to wish that Parent and Child parking spaces were

[WoTmania]

Further from the shop?
The last couple of times I've been to the supermarket with children in tow I've seen

1. A young women talking on her mobile sitting on her own in her car which was in the P&T space nearest to the shop 2)Two able-bodied, childless young women come back to their car, get in and drive off. 3)A man sitting, obviously waiting for someone to come back while two boys (8 & 10ish) sat in the back.

Meanwhile, I end up having to park in an ordinary space and struggle to get my 3 children out of the car (I would go on my own normally but DH is working 12 hours, 6 days of the week s not around to look after them).

AIBU to think that if the P&T spaces were further from the shop less people would use them who don't need them. Walking a bit doesn't bother me. Trying to get 20 month old DD into her carseat while squeezing between my car and a big van parked right on the white line(as happened the other day, I erm 'rearranged' the mirrors but that's another AIBU) does.

OK, first, of course disabled spaces are more important than P+T spaces.

But, I have been in the situation where an elderly couple (but not infirm and no disabled badge) parked in the last P+T space, leaving only disabled and normal spaces free. At the time I was daft enough to have a 3 door Ka so it was nigh on impossible to get DS out of the car without a P+T space.

WoTMania, sadly I think your suggestion is a good one (sadly - in the sense that it shouldn't be necessary, IYSWIM).

Why scrap them and make life more difficult for people? Granted I can park the car and get the children out in a regular space, but sometimes it can be a real ball ache - there's been times where I've actually had to reverse the car out a little way first before being able to open the door wide enough to get child into car seat.

I don't think anyone's saying that P&T spaces are more important? But if you have two children in car seats then P&T spaces make life a hell of a lot easier.

(Oh, and I am a normal sized human being, not a whale.) But I reckon the OP is onto something with moving them further from the shop.

Rainbowinthesky - sorry, yes, in the instance just posted, I did have to drive on to the next supermarket because I couldn't get ds (12mo or so IIRC) out of a 3 door Ka without a bit of wiggle room. Most car parking spots were OK but this particular car park was notorious for small spaces (and rubbish drivers who park on the lines ).

i guess most people on mumsnet live in the overpopulated SE of england? where we live you can always find a space with an empty space next to you (or by the pavement) at a big supermarket if you stop far far away from the shop.

rainbow, I park over two spaces if I have to....my car is pretty wide, being pg (not now) and getting a toddler in and out would have been impossible without extra space.

we mostly just park the furthest away, where no one else is and the we have loads of room sure DS will survive if he gets wet

Tesco has a for 5 years and younger signs on their P&C spaces. Not seen any 5 yeard ols driving yet but.....sorry couldn't resist.

I remember years ago, Safeway had a scheme where you parked then had to whip into the store to get a badge to display, no badge then they fined you - or something like that!!

Our Tesco has two rows of wide spaces as well as the disabled and P&T and I'm amazed at how many Nissan Micras and Kas, Ka's (?) park in them. Yes in a bigger car (only Vectra, not a hummer) it's tricky to get dd out without banging the car next to me but if you can't park and get out of a Ka in a normal space then something is up. They're not even especially near the shop so what is to be gained from parking your Micra in a wide space for no reason?

oh come on shiney we haven't had one for ages...and it is covering all normal themes

old people parking in the.......done
too many disabled bays........done

Asda says 12& under

Rainbow - I can do it but not without scratching the paintwork of the other car if they are really close to my car. My DSs aren't a problem so much as they can get in themselves and get their straps on. DS1 can do his own seat up and DS2 just needs me to click them in for him. DD however is 20 months and hates car seats/journeys meaning I have an almighty struggle to get her into the seat let alone strapped in and the straps tightened.

Anyway this wasn't about should P&T spaces exist it was about should they be so near to the shop?

Do folk who need these spaces never go anywhere but the supermarket?

I don't get it, because it's only the supermarkets who have them, so surely you can't go anywhere else?

Just park somewhere else and walk FFS

Here's an idea, how about removing the lines and letting people park as near/far as they require? (excluding disabled spaces which should always be present)

That would be a great idea actually. Have the required rows of disabled spaces. Then just rows where the spaces are now and let people park as far away from the next person as they need.

Other places than supermarkets have them . I walk everywhere else but carrying the weekly supermarket shop + 3 children = much much difficulty.

Anyway,lets put aside debate re: should they or shouldn't exist. They do. My original OP - in light of the fact that they are there and meant for parents with toddlers/small children to use. AIBU to think they would be better placed away from the shops/supermarket/shopping centre?

"Actually, I knew someone once who used to park slap-bang across the middle of two spaces so that no-one would scratch his doors. He drove a Mazda hatchback. BAN THEM!"

I was at Tesco on Christmas Eve a couple of years ago and someone had done this, obviously the place was packed and their were queues for parking spaces even. I wrote a note saying "YOU SELFISH TWAT!" and put it under the windscreen wipers of the vehicle in question , probably achieved nothing but certainly made me feel better.

Our local asda patrol the car park when busy and do stop people from parking in them if they have no reason to do so.

We now have a vehicle with a slidy door and I have to say this makes it easy peasy anywhere!

slidey door'd vehicle - sounds like the way to go.
Why can't I ever manage one of those AIBU threads where everyone either says YABU or YANBU. This always happens to me sniff

I have never understood the need for these at all. I guess they have their place if other people find them useful, but I agree they should be far away from the shop.

I've never used them even though I have a young DC because I can manage perfectly well with a normal space.

I know my MIL uses them when she has DD in her car

Sorry OP YANBU