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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think if you park so far across the pavement that even f**king slenderman would struggle to get past, it’s your own damn fault if your car gets scratched?

306 replies

AngeloMysterioso · 07/08/2021 16:36

Walking into town today with DS in the pram (in the pouring rain). I was walking up a road that is in a residential area, but this particular road is part of a cut-through between two main roads into/out of the town centre and is on a bus route, so it gets a lot of traffic.

It’s a fairly narrow one-way street, on one side are parking bays painted onto the road and dickheads people will often park like dicks across the pavement on the other side if there isn’t a free space and they’re too fucking lazy to park round the corner. The other side of the road is single yellow line so parking is restricted 8-6 Mon-Sat.

Apparently this arsehole bloke didn’t think those restrictions applied to him however, and had parked right the way across the pavement, leaving a tiny gap between the car and a garden wall.

This was close to the end of the road and a lot of cars tend to turn up the road without slowing down at all, so my options were to a) squeeze past the gap between the car and the wall or b) go around the car and into the path of oncoming traffic on a rainy day. It’s uphill too, and between DS, the pram, and my 23 week pregnant baby bump I was already fairly out of puff so wasn’t moving particularly quickly.

So I chose option a. Unfortunately, because it was such a tight squeeze the pram came into contact with the side of the car and left a bit of a graze. I didn’t really give a shit to be honest, so I just carried on walking.

What I didn’t realise was that the arsehole driver of said vehicle was sitting in the driving seat on his phone. When he realised what had happened he got out of his car and came running after me, yelling that I’d damaged his car and demanding I give him my details. I refused, pointing out that he was parked illegally, the pavement is for pedestrians and my and my son’s right to not get hit by cars overrides his right to not have to park somewhere thats a bit inconvenient for him.

He followed me a short distance and then went back to his car, saying he’d be contacting the police.

WIBU?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 07/08/2021 18:22

@FindYourPorpoise

I had similar happen to me a while ago Op. a delivery driver parked fully on the pavement 'because it's illegal to block the road and he would only be a few minutes, I could just walk round'. I was about to argue when a police car pulled up and gave the twat a ticket.
Oh, isn't it satisfactory when that happens!

Like the wanker driving the wrong way up a one-way street whom I tried to warn by pointing at the no entry signs: he drove his car straight at me, accelerating, and as I leaped for the pavement there was a massive "crash tinkle" noise, and I turned to see that he'd run head on into a police-car which had just turned the right way into the street to go along it in the right direction. The last I heard was a large policeman saying "Excuse me, Sir" in that special very patient "oh boy you are for it now" voice that they have, as I dived into a shop and started to laugh hysterically. As did the two other people in the shop who had seen it all.

AbsolutelyPatsy · 07/08/2021 18:23

good for you

OldGeezer · 07/08/2021 18:23

He should look on the bright side - there are places where abandoning a car on a pavement like that would result in multiple keyings +/- the detachment of a door mirror.

thinkingaboutLangCleg · 07/08/2021 18:24

I totally sympathise with you, OP. For his own convenience he expected you to risk your and your son's lives on the road. He didn't give a toss about the risk to a wheelchair user or anyone else who couldn't squeeze through that narrow gap.

It's illegal to park on the pavement in London. I've heard that's not the case everywhere, but it ought to be. I hope he doesn't hassle you, but I think he'd have a hard time trying to make out that you were in the wrong.

whynotwhatknot · 07/08/2021 18:26

Unfortunately if we didnt park on the pavement here theyd be nowhere to park a blanket ban just wouldnt work

whynotwhatknot · 07/08/2021 18:26

Im not saying the man was right though

BungleandGeorge · 07/08/2021 18:35

@thinkingaboutLangCleg

I totally sympathise with you, OP. For his own convenience he expected you to risk your and your son's lives on the road. He didn't give a toss about the risk to a wheelchair user or anyone else who couldn't squeeze through that narrow gap.

It's illegal to park on the pavement in London. I've heard that's not the case everywhere, but it ought to be. I hope he doesn't hassle you, but I think he'd have a hard time trying to make out that you were in the wrong.

Unfortunately legally she is in the wrong and he can pursue a claim against her.
Keepmekeeping · 07/08/2021 18:36

I used to gleefully fold everyone's passenger side wing mirror in if they parked on the pavement minor inconvenience for them but it felt like a triumph!

