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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

I've been bad - damaged someone's car in carpark

368 replies

GuiltyMoo · 14/05/2021 17:02

I came back to my car in a supermarket car park to find that someone had parked their car with their passenger side way too close to my drivers side. So close that I couldn't get past their wingmirror to get to the door. So I had to bend my wingmirror in to squeeze past. Then I had to do contortions to open the door and then get in. I accidentally knocked their wingmirror out of position and dented and scratched their door doing so.

I confess that at that point I was so furious that I let my car door bang again against the other car. I then drove out of the space, stopped, got out and went back to put their wingmirror back in place.

I am now at home feeling super guilty, waiting for a knock on my door from the Police after they track me down from the carpark CCTV.

So, AIBU for squeezing into my car and causing the damage? Should I have gone back to the supermarket and had them call the driver to move their car so I could get in mine?

I'm a big worrier, and this will pop into my head for years to come, as another moment of shame.

OP posts:

MIC2689 · 14/05/2021 21:49

@TwinkleToeMatilda

Personally I would have gone back into said supermarket and got them to read out the reg on the tanoid so the owner could move their car. I would never purposely damage someone’s vehicle.

Literally that. I can't imagine purposely damaging someone's car because they parked too close.

kowari · 14/05/2021 21:56

If you are in the middle of your spot, and they are within the lines, and you have a small car, then there should be room to get in. Were you in the middle? I park in the middle of the spot regardless of how anyone else is parked because if people move I don't want the next person to judge how I'm parked. If someone is too close to the line then that's their problem.

Cadent · 14/05/2021 22:05

Our town centre car parks spaces are tiny, but I try hard to park dead centre so that I’m not blocking anyone on either side. Got back to my car once to see a woman deliberately slamming her car door into my car because she wanted to get a car seat in there and there just wasn’t space. The viciousness was a sight to behold. To take out her frustration on my car was just nasty.

Miasicarisatia · 14/05/2021 22:12

They had it coming

Longdistance · 14/05/2021 22:19

@BiscoffAddict I’d need to get into my car to open the sunroof. My car’s a coupe so fat chance of climbing through the boot either. Honestly, people shouldn’t park so close.
I’ve just remembered that when I was pregnant the car blocking me in wasn’t even in a space, the CF just parked right next to me. It was in a hospital car park.

ConfusedAsWell · 14/05/2021 22:28

We have 2 cars. Little Toyota Aygo and a Land Rover discovery with side steps. Never had an issue with anyone parking close to the disco. Funny that.

Macncheeseballs · 14/05/2021 22:37

Ah it's only a car, fuck em

Justnotfeelingit · 14/05/2021 22:52

Of course you were being unreasonable. You have caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage to someone’s car because you can’t control your temper when something inconvenient happens. You should be ashamed of yourself.

BashfulClam · 14/05/2021 22:59

If caught on cctv you will be charged with failing to stop and report. My dad had that happen although not his fault really. He hit a parked car in the carpark at the end of the street. The wife of the car owner can running out screeching at him. My dad was trying to talk calmly but his patience wore out as she was abusive and screeching. He said ‘Ach shut up hen, get your name to come and see me and I’ll give him my insurance details!’ She didn’t like the way he spoke to her so she called the police. She was lucky he didn’t lose his temper as my dad when he was angry was bloody scary! Not physically but one of those people you don’t provoke as he would give back as good as he got. He walked away too avoid that.

CharlotteRose90 · 14/05/2021 23:07

Sorry but if they’ve parked so close to you that you can’t open your doors then I’d do exactly the same. I’ve just had stomach surgery so no chance am I squeezing across another seat I’d be whacking their doors and driving off. People are either crap drivers and can’t park in a space or their selfish.

sunshinesontv · 14/05/2021 23:08

I think that you sound really mean.

You have assumed that the other driver was an inconsiderate dick who didn't care that they'd created an inconvenience for you.

But most of us have accidentally done similar at some point in our lives I'm sure - we just think that we're nice people who made a mistake.

Someone who is elderly, a poor driver, lacks accurate spatial awareness or just wasn't concentrating properly doesn't deserve hundreds of pounds of damage.

motherloaded · 14/05/2021 23:17

Perhaps the car on the other side of the car next to yours was over the line forcing them to park close to yours

if a place is too small for your car, you don't force your way in or block the other car

GreyhoundG1rl · 14/05/2021 23:17

I'm agog at the contortions needed to slide over to the driver's seat from the passenger seat!

Roboticcarrot · 14/05/2021 23:25

@sunshinesontv

I think that you sound really mean.

You have assumed that the other driver was an inconsiderate dick who didn't care that they'd created an inconvenience for you.

But most of us have accidentally done similar at some point in our lives I'm sure - we just think that we're nice people who made a mistake.

Someone who is elderly, a poor driver, lacks accurate spatial awareness or just wasn't concentrating properly doesn't deserve hundreds of pounds of damage.

Or needs more space to one side of the vehicle. My friend has a prosthetic leg and needs room to 'swing' out, or if there aren't any wide spaces left in parent and child and needs to get a car seat out.

Macaroni46 · 14/05/2021 23:43

Really don't understand all these replies.
The other car owner was a dick for parking so close that you couldn't open your door. No excuse for that.
Why should OP have to enter her car via the passenger side? Fuck that.
I think in real life a lot of people would've done what you did OP. MN is spectacularly sanctimonious sometimes!

mainsfed · 14/05/2021 23:44

@GreyhoundG1rl

I'm agog at the contortions needed to slide over to the driver's seat from the passenger seat!

I’m agog that anyone assumes everyone has the same mobility.

Macaroni46 · 14/05/2021 23:45

@Roboticcarrot and what if the OP needs more room to swing out? No chance of that due to the selfish parking of the other car! Apparently she has to scramble through via the passenger side.

VeganCheeseandWine · 14/05/2021 23:47

Yabu for deliberately banging your door against their car.

Roboticcarrot · 14/05/2021 23:48

[quote Macaroni46]@Roboticcarrot and what if the OP needs more room to swing out? No chance of that due to the selfish parking of the other car! Apparently she has to scramble through via the passenger side. [/quote]
Hardly a huge hardship, or rather than cause £s of damage could have taken a few minutes to ask the shop to put it over the tannoy. No excuse imo, so selfish.

Macaroni46 · 14/05/2021 23:53

@Roboticcarrot and how is the car's owner that parked too close not selfish?

Roboticcarrot · 15/05/2021 00:03

[quote Macaroni46]@Roboticcarrot and how is the car's owner that parked too close not selfish? [/quote]
I didn't say they weren't selfish, but both can be true. It doesn't mean they deserve some pathetic temper tantrum that causes damage to their vehicle.

LizzieW1969 · 15/05/2021 00:14

You still haven't answered whether they were parked within the lines or not?

Wrong. She did answer the question. She was parked well within the lines, the other car wasn’t at all.

The OP shouldn’t have damaged the other car, but I understand the frustration. (I’m also overweight and hate having to squeeze past badly parked card.)

LizzieW1969 · 15/05/2021 00:21

She would say though, wouldn't she?

What’s the point of posters pressing for an answer to that question if they then won’t believe her answer?

There’s no reason not to believe her. I somehow doubt the OP would have been so angry if she hadn’t been parked properly herself.

eatsleepread · 15/05/2021 00:25

Totally unreasonable behaviour on your part.
And you seem only to care about getting caught.

LizzieW1969 · 15/05/2021 00:27

Again, not true. She’s tried to report herself to the police this evening.

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