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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parking when there are dogs around

738 replies

TheQuirkyMaker · 02/02/2026 08:05

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?

OP posts:
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5
mamajong · 02/02/2026 16:19

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 02/02/2026 08:08

So someone parked in an empty car parking space, you hit the car because YOUR dog was off the lead and they could hit it.
And it was their problem?
Yes, my dear, you were unreasonable

This! You know this surely...

Soontobesingles · 02/02/2026 16:19

Tulipsriver · 02/02/2026 13:37

No, he wasn't the cunt.

You chose not to put your dog on a lead in a car park which is completely irresponsible (I have a dog I love, he's never off his lead in a car park because I don't want him to get run over).

And you chose to bang on a cars roof without caring/considering that you might scare the children inside them swore at their dad? One of mine would have been really shaken up by this.

I'm sorry your dog is old and you don't feel like they have long left. Losing a dog is awful. But that doesn't give you the right to treat people like this. Especially when their 'crime' is choosing a perfectly valid parking spot.

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Incoming RANT: There are dog owners who have some kind of ego-mania/superiority complex, and love to prove their dog is so well-trained it can be off-leash anywhere. They parade around with their pets as if there is zero risk. You see these people all over the place as a dog owner, even on beaches and in parks designated 'on lead only'. It drives me crazy because these people are so self-absorbed they cannot understand that keeping a dog on a lead is not only about the behaviour and safety of that dog, but also for the safety of other people and animals. My dog is a highly reactive rescue with an abuse history -she gets spooked by any off lead dog (and then becomes much more of a risk to me and others), so I can only take her to places where I can be sure dogs are on lead. I also have family members with autistic children who don't like dogs wandering/charging about unleashed. And as this OP has demonstrated, she cannot control other factors, such as where a driver will go in a car park. Honestly, the type of owner who has their dog off lead all the time is absolutely the most entitled and self absorbed type of dog owner. It should come with a fine to have an unleashed dog in public places not specifically earmarked for that activity.

Missohnoyoubetterdont · 02/02/2026 16:21

TheQuirkyMaker · 02/02/2026 09:38

What is all about, is my little collie is dying of old age, she can't climb stairs, jump into cars, chase balls, hear cars approaching, I just don't know what we emotionally load on to dogs, but their deaths tear our hearts. Life is hard enough without those little babies sleeping next to us, with their breaths getting slower and slower.

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If she can’t hear cars approaching, surely it’s super dangerous to not have her on a lead?!!

SplendiferousKnickers · 02/02/2026 16:21

This has wind-up written all over it. OP keeps referring to her collie as 'little', but collies are large dogs (think Lassie). Border collies are smaller, but definitely not small.

Binus · 02/02/2026 16:22

SplendiferousKnickers · 02/02/2026 16:21

This has wind-up written all over it. OP keeps referring to her collie as 'little', but collies are large dogs (think Lassie). Border collies are smaller, but definitely not small.

Def agree! I think some of the people defending OP might well be serious though.

ApartFromAllThat · 02/02/2026 16:29

Grammarnut · 02/02/2026 15:44

I have said you are unreasonable because you were in a car park with a dog off the lead. Should have been on the lead and under control. That said, the car driver was thoughtless and should have taken note that dogs were present - it is a driving offence to hit a dog and must be reported as a traffic accident as dogs are property.
So you are both in the wrong.

Except the report would show that the only property that got hit was the car (with the kids in it).

Ohpleeeease · 02/02/2026 16:35

TheQuirkyMaker · 02/02/2026 08:23

No it was just random parking in a huge empty car park. He just rolled near us and reversed without looking. From the viewpoint of the posters here, I think it was deliberate- perhaps he was angry about dog shit in the park (I always clean it up) and wanted to make his feelings plain. For dog lovers, dogs are sometimes our most cherished company, which non-dog-lovers never understand.

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You don't know he wasn't looking. I don't crane over my shoulder when I'm parking, I don't need to because I'm using all of my mirrors.

You were very unreasonable and banging on the roof of someone's car when they are legitimately parking is absolutely not on.

dadtoateen · 02/02/2026 16:35

TheQuirkyMaker · 02/02/2026 08:05

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?

