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?

When we take our grandchildren out we always pick a car parking space that involves the least walking in the car park. This is because it is safer for them. Car parks are dangerous things. If we park next to another car in an empty car park then so be it. Put your dogs on a lead in a car park. I don’t have a dog but my friend does and even though her dog seems to have perfect recall the dog gets put on a lead when in a car park.

What about the other dogs? Because you refer to multiple dogs being off lead in your OP?

I think the fact you lay awake worrying is a good sign OP. It’s normal to be in the wrong sometimes. Every single person on this thread will have been wildly in the wrong at least once in the past year.

Worrying about it is your brain’s way of acknowledging you need to think about what you can do to avoid this next time. Sometimes I need to actively think to myself ‘OK pacific, you’re in a fucking terrible mood today so you’re going to need to tone all your reactions down by about 50%’

You are lucky you didn’t get a crack OP.

Op you are getting a kicking here.
But thinking about this, my concern is for you.
You swore and hit this man’s car. Sounds like he didn’t react, but next time, you might get full aggression back from someone.
just think about , put your dog on a lead.

With or without dogs, people who stand around chatting in car parks are idiots. Move to the side!

Why do you think he wasn’t lookng? Even if he wasn’t using mirrors there was every chance there was a camera inside. My not remotely glamorous car - at least 8 years old - has one

You were - and still are - 100% in the wrong OP.

He did NOTHING WRONG and you aggressively slapped his car and swore in front of his children.

Classy. Not.

Don't be ridiculous. You know nothing about him or his children. He might have a disability himself, for instance. But, as people keep pointing out to you, he doesn't have to have a reason for parking in an available space. There is absolutely nothing in your post that indicates either that he doesn't like dogs or that he was trying to run over them.

Honestly, can you really not see how unbelievably arrogant it is to believe that you are entitled to control where other people park, just because you you have dogs which you can't be bothered to put on a lead?

Not nice at all. So don't expect our sympathy.

I think you are getting a hard time here when I would also been annoyed. There could easily have been small children by you that are also hard to see from these huge SUVs.

This thread is one of the most bonkers things I have ever read on Mumsnet. Yes, you were being totally unreasonable.

He doesn’t actually need a reason, but he gave you one - to be near the skatepark. Wow, I hope his children didn’t overhear you swearing at him. You sound ghastly.

If she doesn't need restraining, presumably you had left her somewhere where she was safe anyway? If you didn't, that's solely your fault.

Oh, did he run over your dog then? You didn’t mention that in the OP.

Editing to add - I am a dog lover and have an elderly dog myself. I think it is more important than ever to keep him on a lead in a car park as his hearing is going and he gets confused.

Dogs should be on a lead in a car park.

You were completely in the wrong.

Sounds like you've taken your anger at the world out on this man. If you see him again apologise and move on.

Perhaps think about whether you need to do something about that anger you're feeling so you can deal with it appropriately instead of raging at the world

Behaviour science will tell you that in a car park cars are often grouped together. It’s very natural human behaviour - probably a name for it. Parking next to a car to help you line up is easier than parking in an empty area.

As a dog owner, cars take priority and you are responsible for your dog in the situation you describe.

So because it would have best suited you of he'd parked further away, it becomes a case of them being so unreasonable not to bow down to your needs that they deserve to have their car hit and to be told to F off....

The fact that they chose to park, like you, closer to where they were going is irrelevant to you.

This is the ultimate example of selfcenteredness. You are so focused on you and your needs that you've lost perspective to the fact that everybody has their own needs and there are laws to govern society to ensure not everyone acts as you think you are entitled to. He did nothing from legally or even from a society perspective.

You need to get in you head that you are not special or precious, your needs don't trump everyone else's and you have no right to curse strangers who have done nothing wrong.

Control your bloody animals.

Epitome of entitled dog ownership. Don't park in this free parking space because my dogs are more important. Keep them on a lead in a fecking car park, it's not rocket science.

Your dogs should have been on a lead in a carpark, obviously.

This is marvellous. Good try though OP, I particularly love the used if hyped language - he didn’t just drive in - he SWEPT in, he BANGED in to reverse - if we wait a bit longer no doubt he will also have REVVED and done WHEEL SPINS (and maybe a DOUGHNUT).

She was somewhere safe, until he decided to drive 2 feet away from us, needlessly. What idiot would decide, in an empty car park, to park bang next to the only 2 cars there? 150 empty spaces on the way in, 50 empty spaces past us, an almost totally empty car park, and he decides to stop and reverse in the space next us? So close I could slap his car.
I'm getting flack but he was a cunt.

Yes Yabu. It is your responsibility to ensure your pets safety, regardless of how little, elderly and obedient they are a car park isn't a safe place to let them off lead.

Your first post you were being incredibly unreasonable.
Banging someone's car and telling them to fuck off in front of their children.
With every further post, slightly changing the description of what happened, making up little stories about the other person which you couldn't possibly know (hates dogs, parked there just to prove a point etc etc) you are getting more and more unreasonable.
Now the guys a cunt? for parking somewhere you actually agreed that he was entitled to park?
Wow.