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.

Selfish. Nice.
My elderly friend leaves the house once a week when I take her out and finds it hard to get out of the car. I’d happily explain that to a supermarket representative and I’d be amazed if they asked me to move.

Im glad most people recognise that having a child is not the only reason that someone might need one of those spaces.

This

I don't do it.

Sometimes if my partner is running in to the shop he will park there and ask if the kids want to go in with him. Sometimes they don't want to and obviously we remain parked there but I spend the entire time feeling guilty and worrying that someone will have a go at me if they realise that the kids are still in the car!

What a considerate person you are, not.

I don’t think that the p&c spaces need to be so near the front of the store, that doesn’t bother me at all. I’d be more than happy to walk across the car park with my baby if it means that I can baby out without a struggle.

My local supermarket has about 1,000 disabled spaces right at the front of the store and 10 p&c spaces round the back. I do therefore think it's reasonable enough to be annoyed at others using them. (P&c are nearly always full and disabled usually only 10% full).

I'd just do dirty looks though, I wouldn't challenge.

Look at how hard it is to get a blue badge. Not everyone with a disability that means they can’t get out of a car easily qualifies for one.

I have once used one when I had zero need except that I was stressed out of my head, passing out with the heat and needed something quick. There were another 10 free and I was in such a bad place, and said fuck it. Other than that I've used it at the end of pregnancy where I needed the space.

I would never challenge someone on it, I think because they either need it (like when I was pregnant) or they're an asshole (like when I was hot and obnoxious) and unlikely to see error of their ways.

I can see why people would do this. My Dad used to really struggle to walk so I had to drop him off then go and park. TBH I couldn't bring myself to have parked in a child/parent spot though. If you are unable to drop then park then I don't think it's that bad.

I've never used a parent and child space even with my child! 😂

I only use them when my young kids are with me. It wouldn't bother me if I saw someone with mobility issues or a pregnant woman using one... But usually I see childless men park in them or a car parked in the space, but the kids are still in the car. That winds me up.

Judging by the people who park in the P&C spaces at my local sainsburys, loads of people do it without children, especially when it's raining.

I wish they'd put a few P&C spaces at the far end of the car park - I use them to make sure I have space to get the pram/car seat in and out, so have no need to actually be close to the shop, and it would discourage people who don't have kids from using them.
I appreciate you'd still need some near the shop as well, as it's easier with toddlers/young children to not have to walk across a busy car park.

Those that say they're a courtesy and not legally enforceable etc is that still the case on private land? My local sainsburys for example has a notice saying a fine will be issued for improper use and you need a child under 12 with you. Whilst I have never heard of anyone being fined and I doubt anyone ever has it can be enforced can't it? That's how I understand it anyway.

These sort of threads never go down well anyway. I used to have major issues with parking at my daughters swimming lessons - a 1/3 of the car park was made up of disabled spaces. We're talking 60 spaces and 20 of them were disabled. Whilst I appreciate blue badge holders do go to leisure centres I questioned why there were so many on here as it is unlikely 30% of their customers were blue badge holders and there were numerous times I struggled to park when probably 18/20 blue badge spaces were regularly empty. I wasn't after a P+C space by the way, just a normal parking space would have been nice. The leisure centre was surrounded by roads with double yellow lines and was nowhere near a bus route. I lived 6 miles from there so no option of walking (with a pram down country lanes with no paths), with the exception of maybe getting a taxi (which would probably cost £10-15 each way so not feasible) I had no option to drive. At the time I was made out to be the bad person on here for even suggesting I was irritated by the situation. The leisure centre ended up purchasing adjoining land to make the car park bigger in the end so it was sorted.

When you've got multiple young kids that you need to get out of the car and walk safely through a car park, it's definitely handy when the spaces are closer to the store.

No I haven't used one when I shouldn't. But I'm fed up of finding no parent and toddler spaces left but them being half full of people with no kids in the car. We have very few where we are anyway so it doubly pisses me off.

