Parent and toddler parking - taking it too far?

[Space Girl]

Being a mum of two I found having the option of using P&P parking great as the space is wider, however, these spaces are usually quite a way from the store but the route to the store is a safe one, my children are now 5 and 8 and I don't use these parking spaces any more as I don't need to, but that's just me, other families do.

There are so many spaces in the car parks that there is no reason why there can't be special spaces for parents, disabled etc.

I did once complain about someone without a child parking in a P&P space, this was when I had just had my second child and really needed the extra space allocated to me, tesco said that they could not enforce the rule that only parents with children could park in the space, the only ones they could enforce is when someone was parked in the disabled parking without a badge, now talking about disabled spaces, what gets my goat is when parents with children seem to think that they has some right to park there. I hate it when anyone parks in these spaces but even more so when it's some stuck up parent that thinks they have a right to park their volvo estate in the disabled spaces

 

[weepiper]

As a heavily pregnant mum of a two year old, the reason I park in these spaces is because they are the only ones in which it is possible to open the car doors wide enough to squeeze my massive bulk through with a small child in tow. The distance from the doors I find irrelevant. At my local supermarket (which is five miles away so I have to drive) the parent and toddler spaces are some of the furthest away from the doors anyway. The rest of the car park has such small spaces that it's very difficult for me to get myself and little weepiper in and out of the car.

 

[moomoo]

If I see someone with no children parking in those spaces, I ask them (in a very concerned voice) if they have left their baby in the boot

Haven't had my face smashed in yet!

Disabled parking is another matter altogether, we have a disabled adapted Nissan Prairie and I have to drive into a space to allow my husband out of the back. Now, it might be because I am a girl but I only ever reverse into spaces when I am in my car because I can't reverse out of them when leaving - I was never shown how and have a real problem with it!

So with this Nissan, I can only park in disabled spaces because they are wider and give me more room to swing out (without hitting the cars either side, if you know what I mean!) and it drives me insane when people are in them that clearly don't need to be

I went to Tesco today (another story altogether - never encountered such rude checkout staff before - she was even chewing gum ) and the disabled spaces were full of cars with no badges, so I parked on the double yellow lines and left hubbie in the car while I went and did a bit of shopping

I'm beginning to turn into a right old grump

 

[Space Girl]

I went to Tesco today (another story altogether - never encountered such rude checkout staff before - she was even chewing gum ) and the disabled spaces were full of cars with no badges, so I parked on the double yellow lines and left hubbie in the car while I went and did a bit of shopping

you should go and tell them at the customer services and as far as I know, they should by law, enforce that only customers displaying a valid disabled permit are parking in the allocated spaces

how is your hubby moomoo, doing well I hope

 

[moomoo]

you should go and tell them at the customer services and as far as I know, they should by law, enforce that only customers displaying a valid disabled permit are parking in the allocated spaces

how is your hubby moomoo, doing well I hope

PM sent

 

[T & P]

P & C spaces are a good idea but I see two problems with them that tend to infuriate punters: they're far too open to abuse and there appear to be too many of them in relation to the facility in question.

When you go around the car park like a fucker and end up parking at the far end, only to see that that about most of those parking in the P & C spaces have no children with them you feel like a fool.

And when you realise that on the whole most of them aren't occupied because there's too many of them in relation to the size & capacity of the supermarket (in many stores the entire closest row to the entrance is reserved for disabled and P & C spaces- occupancy is seldom above 20%) you are tempted to use one next time- seeing as there'll be still plenty left for genuine parents with children anyway.

I've also seen surprisingly large number of people who clearly have children (judging by their 'baby on board' signs and their child seats) but don't have them with them at the time of shopping- yet they invariably park in the P & C spaces as if they have a right to them through their parenthood status. My instant reaction when I see that is an urge to steal a Challenger 2 tank and drive it over their fucking cars

 

[moose]

My particular supermarket parking gripe is that SUV drivers seem to think that the areas cross-hatched in yellow are reserved parking for them. Likewise little islands up steep curbs. In fact, anywhere that's supposed to be non-parking usually has one of those fucking things parked in/on it.

 

[Space Girl]

my tesco's probably has parking for about 250 cars and there are 12 P&C spaces and 20 disabled, the P&C are always full and distable spaces are full with people 'just popping in'

 

[Termite Man]

There was a customer survey where I worked and car parking was one of the things discussed . I was all for P&C parking untill I found out some of the cunts were complaining because there were too many disbaled bays and not enough P&C bays
When I were a kid there wern't P&C bays to park in but my parents managed with 3 kids so why the fuck do parents need to be pandered to now

 

[Velouria]

I used one once when I took my mum to the supermarket and all the disabled spaces were full. She was aghast at me doing so but I pointed out 'But we are a parent and child. It's just somewhat unusual for the child to be driving the parent around.'

 

[Space Girl]

There was a customer survey where I worked and car parking was one of the things discussed . I was all for P&C parking untill I found out some of the cunts were complaining because there were too many disbaled bays and not enough P&C bays
When I were a kid there wern't P&C bays to park in but my parents managed with 3 kids so why the fuck do parents need to be pandered to now

it's not about being pandered to, it's about making things easier and just because our parents coped doesn't mean that it wasn't difficult, I am well up for these allocated spaces but I don't understand how anyone could complain that there were too many disable spaces

 

[Radar]

If you're carrying someone disabled/mobility impaired and the disabled spaces are full, I would think you're morally entitled to use a P&C space.

 

[madzone]

If you're carrying someone disabled/mobility impaired and the disabled spaces are full, I would think you're morally entitled to use a P&C space.

