As a father of three, I perfectly understand how difficult it is for pregnant women (damn, what am I saying now – I don’t get anything, only another pregnant woman can fully understand a pregnant woman!), and how important various urban utilities really are for them, as well as for the new moms.
Special queues in supermarkets, separate, more convenient parking spots located closer to the entrance – all these little things make life much easier for expectant mothers… although, unfortunately, not all people can understand this, and not everyone can accept it either. And this story from the user u/QuailPuzzled1286 is more proof of that.
The author of the post is an expecting mom and she once went shopping at the local grocery store
Image credits: Nayuki (not the actual)
The author expected to park her car in one of the dedicated parking spots but things, alas, went another way
Image credits: QuailPuzzled1286
A posh Lexus was ahead of the author’s car and it parked right in the mom-to-be’s spot
Image credits: Rik Williams (not the actual photo)
Image credits: QuailPuzzled1286
To the woman’s indignation, she saw that the Lexus driver was just an elderly woman – not pregnant at all
Image credits: Tony Alter (not the actual photo)
Image credits: QuailPuzzled1286
A quarrel arose and then the elderly woman lashed out at the author, not mincing words
Image credits: Blue moon in her eyes (not the actual photo)
Image credits: QuailPuzzled1286
However, the bystanders unanimously sided with the pregnant woman and the offender finally drove away
So, the Original Poster (OP) says that she lives in a small town in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, and one day she went to the local Loblaws store to do some shopping. The author of the post is in her seventh month of pregnancy, so she is very happy that there are special spots for pregnant women in the parking lot near the store – and she expected to take one of these spots. However, the woman’s expectations were not destined to come true…
Already at the entrance to the parking lot, a lavish Lexus was ahead of the OP’s car, and it headed exactly to that parking spot, appropriately marked, which the author of the post had chosen for herself in advance. Well, perhaps another expectant mom was driving the Lexus, the author probably thought to herself, and parked a little further away, in a standard spot.
Both drivers got out of their cars almost at the same time – and the original poster was very surprised to see that the owner of the Lexus was a woman in her mid-60s, and most likely not an expecting mom at all. Seeing the OP, she laughed and said: “Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize!” At that moment, the author, in her own words, could not restrain herself – on the one hand, resentment, on the other, hormones – so she coldly retorted: “You’re obviously not that sorry, since you parked in a spot you shouldn’t have!”
It would seem that the conflict is settled, wouldn’t it? No way! As if by a wave of a hand, the owner of the Lexus had all her civility washed away, and she lashed out at the original poster, mincing no words at all, and the general meaning of her screams was that the original poster wasn’t entitled to that spot either.
The author of the post sincerely admits that under the pressure of such aggression she simply burst into tears, however, almost all the bystanders unanimously stood up for her, stating to the offender that she definitely has no right to park there, and that she’s way out of line. Moreover, one of the men called a spade a spade, dubbing the elderly woman “a Karen.” Apparently, the offender, not expecting such a backlash, went back to her Lexus and drove away, and the original poster decided to share this story, admitting that at that moment it was just scary.
Image credits: yeskefo (not the actual photo)
“What can I say other than that the elderly woman in this situation has literally made every communication mistake she could possibly make?” rhetorically wonders Irina Matveeva, a psychologist and certified NLP specialist, whom Bored Panda asked for a comment on this situation. “Yes, this expecting mom’s remark was quite sarcastic – but, in the end, seeing her mistake, the Lexus driver could offer to swap parking spots. That would be appropriate.”
“In any case, if you do not have the right to park in mom-to-be’s spots, then it does not matter who is driving behind you – a pregnant woman, a mother of two, or even a man – all this does not matter, because you by default aren’t entitled to this spot. Period. And all the other lines and further behavior from the elderly woman are pure entitlement as is. Let’s hope this story serves as a lesson to her,” Irina says.
As for the people in the comments, they burn with indignation at the behavior of the owner of the Lexus and, of course, fully support the original poster. “People don’t apologize when they are obviously in the wrong anymore, they double down and make it somehow your fault, people have no accountability anymore at all,” one of the commenters summarized.
Sadly, many commenters also brought up similar stories of their own, and not all of them ended with the same wave of popular support as this one. In any case, according to folks in the comments, the author of the post did exactly the right thing by venting her emotions. And what do you, our dear readers, think about this situation?
People in the comments massively supported the mom-to-be as well, also telling lots of similar stories
As a wheelie, I've dealt with this so often. "I was only in there for 5 minutes!" or whatever excuse they have for taking up a space I need. I wish they understood that, in my case, I can't just go somewhere else. They're taking the only parking spot/bathroom stall/handwashing station that is available to me. They often have a dozen or more options, but no. They want the only one I can use. It's so awful.