I didn't use them while pregnant and we didn't use them very often when we only had one kid. Now we have to get into both back seats we do use them as often as we can find a space. We also don't use them if we're not all getting out of the car. If my DP is just taking our toddler in we use a normal space as he's thin enough to get her out. I can't get my fat arse in without the door wide open 😖.

Tesco - usually taken up by people 'just nipping in' for fags/booze. Or frequently men sat in their car oozing the stench of weed as they sit eating takeaway food. And men in massive vans of course who always seem to think p&c spaces are fair game.

Asda - mainly older people who seem to have no issues pushing a massive trolley of food around so can't surely be incapable of walking a few extra metres to a normal space, no disabled badge etc and always plenty of disabled spaces left anyway. Also used by people waiting to pick people up and they're oblivious to the circling group of cars going round and round hoping for a space to open up.

B&Q and Aldi usually have people using them that have kids with them. Don't usually struggle to get a space either.

I now feel that I don't need to use a p&c space enough to warrant it as DD is 5 and can do her own seatbelt safely, so I'd even feel a little pang of guilt using one if I do have a child with me.

However, I recently had to go into a supermarket with DD and another 5 yo child and decided to park in a p&c just because car parks are not a safe place for young children (who are short enough to be invisible in front of the bumper of a 4x4) and I felt justified in using one because they were closer to the shop doors and I wanted to minimise the risk of anything happening while looking after 2 DC.

I'm possibly extra anxious about the danger of small children and parked 4x4s because there was a tragedy locally when a 4x4 went not realising there was a child there as they just couldn't see them.

I might use one if I have the kids with me. I don't if they aren't. I absolutely could not care less who uses them. I have always managed to complete my shop with tiny kids in tow even when I didn't get one.

I can honestly say I have never parked in a P&C space or a blue badge space without the right to be there. And I used to judge parents of children whom I saw doing it when I knew all their DC were in school and they walked across the car park in the town centre alone.
Even when I drove a large wheelchair accessible vehicle and did not have the blue badge holder with me and could have done with a wider space for the bigger vehicle, I never did it. I just parked further away in a quieter bit of the car park.

Yes, a few times. I’ve parked in/been parked in them when taking a neighbor with mobility issues for her weekly shop, and also when I was recovering from surgery.

I’ve been glared at a few times (glared back or smiled back), but haven’t been confronted or complained about (to my knowledge anyway, in the case of the latter). I can’t say I’ve ever been worried about someone deciding to.

People with a blue badge should never feel guilty about parking in a P&C space.

I think that P&C spaces should also be used by people with mobility problems eg passenger on crutches or who struggle with a normal sized space eg pregnant women.

The people who are over zealous in their policing of P&C spaces are annoying. I've only seen SM videos but P&C are courtesy spaces and if there aren't enough spaces then try and shop when it's quieter or understand that not all disabilities and issues get a blue badge.

I am pregnant and have SPD. I am really struggling with getting in and out of the car. I also have a child and always use P&C at the minute. I went to m and s yesterday and there were no p &c spaces, so I had to just go home.

They are only fair game if you have no consideration for others.

I did yesterday. I'd left my blue badge in my OH car and I went grocery shopping and didn't realise until I parked in a disabled space. I moved to a parent and child space.

I also used to use them before I got my blue badge

I did yesterday. I'd left my blue badge in my OH car and I went grocery shopping and didn't realise until I parked in a disabled space. I moved to a parent and child space.

I also used to use them before I got my blue badge

It’s all very precious 😃 I would pay no attention whatsoever if I was ‘challenged’ by one of these over zealous idiots. I’d simply ignore them and go about my business!

I've used one in our aldi twice and I don't have a child. But I didn't see anything wrong with using it as I'm pregnant with SPD so the space closer to the shop was really handy. It was also on an evening when it was quiet and there were loads of other parent and child spaces free so I'd have been a bit if anyone challenged me.