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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:
Owlypants · 15/08/2019 16:27

Maybe the owner of the other car didn't think the note was genuine. If the new mum had no idea that she was pregnant its highly unlikely the neighbour did. Bit concerned that 2 midwives were sent out rather than an ambulance in that situation.

CallmeAngelina · 15/08/2019 16:39

FuriousCheekyFucker, GrinGrin

Bookworm4 · 15/08/2019 16:48

The offending car could get on their drive, they’re deliberately being arseholes.

TheQueef · 15/08/2019 16:52

I think blocking an emergency vehicle should be A criminal offence.
The last thing you want an emergency midwife to do is ensure she parks courteous and legal! Emergency, she's needed elsewhere.

TheQueef · 15/08/2019 16:53

I would have bumped the twats car out of the way.
Necky fucker.

AlpacaGoodnight · 15/08/2019 17:22

YANBU it was an emergency, of course the neighbour should have been understanding!

AlpacaGoodnight · 15/08/2019 17:25

Ps hope mother and baby are doing well! NHS midwives are AMAZING!Flowers

Jimdandy · 15/08/2019 17:31

I think Midwife 1 is the unreasonable one. Why didn’t she just park on the drive and you block her in?

IsobelRae23 · 15/08/2019 17:43

Sorry but if it’s a doctor, nurse, midwife, ambulance etc- you simple don’t block them in! That’s being an arse and possibly endangering others lives. I have limited mobility now (thanks stupid women who drove into me- clearly I’m still bitter), and I wouldn’t think twice about hobbling further if someone like that was parked where I do. They don’t do it for fun, or because they can’t be arsed to walk. They do it for a reason.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 15/08/2019 17:57

You need a car like mine. I’ve got an old Landrover. Loads of room in it, etc. Bit scratched here and there, I’m not careful. Grin I’d have bumped his bloody car out of the way and dealt with the consequences later.

HJWT · 15/08/2019 18:04

Probably thought the note was BS if the lady didn't know she was pregnant?

Some people are just ignorant 🤦🏻‍♀️

I8toys · 15/08/2019 18:09

YANBU - you left a note. Perfectly reasonable.

Cyw2018 · 15/08/2019 18:15

Two points from a fellow HCP (paramedic)

I understand why you parked there initially, but could you not have found tone to go back out and move the car once you had been and assessed the patient and situation.

Two, this is a very specific situation you are describing, including colour of your car, and you have just announced to all this poor women's neighbours that she had a concealed pregnancy, that is a massive breech of confidentially and the thread should be taken down. I will be reporting it.

Blueoasis · 15/08/2019 18:26

Oh well this thread will probably be gone soon, but kind of hope the neighbour sees it beforehand.

HJWT · 15/08/2019 18:41

@Cyw2018 Is right, especially with the diagram 🤔

Original poster
TastingTheRainbow · 15/08/2019 18:45

I’M FREE!!!

Police phoned to say neighbour is moving so have popped back and got our cars.

OP posts:
Jackreacherismyhero · 15/08/2019 18:46

Good! Hope they felt bad

FloraMerry · 15/08/2019 18:49

Mmmm I’m torn too.
YWBU to block a drive BUT you were in an emergency situation and you did the right thing leaving a note to explain plus your number
Think you just got unlucky with who you did it to. Both of you were equally reasonable and unreasonable.

HugoSpritz · 15/08/2019 18:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

boredboredboredboredbored · 15/08/2019 18:59

Yanbu at all. I've had to block cars in as a District nurse when I've been called into an emergency situation eg giving dying cancer patients pain relief. I'd hope most people would understand!

boredboredboredboredbored · 15/08/2019 19:00

Mind you I did once have some mad woman with a clip board come out and tell me off for parking on the road outside the house I was visiting. Not blocking a drive and no parking restrictions. Some people can get very worked up about parking 😳

Original poster
TastingTheRainbow · 15/08/2019 19:01

To answer questions.

@PanamaPattie It’s standard for 2 midwives to attend a home birth, even BBA’s at my trust. There has to be one to attend to mum and one to attend to baby. An ambulance only attends if either we can’t get there on time or there is a concern meaning mum needs taking to hospital. Paramedics don’t have huge amounts of training on delivering babies and don’t carry many of the emergency drugs used in childbirth so wouldn’t be a first line response. Plus they have enough to deal with.

While it was an emergency our cars are not emergency vehicles so no law covering them like ambulances.

For those who think I’m making it up, really? For what benefit? Why would I bother?

The note was written in biro on a ripped out page of my diary, not a large sign no. I’d like to think he simply didn’t see it rather than was deliberately being mean.

For those who think I’ve breached patient confidentiality absolutely NO-ONE is going to recognise a patient based on a vague and certainly not to scale diagram of a generic new build site that’s been reproduced over and over in this area when they have no clue what area I’m talking about. I’m also not the only midwife driving a black corsa in the world also believe it or not. I have not breached confidentiality. The only people who would know where this is are the neighbours.

Anyway all sorted now thankfully. The way some people act on her you’d think I’d parked on your drive and then let myself into your house for a quick nap on your bed!

OP posts:
PanamaPattie · 15/08/2019 19:10

Thanks for the explanation.

Cyw2018 · 15/08/2019 19:10

I have not breached confidentiality. The only people who would know where this is are the neighbours.

And if the patient doesn't wish her neighbours to know she had a concealed pregnancy (rather than them believing that she just didn't feel the need to mention her pregnancy to them), then now they might know as a result of your thread, that is precisely what a breech of confidentially is.

CoughSplutter · 15/08/2019 19:11

the mother/mum, not just 'mum.' It's so rude.

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