I know IABU - just lost it over a parent and child space

[General90]

I feel awful because of my eldest child and it was so out of character for me.

we were going to our local supermarket which is always full of people parking in the child bays without children. Anyway, a car had followed us on the motorway and a roads and had driven like a lunatic, tailgating me and cutting people up. She was in front of me when she pulled into the car park and took the last child space and got out and walked into the shop. My DH was driving so I got out and went in where I proceeded to ask her to move her car and she was aggressive to me so I just lost it and we had an argument in the shop.

my DS didn’t witness me shouting at her but I’d tried to get her attention when she’d parked and so he knew there was an issue.

all the way home he was saying he was worried and asked if the police would arrest her. I feel horrendous that it’s by behaviour that influenced this. I know I should have just left her and found another space.

I am pregnant and hormonal, but didn’t excuse my behaviour.

Don't worry about it, good for you calling her out.

Oh for goodness sake. All this angst over parent and child spaces. You actually suggested someone else might damage their car for parking in a parent and child space? How embarrassing on your part.

We all lose it once in a blue moon, despite what people say on here. It's a horrendous feeling and leaves you never wanting to leave the safety of your house for a few days but you'll get over it.

Your child didn't really see anything and while it might not have been the best idea to have a go, what's the worst you did? Pull someone up on their shitty behaviour - not exactly crime of the century.

Be kind to yourself.

I actually think they should have parent and child spaces away from the store, with a rack of trolley there for aforementioned parents to decant children into and a path to walk to the store avoiding walking through cars. Extra space for the car seats is what needed not close to shop. They could also do with 15 minutes max spots right by the entrance for when you genuinely are going to be quick so a 2-3 minute trek from your car is proportionately a lot

Thats a ridiculous thing to say, a veiled threat for a start, puts you in a very vulnerable situation because if by coincidence someone had damaged their car, you would be in the firing line for being accused of that

Secondly its not 'anti social', it might be slightly less convenient for a parent with a child that day to park in a different part of the car park, but its not anti social.

@soupfiend thank you - yes I will definitely learn from this 100%

@Autumnalfun absolutely i am not looking for any type of praise or a round of applause, quite the contrary. I acted so unreasonably and I shouldn’t have.

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves thank you. Honestly, I’ve been struggling and have some extra scans tomorrow so think I wasn’t in a good headspace, but not an excuse to act like that to another member of the public.

Yes Ive said this before

Also we all know that parking spaces simply arent big enough these days because of the numbers of people driving massive cars, I think that is quite selfish in itself, there is no need for cars that big and they clog up parking spaces.

I know @ItsTheGAGGGGGGGGG but her son worrying that the other woman might have been arrested is equally as daft.

@DespairCalling it isn’t about the proximity, I’d happily have them the furthest away. It’s about the space to get a baby out.

I actually think they should have parent and child spaces away from the store, with a rack of trolley there for aforementioned parents to decant children into and a path to walk to the store avoiding walking through cars.

I’ve said this for years too, it makes so much sense.

Hope the scans go OK tomorrow. In the meantime, try to relax and forget about parkingspacegate. It really doesn't matter!

I am pregnant and hormonal, but didn’t excuse my behaviour.

Then why mention it?

So many people on MN trying to excuse their poor behaviour because 'hormones'.

It’s ok OP. We’ve all done things we regret. We live and learn. Next time you’ll remember how bad the conflict made you feel and you can just shrug it off and get on with your day.

@SwanRivers because it was so out of character for me and I am overthinking why I may have acted that way. I am deeply ashamed of how I acted

@Everleigh13 thank you, I will do in future and will definitely avoid any confrontation

Dont know why people get so worked up about parent and child spaces.
I had a young couple start to rave at me as i got out of the car. They clearly didn't notice our 2 year grandson in the back and said it's because they couldn't see him as rear windows are dark tint privacy glass and i looked "too old" to have young children.

Why do people like these and op feel the need to self police? They were apologetic and no issue, but every reacts to confrontation differently.

Fair enough. That would make more sense as it would stop other people nicking those spaces too.

The chances of this are vertically 0. Stop being hysterical.

Yeeees stand up and be counted - what's the saying - the things you walk past are the things you accept

I’m cringing for you, you basically made a veiled threat that someone would damage her car, bet you wouldn’t have done that if it was 2 men, FYI you may have been ‘calm’ you certainly were not polite, all this over a parking space, ridiculous.

YANBU, sometimes in life you act like a dick and get shot down. That just happened to this other woman.

I also think parent and child spaces are an important provision and they should be exactly where they are, outside the shop. It genuinely surprised me how many people begrudge provisions for parents.

Virtually

Not completely

And you dont need a knife to cause harm, she could have just turned round and punched OP in the face. Or stomach.

You have no idea if the random stranger you approach and are hostile and aggressive to, is more hostile and aggressive than you, on drugs, MH, just a general arsehole, brain disordered, drunk, all manner of things.

@soupfiend you are right, and I didn’t think. I don’t know why I acted this way. It wasn’t rational.

Which sounds rather threatening in itself. There is no law to say that they could not park there.

Oh dear, cringe op.