As long as it's not someone popping out doing some shopping for their elderly relative and still thinking it entitles them to use the blue badge. I'm a parking space facist and will probably get my face smashed in one day but I don't bat an eye at disabled people using P&C

 

[Velouria]

As long as it's not someone popping out doing some shopping for their elderly relative and still thinking it entitles them to use the blue badge. I'm a parking space facist and will probably get my face smashed in one day but I don't bat an eye at disabled people using P&C

Yeah and of course of the cars that were in the few disabled spaces, only about half had badges

 

[Space Girl]

Yeah and of course of the cars that were in the few disabled spaces, only about half had badges

that's the problem, there are usually loads of disabled spaces and most of the cars using them don't have a badge and unfortunatly most of them are bloody mothers and their kids who think they have a right to use the spaced because there are no P&C spaces left

 

[chieftain]

the wider space to open doors for baby car chairs is great.... perhaps the reason P&C space's weren't about when we were kids was because no one thought of it.... its a good idea which is like most other things in life open to abuse by the selfish....

perhaps leaving the SUV bit of the leaflet out is a good idea.... another specific SUV leaflet could be made as well?

 

[ICB]

I'd rather see improved pedestrian facilities (ie a pavement and some pedestrian crossings).

Why not both? I'm sure you have a point but the vast majority of people using supermarkets will be driving and it makes sense to spend money where it benefits/protects the most people. The pavement and crossings may be the responsibility of your local highways dept. rather than the supermarket depending on where you would like them.

Our local supermarket has very few P&C spaces and they're no closer than the more numerous disabled spaces. Some of this may depend on the local demographics (lots of oldies here). They're very useful when trying to shepherd three under-10s and if a P&C space has ever saved a child's life anywhere then they're worth aggravating a few selfish tossers for.

Sean - like the leaflet but agree with comments about 4x4 and rudeness at the end. Keep it extra civil and it will have more effect.

 

[ICB]

the wider space to open doors for baby car chairs is great.... perhaps the reason P&C space's weren't about when we were kids was because no one thought of it.... its a good idea which is like most other things in life open to abuse by the selfish....

There are a lot more and larger supermarkets about than when we were kids and a lot more cars, as well as far fewer alternatives to either.

 

[chieftain]

There are a lot more and larger supermarkets about than when we were kids and a lot more cars, as well as far fewer alternatives to either.

Yes there are.... I personally hate the "drive to" out of town shopping culture and avoid it and driving as much as possible by cycling and walking... I also hate not being able to open the door of my car to get my eight week old boy in because someone has parked to close to me... now if Im with someone I will ask them to hold baby chieftain whilst I manouver enough to get the door open... If im on my own I'm fucked...

so yes I think P&C spaces are very useful

 

[chieftain]

Sean - like the leaflet but agree with comments about 4x4 and rudeness at the end. Keep it extra civil and it will have more effect.

very true

 

[shoddysolutions]

If you can't beat 'em, why not mark out two or three "SELFISH CUNT" spaces right near to the entrance, next to the disabled and P&C ones?

 

[chieftain]

If you can't beat 'em, why not mark out two or three "SELFISH CUNT" spaces right near to the entrance, next to the disabled and P&C ones?

"INCREASINGLY TYPICAL SELFISH CUNT"

 

[ICB]

 

[shoddysolutions]

The spaces in the middle of the car park could be marked "CONSIDERATE SHOPPERS" and the ones in its further reaches "NOT TOO LAZY TO WALK 100 FUCKING METRES"

 

[chieftain]

The spaces in the middle of the car park could be marked "CONSIDERATE SHOPPERS" and the ones in its further reaches "NOT TOO LAZY TO WALK 100 FUCKING METRES"

brilliant.. we could even have spaces whicH always remained empty marked "I FUCKING WALKED/CYCLED HERE TODAY BUT IF I HAD OF DRIVEN I WOULD HAVE PARKED HERE"

 

[pogofish]

Why not get rid of the bays & bay-mentality altogether & go back to parking attendants? - Disabled badge, go park by the door. Kids, park nearer but leave some room by the next car. Fit & able, over there where there is plenty of space please. You need to collect something heavy, park close & be quick about it! We still have several of these guys at the main car parks at my work & frankly, they solve most of the problems raised here.

 

[Shmu]

When I were a kid there wern't P&C bays to park in but my parents managed with 3 kids so why the fuck do parents need to be pandered to now

In the good old days when only a handful of men ever did the weekly shop with their kids and when women had practically no voice at all in the workplace (including the boardrooms of large retailers), supermarket design did not take into account how logistically difficult/potentially dangerous it can be to navigate the car parks (which, admittedly were much less busy) and the toilets when you have young children.

Now, finally someone noticed that a lot of people are struggling around the supermarket. Of course market forces are the motivation of the supermarkets, but why is this relevant as an excuse for parking in a space reserved for someone with more to cope with/larger spacial needs?

Those of you who feel miffed about the fact that P&C spaces exist might feel differently if you tried shopping with a baby and a toddler just once. I'm not saying it's awful - it's just more difficult than cruising around on your own.

<old person rant> Why is everyone so fucking selfish - so few people get up for old people and pregnant women on buses either and I think it reflects the same sort of attitude <old person rant>

 

[snadge]

Hmmm, they do for the people who use them.

I use 'em all the time, when pulled I reply that I do have children but left them in the house

 

[oooomegrapes]

i once parked in a kiddie space (only once! before i get shot down in flames) when going into the supermarket, a man approached me and my pal and enquired as to whether we knew it was reserved for people with children, my mates reply (quick as you like)

- whats wrong? havent your kids got any legs


wonderful!

 

[chieftain]

my mates reply (quick as you like) whats wrong? havent your kids got any legs

You know those moments when you go through in you head what you'd like to do...... Well I would love to have replied to your mate.... WHALLOP.. "oh dear you seem to have broken your nose"