Just reading this but it states a car swept beside you then reversed? So didn't actually park next to you but in a space opposite your car?

Oh and you are most absolutely unreasonable

Keep your dog on a lead

Do not hit another vehicle, certainly when moving, you could have distracted him and caused an accident.

He can park wherever he wants in a public car park!

At what point of reading this thread did you realise you were totally in the wrong?

Grammarnut · 02/02/2026 16:35

blooooooor · 02/02/2026 16:00

Yeah and keeping dogs on a lead is the law as well. If the parking space was closer to the skate park, what makes OP more entitled to it than a parent with a child ? Do you really think this person deliberately reversed to harm the dogs?!

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No, I don't. I am just pointing out that dogs off the lead is wrong and so is accidentally running over a dog - it constitutes a reportable traffic offence (unlike running over a poor cat).

Grammarnut · 02/02/2026 16:38

ApartFromAllThat · 02/02/2026 16:29

Except the report would show that the only property that got hit was the car (with the kids in it).

Show quote history

Children are not property. If the dog was killed or injured (which the OP's dog was not) then that has to be reported to the police because dogs are property.
You may not be aware of dogs being property but there is a whole crusade by cat owners to have cats similarly protected, so that running one over requires the driver to report the accident - cats are not defined as 'property' because they are semi-domesticated (which is why you can't force a cat owner to stop their cat pooing in your garden - because that's not something the owner can prevent short of never letting the cat out - but you can raise a complaint about their dog which they are expected to control as it is their property).

PepsiBook · 02/02/2026 16:38

Kids should be parked as close to the skate park as possible, so they have less of the car park to walk through. Not because they're unable to do so, because it's safer for them.
Your dog is old and dying. Yes, very sad, absolutely nothing to do with someone parking.
You're extremely rude.
Also, dogs should absolutely be on a lead at all times. Especially when you've just said he can't hear cars etc. You're not taking care of him properly otherwise.

Maddy70 · 02/02/2026 16:45

Man parks in parking space ....
Owner has dogs off lead I. A carpark where cars are moving

Yup yabu

properidiot · 02/02/2026 16:47

I would never allow my elderly dog or my toddler Grandson to wander around a carpark. Empty or not. You cannot be surprised or shocked if a car drives into a car park - that's what they do, park cars in there. It's like when people go through a red light and say 'Oh it was green and changed all of a sudden' - isn't that what they do - turn from green to red?

No one knows that your dog is elderly and infirm as you described. If this is the case then you really should have been more careful and not allowed the dog to roam around a car park. YABVU

JH0404 · 02/02/2026 16:52

100% your fault if your poor dog had been hit. The man explained why he parked there (even though he didn’t have to). You were very entitled and so out of line for hitting his car, especially as there were children in it, they were having a nice trip to the park and were met with aggression as soon as they arrived, not good OP

ApartFromAllThat · 02/02/2026 16:55

Grammarnut · 02/02/2026 16:38

Children are not property. If the dog was killed or injured (which the OP's dog was not) then that has to be reported to the police because dogs are property.
You may not be aware of dogs being property but there is a whole crusade by cat owners to have cats similarly protected, so that running one over requires the driver to report the accident - cats are not defined as 'property' because they are semi-domesticated (which is why you can't force a cat owner to stop their cat pooing in your garden - because that's not something the owner can prevent short of never letting the cat out - but you can raise a complaint about their dog which they are expected to control as it is their property).

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And I said children are property?

Catladywithacat · 02/02/2026 16:57

I hate threads like this because everyone likes to give their OPINION of the law, dogs are allowed of the lead in certain areas this is LAW.
YOUR OPINION on dogs being on a leash is your opinion which nobody cares about.

and you’re wrong for hitting the persons car, you could have been more polite they didn’t hit the dogs.

stop worrying over it as well who cares

ConnieHeart · 02/02/2026 17:00

Pistachiocake · 02/02/2026 16:02

How dare he speak to you like that? He should be careful backing in, whether it's to watch for kids or dogs! And unless the person who owns the land says you should use a lead, there's no more need for your dog to have one on than for the man to!
While he CAN park next to the only car in an empty car park (unless someone in my car had a genuine need to be as close as possible, I'd not go right next to the only other car there), he does have a responsibility to back in slowly and watch out.

