Parent and child spaces should be for those with children 5 and under

But if you're putting your baby in a pram, surely you can just park on the far side of the car park where it isn't busy? Not that I really understand why you need a pram in the supermarket anyway, but if you do, there are ways of managing this safely without needing a p&c space.

Look it's pretty clear you've never negotiated a two year old and a trolley across a carpark, maybe just accept that your views will change when you have.

To spell it out - one of the strictest rules in our house is that you must hold a grown-up's hand in a carpark. However I have yet to figure out a way to get a full trolley, a three year old and a five year old to the car while holding everyone's hand. It's a job that needs four hands and yet I only have two. So if a supermarket trip with two DC is needed, that's the only time I ever park in P&C because it's the only time I've ever felt it necessary. Not because of the space although it sure is useful, but because of the short safe route.

Putting a single baby in a buggy or trolley seat is an absolute breeze in comparison and doesn't need any particular consideration. Perhaps just trust the multiple parents on this thread making that point.

IME trying to load baby into pram at the back of a car is very unsafe. Car parks are tight and it is pretty much in the path of the cars.
If your small children are so small that drivers can’t see them then you need to be holding their hands surely?!

Couldn't have said it better myself

Well, as a neutral bystander who doesn't ever park in P&C spaces but does observe other people getting into silly altercations about them, I can assure you that the person challenging the apparently "undeserving" user of such spaces absolutely does look like a total twat. As has been said multiple times on this thread, you can't possibly know why someone has chosen to park in that space.

The buggy isn't a big risk IME, you park out at the back of the car, close enough that no car would be driving there anyway and it's a big lump of metal that is clearly visible to passing cars anyway. It doesn't need to be by the door.

Walking small children through a carpark is much more dangerous as they aren't as visible to drivers and may be in the path of cars, never mind that their behaviour can be erratic and you may not have a free hand to hold theirs if you also have a trolley.

If you have a buggy with you you're one of the least in need of a special space IME.

The only person who looks like a twat is the person parking in a p&c space without a child 😂

Well many more people do drive their kids to school when it rains

There should be as many spaces for people with disabilities as possible, but no P&C spaces, instead more car parks should have the spaces between each parking space. My thinking is that there are many people who struggle getting in and out of cars, needing the door to be fully open, but wouldn't qualify for a blue badge, and obviously aren't a child/parent, so more space between spaces would help everyone.
I have intermittent muscular/skeletal issues, as well as being quite a tall person, and getting in and out of cars in cramped spaces is a bloody nightmare, I've had this for 20 years, and for the rest of my life no doubt.
If P&C spaces are present, I agree with the PP who suggested they should be further away, detering CFs from using them.

@source as above. Honestly, enjoy that baby stage. It comes with its challenges, but having to carry them across a carpark is not one of them. Come back when you have multiple older children and read this. You’ll have a little eye roll at yourself. Honestly, you will.

Lost me at pregnant people

It’s amazing how many people insist this is a safety issue. If there were instances of small children being put at risk of harm, then why on earth don’t we have them everywhere? We have car seat laws and regulations. If there is a genuine risk to children, then these spaces should be mandated by law and enforced accordingly.

If people just said “yeah it’s so much easier and more convenient to have P&C spaces” then I’d totally be on board. I reject the idea that people are entitled to them because their specific circumstances are the most important ever. It’s also absolutely ridiculous to suggest a parent with a small baby is more entitled than a parent with a 5 year old. If we say they’re needed for safety, then 5 and 6 and 7 years olds - who legally need to be in car seats - deserve the same safety.
These spaces seem to encourage a vocal minority of busybodies who seem to think they own the car park. Would I use one if I didn’t have a legitimate use? Absolutely not! Equally, would I slam the door on someone behind me because I couldn’t be arsed to hold the door open? Also no! I just don’t think I’m oh so important that I’d reprimand someone for not holding the door open for me. Life’s too short to get over involved.

It is odd though that people are saying the disabled spaces are empty when P&C and full and my experience is the opposite. The only reason I can think of is that the majority of those groups shop at different times. Otherwise we need the disabled spaces closest to the shop entrance and more disabled spaces as I think the disabled need them more.

I've brought up 4 and regularly shop with GC, I also shop with disabled husband and I know which group I'd prioritise.

That would make it even harder for disabled people, and lead to even more of a sense of entitlement from some parents.

disabled spaces need to be plentiful and they need to be protected for those with blue badges.

No, because then you'd get parents filling up the disabled slots unnecessarily and people would believe that the two are equivalent.

Better to keep them separate but with an absolute acceptance that disabled people can park in any space that suits them.

Or just get rid of the P&C spaces and convert them all to disabled ones.

I find these threads midly amusing as a car-free household, because we have always walked. Across lots of roads as well as car parks. Online deliveries when we didn't fancy it. It'll really do you no harm to walk a few minutes with the baby. It would do the teenagers no harm to walk either. Useful for those with disabled children have the space, so they can get out wheelchairs, walkers or whatever elae is needed, everyone else comes across as a bit fussy.

I think we should move them to the back of the car park. They cause too much angst with people who don't need them parking there who wouldn't if they were further away.

I get your frustration and share the grump at selfish people who genuinely do not need the space. I don't park in them with my 8 year old as he can get out unaided, I do park in them with my 4 year old so that I can help her with the belt.

But you did lose me at the hand wringing over carrying your baby across a car park. For goodness sake, there are folk in other countries who carry babies whilst also working in the fields or carrying heavy loads because there's no other option. I'm assuming you're exhausted and overwhelmed but I do think this was massively over the top.

I don't know how they work out the numbers but I struggle to get a disabled space at my local supermarket as there aren't many. Lots of empty P&C spaces.

Maybe spaces should be a combined P&C and disabled so they are fully used. I tend to shop during the day, I'm retired, but P&C spaces might be busier after school runs or when parents get home from work.

Until my colleague's severely autistic DS got his blue badge, she parked in the PnC spaces when he was with her. As he has no concept of danger.

At my local supermarket they have electric buggies for people with mobility issues. So people might manage to get tot he door from a nearby space and then shop in one of the buggies and yes some people will just about manage to walk round but in pain and struggling.

The OP is more likely to be hurt while driving to supermarket than walking across carpark holding a baby

Lol a pram is easily a thousand times better than a toddler in a carpark.

who cares if someone with a baby is having to traipse across a busy car park holding a baby to get to the baby trolleys.

Your baby is safely in your arms and you can competently assess for danger as you cross the carpark. Try this with multiple children who are all walking and one of whom is a bolter - you will discover that you currently have the easiest job with an immobile baby and are making a mountain out of a molehill

I do think the spaces should be reserved for those with a child who is young enough to be in a car seat but can’t bring myself to get worked up about it if someone else takes the spaces

My husband works with a guy who accidentally killed someone in a grocery car park. Genuine accident so no prison etc and it's rare, but it does happen