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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To just miss appointments as can’t park?

278 replies

Wishitwascooler · 20/06/2023 12:14

Hospital is full to bursting and you can’t park anywhere for miles around. They won’t talk to me on the phone as I’m in the car even though outside hospital 😂 not sure what to do!

OP posts:
sunshinesupermum · 20/06/2023 12:15

You're not at St George's in Tooting, are you? It's always dreadful there :-(

cocksstrideintheevening · 20/06/2023 12:16

Standard here. I get the bus as at least I will make an appointment on time.

Passerillage · 20/06/2023 12:16

What time was your appointment for? Can you drive back out, park and get a taxi back in? Or presumably you wait and somebody will leave eventually.

Tinkerbyebye · 20/06/2023 12:17

Same at ours, I just go 8n at least an hour or even and hour and a half early to get soace

Original poster
Wishitwascooler · 20/06/2023 12:17

No but I sympathise hugely with you if you’re having similar struggles!

OP posts:
namechange55465 · 20/06/2023 12:17

Can you park further away and get public transport/taxi?

(Appreciate that wouldn't work for everyone with hospital appointments!)

Tinkerbyebye · 20/06/2023 12:17

Space

HermioneWeasley · 20/06/2023 12:19

YABU to miss hospital appointments. You need to plan for lack of parking - going earlier, getting public transport or a lift

Original poster
Wishitwascooler · 20/06/2023 12:19

Well I can’t now as appointment was at 12 … I’ve parked miles away but it’s going to take me a long time to walk. Will try calling now <sigh>

OP posts:
NewLifter · 20/06/2023 12:19

What do you mean by they won't talk to you on the phone as you're in your car?

nokidshere · 20/06/2023 12:19

Our local hospital is similar. I either get someone to come with me and drop me at the door then they go and find parking, or, if I have to go alone, I arrive an hour before the appointment. It's a right pain really either way.

RoseslnTheHospital · 20/06/2023 12:19

Park at the nearest public car park with space, and then get a taxi or bus? Beg the hospital staff to shift your appointment till when you estimate you can arrive.

A train station car park with a taxi rank might work.

grimmers44 · 20/06/2023 12:21

Tbh all the appointments I've been to have been running at least an hour late anyway! My dad has to go to an appointment every six weeks and he's sometimes gone in 3 hours late. Hopefully they'll just send someone else in before you and it won't be a problem.

Original poster
Wishitwascooler · 20/06/2023 12:21

NewLifter · 20/06/2023 12:19

What do you mean by they won't talk to you on the phone as you're in your car?

That’s just what they said, that if I’m driving they can’t speak to me even though I was just outside. Anyway just had to jump over a wall. Ffs! Don’t know whether to laugh or cry 😂

OP posts:
HolyFire · 20/06/2023 12:21

Yes the last time I had a hospital appointment I only just got there in time and lots of people turned up after me apologising that they were late as they couldn’t park. One poor person was in a fluster as she was an hour and a half late. It’s really stressful which you don’t need on top of the appointment. The staff will be used to it though.

DataNotLore · 20/06/2023 12:22

HermioneWeasley · 20/06/2023 12:19

YABU to miss hospital appointments. You need to plan for lack of parking - going earlier, getting public transport or a lift

This.

Are you entitled to a BB?

Original poster
Wishitwascooler · 20/06/2023 12:24

It’s not that simple @HermioneWeasley . Work won’t let you leave an hour early! And yes I wish I had got a taxi but hindsight is a wonderful thing …

OP posts:
itshotontheplayground · 20/06/2023 12:26

YAB massively U

I am sure there are some, but I don't know of any hospital me with "easy parking". They are famously over-crowded (and ridiculously expensive, but that's another thread entirely).

You might have a chance if you park with plenty of time before the first appointment of the day, or before visiting hours start, but after that it's chaos.

Expecting to stroll 10 minutes ahead of your appointment and find a space at the door is ridiculous. I reserve my sympathy for people rushing someone to A&E in their car, not those who had weeks (if not months) to plan ahead.

Stratocumulus · 20/06/2023 12:28

HermioneWeasley · 20/06/2023 12:19

YABU to miss hospital appointments. You need to plan for lack of parking - going earlier, getting public transport or a lift

You have my sympathy.
I learned the hard way about hospital parking.

Since then I’ve planned extra ++ time to get there and fortunately I can catch a dedicated hospital shuttle bus from my local Park & Ride facility.

I hope all goes well at yr appointment.

Hadjab · 20/06/2023 12:30

sunshinesupermum · 20/06/2023 12:15

You're not at St George's in Tooting, are you? It's always dreadful there :-(

Good old St George’s! I always try to get the G1 whenever possible, or park on the other side of the high street and walk there.

Original poster
Wishitwascooler · 20/06/2023 12:31

Well, it wasn’t quite like that !

I did arrive in good time, not ten minutes before but work just won’t shrug and let me go an hour before my appointment. Anyway I am here now. They were just about to DNA me apparently which I assume is did not arrive!

OP posts:
Bromptotoo · 20/06/2023 12:32

As above, few hospitals have easy/sufficient parking. Northampton is a nightmare with a couple of large car parks and then multiple bits with space only for a couple of dozen cars. People's inability to turn via forward and reverse gears if they're stuck up a blind lane is a nightmare; you could get a double decker bus through the gaps they leave.

I also go to Kettering for work. OK as I arrive before 09:00 but clients often arrive flustered from having to run or have been dropped while their spouse finds a parking place.

Original poster
Wishitwascooler · 20/06/2023 12:34

I know but was exceptionally difficult today due to weather and due to some roadworks. Normally I do arrange DH to take me but couldn’t today. Am here now anyway, soaking wet, covered in mud and pissed myself scrambling over walls but am here Blush

OP posts:
Blackbyrd · 20/06/2023 12:35

It hardly requires hindsight to understand that hospital car parks are always full to bursting and therefore people need to accommodate that fact

Theunamedcat · 20/06/2023 12:35

Our hospital doesn't even have an a&e it hardly has any clinics but this morning I had to turn around and park my car at home and walk down (I had my car as I had been elsewhere first) then I had to leave dd there alone (luckily she is an adult though one with sen) because I couldn't stop coughing because I had walked ffs