Parking when there are dogs around

[TheQuirkyMaker]

I was in our local park yesterday, talking to another dog owner, when an SUV swept in right beside us, halted, and reversed into a parking space. As it reversed, I slapped it on the roof. The driver jumped out, angry, and I think was ready to give me a slap. I said the car park was empty (it was, it serves about 200 cars) and he had no need to park next to us and potentially hit a dog. He said he was parking near the skate park for his children, and our dogs should be on a lead (they weren't). They are elderly, obedient little dogs, and don't need to be on a leash but they are little and could be hit by a car.
I told him to "F--- Off" and felt okay at the time but couldn't sleep last night for worrying who was in the right.
Was I the unreasonable one?

He passed 200 spaces
meaning you did that as well, so clearly the spots you were in are the ‘good’ ones.
You can’t blame people for parking there as that’s what you did as well.
You say his kids could walk the 50m… I suppose you can as well, but you chose the closer spots, because that’s what people do!

You'll find OP that people on here think that as long as someone has the objective right to do something, then they're always in the right. Also there's a lot of dog hatred. Of course, a normal, decent person entering a car park would not have done what this man did.

However, for your own safety you should not bang on someone's car because it is quite a shock (I've had cyclists do this to me in Cambridge for no good reason). He was already behaving quite aggressively and he could have been violent. I also think you should keep your dogs on a lead on a car park just in case.

I have 3 dogs, various ages from 6 months to nearly 11. Before I even get to the carpark mine are all on the lead because they are my responsibility, not the responsibility to look out for by someone driving in the car park,

You were being unreasonable, rude and seem to think you have more rights to the use of the carpark than someone else.

I assume you didn't move and were able to slap the car?

He could have picked anywhere. He was having a pissing contest by deciding to park right where you were talking.

Sorry, yabu. It was a car park. For parking cars in. No one, person or pet, should be taking up space that someone could park in.

If she's that precious, PUT HER ON A LEAD.

I have a dog. She's kept on a lead. It's easy. I recommend.

You say he wasn’t looking but maybe he has those cameras which show you where you are reversing without needing to turn.

Anyway, you are clearly unreasonable, in your OP and responses. It’s a car park. He can park where he likes. He didn’t hit a dog. Move on.

Like others, im unsure of how genuine this is/if its a reverse or whatever but I'll bite

1. Regardless of how old or obedient your dogs are, they should be on a lead. ESPECIALLY in a public park
2. He has the right to park absolutely anywhere he wants to park (restrictions excepted obviously)
3. How on earth do you know he wasnt looking??

But yes, you are COMPLETELY unreasonable in every aspect here. And that said as a dog lover

Indeed

OP, the only things I pity in this are your elderly dogs.

Poor kids. I hope they weren't very young and you didn't upset them too much.

Dogs should be on (short) leads in shared use spaces (like cycle paths and canal towpaths) and also anywhere there are cars.

As for parking next to you in a car park someone did that to me today in an empty car park so I moved. I didn't have a dog with me though - on or off a lead.

I care about my child's safety so I don't allow him to wander about where he might be hit by a car. Shame you don't feel the same about your dogs.

You both sound very unreasonable to me and the fact that you told the driver to fuck off?!?! Very classy! 🙄

Do you know this? My autistic son can use a skate park, but cannot cross a car park safely. Put your dog on a lead, then you won’t need to make assumptions about people to get out of taking responsibility.

This poster sums it up perfectly.

Respectfully, if your dog is old, infirm and cannot hear cars, you need to take better care of it.

I also wonder about your thread title. "Parking when there are dogs around". You left your dog in an unsafe situation while you chatted, yet put all the onus on the driver. Reframing the situation as "Taking care of your dog in a car park" might give you more insight for the future.

Fucking hell. Are you ok hun? You know your dog getting old isn’t the drivers fault and him parking in a legitimate space that you also felt was best for your reasons is a reasonable action. I’ll tell you what isn’t - banging his car and telling him to fuck off.

We all have days where we don’t cover ourselves in glory and that’s ok. What’s not ok is knuckling down and trying to persuade us that he’s in the wrong. He isn’t. He never will be. If you don’t want your dog to be run over, don’t let it off lead in a car park.

Sorry but your behavior is bonkers.

How was he "already behaving quite aggressively"? He was in his car, reversing into a space.

Ah so you are one of those dog owners then… 🙄

yes, you are the unreasonable one. You should delete this post…

Jumping to "running over little dogs is a leap" he came in saw a suitable space and parked in it.

Even if we take your point of why park there... convenience. In a park why were you walking your unleashed pet in a car park not on the grass? Your answer is likely - it was near where we parked, or near where the entrance is. If its near the entrance he picked the spot for convenience. If its near where you parked, you also had 200 spaces to choose from and picked yours, if you liked that spot he might have for the same reason.

He could reasonably expect the people in the car park have their pets and children secured and that he can park in any available space. You cant reasonably expect drivers in the car park to be assuming your pet is unleashed and that they should park based your preference for space.

Honestly calling him c* is a bit much. He was parking, in the car park. He didnt hit your pet. You overreacted to him behaving appropriately in the appropriate area.

Im so sorry your dog is so frail that must be upsetting, theyre so lovely to have and hard to lose. But your anger is unreasonable

You are the person that gives dog owners a bad name. Too entitled to put your dog on a lead and complaining and giving out to someone who dare park their car in a car park. Cop yourself on. Probably the most unreasonable I have read on mum's net. Just give your head a wobble, you are the one putting your dog in danger.

He told you he parked close for his kids- you have remarked that his children are obviously physically able to use it so why couldn't he park further away. I'm going to pitch in on this- just for you to consider - I won't comment though on if you are unreasonable or anything about your dogs because enough other people have done that-
My own circumstances are that I am physically disabled but I don't look it- therefore I use the closest parking spaces because I am in chronic pain and always fatigued, I do have young children though so I still take them to skate parks and parks etc. My children are also disabled but not physically to stop them using the skate park, they have SEN needs that means that car parks are not the safest places for them, hence I would park as close to wherever we are going to avoid them needing to walk across it. Our needs are not visible to others, but we have a lot going on. I think lots of people do really, so it's best to try to just be kind. 🙂

Yeah if you’d hit my car for that I would’ve told you to fuck off. Completely unreasonable and rude, put your dog on a lead or in the car in a car park!

I think cars like company so I park mine close to others so he has someone to chat to.

it is your responsibility to keep your dog away from cars. If there is any risk, they belong on a lead.