Active discussions

Help end medical misogyny. Sign our petition.

Help end medical misogyny.
Sign our petition.

Sign the petition

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Typical woman driving a car too big for her

107 replies

Lewqa · 15/06/2026 13:36

That’s what my work colleague (a woman) said whilst sat next to me this morning when I gave her a lift in. We were waiting to pass a car (SUV) in the work car park where the driver was taking a while to park, lining it up etc.

I have heard this sentiment before from others, it’s not the first time.

AIBU for saying that men are just as bad as women when it comes to their driving/parking ability with these bigger cars?

OP posts:
GasperyJacquesRoberts · 19/06/2026 09:21

ClayPotaLot · 15/06/2026 22:35

SUVs tend to be more difficult for women to park because we are shorter on average and, even with adjustable seats, don’t have the same visibility that men have. This means we have poorer line of sight to the markings delineating the parking space and of the space immediately to the front and rear of the vehicle. A large lower car tends not to have the same blind spots for female drivers than suvs, but visibility still tends to be more restricted than for men.

When I'm parking I'm usually using the mirrors a lot more than looking out of the window. If it's a particularly tight spot I'll angle the mirrors down to get a better view of the lines/curb.

mumumental · 19/06/2026 09:43

Best she gets the bus!

ClayPotaLot · 19/06/2026 23:40

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 19/06/2026 09:21

When I'm parking I'm usually using the mirrors a lot more than looking out of the window. If it's a particularly tight spot I'll angle the mirrors down to get a better view of the lines/curb.

Show quote history

Mirrors are helpful when reversing. But they don’t change the fact women, on average, still have worse sight lines than men, on average, do in most vehicles, especially larger ones. Making maneuvering more difficult for women than men.

BringBackCatsEyes · 20/06/2026 09:02

ClayPotaLot · 19/06/2026 23:40

Mirrors are helpful when reversing. But they don’t change the fact women, on average, still have worse sight lines than men, on average, do in most vehicles, especially larger ones. Making maneuvering more difficult for women than men.

Show quote history

They should be able to design large vehicles to accommodate for the fact that women are (in general) shorter overall and have different leg/body proportions.
I am about the same height as my ex and DS2. Both need to move the seat forward and the mirrors up when they drive/drove my car.
Cars have probably been designed using mostly data from men.

BringBackCatsEyes · 20/06/2026 09:05

Robyn847 · 17/06/2026 01:22

I go to church. On Sunday mornings the carpark, which has no white lines, is sensibly filled and cars parked 'normally'. There's nothing out of the ordinary to notice. Sunday is the day when families arrive together and it's typically the men who drive, or the men arrive first, by themselves to set up chairs, drumkits, audio equipment etc early.

On Thursday evenings, when it's the women's meeting, there's about a 3rd less cars fitted on the carpark because each car leaves a MASSIVE gap between it and the next car. Cars are wonky. Car aren't fully pulled in to the wall. Theres usually someone blocking the exit gate. And someone else parked so that chances of anyone doing a 3-point turn is impossible. There'll also be a car parked in the entrance, supposedly close to the wall but so far out it looks like it's just been dumped.

Tuesdays when Knitting club is on are exactly the same. Cars parked like a tornado passed through and people just stopped and ran for their lives. When it's the Mens meeting it's neat and organised and they managed to park to actual capacity, the same as it is on Sundays.

You could show me a photo of the carpark and I could tell you what meeting is on.

Daylight? Shit parking? Its must be Tuesday afternoon and knitting club.
Twilight? Neatly parked? Must be Mens club which makes it a Tue evening.

It makes me embarrassed to be female.

Could it also be that the Thursday and Tuesday meeting people know there are fewer people using the car park than Sundays so they think they might as well leave loads of room?

Robyn847 · 20/06/2026 09:12

BringBackCatsEyes · 20/06/2026 09:05

Could it also be that the Thursday and Tuesday meeting people know there are fewer people using the car park than Sundays so they think they might as well leave loads of room?

Show quote history

I admire your generosity, but no. 🤣 Most of us have to park off site as it is, parking is very limited. In fact there's less at the Men's group and that's when the parking is at its best.

ClayPotaLot · 20/06/2026 17:48

BringBackCatsEyes · 20/06/2026 09:02

They should be able to design large vehicles to accommodate for the fact that women are (in general) shorter overall and have different leg/body proportions.
I am about the same height as my ex and DS2. Both need to move the seat forward and the mirrors up when they drive/drove my car.
Cars have probably been designed using mostly data from men.

Show quote history

Very much the case, especially with larger cars.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread