Pregnant woman screamed at over parking spot; bystanders step in to support her.
Understanding and compromise can be difficult for some people, and at times, individuals challenge policies meant to assist others. Reddit user u/QuailPuzzled1286 shared her story of being confronted by a woman who questioned the support she received as an expectant mother. Luckily, many rallied to defend her.
Needing to run to a nearby grocery store, the woman, who was 7 months pregnant, aimed to use one of the reserved spots at a Loblaws outlet for expectant mothers. These spaces are closer to the entrance to minimize walking. However, she couldn't use the spot—not because it was occupied by another expectant person, but because a woman parked there without acknowledging the signs.
Following a Lexus to the parking spot, she realized it had taken her desired spot. Initially thinking it must be another pregnant woman or someone with a child, she parked 4-5 spots away. To her surprise, a woman in her 60s emerged from the Lexus. At first, the Redditor tried to ignore it, but she became irritated when the woman mockingly laughed and said, “Oh! I’m so sorry I didn’t realize."
Although she usually avoids confrontations, this time she snapped, saying, " You’re obviously not that sorry since you parked in a spot you shouldn’t have!” This angered the woman, who hadn't expected any response. She took a threatening stance, approached the pregnant woman, and screamed, "F**k you, you’re not entitled to this spot." Shocked and vulnerable, the expectant mother began to cry.
The story doesn't end with the lady humiliating the mom-to-be. Several people approached them, listened to the situation, and sided with the pregnant woman. They called the other lady inconsiderate, making her so ashamed that she drove off. The post ended with the Redditor expressing her frustration at people's inability to acknowledge and apologize for their wrongdoings, believing that such actions allow for personal growth. Yet, many choose not to.
The comment section was on the expecting mother's side and understood her sentiments. u/Wynndee expressed their views on how humans function now in terms of owning their mistakes, "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." u/BigMax shared their own views as to why the woman behave in this manner, "She wanted you to say 'oh, no, don't worry about it, it's ok' and make her feel better about her selfishness. Then she could go into the store having been given a free pass for being entitled. But you correctly called her out, and she didn't like that."
Editor's note: This article was originally published on September 4, 2023. It has since been updated.