Car Park Space

[NotSoEasyLemonPeel]

I went shopping today. It’s half term so very busy!

I thought ooh that’s lucky last child and parent space. anyway the car a little in front pulls and she had no children with her!

I find a space pull up and I can’t get my LO out the car. I’ve got a travel system, LO is only a few months so their seat clicks onto the pram.

So… I very childishly go round and park behind the person who parked in child space. Ultimately blocking her in.

When I return just short of an hour later, to say she was raging was an understatement. I loaded shopping and LO into the car without saying a word. I was called a bich, cut. Before I left I said to her, you say you were just popping in for one thing, so it was quicker for you to park here, you’d been gone 15 minutes by the time I’d parked and left, so that’s not a quick stop and I couldn’t go in at all because you took a spot I needed.

Anyway, no idea how long she was waiting for me, I’m quite surprised she didn’t phone the vet police! I know I was being unreasonable and very childish but please think before you park in a space others may genuinely need!

If this actually happened then I’d suggest you see your GP about your mental health because it isn’t normal to be that confrontational about a parking space. Ditto if you’re making it up because again really not normal. Yeah it’s annoying but not everywhere has P&C spaces so surely you just do what you would do then- either park really far away to ensure lots of space or just use the pram and forget about taking the car seat out.

I wonder if everyone who thinks like this has experienced having a baby?
We are all sleep deprived. I'm only just starting to get a full nights sleep & my baby is 14 months. I was EBF and was getting around 2-3 hours a night for over a year & I drove. We are expected to just get on with it because that's how it is, life continues as normal.

What you did is far worse. being tired is no excuse. She was wrong but it's not protected like a disabled space.

It is your choice to have a baby and to go shopping. You can't claim it's a genuine need.

As frustrating as it is when people without children use these spaces, you behaved like a total dick.

@lightinthebox I see you have had a baby. Wasn't you sleep deprived in general?

Mine had colic so I was incredibly sleep deprived. I would never have risked driving in that state as I wouldn’t trust my reaction times. I found alternatives to driving.

Fatigue and sleep deprivation can be just as dangerous as alcohol.

What you did was much worse. I think you got off lightly by being called a bitch and a cunt, the next person you do this to might not be so understanding. It's usually not a good idea to provoke people, you never know who is more "sleep deprived" than you, nor who is carrying a knife.

As pp said...

If this actually happened then I’d suggest you see your GP about your mental health because it isn’t normal to be that confrontational about a parking space.

Ditto if you’re making it up because again really not normal

This didn’t happen. If you had parked behind somebody, you would have blocked the entire carpark.

This didn’t happen

I assume this scenario was the one that played out in your head.

If this is true, then well done you. I salute you

How weren’t you obstructing traffic?

Wondering how stupid you have to be to take time out of your day to post this fantasy on MN.

I find a space pull up and I can’t get my LO out the car

You will need to find a way to work with this. There will be times when you will not have a great deal of space. You can't just dump your car wherever you like.

I wouldn't do it myself but I do find it funny and hope it actually happened.

She was in the wrong for parking that but what you did was far worse. What if she had to rush off to pick a child up or get to someone quickly in an emergency and couldn’t because you had blocked her in?

You were very lucky she only called you names, you could have parked behind the ‘wrong person’ who could have punched you or worse while you have your kids with you. You put yourself and kids in a dangerous situation.

You’re a mother, not disabled . This is why all parent spaces should be changed to disabled spaces and all car spaces widened a little. You’re not that special that you need your own special car space sorry OP.

It's a courtesy space. That's all. Need more space? Just park where the car park is emptier. I assume that as you are using a travel system, your baby is young and therefore it makes no odds to anyone how far across the car park you travel.

The person who parked in the space hasn't broken any laws. You, on the other hand, have been deeply unpleasant.

The woman was right. You are a "bich cut."

So am I.

The aggression of some drivers today (as you have demonstrated yourself!) is really bad. You should take more care to not provoke people unnecessarily regardless of whether you are annoyed or not.

And..... On things that didn't happen today

The last time I looked babies are really quite small, why do they need to be transported in tanks with more equipment than the space station?

Expect they have been given them, regardless of how unworthy you consider them to be.
There are usually clear signs stating who they for.

It is irrational to imagine that encouraging people to ignore clear signage about who spaces are set aside for will do anything but encourage people to ignore the signs for people you consider suitably worthy.