Called a "c*nt" in front of his kid over a P&C spot...

[SorryIParkedWrong]

Hi all,
Need a sanity check on an interaction I had yesterday that's still bothering me.
I used a Parent & Child spot yesterday at a quiet retail park. I know, technically wrong, but I was doing a massive haul for a house move and needed the boot space, and loads of other P&C spots were free so I wasn't leaving anyone without.
The issue happened when I got back to my car after shopping. I was in the driver's seat, engine on, and was just about to reverse out and leave.
A car pulled into the P&C space next to me. A woman got out with her young child and. She came right up to my window, which was cracked open, and said in a really aggressive tone, "You shouldn't be parked there."
Not wanting any drama or to explain my point to an emotionally enraged individual, I just said, "Ok," and put the car fully in reverse to leave. That's when she and the dad who appeared completely kicked off. Standing right by my car door, she launched into an absolute tirade.
She was shouting all sorts - "cunt," "fucking little shit," "look at your shit car," "fucking shit driving." All while her own young child stood there watching the whole thing.
I briefly stopped reversing, said through the window "I hope you have a lovely rest of your day," and then started to move again. She and her husband just kept going with the abuse, so I stopped the car again because I was just in disbelief. I looked at her and started laughing at the sheer absurdity and the level of her rage.
I know I shouldn't have used the spot. But AIBU to think her reaction was completely unhinged? Does my minor error give someone the right to hurl that level of personal, nasty abuse at a stranger, especially in front of their own child?
It honestly felt like she was just projecting all her life's problems onto me over a parking space. What do you think?

I’m 27 weeks pregnant with PGP and an 19 month old and it honestly grinds my gears when able bodied people use these spaces. Trying to squeeze into normal spaces to get my toddler/pram out etc then you see someone jump out the car and into the shop. You were being unreasonable. Shop online if that much of an issue with boot space.

All it takes is for a few extra cars with children to appear and then there is none.

So do these spaces make your boot bigger?

I reckon Pedants’ Corner is more about the written word.

Mind blown..

Let’s not be pedantic now..

I don’t think either of you should be driving. You because you sound lazy and selfish so probably a lazy and selfish driver and her because she has anger issues.

Do us all a favour and hang up your car keys.

This thread has made me laugh so much.

It also reminds me of the day my FIL got into a similar spat, where he was accused of not having a child with him. He pointed at (back then) DH and said to the loon “Look at him, I have my child with me.” and then said to XH “Come on lad, Mum’s waiting for these groceries.” and walked off whistling. I had to apologize to the people by saying “it’s so much worse being related to him, sorry” and then scuttled off.

No it’s not.

Car parks in shopping centres are privately owned land. They sign post use of disabled/p&c bays as part of their ‘terms of use’ which and also clearly sign posted within the car park and you are agreeing to by parking your vehicle there. They lay out their expectations along the lines of ‘please leave these spaces free for guests who…’ so which not legally binding it’s very morally clear that they expect this in much the same way that queuing systems in shops aren’t legally binding but they are morally expected to be followed.

And an asteroid to hit the earth and I can't get my hard boiled quails eggs delivered!!! What am I to do........????

You shouldn’t have parked there OP but the woman effing and blinding got a space didn’t she? Thing is nowadays (since lockdown I’ve noticed) people seem to want to blow up and exert some sort of rage over the slightest thing. There is so much entitlement and fuck everyone else. None of it is good.

P&C spaces, unlike disabled bays, are not enforceable.

To shout like that in front of a child is pretty low rent of her.

Can you shop online if it's difficult for you to park your car further away where it's usually empty?

I refused to.let a car cut in infront of me at a roundabout that was almost at a standstill. The driver of the car, who also had a child with him (not in a child seat, bouncing around in the back) yelled at me that he was going to find out where I lived and trash my car. He also shouted that I was a prostitute and had a "smelly fanny". I laughed out loud, but inside I was shaking, and took a circuitous route home with my eye on the rear view mirror. I am in my seventies!

Sounds like you were both in the wrong. You shouldn't have parked there.
They were fine to tell you so but shouldn't have been abusive.
Doesn't let you off the hook though.

You should be more mindful of other people. It sounds like you was antagonising them. By stopping your car multiple times , instead of just driving off

Right up there with things that never happened.

ETA: why would they care when there were plenty of other spots P&C spaces? Also can't see a bloke getting worked up about this.

"you then passively aggressively antagonised them"

"Obviously this is going to enhance their rage"

"as they expressed their upset and anger"

"They had a right to feel upset and angry and you had caused that situation and then when they react"

This is like gentle parenting for people who don't understand gentle parenting. They have a right to feel upset and angry? Sure, people can feel anything they want, but 'reacting' in this way is unjustifiable, no excuses. Feeling upset and angry gives no one a free pass to verbally abuse someone else.

You can be mad, but you can't be mean. That's a good rule to live by.

To be honest OP I think they were right.

You're not just a cunt for parking in a P&C spot, you're a lazy, selfish cunt for doing so.
Those spots are there to make the lives of parents a little easier, not just to save your legs.

Their behaviour in front of their child was terrible. It doesn't matter what the other person did, shouting and swearing is never OK, especially in front of a child.

Why should she stay at home when other people who shouldn't be parking in those spots can just, I don't know, maybe not park there?
Maybe those shoppers should stay at home...or walk.

I don’t agree with acting like that but had Op not of acted entitled this wouldn’t have happened.

Has your FIL always been a selfish twat or was it a more recent thing?

...and then the world ends?

I'm astonished there's any debate about this.

No there's never ever any excuse for behaving as they did. They are atrocious, I hope they have miserable lives and hope their kid disowns them.