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.

I honestly think the hormones for quite a few women in pregnancy (& for some women even during their regular cycle) are genuinely an excuse for behaving a bit irrationally. I’ve never, ever felt like I did when pregnant with my second in terms of the degree to which I was sad or angry about things. It was actually a little scary and not something I’d experienced with my first. You shouldn’t have done it and you know that. Hopefully now you’ve recognised the extent to which your hormones are making you react differently than you normally would you’ll be more aware of that going forward and less likely to act on it and do something worse that might get you into trouble.

I wouldn't even feel bad about it. So many people swan through life so selfishly and it goes unchecked. Yeah she might not give a shit but she may also have gone home after the argument and reflected on it and realised she'd been an arse. As for your son, it sounds like he wasn't privvy to much of it so I wouldn't worry. Sometimes our parents lose their temper and it wasn't exactly for a poor reason IMO. People who drive like idiots are the worst.

The space provides the safety. When you're getting a baby/toddler into a pram, it's much safer to do that down the side of your vehicle where there isn't moving traffic than behind your vehicle

Maybe because posters are quite rightly pointing out that it is not a good idea to confront people, especially when they are pregnant. Thankfully for the OP, she knows that was not the best thing to do, and is reflecting on that.

If this is how you manage day to day interactions which are not important, havent harmed you in any way but you react with aggression and violence (in front of your children), then you do need to think about getting help for anger management

What you have said there really isnt funny but I think you seem to think it is.

If a man had done what you had done, he would be viewed as having 'red flags' all over him.

Child locks should be on to stop a child opening the door into another car. Not sure why that’s so confusing.

I think the Police have got far bigger and better things to worry about than a slanging match in the Supermarket.

I meant in terms of the walk to the supermarket, this comes up time again wher epeople think they are close to the front of the shop for 'child safety' to get into the shop. There are some car parks that put them at the back.

If all you needed was the space to get buggy or car seat out why didn’t you just park further away? There are always several unoccupied bays that can be used.

The P&C parking bays seem to bring out the worst in people.

Oh, so what? Hundreds pass through every day; if that's the most interesting and memorable thing someone ever saw, they need to get a life!

To be fair to the poster, that kind of thing does go on, as it does to cars wrongly parked in disabled spaces and parking on pavements. Some people are not just intolerant but they're vindictive too.

You're not very bright, are you? It's not (just) about the distance.

Are you the parking attendant for the store? If not, don’t challenge people about P&C spaces. They’re only an added benefit from the store, you’re not legally entitled to them.

Two reasons that this tactic doesn’t work my in experience, because you need the space both getting out and getting back in:

• our local supermarkets have constantly busy car parks, its full from front to back
• the sheer inability of some British drivers to park without a reference car. You could park in the farthest reaches of the quietest car park in the country and some muppet will have taken the park beside you, ignoring the rows of empty spaces, by the time you return.

I think the Police have got far bigger and better things to worry about than a slanging match in the Supermarket.

Well yes. The OP's son should not worry then.

Agree to an extent. I just don’t like the attitude of only worrying about whether something affects your own child and not others

So tempting to just key the car. Its what they deserve for being selfish.

If your first reaction to a parking space is to key a car you have issues!

it’s a parking space, if it’s free great. If not park elsewhere. If like the OP you have two adults I’m sure it’s not that hard to find a solution!

Surely she should say to customers, the same as any job, "I'm sorry I'm new but I'll go and ask/find someone who can help and I'll know for next time".

Sorry, wrong thread. Flipping fat fingers.

You would cause someone damage (to their property) when you have had no harm caused to you physically, or emotionally and your property hasnt been damaged?

You think thats deserved do you?

Do you think your thoughts are a touch out of proportion?

This. You gave her a well deserved mouthful. Stop beating yourself up, OP, and just tell your kid that shit happens.

The problem is that parents have developed the mentality that they are entitled to parent and child spaces and you / we are not. It is nothing like disabled spaces.

Doesn't make sense.

If it's not the distance to the shop, but how wide the spaces were then why were you shouting at him about how hard it was to carry your children across the carpark with your toddler walking?

Parent and child spaces aren't protected, they're just helpful. You need to speak to your medical professionals if you're getting this 'hormonal'. It's not normal