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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...or perhaps a bit petty - or justified.

53 replies

womblingfree · 24/02/2009 13:26

Just came out of supermarket with 4YO DD in tow, and as I was loading car, chap pulled up and asked me if I was leaving. I said yes, then noticed that he didn't have any kids/car seat (was probably well in 50's), and pointed out to him that it was a parent and child space.

He ignored me and stayed put.

Another woman came along who had at least 1 pre-school child with her and really needed the space, wound down her window and told him it was a parent and child space he was waiting for that he shouldn't be using.

He completely ignored her and stayed put.

I spun out sorting myself out as long as poss but he just waited and eventually pulled into my space as I drove off.

So I pulled up further down the car park, phoned customer services at the store and reported him. I was just not in the mood for that kind of crap, but I do feel a bit pathetic for having done it, even though I know I was in the right in theory.

OP posts:
threewisemonkeys · 24/02/2009 17:16

its not a 4x4 its a people carrier, as i have lots of people to carry!

threewisemonkeys · 24/02/2009 17:22

and you can't get 3 kiddy seats in many 'normal' cars (even though I was advised by many friends to just not bother with a booster seat if it wouldn't fit in

mayorquimby · 24/02/2009 17:22

"its not a 4x4 its a people carrier, as i have lots of people to carry!"
well if none of them are disabled then learn to park in regukar spaces rather than taking uo a disabled space

ThePregnantHedgeWitch · 24/02/2009 17:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

threewisemonkeys · 24/02/2009 18:05

good point. next time I'll drive past the 15 empty disabled spaces and park in a normal space. we can all hurdle over the seats and crawl out the boot.

5inthebed · 24/02/2009 18:13

Well done WF. I'd love to have the nerve to tell people that when leaving the P&C parking!

TWM, as there were 15 empty disabled parking spaces, I'd probably be right in assuming the spots for "normal" cars were pretty empty as well? Why not park across two of them? After all, women are nutorious for bad parking (so I've herd )

bruxeur · 24/02/2009 18:14

Cretin.

bruxeur · 24/02/2009 18:14

Not you, 5itb.

threewisemonkeys · 24/02/2009 18:28

Bruxeur

You must know me - I am actually medically a 'cretin'. well spotted!

I think you;d be wise not to throw around insulting medical terms on here - people don't seem too tolerant of that sort of thing these days.

ThePregnantHedgeWitch · 24/02/2009 18:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

bruxeur · 24/02/2009 22:19

Thanks twm, but it was a pretty easy call to be honest.

ChippingIn · 24/02/2009 22:30

Womblingfree - Well done !! I was hoping you were going to say you'd pulled out, manouvering your car in the way of him getting into it, allowing the other car to get in... buy hey, you came a close second!!

TWM - take cover....

arcticwind · 24/02/2009 22:51

WF - good for you. Maybe next time someone asks you if you are going just say 'no' and if they don't drive off pop back into the supermarket ...

PS I have a people carrier and have no problme parking in narrow spaces and getting the kids out - we have sliding doors

PurplePillow · 24/02/2009 23:05

I use all three types of parking spaces at different times, depending who I have in the car with me.

But it really pisses me off when people use M&T spaces when they have no kids with them.

As for disabled spaces, just because someone doesn't look disabled does not mean they aren't disabled.

My mum doesn't look disabled but cannot walk more that 20yrds and uses a wheelchair or she can't get around a shop.

Don't think anyone can judge tbh.

MaplePecanPlait · 24/02/2009 23:10

we saw one today and DD2 commented that the man didn't have ANY children at all.

I did explain to her that the silly man had a four-cab big bastard 4x4 and couldn't park for toffee so that was why he was using the mother and baby parking.....

georgimama · 25/02/2009 06:38

I agree PP that some people don't look disabled, but if they are entitled to use the disabled spaces, they have a blue badge. It's as simple as that.

PfftTheMagicDragon · 25/02/2009 08:46

I can't believe someone would admit to using a disabled space because they had a lot of children, or a wide car! FFS! Learn to park it, park further away, restrain your children!

Maybe a free disability should be offered when you park in a disabled space? Then you could park there whenever you liked!

wotulookinat · 25/02/2009 08:52

WomblingFree, good for you! I can't believe he had the cheek to park there after you said something to him.

troutpout · 25/02/2009 09:11

I think the m&b spaces should be further away from the shop so that people aren't so tempted to take the piss tbh
Can't believe anybody would use a disabled space just because they have a big car

FairLadyRantALot · 25/02/2009 09:22

wombling, well done you...although, tbh, I haven't used m&t spaces since my ys is was about 2 years old...

3wise monkeys (sorry could not resist)...I think that is a real rubbish reason for parking in a disabled space, why on earth would you ever feel it is o.k.? And btw, we have a Fiat multipla, which carries 6 people, and is brilliant and not really much bigger than a ordinary car, and certainly does not mean you have to use bigger spaces, tbh...it really is very bad form and extremely selfish to use disabled spaces unless you have a blue badge...

glitterstar88 · 25/02/2009 09:24

YANBU- one time i went to tesco. I saw some woman by her car, on her own so it seemed like she might of just put her kids in the car, i waited for her to drive off so i could park there. I was waiting for about five minutes as she was busy talking to someone. Then she walked into the shop, i was pretty pissed off with it as she had no kids and she was a member of staff! So she should of known better than to use the parent and child spaces. After i had found another (non parent and child) space i went straight to customer service to complain. They called the woman out over the tannoy system to get her to move her car into a more suitable space

berniebump3 · 28/03/2009 23:04

baby due in days... how can i fit 2 booster seats and a baby carrier in a 'normal size' car? all booster seats are really wide... are their any narrow onwes out there? And does anyone know if i disable the airbag in the front of the car can my eldest 5 yr old go there... or is this a bad idea from a safety point of view? Why is the back supposed to be a safer place? nobody explains that? why dont car maufactures make cars that fit 3 child car seats... I really do not want to have to go down the road of buying a huge people carrier... not that I have the money to either!! My car is a skoda octavia. Sorry to moan but had to get this off my chest!! thanks for any advice xx

Anglepoise · 28/03/2009 23:21

I recently saw my cousin fit three child seats (for 4 yr old, 2 yr old and 6 month old) in the back of her car (VW estate thingy - not sure whether that counts as a "normal car" or not?). Surely if you can't fit the kids in then you change your car, not nick a disabled space?

roulade · 29/03/2009 09:34

I have a corsa and i can fit 3 kids seats in the back ( only 2 door too!)

naturalblonde · 29/03/2009 10:42

I have an astra and can fit a baby seat (group 0) and 2 toddler seats (group 1?) in the back.