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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Asked to move out of the way in the zoo

232 replies

Auxiliary016 · 05/08/2021 14:45

Visited Chester Zoo today with my partner. All good - had a lovely time and admired the animals and quality of the enclosures (much more space than many I've visited before!).

I was really looking forward to seeing the Jaguars, and fabulously enough, one sat right near where I was walking, so I stopped just in front of the enclosure to admire it.

I was probably there for about 5 seconds when everyone started to crowd round, and suddenly this woman came out of the blue and said directly to me "Excuse me, coming through - I've got kids!", heavily implying me to move out of the way. I was shocked and so just moved straight away, but actually on hindsight I'm quite upset. Sad I don't have kids, but I have as much right to stand at the front as anyone else, surely? I paid for my ticket and I was only there for a few seconds. If people wait their turn, there is plenty of opportunity for everyone to get a good view.

AIBU to feel annoyed at this, and to have the right to stand at the bloody front for a few seconds if I want to?

OP posts:
thanksforyourcommentrandomman · 05/08/2021 15:27

@AlmostSummer21

She was rude You were wet Posting about it is ridiculous

If this is such a big deal to you hours later, your life must be pretty sweet-maybe focus on that.

You are rude
Original poster
Auxiliary016 · 05/08/2021 15:27

*LubaLuca

I'm another regular at Chester Zoo, and I always usher little children (not my own which makes it seem less awful in my mind, and only into the space I was standing in) through to see the exciting things. I would definitely be less inclined to step back if a bossy mum was giving out the orders to benefit her own tribe though.*

I love seeing kids excited about fun things and would totally have let them through too... After just a few seconds Grin

OP posts:
VickyEadieofThigh · 05/08/2021 15:28

I was once on a bus - going on a long excursion whilst on holiday abroad - and was asked to sit apart from my partner so that a large family (several adults and some children) could all sit near each other.

We refused - my partner and I had as much right to sit next to each other as those adults and more so as we'd boarded the bus and found our seats first.

That parent had no right to insist you move until you were ready.

Suzi888 · 05/08/2021 15:29

YANBU she was very rude and entitled.

LovelyLovelyWarmCoffee · 05/08/2021 15:30

She was really rude, no discussion there!
I would however argue that letting a few small kids stand in front of you wouldn’t change anything for an adult, ie your view would still be 100% unobstructed, whereas the small kids wouldn’t be able to see anything from behind you.
So it would be mean IMO to not let a few children younger than 7-8yo in front.

crazycatgal · 05/08/2021 15:30

You shouldn't have moved, I would understand if you had been there for minutes, but it was seconds!

I've visited Chester Zoo a number of times and come to the jaguar enclosure to see tall men at the front (I'm 5'4) I wait my turn just like this woman should be teaching her kids to.

ProbablyLate · 05/08/2021 15:31

@Auxiliary016 I haven't read the full thread but your OP could have been me a coupe of years ago! There was a lion in the little medical shed bit and all these children and parents were oohing and aahing and peering through the window and I was so excited to see the lion so DP and I did the standard politely-hover-but-obviously-queueing thing you'd do in this situation but all of these parents kept shoving there kids in front of me to have a look! I know I could have pushed and shoved etc. and this was a situation where I couldn't look over the kids heads. In the end we left without seeing it and as it turns out I'm still not over it!

DarlingFell · 05/08/2021 15:31

@NeverDropYourMooncup

Are you only three foot four tall?

If you are, then she is being unreasonable. If not, then step back 24 inches and let the children in front to see.

There’s always one
SparrowNest · 05/08/2021 15:31

She was very rude and entitled, but I do agree with people saying they would always let small kids get in front. You can easily see over their heads but the opposite isn’t true.

AnnaSW1 · 05/08/2021 15:33

What a shame. Her poor kids will grow up with no manners too

Original poster
Auxiliary016 · 05/08/2021 15:36

Just to add - the jaguar was sat in front of the glass screen, slightly around the corner, so it was so far forward that any child right at the front would have also blocked the view for other kids and adults, too. There were also other adults crowding around the front that ended up being there for far longer than I was!

OP posts:
1forAll74 · 05/08/2021 15:36

I think that, if you are in a queue somewhere, of say about 20 people etc, you will always get at least one person, who makes a move, and gets agitated, and wan'ts to push in somewhere..

Original poster
Auxiliary016 · 05/08/2021 15:36

The kids were not tiny - possibly 8 or 9.

OP posts:
LubaLuca · 05/08/2021 15:39

I'm the sap who agrees to move seats on the plane so a small child can sit with their parent (who didn't know you needed to pay to guarantee seats together Hmm). Of course on the proviso I get free drinks and snacks for me and mine (and once a watch from the duty free trolley!), and a break from my own family, so win-win.

I'm quite a steely character, but little children doing sad faces are my downfall.

Original poster
Auxiliary016 · 05/08/2021 15:39

Sorry I'm not very good at quoting people's posts (how do you do it please?!), but those stories about Disney World, the castle, the bus and the lion enclosure are shocking!

OP posts:
namechangetheworld · 05/08/2021 15:42

She was incredibly rude, but I agree that it would be kind to move back a little to let small children see. I was doing this long before I had children. It doesn't affect your experience in the slightest.

DeflatedGinDrinker · 05/08/2021 15:43

Went sea life centre the other week and 2 kids keep coming from behind me and pushing in infront, literally standing right infront of me. It's so rude I don"t care that they're short. The dumb mum was oblivious.

MushMonster · 05/08/2021 15:43

OP we shall siperglue your feet to your ground from now onwards! You all have the same right! And appart of being entitled, and rude, she missed an opportunity to show her own kids to respect adults and wait patiently in line.

Original poster
Auxiliary016 · 05/08/2021 15:45

@namechangetheworld I would have done that after a very short while, but why not let them learn to wait their turn for just a few seconds? I had barely even had a chance to step back because I just happened to be in a spot where the jaguar walked into a few fleeting moments before, so therefore the crowds came around me unexpectedly.

OP posts:
Winemewhynot · 05/08/2021 15:46

If you were really only stood there for five seconds, then why did you move?! You could have easily said ‘just a moment please’ and continued watching, taking photos etc before moving aside. There’s no prizes for being a martyr Confused

Original poster
Auxiliary016 · 05/08/2021 15:46

OP we shall siperglue your feet to your ground from now onwards! Grin

OP posts:
FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop · 05/08/2021 15:46

Ugh I hate the "I have kids" people. What do they want, a medal?

You should have done a Miranda from SATC when she's in a lift and a man comes in asking if his son could press the buttons because he likes to, and she said no I like to press them too Grin and just barged your way to the front

HotPenguin · 05/08/2021 15:50

You moved, she didn't make you. She didn't even ask you! You could have ignored her instead of coming on here moaning to us.

MyrrAgain · 05/08/2021 15:53

it's really rude and entitled. Those kids can wait.
The other thing that pisses me off when you have kids though, and they've waited and you've taught them about taking turns, is when adults or others just barge in front of them in a queue, or in a museum like they don't exist. Well they do, and they've a right to their turn as well.
Works both ways.

MyDcAreMarvel · 05/08/2021 15:53

Clearly she just was just letting you know her small children would be standing in front of you ( below your line of vision) rather than them just appearing. She was polite , your reaction was bizarre.