I think you need to go and have a lie down Swim.
Hi
This is summers post.
She was justifiably upset.
We should recognise that that and respond to it.
It is not about anyone else.
It is certainly not about you and me.
Summer was unreasonably insulted, as simple as that.
It is naff all between you and me.
I support her in that, she is absolutely lovely.
I am quite aware it is Summer’s thread thank you very much.
And if you read my post properly, and IT IS SUMMER I REPLIED TO!
Judging by the description of the person who verbally attacked you, she may not have been physically disabled herself but may perhaps have been a driver for a family member or friend who is disabled and has had stressful experiences of trying to find suitable parking spots before.
Either way, there was no excuse for her rude and aggressive behaviour towards you.
I think you were remarkably good natured to offer to move your car to prove to her it was not a disabled parking bay.
I can understand why you decided to just leave, though - sometimes, discretion is the better part of valour - I would not have wanted to ignore her and walk off to continue my shopping whilst leaving her ranting - I would have been worried she would damage my car in her rage!
I remember once being verbally attacked by someone in the car park that serves my local Co-Op, GP surgery and pharmacy.
I had driven an elderly neighbour to the GP - she had broken her ankle and had her foot in plaster, so was using crutches. Although there was lots of empty parking spaces, I parked in the disabled bay outside the GP surgery so she had the shortest distance to hobble. There was 4 spaces marked as parking for disabled but they did not specify blue badge holders only, so I figured that as my elderly friend was temporarily disabled, it was ok to use it - and the other 3 spaces were empty.
After I saw her safely into the GP surgery, I popped into the Co-Op shop next door to do a bit of shopping for her.
When I returned to the car and was putting the groceries into the boot, I was approached by a chap who had just parked in one of the disabled bays - which still left two empty bays. He came over and started telling me how selfish I was to be taking up a disabled car parking space when it was obvious I wasn’t disabled. Without drawing breath, he launched into a catalogue of all the times selfish shoppers had stopped him from parking close to the GP surgery so he could take his disabled wife in for her regular tests.
By this time, his disabled wife had got herself out of the car and walked slowly over to us, with the aid of a walking stick. “Come on, dear” she said, linking his arm and leading him away.
I had finished packing my shopping, so followed them into the surgery, and found my neighbour was just leaving the GP’s room and ready to go.
As my neighbour hobbled past “ranting man” on her crutches, with me beside her, I wasn’t quite close enough to speak to him but I couldn’t resist giving the old curmudgeon a grinning wink and a thumbs up signal - he flushed and quickly looked away
Awful for you Summer . Upsetting .
But I bet that woman felt foolish once she was in her car and realised her mistake .
What a horrid person summer. She was clearly looney tunes and now you know, the culprit for incident 1 was @Primus1
That exact thought crossed my mind, too, Minx!
Summer, it happens to the best of us. We don’t invite it, but at times we get in the line of fire. I do hope she started having a better day after venting on you.
You did nothing wrong, all things right.
So it was you! …Watch out I’ll get you back
How unpleasant Summer
I have learnt the best course of action on these occasions is not to engage with people like that , ignore them.
I learnt this when visiting my dying husband in hospital and I wound down the window to talk to a man I had annoyed (I hooted at him when he pulled out in front of me) and he grabbed me by the collar shouting at me. My old dog was on the back seat and leaped at him, thank goodness she was there.
I arrived at the hospital a crying jibbering wreck. Now I ignored such people and say to mysef ‘be calm’ it is better for my blood pressure and heart.
That must have been terrible Meg with all you were going through too…I hope your dog gave him a fright because he deserved it.
He jumped out of his skin Summer I wouldn’t dare leave a dog in the car these days but back then having one with me proved to be great protection.
So sorry to hear about your incident with the crazy woman Summer. Swim is right, you are not an angry or aggressive person and violence is not the answer.
In my opinion the best thing to do when she came up giving it large is to stand up straight and look her straight in the eye and listen to her waffling. Never look away or walk away (a sign of weakness and they will feed off it) Make sure that someone is watching, stand your ground (they don’t know you from Adam) if the worse comes to the worse and she strikes you, don’t retaliate but get names of witnesses and her car number. Take photos with your phone. You could make a small fortune in the small claims court.
Thanks foxy to be honest I never felt seriously under threat it was just the injustice of it that upset me…
I understand that Summer, and you will run it through your mind a thousand times and wonder if you could have handled it differently. You have probably lost some confidence because of it…Try not to ponder on it, you were not to blame and leaving the scene was the best option. It’s what I would probably have done.
I’m not a big strong bloke, but I’ve used the stare on more than one occasion to man mountain bennies and it unnerves them…
let me at her, I’ll knock her out, to be honest she needs a high heel stamped on her foot the nasty cow!
How very dare she upset my mate!
Awww, it sounds awful, I would have been just as upset as you were, I’m right sorry you had to go through that awful ordeal.
By the way, I love my FAB gift just like I lubs you!
Sorry about your incident Summer. Perhaps she had a learning disability or mental health condition, or perhaps she was a carer who had been tipped over the edge with stress. People are going through all sorts post-covid.
Too late.
I thought I posted here already.
That’s a scary situation to be in.
Who knows what was going on inside her head.
Glad you are ok.
Summer, sorry to hear about your incident but please don’t let it put you off going out. You had the misfortune to meet “a horse’s arse” and unfortunately there are far too many of them out there but decent ordinary people must not allow them to bully us into submission.