Parent and child parking spaces- are they for pregnant women?

[Ohhbaby]

I thought parent and child parking spaces where for people with smallish children.
They are specifically wider as to not struggle popping a child back in a car seat.
But I'm prepared to be told they're for pregnant people too!
I was parking at a big grocery chain - there were no parent and child ones open, but I manage to park in a spot 2 spaces away from the parent and child one.
As I was getting my baby, 2 and 4 year old out, I saw a lady getting out of her car in the parent and child parking space. .
She had no children with her.
I was slightly annoyed as I don't think she should have used it.
I know I'm not entitled to a parent and child space and I don't mind if they're full- but they do make my life easier.
Easier to get the kids in and out without scratching another car, easier to get the pushchair in beside the car etc.

We went into the shop and I happen to shop in the same aisle as this woman.
I plucked up the courage to politely say. "You really shouldn't park in the parent and child spot if you don't have children"
She said " oh no I promise I have children- I have a 9 year old and I'm pregnant".
I just said ' o okay sure, sorry!" And felt somewhat bad for calling someone out that was pregnant ( you couldn't see it yet) ( but I was floored by the comment that she has a 9 year old. So what, he's not with you. The parking space isn't for someone who has kids, it's for someone who has kids with them). But I was too chicken to point it out.
But as the uncomfortability of addressing a stranger wore off I thought to myself: wait a minute, what does the fact that she is pregnant has to do with it?
I thought the spaces were wider not necessarily closer as to make it more convenient for pregnant women??

Am I just wholly uninformed?

It's first come first serve in them around here with or without kids.

you'll be pleased to know that at Meadowhall you need a permit to use them, you have to go in with the children to register for it

tbh i need one for my mum - she doesn't drive and doesn't need a blue badge, but does need to open the door wider than a regular space allows.

Or, of course, for someone heavily pregnant who also needs extra space for opening the door.

Anyone having a go at an obviously pregnant woman for using a parent & child place needs to get their head examined.

I used them when pregnant as I had SPD and couldn’t walk very far. If they weren’t usually near the shops I wouldn’t have. I don’t think that makes me morally reprehensible 😂 sometimes the signs even have pictures of pregnant women as well as the parent and pram or whatever.

They’re complimentary, I believe a shop can enforce their own rules e.g. fines if you park in the space without a child but there’s no laws around them.

I’m currently heavily pregnant and have a toddler, so far in this pregnancy I haven’t used a them unless with DC but I am struggling with walking and breathlessness and getting in and out the car and I won’t feel at all guilty if I need to use one soon. I would only do it however if there wasn’t a usable space within a manageable distance.

That doesn't work.

I park at the far end of the car park and find people parked right next to me with the rest of the car park empty!

The only way I've stopped it is to park in the middle of two spaces. That's unless I can get one of the spaces that many car parks have at the end of certain rows with more space around them away from traffic.

And I have also seen signs showing some are for pregnant women as well as parent and child although not everywhere.

I wouldn't question a visibly pregnant woman using them. Especially anyone with SPD.

I’ve done it for years successfully. Difference of areas perhaps.

Yeah I feel targeted in some areas. 😂

Funnily in other areas I park nearer the store with space either side and no-one parks next to me.

I literally hate going to Tesco because of this. I never ever ever park in them if I don’t have my 1 year old with me. I am pregnant atm but not showing yet. I will park there when I’m bigger probably and struggle to get out.

I get into so many arguments when I’m in Tesco because of people who park there with no kids. It’s just selfish. My husband is at the stage now where he just goes to Tesco instead lol rather than get another phone call from me giving off

My DS is seven and can do his own seatbelt up so I don't use them anymore if I've only got him with me. 9 is ridiculous, assuming they don't have a disability etc.

I wouldn't bat an eye at heavily pregnant or disabled people using them. They should have the same rules as priority seating imo.

The actual rules on a privately owned car park is that they are for parents with children under 12 who will be accompanying their parent out of the car. 12 is the age chosen as children under that should still (depending on height) be in a car seat which can be awkward to get into unless you open the door wide. Like white painted disabled spots they are advisory and not legally enforceable.

However, because many car parks delegate their parking operation to a third party they may have their own rules and give PCN if you do not follow the rules which should be on signs. If you are not sure check with the supermarket / venue - ofcourse to check you'll have already parked up.....

ScamanthaBrick · Today 16:36

I don’t think that makes me morally reprehensible

Sorry, I should have clarified that I have no objection at all to pregnant women using them. The spaces are designed to make things a little bit easier for people who may be struggling, not bald weightlifters in Transit vans, or single women in Range Rovers, sans kids...

They seem to be the worst offenders near me.

Definitely ok if heavily pregnant when it is a struggle to get your bump in and out of a car, plus PGP and backache can make walking far an issue.
But not even showing yet is taking the piss

I would put parent and baby spaces at the furthest place from the entrance. Wouldn't deter people who actually need them but would deter people who just want to be close to the entrance.

I'd agree with this, provided there was a safe path to the spaces.

I always think that's such a lazy excuse for just doing what you want without considering others.
A queue isn't legally enforceable either, doesn't mean queue jumping at the supermarket is ok. I think parking in a parent and child space when you don't need to is a bit like that - not illegal, no one can do anything to stop you, but it is a bit shitty all the same.

I'd never challenge anyone though, partly because I don't care that much but mainly because I do think they're totally fair game for anyone with a disability (with or without a blue badge) who needs it. Or even a temporary illness/injury that necessitates either a closer space, or more space around the car.

You'd have to be a special type of petty to disapprove of a heavily-pregnant woman using one of these spaces, imo.

But someone who can still get in and out of the car easily- that's taking the piss.

It's astonishing though, how many people still seem to believe that a parent and child space is a legally-enforceable right.

It's essentially a marketing ploy.

Completely cringing for you that you went and spoke to her

Why?

I wouldn't question an obviously pregnant woman using it because presumably they need the extra space to get out of the car. (Though I suppose by this definition so do people over a certain weight/size!?)
But I wish stores put them further from the store so people stopped using them without need, I see so many people use them just because they're convenient, would be so much less popular to use them if they weren't so close to the store. As someone else mentioned, often single guys with big vans.
Also I think the purpose is for people with young kids, not 9 years old who can get in & out of a car without assistance!? Usually the sign has a pram on it to indicate the age range expected?

Would you go up to a young person who pulled up in a blue badge space?

There may be other reasons why the woman parked there.

Because it's making a fuss about something entirely inconsequential. Like OP is the car parking police. She made herself look very silly.

I did that the other day Parked in the parent child spot. I had my mother who can only walk short distances and very slowly with me, used her blue badge, got her a cart to hold on and went into the grocery store.
No one said anything and I was ready if they did. I knew they weren't enforceable like a blue badge spot. I also see usually men, park and run inside from the parent spots on a regular basis.