How dare he explain why he was parking there? Or have you made something up?

Ihatetomatoes · 02/02/2026 17:06

Ohpleeeease · 02/02/2026 16:35

You don't know he wasn't looking. I don't crane over my shoulder when I'm parking, I don't need to because I'm using all of my mirrors.

You were very unreasonable and banging on the roof of someone's car when they are legitimately parking is absolutely not on.

Show quote history

Agree.
I don't need to turn my head because my parking camera shows me what's behind and to the side on my screen. I look at the screen

Soontobesingles · 02/02/2026 17:07

Catladywithacat · 02/02/2026 16:57

I hate threads like this because everyone likes to give their OPINION of the law, dogs are allowed of the lead in certain areas this is LAW.
YOUR OPINION on dogs being on a leash is your opinion which nobody cares about.

and you’re wrong for hitting the persons car, you could have been more polite they didn’t hit the dogs.

stop worrying over it as well who cares

This is massively disengenious - there is no 'law' that 'dogs are allowed off leash in certain places' regardless of the safety of everyone involved. The law is that at ALL times (including in your own home) dogs have to be 'under your control'. If your dog is wandering in a public car park and gets hit by a car it was obviously NOT 'under your control', and so you are in violation of the law. The onus for the safety of the dog and other people is the legal responsibility of the owner. So if your dog is off lead and my child pokes it in the eye YOU are liable if the dog bites the child in response.

Manxexile · 02/02/2026 17:07

Grammarnut · 02/02/2026 15:44

I have said you are unreasonable because you were in a car park with a dog off the lead. Should have been on the lead and under control. That said, the car driver was thoughtless and should have taken note that dogs were present - it is a driving offence to hit a dog and must be reported as a traffic accident as dogs are property.
So you are both in the wrong.

"... it is a driving offence to hit a dog..."

Sorry, but what law says it is a driving offence to hit a dog?

If I'm driving along within the speed limit and with due care and attention and a dog runs out in front of me giving me no opportunity to avoid hitting it, what driving offence have I committed?

Seriously - it isn't a driving offence if you just hit a dog.

It might be an offence if you don't report it, but that's a different matter

G5000 · 02/02/2026 17:09

You don't know he wasn't looking. I don't crane over my shoulder when I'm parking, I don't need to because I'm using all of my mirrors.

I don't look over my shoulder when reversing because I have a camera. You wouldn't otherwise see a medium sized dog directly behind your car anyway.

EllyMcBelly · 02/02/2026 17:09

saveforthat · 02/02/2026 09:26

I have some sympathy for the op. Yes her dog should be on a lead but people should drive slowly and carefully in a car park. It's almost like the driver did it to prove a point. Also what if the op had toddlers with her instead of dogs? Even if you were holding their hand it would be scary.

Reading her replies I don't believe that he "swept in" or "banged into reverse"
She's mad because he dared to park next to her. Then added loads of crap about his character, of which she knows nothing, than called him a cunt...
She lacks the necessary warmth and depth to be a cunt...

As for the "on their phones" and tiktok rants I'm seriously confused. Sounds like rather than the other driver hating dogs, perhaps she hates parents and children?

Isittimeformynapyet · 02/02/2026 17:11

TheQuirkyMaker · 02/02/2026 08:23

No it was just random parking in a huge empty car park. He just rolled near us and reversed without looking. From the viewpoint of the posters here, I think it was deliberate- perhaps he was angry about dog shit in the park (I always clean it up) and wanted to make his feelings plain. For dog lovers, dogs are sometimes our most cherished company, which non-dog-lovers never understand.

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Which was it:

He wasn't looking?

Or he deliberately went to run over your dog?

You're making stuff up and getting worse every post.

Angela2222 · 02/02/2026 17:14

TheQuirkyMaker · 02/02/2026 08:13

Okay, maybe I was in the wrong. But an empty car park? Why decide to park near other cars anyway? And little dogs wandering around?

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It’s a public car park, your dogs shouldn’t just be wandering around 😂

northernballer · 02/02/2026 17:19

Sorry to hear about your collie, I lost mine just before Xmas and it's hard.

What did the person you were with say? Did they look embarrassed? I think you were unreasonable and wonder what they made of it.