Parent/child spaces without the child

[Frogsalad]

I'm curious how many people would admit to using a parent/child space when they don't actually have their child with them, or their child is remaining in the vehicle?

I feel like this might be like asking "admit you don't pick up your dog poo" but I see it so often loads of people must do it.

I absolutely wouldn't use a P&C space if I didn't have my daughter with me but I see people do it all the time. Now that my daughter is 3 I have sort of moved away from using them anyway as I can make it work in a regular space. One thing that really irks me that I wonder peoples views on is when I see people using these spaces with older children who won't need a car seat (or need booster at most), don't need assisted in and out of their seat by a parent and just get themselves in and out of the car and don't hold parents hands on the way in / out. To me those people should have stopped using those spaces, are they not for people with car seats and prams to manage? Like I said my little one is 3 (only just) and I can cope without the extra space so don't use P&C parking if there aren't many spaces as I know how hard it is when you need one of those. Wonder what others think in terms of when you should stop.

@Arbesque I agree with you on that. If a blue badge holder uses a P&C space I don't think I'd bat an eyelid but I don't think that works the other way around, it's just your bad luck if you can't get a P&C space when you need one.

My post follows one of many occasions this morning when I did a regular stop at the Coop on the way to work and saw a guy clearly on his way to/from work (had hi-vis uniform on) use a P&C space without a child. It pisses me off and it's pure lazyness.

Of course I'm far too chicken to every say anything to anyone.

I think they’re great for babies and toddlers but unless there are other invisible reasons , the parent of children aged 5 and over doesn’t need them. As pp poster said they are a marketing ploy rather than a necessity. Spaces for diabled people are much needed and as far as I’m concerned a disabled person can use the most convenient space whether it’s a disabled or a parent and child space is irrelevant.

I do!

It's in no way comparable with not picking up your dog's poo.

No one actually needs a Princess & Child parking space.

Not at peak times, but if it's quiet I might. I've used when dc won't come in and I don't want to leave them in the car at the bottom of the car park.

I have a few times when I had my mum with me and there were no blue badge spaces left.

When ds was small and P&C spaces were handy when available, I didn't have any inclination at all to police or monitor who was using or even abusing them.

Life is too short, if there is one free and you have a child then use it, otherwise just park elsewhere and get on with your day.

i recall using one once, in s massive hurry when I couldn’t find another save.
They’re fair game tbh and anyone can use them!. They’re a courtesy and not like disabled spots which are legally protected.

Space not save!

I'm interested to know why?

How do you physically get a car seat into or out of the car in a normal sized space if 2 cars park each side of you? You need to be able to open a door fully

I started feeling weird using them when my kids were a bit older (I think you are allowed until your kids are 12)? My son was very big fir his age. I think I stopped when they were about 8 or so unless desperate.
My sister's daughter is disabled and she has a badge but she is very strict that she can only use it when her daughter is with her, no matter how tempting it is when the lot is packed and it's raining!

@AGirlsNameIsAryaStark I know what you mean. The supermarkets near me all seem quite generous with regular parking spaces but where I park for work is a nightmare because the spaces are so narrow. I tend to go to work early now to secure an end space so I can park on the very edge of it to make sure I can actually open my door wide enough to get back in it afterwards. One day I'm going to lost that game though.

I remember giving evils to a man without a child parking in the p&c spaces. Literally 20mins later, I hadn't managed to get everything I needed from that shop and needed to go to another (5 min walk away) and my parking was running out. My DH took my DC in the pram and walked, where I hopped in the car (the car parking machine wasn't working and only got a 30 min free ticket).

Felt very hypocritical returning to the car after giving evils to the other man, who could have (although probably wasn't) been doing the same thing 🤣.

I once said something to a couple - who politely told me they were disabled and no blue badge spaces. I went back to check there blue badge was there after I had parked 🤣 (it was!). Since then, I just mutter to myself.

I wouldn't use one if I don't have my child with me. Although maybe would when heavily pregnant!

I once totally lost my shit with a woman doing so.
I had my 6 year old & disabled 2 year old in the car (no blue badge yet) and this total cow in front of me parked in last parent/child space.
I parked behind her car (blocking her in) & shouted at the top of my lungs

"Excuse me, excuse me - you have forgotten your child" where is your child"

An elferly lady behind me clapped.
I was clearly v stressed. She scurried away wiyh me shouting all the while. I complained to tesco & they used the tannoy to get her out. Grrrr

*lose, not lost

I don't because I'm too much of a rule follower, but I admit to thinking about doing so when I have DD (who at 16, I think too old to satisfy the "child" criteria) with me as she has limited mobility and needs to be dropped off near the shop and not the far end of the car park which is where we have to otherwise park.

I'd like to see them turn into spaces for those with a greater need to be parking nearer the store, for whatever reason. Which I guess would also include pregnant women. Parking nearer the shop is more important for me now with a disabled child than it was when I had 2 toddlers.

Do it if I want to, couldn’t give a fuck. However, have never used a disabled bay and would never.

My mum does it when I'm in the car with her. I'm 36 soon.

I don't because I remember how annoying it was when DS was a baby and all the spaces were taken (they should be further from the entrance IMO)

Until supermarkets either actively "police" the use of them or people start acting with a decent level of humanity, they will be used and abused accordingly.

Life's far too short to have any angst over it.

@PurpleDaisies if you want to be selfish and use a child/parking space for a elderly friend then that's up to you. I would just do what I normally do, take your reg and report it instore.
Most car parks have clear signs explaining what child/parent spaces are for, and some come with a fine for improper use.
People requiring child/parent spaces can't just decide to park in disabled spots, not would I want to. So, why do you feel so 'privileged' to do so?

I did it when I was collecting my child from my DM who is inside the store with the child. When I finish work they would be at the shop, I pulled in and park, walked in and would come out with the child.

However if it was the last space I might not, and I don't do it now as she's older.

Why are these spaces (apart from Sainsbury’s) always so near the door? I get that wide spaces are important but mothers with small children are generally fit and healthy. There are pathways marked for safety so that is not an issue. Many people have mobility problems but are not registered disabled and elderly people, like my mother, find the shopping itself very tiring without having to traipse halfway across a car park afterwards. When I take her, I try and park as near to the entrance as possible but do not use the parent and child or disabled spaces. I will admit that I have occasionally used the parent and child spaces without young children but it was at around 7 pm, I was in a hurry and and only wanted a few items and none of the many parent and child spaces were in use.

Re the argument that 'nobody really needs a parent and child space'...

What happens when car park spaces are so narrow that it's a struggle to get children in and out without scratching other cars?

What happens when you've parked carefully in a space and left enough room to take the child seat out (with sleeping baby, to use the seat on the pram system) and return to the car only to find that someone has parked so close you can barely open the door and can't return the seat into the back of the car? (This happened to me in a busy car park. I had to leave my child on the pavement area, manouvre the car out halfway which held up traffic, put the seat into the car, fold up the pram and then make my way home...).

Parent and child spaces do make a practical difference for parents, particularly with babies/toddlers/children who need assistance to use car seats.

In large car parks if there are no P&C spaces I can just drive to the back and choose wisely, no issue with doing that... in small car parks with limited spaces, it's much trickier and this is where P&C spaces are very useful. I've noticed many supermarkets and shopping centres seem to have made their spaces narrower over the last few years (my average sized car hasn't changed!) and this issue is only going to get worse!

I beg to differ. If you’ve ever tried to get a baby and car seat out in a “normal” space you’d realise that they are in fact, needed. Unless of course you’d be happy to have my car door opened onto yours due to lack of space..