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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

argh is this as bad as I think it might be? argh argh argh

94 replies

vacua · 19/11/2007 19:39

have done a Bad Thing

this annoying woman always blocks 3 - 5 cars in by being late and parking across the exit, you can either back onto the main road at an angle which makes it impossible to see any oncoming traffic, or you can wait patiently

or you can do this Bad Thing which is to repeatedly bump into the back of her car, totally pointlessly because she is not in it, with your hand on the horn for continuous sound effects to harmonise with revving of engine, before getting out of own car and finding her and, um, screaming in her face

then when her horrible orange car has finally moved out of the way, complete own humiliation by doing a childishly loud wheelspin and whole thing witnessed by just about everyone

I have done this Bad Thing

but how bad is it? can I ever go out again?

OP posts:

dustystar · 19/11/2007 19:57

Well clearly you are under a lot of stress but i think you do need to apologise.

TellusMater · 19/11/2007 19:57

I hope your daughter is doing better.

PrincessSnowLife · 19/11/2007 19:58

well, I'm no expert but it sounds like you really need to talk to someone about this. I can understand the worry over your daughter must be ever so stressful but if it is making you behave like this then there is a big big big problem.

wildfish · 19/11/2007 19:58

I hate inconsiderate parking. Superb, surprised you didn't get a round of applause. Technically bad, but hey she deserved it.

lululemonrefuser · 19/11/2007 19:58

Vacua, you sound as if you are having a horrible time, for sure.

Do you actually know the woman? Is it possible you could get in touch and apologise?

Original poster

vacua · 19/11/2007 19:59

she's not but thanks, but we all have stress - am crawling away from thread safe in the knowledge that am not overreacting and that my behaviour was Bad

OP posts:

PrincessSnowLife · 19/11/2007 20:00

will you get help?
you really should (I mean it in a nice way)

puffylovett · 19/11/2007 20:03

Have gone from PMSL to feeling v sad for you. Think you should apologise for overreacting, but i also hope she gets the message for future parking !

brandnewhelsy · 19/11/2007 20:06

I'd apologise unreservedly - and seek them out to do so, rather than waiting until you see them - then go to the school and tell them to sort out their parking. Up to you if you think you need help, but I'm sure you're not the only one who's lost it under duress

Original poster

vacua · 19/11/2007 20:07

By coincidence have a meeting with a therapist tomorrow, I will bring it up if appropriate. I'll check with my GP too just in case have developed some new sort of mental disorder.

I don't know the woman, but (passenger aside) she has had notes under the wipers, polite requests, not so polite requests and STILL she does it, every single day of every single week - and the wait for her to return to the car is between 10 and 20 minutes. Not many of us have that amount of spare time just for drumming fingers on the steering wheel every bloody school day.

Didn't know about elderly passenger, thought was just an empty car, insofar as I was thinking at all. Thread is an actual 'just how bad is this situation' question.

OP posts:

AitchTwoOh · 19/11/2007 20:08

your behaviour was Bad but one-off hers is irredeemably, persistently irritating. i think if you apologise and say that you are under stress because of your dd's illness, of course, but we can also keep our fingers crossed that she Will Have Got The Message.

chocchipcookie · 19/11/2007 20:16

Please, please let us know where she parks tomorrow.

Original poster

vacua · 19/11/2007 20:18

thanks all for replies - will sleep on it and see if still feel horribly worried and ashamed tomorrow

OP posts:

PillockOfTheCommunity · 19/11/2007 20:18

OMG, I am so coming to watch tomorow

Original poster

vacua · 19/11/2007 20:20

HELLO!

still want to meet up again? did it happen?

I promise to behave

OP posts:

PillockOfTheCommunity · 19/11/2007 20:21

seriously though, let me help you out, even if it's just coming out for a drink to give you a change of scenery

Hekate · 19/11/2007 20:22

What did she do when you were screaming at her?

You sound really stressed, btw. I hope you get some support for that.

PillockOfTheCommunity · 19/11/2007 20:22

of course I still want to meet up again, which school was it? one by the rec? if it was, I've wanted to do similar myself when driving past a few times

Elasticwoman · 19/11/2007 20:55

Road Rage at school pick-up or set-down is common and the question I always want to ask is how necessary is it for you to use the car for the school run? I know several parents who clog up the school environment, causing stupid behaviour such as mounting the pavement when there are 3 and 4 year olds around, when they live a perfectly walkable distance. Some even insist on driving when it actually takes longer by car. But if you raise the subject they always think up a terribly good reason why they should drive and every one else should get out of their way.

That's why the affluent west is so hated by people in less wasteful parts of the world.

Vacua - at least you are reflecting on your behaviour. Only you can know all the circs and are best placed to make a moral judgment.

bookofthedeadmum · 19/11/2007 21:04

I agree with EW.

Elasticwoman · 19/11/2007 21:08

I have always lived walking distance from school until my older 2 started at secondary and they go by bus. No way would I consider clogging up the already congested roads with my car if they missed the bus and they know that. So guess what, they have never missed the bus!

donnie · 19/11/2007 21:08

agree that your reaction was a bit disproportionate.

but hey she still deserved it.

bookofthedeadmum · 19/11/2007 21:12

A lot of the parents at my dd's schools just drive onto pavements to park up without seeming to look or care about the small fry congregating on the pavements. Makes my blood run cold all the time - what with avoiding the dog doo by the hedge, and the cars, getting my dd to school has sometimes resembled an obstacle course rather than a pleasant stroll....

Hekate · 19/11/2007 21:16

We drive to school because we live 9 miles away. I know there's this whole Walk To School thing, but 18 miles a day seems a bit tiring

But I see people who live a five minute walk away and, honestly, it must take them longer to start the car than it would to walk over.

Plus they go round and round in a loop, waiting for each other to go, so they can park outside the school instead of, oh, I don't know, the PUBLIC CAR PARK 30 feet away!!!

There's nothing else for it..

Everyone else but me must walk.

[only half joking emoticon]

Elasticwoman · 19/11/2007 21:26

I see why you might drive if you live 9 miles away, Hekate, but have you not chosen both where to live and where to send your dc to school? But hey, you're not the only one in that position.

I went to school (after age 11) 6 miles from my home and used public transport except when my dad was going that way and gave me a lift. With hindsight I don't think the quality of the education was worth the awful commute and i wish I'd gone to a more local school and been able to walk there and back every day.

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