Parking Wars

At midday on 28 December 2010 some friends and family called to visit in 3 cars. 3 pensioners, 3 adults, 3 ½ toddlers. (My sister is 7 months pregnant.) I was at home with my carer, my daughter and her school friend. I have been quite unwell over Christmas. 

I was unable to spend Christmas with my family and it was important to us all to celebrate together somehow. My brother and his family were visiting briefly from Scotland and my parents have been quite nervous on the ice. This was the one day we could coordinate for 3 hours and I was really looking forward to it.

12.40 My car took my daughter’s friend home, whilst we got my parents inside. I say we, I actually watched ineffectually, whilst everyone else made busy. The street has been packed with cars all week, it’s Christmas! There have been 2 strange cars outside my house and next door for days, since before the snow, again it’s Christmas! On its return we parked my mobility vehicle further down the road, where there was room, near no 41 in the lay-by, displaying my timed blue badge to indicate that this was temporary. I know we had a lot of cars and didn’t wish to unduly inconvenience anyone.

 !3.00 I noticed, through my living room window, that a woman was marching, in a comical fashion, through the sleet and snow. It’s a quiet street and only a handful of people had braved the elements all day. I was surprised when the woman rang my doorbell as I didn’t recognise her at all.

My carer answered the door. The woman was rude and abrupt, demanding that we move the car and never park near her house again. The woman then left. I was put out by her manner and instructed my carer that I would not respond immediately as it was lunchtime when I require various procedures including hoisting, toileting and maintenance of my gastronomy tube all of which whilst hosting a family get together.

13.15 The woman returned muttering and making irate gestures as she walked. This time when she rang my doorbell I moved my chair to the door. She was extremely rude and threatened to smash my car if I did not move it. I said I’m sorry but no. She left murmuring unintelligible threats.

13.20 A large thickset man came to my door. With some trepidation I went to see who he was. He again asked if the car could be moved. He was extremely polite and I agreed. As he left he became insulting saying that I had better move it. The threat was implied.

13.30 My carer went to move my car. The woman came out of number 41 and started to shout at her insulting her driving, threatening to turn over my car, calling my carer a blonde trollop. On hearing the altercation my Brother in Law went out. He stood some way back so as not to further antagonise. The woman was behaving in an intimidating way towards my carer who is a young girl in her early twenties who certainly didn’t sign up for this kind of abuse. The woman approached the driver’s window. My pregnant sister attempted to calm the woman down and the woman turned aggressively towards her. My Brother in Law advised the woman to go back inside before her violence was reciprocated. She threatened to see to his car and called him a ginger freak. She was pointing at a car that was nothing to do with my party.

My carer moved my car but to date number 41 have not moved theirs from where it was behind mine. I am confused as to why the urgency if they had managed anyway. Having parked my mobility vehicle at the other end of the street near the church we all returned to number 47 and resumed our festivities. When everyone had gone I remained anxious for my security. My mobility vehicle is a lifeline and I am in no fit state to defend myself against a clearly explosive but able bodied woman.