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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

It’s a parking one at work!!

312 replies

Bargebill19 · 22/07/2020 12:11

So, I work part time as a cleaner. I drive a new car. I do 4 hours. Everyone else works 7-7 shifts. I’m out by 11am.

I have been told by the managing director that I must park my car at the front of double bays, not at the rear and always facing forward to avoid doors clashing and using reverse gear.
There are 200 spaces and only 20 cars on site at anyone time.
There is no signage to say forward parking only.
Nothing in my contract to say there are parking rules.
Not site specific rules anywhere.
I parked in space A facing forward to drive straight out - in front of me was a night shift car which would be leaving 15 mins after I arrive. I admit I like to park in the first space with a gap either side of me.
Apparently I can only park in spaces BCDEFG etc. Or I can reverse park into a space up at the fence. I do not like these as 1) they are disability spaces 2) they have overhanging trees which loose branches in the wind onto cars parked there.
I could have parked in space E this morning - but cars in D and F have made the space tight and I didn’t want to ding their doors or have them ding mine when there was zero need.
The manager director couldn’t give me a reason as to why I had to park like this other than to avoid using reverse gear - which I would have had to use to get into a fence space - or to get out of one. But apparently that was fine........
When I said he was bonkers - he said the gatehouse will report my car in the morning- I said fine nice to know security will keep an eye on my car! (Security have said they really couldn’t care less!)
There is no reason that is covid related that I can think of, as it is better for cars to be spread out to avoid people accidentally touching each other’s cars rather than parked like sardines. Especially when the majority of people arrive and leave together.
I’m so tempted to park across two spaces tomorrow facing the right way on the right side just to see him get even more annoyed.
FWIW - there are only two female drivers on site the rest are all men - if that makes any difference! Plus my car is the only bright yellow one in a sea of black or white cars.
Anyone have any ideas as to his reasoning before I do park it large???

It’s a parking one at work!!
OP posts:
Bargebill19 · 22/07/2020 12:12

Yes my car is a lot newer than his.

OP posts:
Seeline · 22/07/2020 12:16

Surely you have to use reverse gear at some point, regardless of which way you face?

What is his problem with reverse gear?!

Finfintytint · 22/07/2020 12:17

It’ll be about not reversing out of a bay as there’s more risk than coming out nose first.

Bargebill19 · 22/07/2020 12:21

But I’m not reversing out of a bay ! The car in D is night shift who I knew would be leaving after I arrived. There isn’t a shift after me as I do 7am to 11 am (only one as I’m the cleaner) and the warehouse do two shift 7am - 7pm and 7pm - 7 am!!
All visitors/contractors drive straight on site not into the staff car park.

And yes I would have to reverse into a fence space - so just as likely to hit something - if that’s his beef.

OP posts:
KeepingPlain · 22/07/2020 12:21

I don't get his issue at all. He seems to be trying to control silly things for no reason. Bit odd.

RunningAwaywiththeCircus · 22/07/2020 12:21

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

Bargebill19 · 22/07/2020 12:22

@Seeline

Yes!! That’s why I can’t get my head around it. - I did say that I am licensed to use reverse gear in a car .... that went straight over his head.

OP posts:
Sleepingboy · 22/07/2020 12:24

Why did you not ask him why? What's the problem with using reverse gear? You know how to use it just like 1,2,3,4?!!!!

starfishmummy · 22/07/2020 12:24

He's bonkers!

Bargebill19 · 22/07/2020 12:24

@KeepingPlain

That’s was what I thought. - it’s really annoyed me too.

@RunningAwaywiththeCircus

But I wasn’t reversing anywhere - I was facing forward and just drove straight through the space in front - there is just a painted white line, no concrete barriers and I didn’t use reverse gear once!!

OP posts:
bewilderd · 22/07/2020 12:25

Sounds nuts but I'd just do it to avoid an argument

CarrotPuff · 22/07/2020 12:25

I would ask him to show you a policy where these parking requirements are specified.

