Parking wars

[littlejlr]

DH and I live in a road where there are numerous blocks of flats and parking is at a premium. If you get a space, your lucky. There is an area in our road, we refer to as the big bit. You can get 3 cars in a row, 2 cars then a area where 3 cars can park individually. If I get home and park in the 'big bit' where two cars fit comfortably, then I do, then myself and dh swap cars around, depending on who is out first in the morning. If I do move my car forward, I risk getting blocked in by a stranger. A neighbour posted on social media recently about how parking down her road was a joke and how her neighbours were t**ts and pathetic for not giving up their space for her when they car swap every night. Friends of hers commented and it had clearly been a daily discussion. After asking her about it the following day, myself and dh were then referred as selfish for parking where we do, for not giving up our space to her and that she should get more priority due to her son being disabled and if she has to park round the corner, he has epic meltdowns and is physically aggressive with because he has a short walk home. I stupidly posted about it on social media after I had removed her from social media, but this was fed back to her. We got such abuse the following night because I posted about parking wars, how I should have spoken to her and not posted on FB. Not once did she ask for help with parking and posted with name calling. There is another couple who get their mate to park his car in the larger area and they all go out, leaving the mates car where they park, so they do not lose their spot, but apparently we're the selfish ones. Just to make things clear, the child has undiagnosed autism, but going through the process. Are we really being that unreasonable? Not once did she ask if we could swap cars with to make things easier for her, but named called on social media.

I mean does she have a disabled son? I’d probably offer to park there quite a bit but in reality it’s first come first served…..

Can she not apply to the council for a disabled parking space?

It’s like a lot of things, someone wants what someone else has. If the parking is a free for all then it’s first come first served. The nasty neighbour hasn’t gone about things the right way and I certainly wouldn’t bow down to her demands OP.

Also safer not to post anything on SM about neighbours I suppose.

The childminders highlight autism traits they had observed in said child, but I don't think he's been officially diagnosed.
I doubt she would get a disabled bay, as it would require a badge and there are no marked bays for parking. If marked bays were added, our council would then introduce fees for parking.

Id find it hard to begrudge someone with a disabled child the parking space nearest to be honest. Her life must be hard enough. But technically you are not doing anything wrong.

Posting about this on social media is only going to make this 1000 x worse

Life is hard enough with a child on a diagnosis pathway. I couldn't be the person to make their life harder.

And yabvvvvu to post on social media about a child. Completely a di*k move.

I'm sorry I don't agree. Having a child who 'they think' is autistic doesn't give you priority. We have a child who IS autistic (special school when younger now in his 20s) who gets the mobility component of DLA/PIP . However we would never expect him not to walk to the car. He just needs supervision from his parents.

If the child has ACTUAL mobility problems then that is a completely different matter and the parents should be speaking to the council for assistance..

We got such abuse the following night because I posted about parking wars, how I should have spoken to her and not posted on FB.

But yet it’s ok for her to bitch about you behind your back instead of talking to you? 🙄

I don’t understand why she thinks you and DH should give her the space when you swap with DH? Does she expect you to save the space for her?

But OP ISN'T "the person" to make her life harder. On-street parking is first come, first served and other neighbours do the same to reserve on-street spots. This woman could opt to live somewhere that has parking that meets her needs. She cannot expect others to make adjustments for her life.

@purplehotdogs she went on social media about a woman who has shared her challenges. She mentioned a child's diagnosis or prospective diagnosis, unforgivable.

I am glad I live on a community where we actively collaborate to make a family with higher needs life a tiny bit easier.

How disgusting to say it you have a disability move elsewhere. What a sad reflection of a f**ked up society!

She had not once asked for help on the situation and the child does not have a physical disability. I stupidly retaliated on social media, but to be honest, I wax more upset about being called names, and the fact she had not once asked for help in the situation. But she has not blamed any other resident with a car on our road but us, fir some reason has only singled us out. Yes I was wrong to retaliate, but there are so many others that park in our road too.

Who said "it you have a disability move elsewhere"?? The only peson who has said that is YOU.

If you read my post, I said that the woman in question could opt to live somewhere that has parking that meets her needs. You do understand that is an an equally applicable option for literally ANYONE on that street (but it sounds like one specific person is making a fuss who HAPPENS to have a potentially disabled child), and that I made exactly zero mention of any disabilities and how they would be relevant to that option? I dont know what your deal is here, but quit accusing people of things they didn't do, you absolute drama llama.

Can I just say, I don't begrudge anyone a parking space at all. Yes, I should not have posted about it on social media, but the woman who verbally attacked us, and only us, on social media and to my/face, how she should more priority than anyone else because her child has suspected autism and physically attacks her to do a walk less than 1 or 2 minutes home. She told me I should have spoken to her. But when I lightly tried to, I was verbally abused and called names. If she spoken to us and let us know if her situation, we would have done what we could to help her. But we did not know of what was going on and were the only ones that she blamed for not being able to park outside at 8/9pm at night.

Definitely don’t make room for her.

Don’t reward shitty, bullying behaviour.

"This woman could opt to live somewhere that has parking that meets her needs. She cannot expect others to make adjustments for her life."

You refer to adjustments for her life @purplehotdogs , she is a member of a community who has a child which struggles with not parking outside her house, due to a disability. To me it is a very sad society that doesn't take care of those most in need, your messag of go elsewhere is ignorant at best.

You do realise if a child has autism and the change of parking location impacts them likely house, school, resources change would be an even bigger impact?

Honestly I am grateful I like in a community that actually are decent human beings.

The council can paint a single numbered bay for a particular disabled person - it doesn't need to change general parking rules in the area.

A disabled bay would require a blue badge, whichbi don't believe she would get. But then if a single disabled bay was made, anyone with a blue badge could park in the space.