Well done you for standing up to him CF usually get away with it because no one stands up to them. If the police contact you deny all knowledge.

Shade17 · 07/08/2021 18:38

Unfortunately legally she is in the wrong and he can pursue a claim against her.

Absolutely. Hopefully he took photos and can identify her. I’d be mortified if I accidentally damaged someone else’s property and would be fully prepared to rectify.

Ohshitiveturnedintomymother · 07/08/2021 18:45

Annoying that you couldn’t get the pram through but a 23 week bump really isn’t something to complain about. I really hate the exaggeration that comes with pregnancy, and the use of it as an excuse for any misdemeanour or bad behaviour. Own your behaviour and say I didn’t want to take the pram though, there is no way at 23 weeks you wouldn’t fit if the pram did unless you are giving birth to octuplets and I feel you may have mentioned that if you were.

And before I get accused of being a man or something, I’ve got two kids so know the problems pregnancy brings and didn’t use it as an excuse for everything!

HalfwomanHalfcookie · 07/08/2021 18:45

I would be mortified if I was parked so far on the pavement that it forced someone onto the road and they were knocked down and injured/killed Shade.

Bloodypunkrockers · 07/08/2021 18:45

it was an accident

But yes, OP, I would sound as gleeful as you

Serves the fucker right. Pavements are for pedestrians

Bloodypunkrockers · 07/08/2021 18:46

@Shade17

Unfortunately legally she is in the wrong and he can pursue a claim against her.

Absolutely. Hopefully he took photos and can identify her. I’d be mortified if I accidentally damaged someone else’s property and would be fully prepared to rectify.

Aye right

Mind your hall doesn't slip and choke you

Bloodypunkrockers · 07/08/2021 18:46

*halo Grin

DismantledKing · 07/08/2021 18:48

I’m glad he got his car scratched. Twat.

ElevenBells · 07/08/2021 18:50

What a prick. I’d have offered him use of my phone to call the police. What exactly does he expect them to do?

Greystray · 07/08/2021 18:54

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss - AndBile

GlendaSugarbeanIsJudgingYou · 07/08/2021 18:55

YANBU. Bugger him.

DS1 and I once had to shimmy against a car parked on the pavement outside his school. The zip of his school bag ended up leaving a long scratch.

It was shimmy or walk on the busy road and er... No, we weren't going to do that.

GlendaSugarbeanIsJudgingYou · 07/08/2021 19:00

I’ve got two kids so know the problems pregnancy brings and didn’t use it as an excuse for everything!

You should have. It's a bloody brilliant excuse for loads of stuff.

ChargingBuck · 07/08/2021 19:01

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

If you damaged his car then he is right to report. You could have gone round even in the rain.
Don't be ridiculous - read the OP - stepping blindly into the road would have endangered her child.

And he can report until he's blue in the face - "it was a woman with a baby, officer!" is not going to get him very far in identification stakes is it?

AngeloMysterioso · 07/08/2021 19:03

I didn’t say I couldn’t fit past because of my bump, more that walking up a steep hill with a toddler in a pram and a bump meant I was a bit knackered by that point and wouldn’t have been able to quickly dodge out of the way of an oncoming vehicle. (And yes, I know it’s only going to get harder. Can’t bloody wait…)

OP posts:
Hopeisnotastrategy · 07/08/2021 19:04

You are both being unreasonable, but the high level of detail you've gone into makes me smell a hint of rat to be honest.

Suzi888 · 07/08/2021 19:06

I can see why you did it, but not sure what the police will say.

JacquelineCarlyle · 07/08/2021 19:10

@Samcro

Serves him right. My adult dc is a wheelchair user and people like him make me mad. No doubt people will tell you off, but i say well done.
I agree with this - makes me so angry as it completely restricts wheelchair users and can put individuals off even leaving the house. At least with a pram you do have the option of going into the road or can generally easily get around but totally not the same for those with restricted mobility.

He was totally in the wrong Op and hopefully will think twice in future about blocking the footpath. You've done future pedestrians a favour!

thelastgoldeneagle · 07/08/2021 19:10

Yanbu. He's a selfish bellend. And etf was he sitting in his car? His parking has consequences 🤷🏼‍♀️

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