AIBU to be incredulous that this really does happen IRL?!

[ifyourehoppyandyouknowit]

Just saw a carpark skirmish between a car with a blue badge and a car with a baby, over the last parent and child space, at a big chain supermarket. All disabled bays were full, only one PAC space left, both car reach the space at the same time. Man in blue badge holding car waves blue badge from window, people with child in the car kick off and start shouting about how he should park in the disabled bays, saying that they don't care if they are all full that is a parent and child space. I just kind of stood there open mouthed. Plenty of space to park further back in the car park as it wasn't that full. Oh, and no one was going to dissolve because the carpark is under cover.

I'm just that this really actually happens in real life! I thought it was kind of a internet ranty thing and that no one would be dickheaded enough to actually challenge a blue badge holder's right to use a PAC space outside of the internet!

And now I feel like I should have said something, but the shouty parents didn't seem like they were the type to listen to anything except the sound of their own voices.

So am I BU and very naive?

[Abra1d]

What would really help if a sign on the P&C parking stated that disabled people got first dibs if they needed a space--and why. Not all parents do understand the particular difficulties and complexities of being disabled and needing the spaces. I'm not sure I fully did, before people in my own family lost mobility.

[Cravey]

Yep it happens, last year I had a new mummy screaming at me as. Had a parent and child space when all disabled spaces were full. She needed the space to get her buggy out, I needed the space to get a wheelchair out. I simply locked the car and allowed her to carry on screaming and shouting as it seemed to be amusing other shoppers. Some people have a skewed view on these spaces and don't seem to understand.

[Bearbehind]

I have to say someone waving their blue badge at me as if it were some divine pass would piss me right off.

It doesn't seem very fair that the parents (assuming their children were young enough to justify a P&C space) should have to surrender the space to a blue badge holder.

[TakingTheStairs]

Wow, that's nuts!
I don't think you getting involved would have solved anything. The people that thought parent & child spot is more important than blue badge priority absolutely would not have backed down just because a stranger told them they were in the wrong.

[PollyIndia]

Definitely not BU. It boggles my mind how entitled and selfish some people are. I agree with Abra1d - though you shouldn't need to spell it out.

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

I do hope you are joking bearbehind

[Redtractoryellowtractor]

but it was a parent and child space?

Fair enough - it would have been more polite for them to give it to the driver with a disability but what would he have done if all the P&C and all the spaces for people with a disability had been full?

Shouting and screaming in a supermarket car-park is never a classy thing (For either party) but as far as I am aware having a disability doesn't give you any legal right to park wherever you want in teh absence of a space for the disabled.

[TakingTheStairs]

Bear P&C spaces are not a right, they are a courtesy.
Disabled drivers absolutely take priority.

[schobe]

Divine pass? Are you having a laugh?

Do you think people are happy that they're fucking lives are destroyed by disability?

[squeakytoy]

"It doesn't seem very fair that the parents (assuming their children were young enough to justify a P&C space) should have to surrender the space to a blue badge holder."

what???

unless the parents themselves had a mobility problem, they should be perfectly capable of parking a bit further away and walking into the store..

[schobe]

their

bugger

[Gigondas]

Are you for real bearbehind? In what world does someone with a disability need a space less than a parent with child?

Agree that scrap un dignified but not the concept.

[Bearbehind]

It's not their priority to park I was questioning, it's the waving of the pass that would annoy me.

This sounds like any other fight when 2 people try to get into a space at the same time.

[Cravey]

Parent and child spaces are not a right, blue badges are, in what mind does a parent and a buggy come before someone who has a disability. Most stupid statement I have heard in my life from the other posters.

[sue52]

A disabled badge trumps a pushchair every time. Some people are rude and ignorant.

[ifyourehoppyandyouknowit]

There are no legal limits on who can park in a PAC space. They are a courtesy by shops who want to attract parents in by trying to make their lives easier. And how much bloody room do you need to get a pram out? Surely about the same you need to unload a trolley, and the rest of the carpark manage just fine doing that in a normal space.

Disclaimer, I do use PAC spaces when they are available and I do get a tiny bit when people without children or blue badges use them, but it's not something I would let bother me for more than two seconds.#

[Gigondas]

If that's your point why bother with second paragraph bear? And it's not same as any old parking row as anyone with decency would concede right to disabled person.

But apparently in rl ,as op mentioned, this is not always accepted.

[HumphreyCobbler]

a disability badge is OBVIOUSLY the priority. People with children can just park further away. I cannot believe anyone thinks any differently. P&C spaces are a courtesy, not a right, unlike blue badges.

[Bearbehind]

I am sorry if I have offended.

I'm clearly not aware of blue badge parking prioity.

My local supermarket has normal spaces that are actually closer to the store than the disabled ones and the ones on the end would allow wheelchair access. Does that mean if someone waved their blue badge at me as I tried to pull into it, they have priority?

[ifyourehoppyandyouknowit]

I don't know about legally, but morally I would give up any space to someone with a blue badge as I am physically able to park further away and walk lug a whiny toddler and shopping to the shop, since I'm able bodied.

[Bearbehind]

Parking wars are always a minefield as things happen so quickly but I completely see your point now OP. I, ignorantly, wouldn't have twigged straight away if someone had waved their badge at me. A definite lesson learnt to think before I act or type

[ShadeofViolet]

I wonder if the parent wants the disability too??

[Cravey]

Come off it bear ! Disabled spaces are larger than most to allow for getting a wheelchair out. It's not about being closer to the store. I imagine you know perfectly well that a person cannot wave a badge at you and pop in the parking spot you were going into. I think you may be being obtuse on purpose. Also re the op I would never ever wave my badge at someone. I was bought up with manners.

[ballinacup]

The pay and display carpark outside my office has one disabled bay, and on the wall in front of that bay is a sign, put there by the owners of the carpark, saying 'Attention: Anyone can park in this bay'.

The amount of arguments that kick off over it are unbelievable. Some people are just twats.

[Yonilovesboni]

What about if the parent had 3 day old triplets and was a LP? Who gets priority then??