FWIW I would personally drive into space A and keep driving through until I'm in space D so I'm parked there nose out IYSWIM? No reversing needed then. Unless obviously there's a pavement or something else separating the middle row.

LannieDuck · 22/07/2020 12:27

Does everyone else have the same parking restrictions?

user1294625849274 · 22/07/2020 12:27

Was he drunk when he told you this?

Bargebill19 · 22/07/2020 12:28

@Sleepingboy

I did ask him - and got told it was a) because of reverse gear and b) something to do with the way car doors open.

But I didn’t need to use reverse gear at any point either in arriving or leaving the car park and I was specifically nowhere near other car doors as I had an empty space both sides of my car. (And later on in front of my car too).

OP posts:
BlessYourCottonSocks · 22/07/2020 12:29

We are expected to reverse into spaces as as health and safety measure. Reversing out of a space (apparently) is more dangerous to pedestrians than driving out forwards and this is why they introduced the rule.

Having said that as a part time cleaner I doubt I'd be arguing with the managing director about it and telling him he's 'bonkers'. Kudos for not giving a shit about your job security ...

Bargebill19 · 22/07/2020 12:29

@CarrotPuff

I would have done but there was a car in D which was leaving after my shift started. Which is why I parked behind as I knew I could then drive out and home.

OP posts:
OlaEliza · 22/07/2020 12:29

H&S says you should always reverse in to a bay so you can drive out nose first.

He's probably got confused somewhere with this.

Bargebill19 · 22/07/2020 12:30

@LannieDuck

As far as I know no. But it’s never been a thing I’ve asked or been told off for.

OP posts:
Bargebill19 · 22/07/2020 12:31

@user1294625849274

As far as I was aware no. I hope not as he had just reversed his car into a space on the fence. ....

OP posts:
minisoksmakehardwork · 22/07/2020 12:31

The only thing I can think is that spaces are allocated informally to certain shifts, so they want you on the same row as the shift you work alongside, or if there's more than one company in the building, your company has the front fence row and B-g spaces and the other company has the rest. But security would have said if that was the case. it's batshit to insist on it as you are leaving before the shift finishes anyway, and it's perfectly sensible to park behind someone you know is leaving before you so you can drive straight out. I absolutely get why you park where you do.

But yeah, I would be asking for sight of the specific parking policy too.

TW2013 · 22/07/2020 12:34

The visibility when you reverse into a space is better because you are already on the main route so you can see anyone walking around and you have just driven past the space you are about to reverse into. If you reverse out then you can't really see people if there are parked cars either side until the back of your car has edged out. It is safer.

That doesn't really explain why you can't reverse at 11am when in theory there should not be anyone in the carpark. I imagine it is just a one rule for everyone sort of thing.

BarbaraofSeville · 22/07/2020 12:34

Do you work on a site that is something like a chemical plant or oil refinery?

They have 'reverse in' rules because if there was a serious incident on site where they had to evacuate quickly, it's much quicker for everyone to drive away if they can drive out forwards instead of having to reverse out and get in each other's way while there are other pedestrians around all trying to get in their cars away from the fire/gas release etc.

But people working on the site should know that and in my experience they are strict about enforcement.

Could you have parked in spaces B, F or G, were they free?

Bargebill19 · 22/07/2020 12:34

@OlaEliza

I agree with that. - but I didn’t need to use reverse and knew I wouldn’t have too.
There are no site rules or signage regarding parking.
I always try to park so I can drive straight out - even in multi storey car parks and at shops etc. Even though it renders my boot useless..

OP posts:
northernbelle84 · 22/07/2020 12:35

If your employer has certain ISO accreditations they will have, amongst other stuff, specific parking requirements and these are usually that all staff and visitors must reverse park.

But the accreditation also requires a policy setting this out which should be in the staff handbook.

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