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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU about nursery parents Car?

87 replies

JakeyRolling · 28/10/2026 08:29

There is a parent at DD’s (3) nursery who drives a Tesla.
He has set the locking sound of the vehicle to a snarling dog.
DD has always been wary of dogs, mainly because she hasn’t been exposed to them as my dog died before she was born.

Recently, she has been starting to get over this and been willing to look at dogs, and even pat a couple that she knows well.

However this morning this vehicle parked next to us and she heard the snarling and became very upset.
I’ve got to admit, I did a double take (the car was behind me) As I thought it was a real dog going mental inside someone’s car.

Am I being unreasonable to think that you must be absolutely brain-dead to think that is an appropriate sound anywhere, let alone and nursery full of children?

OP posts:
Longtimelurker1980 · 28/10/2026 08:40

Just tell her it’s a noise, not a real dog?

FTMJul26 · 28/10/2026 08:43

Kids need to learn some resilience, outside factors in the world can’t always be controlled. I would definitely keep working on overcoming her fear of dogs as they’re everywhere these days and it would really effect her life to be afraid of them

NameChangeScot · 28/10/2026 08:58

Oh come on, he's a bit of a dick for having that noise on the car, it's a strange choice. But you can't control what other people do with their belongings. She could come across real dog sounds in real life too.
Maybe hearing it more will desensitize her too it. Children also need to learn the difference between real and pretend, or they'll go through life scared of everything.

JakeyRolling · 28/10/2026 08:58

FTMJul26 · 28/10/2026 08:43

Kids need to learn some resilience, outside factors in the world can’t always be controlled. I would definitely keep working on overcoming her fear of dogs as they’re everywhere these days and it would really effect her life to be afraid of them

I know this and I’ve been working very hard with her to overcome it however this sound was very aggressive and as I said even I, am very used to load barky doors from a previous profession, was a bit taken back.
There is a massive difference between dogs who bark enthusiastically and snarling, and the latter is always a warning sign

OP posts:
JakeyRolling · 28/10/2026 08:58

FTMJul26 · 28/10/2026 08:43

Kids need to learn some resilience, outside factors in the world can’t always be controlled. I would definitely keep working on overcoming her fear of dogs as they’re everywhere these days and it would really effect her life to be afraid of them

Double Post

OP posts:
JakeyRolling · 28/10/2026 08:58

FTMJul26 · 28/10/2026 08:43

Kids need to learn some resilience, outside factors in the world can’t always be controlled. I would definitely keep working on overcoming her fear of dogs as they’re everywhere these days and it would really effect her life to be afraid of them

Triple Post

OP posts:
mumumental · 28/10/2026 09:00

NameChangeScot · 28/10/2026 08:58

Oh come on, he's a bit of a dick for having that noise on the car, it's a strange choice. But you can't control what other people do with their belongings. She could come across real dog sounds in real life too.
Maybe hearing it more will desensitize her too it. Children also need to learn the difference between real and pretend, or they'll go through life scared of everything.

A huge dick.

Thirteenblackcats · 28/10/2026 09:01

This man sounds like an absolute moron! Got to feel sorry for his kids

Dog fear is awful, when I was little I was exposed regularly to a very aggressive dog, (my Gran’s neighbours) and no amount t of exposure helped me become more resilient towards dogs, it actually made it worse.

YANBU

PollyBell · 28/10/2026 09:05

Its up to you as a parent to navigate this, same way i hate people who can't speak without swearing but they have every right to do so

dozer222 · 28/10/2026 09:07

Jeez, how is this even a thing 😂 Course it would be a Tesla… Yes he’s a dick.

It’s perfectly normal to be startled by a snarl, it’s a warning sign from an animal that can kill a small child.

I would keep my distance, if it happens again I’d remind her it’s the car, but that she’s right to be a bit startled, real dogs that do that are stressed out and should be avoided.

SuperSharpShooter · 28/10/2026 09:08

Tesla dude is clearly a dick! (Stuff like this would make me jump - I'd be pissed off for a minute then forget about it)
Your kids is gonna have to deal with dicks, and loud noises - a growling car will do her no harm.

PigeonsAmongstTheCats · 28/10/2026 09:09

He sounds like a bit of a dick but you really need to get a grip.

NewGoldFox · 28/10/2026 09:10

Heard one do this for the first time the other day. As if those cars could be any tackier!

Sartre · 28/10/2026 09:12

NewGoldFox · 28/10/2026 09:10

Heard one do this for the first time the other day. As if those cars could be any tackier!

They also have a fart noise feature. DH used to take great pleasure in setting this off when I was standing alone near the car. We no longer have a Tesla but I have to say it’s an incredibly intuitive car and I do miss it.

Seawolves · 28/10/2026 09:15

I'd be a bit pissed too, my little boy is blind. He would expect car noises in a car park but a snarling dog would really unsettle him (and yes thanks, he is very resilient)

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 28/10/2026 09:16

Why would you want your car to make that noise? 🤨

Anyway, as much as I get that your DD was upset, you can’t tell him not to use a feature of his car. He sounds like a knob but such is life!

purpleproutingbroccoli · 28/10/2026 10:14

JakeyRolling · 28/10/2026 08:29

There is a parent at DD’s (3) nursery who drives a Tesla.
He has set the locking sound of the vehicle to a snarling dog.
DD has always been wary of dogs, mainly because she hasn’t been exposed to them as my dog died before she was born.

Recently, she has been starting to get over this and been willing to look at dogs, and even pat a couple that she knows well.

However this morning this vehicle parked next to us and she heard the snarling and became very upset.
I’ve got to admit, I did a double take (the car was behind me) As I thought it was a real dog going mental inside someone’s car.

Am I being unreasonable to think that you must be absolutely brain-dead to think that is an appropriate sound anywhere, let alone and nursery full of children?

No that's weird. This person is parking at a nursery not gangland.

purpleproutingbroccoli · 28/10/2026 10:14

NewGoldFox · 28/10/2026 09:10

Heard one do this for the first time the other day. As if those cars could be any tackier!

They're definitely the car of utter trash who came into some cash.

MomOfBirmingham · 28/10/2026 10:22

Tesla owner is a dick. Who hears a dog growling and thinks 'oh yeah, that's a great car locking noise. Everyone will love that and definitely not think I'm an aggressive bellend'

Unfortunately the world is full of these people, and we have to teach our kids to shrug off their twatishness & live with the annoyance. I had a child with a dog phobia too and it's really hard to navigate sensibly when they're everywhere, let alone additional fake snarling dogs to contend with but you'll get there.

I can't help smiling tho when a middle aged balding man locks his Tesla and it quack-quacks.

MellowSubmarine · 28/10/2026 10:24

It wouldn’t necessarily bother me but I would assume the owner was a massive wanker.

Tbh I’d assume that about any loud sound someone had chosen as the locking sound for their car.

user1492757084 · 28/10/2026 10:26

Have you asked the man to give your LO a demonstration?
He might let her turn it on.
Tell LO it is pretend.

Wayk · 28/10/2026 10:27

I totally agree with you. I personally have a fear of cats and dogs and if I heard that it would upset me.

TheNumberfaker · 28/10/2026 10:28

DH has a Tesla (company car) and there is a Halloween setting where you can get the car to make a monster snarling sound when you lock it. He had it on for a couple of days and made a few people laugh when they came to the door 🤷🏻‍♀️

I would take it as a learning experience to help build up resilience.

LostWitch · 28/10/2026 10:40

well you know he's a twat, he drives a Tesla for goodness sake

Packofsix · 28/10/2026 10:45

Get a grip