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 have had this twice on the road (both times I was in the right re priority and Highway Code) - I calmly point out that they shouldn’t be using that sort of language in front of, or setting such a poor example for their child when I’ve had a verbal tirade. Really upsets them 😂

I've had this a couple of times. People coming up to me saying that I can't park in parent and child spots, as they obviously couldn't see my grandchildren/grandchild in the back (rear tinted/black windows).

People need to learn to.mind their own business.
But you shouldn't park in them without children.

I can’t muster any outrage at P & C spaces being used when there aren’t any kids in the car, to be honest. They are only provided as a courtesy.

I think the way you were sworn at and abused was disgraceful. If you’d parked in a disabled bay you would’ve deserved it, but it was only a P & C space so they were rude and unreasonable. And a terrible example to their child.

Then as per the OP, it contradicts the loads of spaces available, not leaving someone without argument…

You think it's ok to behave like that?

Naked aggression, foul language, loss of self control....in front of a small kid? What kind of adult is that child going to become?

Jesus Christ, I despair.

No one entitled to P&C parking spots.

Before cars got so ridiculously fucking massive, people managed ok. Just get on with it

Well, I haven’t known him his whole life, and he isn’t without good qualities- but let’s just say he has a spiky profile.

I have just noticed the OP’s name change and am laughing at it. Also, the number of people who are so so outraged and over invested in something so small. I think teaching your child that their reaction is normal/acceptable is much much worse.
In her position I would have said to the child, “this won’t help you now, but when you become a teenager take comfort in knowing that your parents are mental.”

One of the key attributes of behaving like an adult is being able to cope with life’s minor vicissitudes. Someone parking against the rules is a minor thing. If you can’t cope with it, and it degenerates into this, then frankly the problem is you.

Aren't some men wankers.

If you don’t want to be called one, don’t behave like one 🤷‍♀️

You were willfully stubborn parking where you did. You knew what you were doing, but did it anyway. So inconsiderate is the word.
However, the couple sound deranged! I probably would have said something to you, and you would probably have just smiled at me and told me to fuck off, but they were another level.
I had a similar altercation at the NEC in Birmingham after a concert. A BMW driver thought my DH got too close to his car leaving the car park. There was plenty of room-he was just being a dick and obviously spoiling for a fight. His wife got out the car and started shouting and swearing at us so I just laughed at her because her behaviour was off the charts. She didn’t like that but I just shrugged my shoulders, told her she needed help for anger management, locked my door and my DH drove off.
They were idiots, but you need to be a bit more considerate of where you park as you don’t know how many people will need those empty spots after you go into the shops

Sure, you sad sanctimonious dickhead.

You know me well madam

parent and child spaces are something nice provided by the store to encourage parents. They arent legally protected, and it doesnt give anyone the right to insult or admonish you.
Youve had an abusive interaction with a horrible family, and it shook you up.
you cant make sense of it because it was so disproportionate to the "crime"

I hope you are ok now

P&C spaces aren’t legally enforceable - they’re a concession, so not as entitled as parking in a disabled bay without a badge, for example. And having seen more than my fair share of the hypocrisy of parents rocking up into a P&C space then leaving the child sitting in the car while they go about their business, I can’t really muster much enthusiasm. No OP shouldn’t have parked there, but neither should she be expected to put up with such outlandish behaviour, especially in front of children. And if this couple weren’t there when OP originally parked, how on earth were they to know she wasn’t dropping off a child ?

Author of your own misfortune - you parked selfishly and, although I have never called anyone a c**t for parking in one of those spaces, I’ve certainly thought that about them when I see them swanning back to their car with their shopping whilst I’m trying to get a car seat in to mine through the boot with a baby in it 😡

You also clearly egged the situation on with your reaction. Say sorry, drive on. Stopping twice to say/do aggravating things to people already angry and shouting abuse will only escalate the situation and you knew that.

You’re a dick, they’re dicks, ESH

How very hard your life must be if someone parking in p&c space is to be labelled a cunt. How do you cope with serious trials snd tribulations? You must need to lie down in a darkened room with smelling salts every single day. Try to unclench a bit is my advice.

Meh they sound deranged but hopefully it’ll teach you to stop using parent and child spaces. They’re so helpful for parents with young children and I’d never even have considered it an option before having children.

I’m sick of seeing people with no children or older teenagers using them. No sympathy here. You didn’t need to use the space.

Whether the space is provided as a courtesy or not, it’s been provided for people who meet specific criteria. If people choose to park there without meeting the criteria, they are the ones with a misplaced sense of entitlement.

Plenty of things are morally wrong without being legally wrong. There’s nothing to legally prevent non-disabled people using disabled toilets, but anyone that does so without good reason (I.e baby change being in there) is an asshole. It’s perfectly legal for your husband to shag his colleague, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do.

If you go through life breaching social etiquettes, you will (on occasion) face a tirade of abuse. It’s par for the course.

Or maybe what's going wrong in the world is the self absorbed, entitled, elbows-out attitude people take when they decide that their needs and wants trump someone else's.
And I'd really have to question the nature of someone who goes out of their way to take the space designated to make the life of someone else a little easier.

Because that's selfish beyond belief.
I hope one day your FIL isn't disabled in some way and needs a Disabled spot, only to find some selfish cunt has parked their Range in it, needlessly.

So because some people are selfish you should be too?

They sound unhinged. The people justifying it will be people who behave like that in front of their own kids so don't understand the problem

Disabled bays are legally protected. If a private car park concession offers them, then they do so under the same terms as if the space was in a public place - you can’t park there without a valid blue badge otherwise it will attract a fine. Likewise P&C spaces are treated in the same way. And as they are concessions and not legally protected, technically anyone can park in them without attracting a fine.

She was suggesting op shop online if op has an issue with parking.

I suggested she could also shop online if she has an issue with parking.

If you want to interpret it that way then yes. If parents aren’t prepared to use them in the manner intended, why should they expect anyone else to ? I hold the same view of people who park in disabled bays and display the blue badge when the disabled person isn’t leaving the car. And to be honest, I think the example the couple set their kids by challenging OP in that way is far worse than any parking infringement.

You're both not giving a fuck how your actions affect others