I’ve had people who are disabled apologise to me when I move aside to let them past. I always tell them it’s not necessary at all! I just want to be sure they can get past me safely and be on their way. It makes me feel terrible that they feel the need to say sorry to me :(
My autistic brother is able to get a permit for his car that would allow him to park in these spots. Someone asked him why he doesn't have the permit and his exact reply was "But wheelchair people and people having babies need those spots more than I do" I've never been more proud of him
That made me smile on a bad morning, thank you Doom Song.
I also qualify for a disabled spot, but I haven't even applied for a permit. I'm still mobile and can manage walking a few extra meters, so I don't feel justified when there are others who absolutely need those spots. When my situation changes and I actually need it, I'll get a permit. In the meantime, I get a little more necessary exercise.
I know already this won’t go over well, but I’ll say it anyway. Can we please retire this “Karen” terminology? I am not condoning the actions of those so-labeled, but I hate blanket terms like this. Criticize these people! They deserve it! But, creating a name for a “type” is counterproductive. It’s stereotyping. It’s helpful to no one. Call me an “old, privileged, caucasian gay guy,” sure (I am!), but if someone came up with some cutsie name for it like “Stevie,” that doesn’t change the meaning. All it does is reduce an egregious reality to equally childish name-calling. *Edited for clarity and to remove the apparently debatable word “slur.” And to add… To be clear, I don’t like using loaded names for anyone. That’s my only point. If someone wrongs me, I’d prefer to describe the truth of their actions without using a loaded term to judge them. I fully admit that I am likely old-fashioned and out of touch.
I absolutely agree with you. It has quickly become a misogynistic term that is used for any middle aged woman being assertive. “Excuse me, I think those beans are on special - can you recheck the price?” Karen. “Would you mind turning you music down? It’s 11pm” Karen. “Well, Bill, I did make that very suggestion, myself, at the beginning of this meeting” Karen.
Agree. Entitled b***h/bastard works just as well.
Oh yes, let's definitely use gendered slurs. Great idea. Much better.
And using a fem/masc name is not gendered?
its not a slur, slurs are objective, being entitled (one of the requirements for being a karen) is not objective therefore it is not a slur
You know you’ve screwed up when a group of Canadians rip you a new one.
As a wheelie, I've dealt with this so often. "I was only in there for 5 minutes!" or whatever excuse they have for taking up a space I need. I wish they understood that, in my case, I can't just go somewhere else. They're taking the only parking spot/bathroom stall/handwashing station that is available to me. They often have a dozen or more options, but no. They want the only one I can use. It's so awful.
I’ve had people who are disabled apologise to me when I move aside to let them past. I always tell them it’s not necessary at all! I just want to be sure they can get past me safely and be on their way. It makes me feel terrible that they feel the need to say sorry to me :(
My autistic brother is able to get a permit for his car that would allow him to park in these spots. Someone asked him why he doesn't have the permit and his exact reply was "But wheelchair people and people having babies need those spots more than I do" I've never been more proud of him
That made me smile on a bad morning, thank you Doom Song.
I also qualify for a disabled spot, but I haven't even applied for a permit. I'm still mobile and can manage walking a few extra meters, so I don't feel justified when there are others who absolutely need those spots. When my situation changes and I actually need it, I'll get a permit. In the meantime, I get a little more necessary exercise.
I know already this won’t go over well, but I’ll say it anyway. Can we please retire this “Karen” terminology? I am not condoning the actions of those so-labeled, but I hate blanket terms like this. Criticize these people! They deserve it! But, creating a name for a “type” is counterproductive. It’s stereotyping. It’s helpful to no one. Call me an “old, privileged, caucasian gay guy,” sure (I am!), but if someone came up with some cutsie name for it like “Stevie,” that doesn’t change the meaning. All it does is reduce an egregious reality to equally childish name-calling. *Edited for clarity and to remove the apparently debatable word “slur.” And to add… To be clear, I don’t like using loaded names for anyone. That’s my only point. If someone wrongs me, I’d prefer to describe the truth of their actions without using a loaded term to judge them. I fully admit that I am likely old-fashioned and out of touch.
I absolutely agree with you. It has quickly become a misogynistic term that is used for any middle aged woman being assertive. “Excuse me, I think those beans are on special - can you recheck the price?” Karen. “Would you mind turning you music down? It’s 11pm” Karen. “Well, Bill, I did make that very suggestion, myself, at the beginning of this meeting” Karen.
Agree. Entitled b***h/bastard works just as well.
Oh yes, let's definitely use gendered slurs. Great idea. Much better.
And using a fem/masc name is not gendered?
its not a slur, slurs are objective, being entitled (one of the requirements for being a karen) is not objective therefore it is not a slur
You know you’ve screwed up when a group of Canadians rip you a new one.