to have confronted this woman?

[AKMD]

Usual story: in Sainsbury's carpark, loading up my shopping, some woman in a massive people carrier pulls into the parent & child space infront of me, jumps out of the car, locks it and walks off. There were clearly no children in the car so I called after her, "You do realise that's a family space, right?" She carried on walking so I called again, at which point she turned around, strode up to me and started berating me for shouting at her because I already had a space and there were other spaces free so why shouldn't she park there. I told her that she was being incredibly selfish and that she shouldn't park in a parent & child space just because she couldn't be bothered to walk a few extra metres to the store (ok, I was getting a bit het up at this point). She walked off so I took her registration down and reported her to the customer service desk, who really didn't care either. WIBU?

YADNBU. This annoys me big time. P&C is bad enough but when I see really fit healthy people pulling into the spaces reserved for the disabled then I take down their registration and report them to the customer services desk. I cant abide the thought of someone who is old, infirm or has real difficulty getting about being put out as some are wpe thinks they can do whatever they damn well like. Interestingly enough, a few years ago, a police chief told all his coppers to go and apprehend all the non-disabled who were parking in the disabled spaces and they got a superb haul of all the local burglars, con men and general scum that they had been after for a while. Just goes to show what sort or person does that kind of thing. Well done you for saying something!

I don't see the need for P and C parking ..ain't far to walk is it really

I take issue with people using places like this.
I draw their attention to it. If they become abusive i smile sweetly and say 'Really, the walk would do you good. You could do with losing some weight.' (If they are not fat-which most peopel are these days, I adjust accordingly for something like complexion 'Some fresh air would do wonders for those pimples.'

I think it would be helpful to say to anyone taking parent & child spaces up who shouldn't be, that the reason we need them is because we can't open our car doors enough to get the kids in and out of the car in conventional spaces. I honestly didn't know that until I had babies.

It really pisses me off, but I'm not brave enough to actually confront anyone who does it, I limit myself to giving them evil looks.

Usual suspect, In all honesty it is tricky getting 4 dcs aged 5, 3 and 1 into the supermarket without using a buggy ( because obviously you need a trolley once you are in there) whilst heavily pregnant.

Even worse for me was the time I had to park in the normal spaces and came back to my car to find that the cars on either side had parked so close I couldn't get into the car( i was 40 weeks at the time). I had to go back into the store with my shopping and ask for help. The manager asked me if I couldn't climb through! WTF. He then agreed to move my car out for me.

But seriously it was very very embarrasing

(obviously that should read 3, I now think constantly in 4's )

Its quite difficult getting my 70 year old mother out of the car ..no oap spaces tho ..no p and c in my day [old gimmer]

BTP, Horrible isn't it?

FFS. WHy not get over yourself, get rid of your car and use public transport instead?

Yep, that would have made it loads easier to get the shopping done with my kids

Never had a car, got three kids, still eat every day.

Internet shopping and/or buying smaller amounts and using a bag on wheels are alternatives to the headache of supermarket shopping.

If you had a space and their were still other spaces free, then she wasn't depriving anyone of a space. Actually I think you were BU and a busybody.Who made you queen of the car park!

Accepted just13, but for me with my car and random bus service the logical easy option should be "drive to shop, buy food" really I generally think these parking threads are actually about how we have such a lack of consideration and caring for others.

I park in the parent & child spaces when I take my 100 year old dad to the supermarket because they are the closest spaces and because he needs the extra space to get in and out just as much as a parent with a baby does.

I do actually favour P&C parking spaces - because although I have no need of one now, I remember what it is like. It is a complete PITA to try and get a small dependent child (i.e. one young enough not to be able to manage their own seat belt clip) in a child seat when there is only 10 cms clearance between you and the next car.

I wouldn't care if a pensioner used one though. My parents are 81 and 76 and both have heart conditions - they don't have a disabled badge, but I think they need a bit of tlc!

Rustybear - you've raised the bar with a 100 year old dad

they are ignorant, and usually fat to boot. bathe in your superiority and make very sure that your children run their sticky fingers along their car and, for preference, run the trolley into it too.

It isn't just about the extra space. If you've toddlers then wouldn't you want them crossing as few lanes as possible.

Some people would say that it doesn't matter how far the disabled have to walk, as if they're strong enough to walk around the shop, then another 100m is OK, otherwise they're in a chair anyway

Yes, but there's a lot of difference between walking round a shop on a smooth floor pushing a trolley and crossing a car park with kerbs, drain covers, flowerbeds and the occasional discarded bottle to negotiate, as well as having to keep an eye out for backing cars and unpredictable pedestrians. My Dad is still very alert, but he says that the main difference nowadays is that he takes longer to process things, so if someone stops dead in front of him or, dare I say it, suddenly pushes a buggy across his path, he can't just switch direction like a younger person might. Last time he had a fall it was because he stepped back to avoid someone and caught his heel on a very low kerb and simply didn't have the quick reaction needed to keep his balance.

@ClimberChick. It's not that simple. If you were disabled and trying to stay away from using a wheelchair for as long as you possibly could, those last 100m could be the killer. People with multiple sclerosis, a serious heart condition or artificial limbs, for example. Not everyone wants to sit in a wheelchair as soon as their mobility is compromised.

I don't have any problem with people who are less than 100% able using the bays, 100 yr old dads or in fact anyone who needs a bit of help should be able to use them imho. It just narks me when people are inconsiderate / uncaring of other peoples dificulties.