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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that parking buggies to face the wall in busses is weird and a bit mean?

53 replies

notanumber · 24/08/2009 19:36

I always, if I can manage it, park my buggy in the buggy space with my child facing out. This seems like an obviously the right thing to do to me (and of course I am the definitive source of what is right). I am daily judgy surprised at how many people don't do this and park their buggy with the child facing the wall.

I just don't get it. Why would you shove your child into a space with their nose a few inches from a piece of grubby wall where they're too low down to even look out of the window when you could just as easily reverse them in so they can look at you, all the people getting on and off the bus and the view from the opposite window?

Okay, there are times when the bus is too full to manoeuver the buggy backwards, or you want the child to sleep and not be distracted, but the majority of the time it just seems plain mean to banish them with their faces to the wall.

Apart from anything else, it's brilliant having them facing outwards because old ladies and broody teenaged girls entertain the child for the whole journey while you read Heat compile educational flashcards.

OP posts:
FuriousofTunbridgeWells · 24/08/2009 19:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

5inthebed · 24/08/2009 19:38

I don't like them facing this way either, but usually because the pram usually tips if the driver goes around the corner too fast. Seen it happen plenty of times.

littleducks · 24/08/2009 19:39

i would do that with ds when he was smaller, as i generally wanted him to go to sleep

scottishmummy · 24/08/2009 19:40

even i cannot muster enthusiuasm for this bag o shite post

dinkystinky · 24/08/2009 19:41

People on a busy bus regularly bash into buggies with shopping etc - I'd much rather the handles take a bashing than my child so I park the buggy facing the wall, stand next to them and talk with them.

notanumber · 24/08/2009 19:43

Oh, well if even you can't, scottishmummy then all ask for it to be deleted at once.

OP posts:
ExtraFancy · 24/08/2009 19:44

I have absolutely, honestly, never thought about it. They must all be terrible mummies, well done you for being so much better!

scottishmummy · 24/08/2009 19:46

yes chop chop hit the wee red flag.

TheMysticMasseuse · 24/08/2009 19:48

Here, notanumber, get a great big shiny medal for being so good

YABU doesn't even begin to capture it, frankly.

MrsBarbaraKingstanding · 24/08/2009 19:49

Bloody hell, what else have I not thought about or fully considered, and therefore been found (albeit oblivious) wanting as a mother in???

You need soemthing else to think about. Bigtime.

HerBeatitude · 24/08/2009 19:49

OMG you are all mad. Where does the OP imply that she thinks she's a better mother than anyone else who does this? She's just musing on the interweb FGS.

scottishmummy · 24/08/2009 19:50

mad you say?yes probably but hey takes one to know one

MrsBarbaraKingstanding · 24/08/2009 19:51

HB I tink the 'weird' and 'mean' in the title implied she thinks she's better than others who do this. Don't you?

HerBeatitude · 24/08/2009 19:52

d'you ever get bored with being such a bore, Scottishmum?

GirlsAreLoud · 24/08/2009 19:53

YANBU, leaving a small child to face the inside wall of a bus for up to 30 minutes is a well-known cause of obesity, anti-social behaviour and will certainly cause houses in the vicinity to plummet in price.

scottishmummy · 24/08/2009 19:54

do you ever get bored calling folk mad?

HerBeatitude · 24/08/2009 19:54

No tbh Barbara, I didn't. It might not be a happy choice of words, but the immediate string of "have a best mummy award" type postings just struck me as so unnecessarily aggressive.

There seems to be a lot of that around atm.

HerBeatitude · 24/08/2009 19:55

I don't call folk mad that often SM, so no.

Whereas you are a bore on a fairly consistent basis, IMO.

HerBeatitude · 24/08/2009 19:55

I don't call folk mad that often SM, so no.

Whereas you are a bore on a fairly consistent basis, IMO.

GirlsAreLoud · 24/08/2009 19:55

Pot.

Kettle.

scottishmummy · 24/08/2009 19:58

and B-R-E-A-T-H-E=clearly you need to vent,by calling folk mad and me a bore

dizzymare · 24/08/2009 19:58

Facing the wall is the root cause of all evil don't you know

notanumber · 24/08/2009 20:00

I'm an awfully rubbish mummy an awful lot of the time, but there are some things that I do (becuase they're easy) that seem better than the just as easy alternative. The buggy thing for example.

Don't think I'm an overall better parent than wall facing parkers, nor do I think that they are therefore bad parents. Just that I made the better (trivial) choice that time about that one thing .

I know it's judgy. We all get judgy, don't we? I'm not suggesting informing The Social as a Matter of Priority or nuffink.

OP posts:
bibbitybobbityhat · 24/08/2009 20:01

Lol!

I think its a bit odd, too.

Funny how horribly judgey people can come across whilst falling over themselves to condemn you for being a titchy bit judgey yourself.

AIBU is a funny old world.

letsgostrawberrypicking · 24/08/2009 20:03

yabu OP - but only because if I was a tiny I would probably prefer to face the wall than be lunged at by old ladies on the bus and my chubby legs squiged!