, which people park across frequently. It's can be annoying but as long as I can get on my drive it really doesn't bother me. This was a medical emergency and the car blocking you in is being an arse, even if they didn't read the note they could still get on their drive.

whatsleep · 15/08/2019 16:05

Of course you aren’t unreasonable, would it be ok to block another emergency vehicle? No it wouldn’t so this is really no different other than your vehicle is not immediately recognised as being one. They must have had a close look at yours (and seen your note) as they were manoeuvring their car as close as they could to yours so they are just being total tossers in my opinion 🤬

WhenYouCantRunYouCrawl · 15/08/2019 16:15

FFS some of the responses on this thread. Of course you were not being unreasonable.

Not a single person would question it if you had turned up in an ambulance instead of your own car.

All you people banging on about hypothetical situations with the driveway owner being inconvenienced need to give your heads a wobble. I hope you never need emergency personnel who can't get to you because of fecking parking. Honestly it's times like this when I understand why Mumsnet has the reputation it does for being full of middle class airheads.

Pinkflipflop85 · 15/08/2019 16:24

Some people would question it if it was an ambulance though. We've had lots of cases in our area where horrid arsey notes have been left on ambulances parked up on call.

RelaisBlu · 15/08/2019 16:25

If it was a double driveway that was empty, perhaps it would have been better to park on the driveway itself, rather than blocking it? You should still leave a note of course.

I once came home to find a car parked in my drive (which has room for several cars) with a note saying "Emergency doctor on call". This was fine and a much better option than blocking my drive as I could still get in!