To park in parent and child spaces if there are no disabled ones free?

[immortalbeloved]

I know I know, I'm sorry for another P&C space thread

I'm really really not trying to start the whole debate up again, I know it's been done to death

Genuine question though, AIBU to park in one if there isn't a disabled space free? Normally I use a disbled space (I have a blue badge) or sometimes P&C space if I've got one or more of the children with me. But today I needed to go somewhere and didn't have any children with me, when I got there the only space free close enough for me was P&C so I used it.

But I was given several dirty looks by mums with toddlers and one was going to approach me to 'set me straight' but her friend stopped her

So was I really out of order? Or is it an ok thing to do?

TAGD, do I know you? Aren't you the one who parks on the zig-zag lines outside our school, despite the police warning?
With the same justification screeched at those who ask you not to?

My understanding was always that disabled got priority at all times.

I have a car load of children too but they can all walk a longer distance to the shops it it makes someone disabled's life easier.

in my local town car park their are 21 disabled bays and 8 P&C spaces. all disabled bays are outside or near the shops and the P&C bays are directly in the middle of the car park so i do feel that surely a blue badge holder would be better off using a normal space if the disabled ones are full and yet badge holders will still wait for a p&c bay as if it is a right. This annoys me as a mother of lo's and also a blue badge user

Thruaglassdarkly I do hope you are joking. Otherwise, please could you read the entire thread. Your comments are not helpful.

Of course you are not being unreasonable. Spaces for disabled are the only ones I would never ever use (often pop into parents and children's ones but that's another story)

Riven - of course a "carload of kids" is equal to a disability. In fact it is probably higher up the scale of need. After all, parking is just the first phase in a dark and difficult journey. First comes the trip to the disabled toilets, accompanied by a tut of annoyance when a not visibly disabled person is in the cubicle forcing mum-of-carload to wait before occupying it. Then she will obviously have to huff and seethe her way round the supermarket because everyone doesn't immediatley throw themselves out of her way, when she has kids you know. Then if the car breaks down, it's time to go home on the bus, and heaven help any unfortunate wheelchair user who needs the space in which mum-of-carload has parked her buggy because, well we all know the answer don't we, she was there first.
I don't understand why you can't feel her pain.

I haven't read the thread but just the OP.

YANBU

Disabled spaces are provided by law and are, to some degree, sacrosanct. It is an actual criminal offence to park in them if you are not disabled.

P and C spaces are purely a courtesy/ marketing ploy.

If you have a blue badge then you must have serious mobility issues (they don't give them out lightly) and NEED to be close to the shop and have a wider space. No matter how many children a parent chooses to bring (ok, ok, perhaps they have no choice occasionally) to the supermarket, they can, at a pinch, get from Place A to Place B if they themselves are not disabled. Babies can be in prams/ pushchairs/ slings and toddlers can actually walk. If a parent cannot manage to walk a couple of hundred yards with their children then what on earth were they doing have so many and how do they survive outside supermarket carparks? I can't see it.

Your need is greater than theirs. Don't feel guilty about it.

OMG Riven, that's so like euww. You have a wheelchair and children?
Don't you know that the disabled don't have sex?

That's OK, Riven. It's important that you learn from your mistakes and recognise the struggles of those in greater need.
Maybe you could just stay at home in future?

No, keep her. Then you get two for the pricee of one and can park where you like.

Mumzillas are a PITA

Have you considered renting her out for a fee?
So others can also have the freedom to park wherever they like? You obviously aren't making the best of your opportunities, what with not having a car and all.

Notsocrates - I like your enthusiasum however need to put this into perspective. It's not a criminal offence to park in a disabled space - simply very bad.

"you are not obliged to say anthing however anything you do say will be taken down in writing and used in evidence..you did today park in a disabled car park space outside Waitrose"...ha ha ha

ps I didn't finish my sentence..." it's not a criminal offence to park in a disable space, simply very bad manners"

Oooo for an edit button

Just snorted tea everywhere at the thought of Riven camped out in the parking space.

BTW it's not a criminal offence, per se, but it is a breach of the law, so a bit more than bad manners. Although arguably, it is the bad manners that affect others, the legal penalties just affect the offender.

I am rarely speechless (just ask the boys) but Thruaglassdarkly has achieved this miracle.

To the OP. YANBU to use a p&c space in a car park when there are no disabled places available.

It's all about need and a disabled persons need is surely greater then an able bodied person with children.

And people who park in disabled spots who are not disabled are just selfish twats.