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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking my parents are right to park in parent and toddler spaces

103 replies

lesley33 · 10/04/2011 09:16

Both of my parents are disabled. They can both walk, but it is a struggle to walk far. They also have a blue badge. At their local supermarket, some of the parent and todddler spaces are closer to the store entrance than any of the disabled parking spaces.

They don't need the extra space provided in the parent and toddler parking spaces. But the extra distance from the disabled parking spaces really makes a difference to them. So they park in the nearer parent and toddler parking spaces. I think this is fine - given the specific circumstances.

AIBU?

OP posts:
emsyj · 10/04/2011 13:07

How ridiculous to put the parent and toddler parking closer than the disabled. It is the same at my local Morrisson's. As a user of parent and toddler spaces, I would prefer them to be quite far from the shop entrance so that the only benefit of using them is the extra space - then I might have a chance of finding one vacant sometime! The disabled spaces should of course be right outside.

blackeyedsusan · 10/04/2011 13:16

who's daft idea was it to put them closer to the store than the disabled? yes, put parent and toddler spaces well away from the store, somewhere where you can walk along a path to the store preferably

blackeyedsusan · 10/04/2011 13:19

coccyx, you shpuld have let your toddler put choclatey finger prints all over his car, although sun cream is much harder to get off. Grin

Glitterknickaz · 10/04/2011 13:27

Ok WidowWadman, I can understand your irritation of the inconvenience of not being able to use a P&C space due to a disabled person using it (for whatever reason, I'm sure they don't use it just to be awkward).

However, said disabled person may not actually be able to access the shop/facility AT ALL if they can't use that space which I'd say is more than a minor inconvenience.

Try thinking like that.

SanctiMoanyArse · 10/04/2011 13:36

Widow here in wales ther was talk of temporary pink badges for just that reason: expect it was abndoned in cuts but certainly I could see merit in ph spaces: I know an ASda that has them. SPD etc don;t necessarily hang about enough long enough to get a badge but can really painful, and a big bump is difficult (I have been trapped between my car and the wall, and in a loo, when PG LMAO)

Coccyx here we have an ongoing battle with PCSO who refuses to let ds's Sn Taxi park in priority spaces (eitehr disabled- no badge- or yellow lines). The taxi gets there same time as school kick out, I have an ASD child in taxi and school, and clearly cannot marj it's territory like the mums who turn up 45 minutes early with a flask (!! seriously). Anyway the relevance is that the PCSO allows the 4X4 briage to aprk in the disability / yellow lined areas becuase 'I can see you need more space for your car'. DH's remonstrations were met with 'It is not a requirement of my job to discuss this with you'.

NinkyNonker · 10/04/2011 13:41

Yanbu, of course. Dd and I made the error of going to our very busy local Sainsbugs today, and knowing I had a cat in hell's chance of getting a P&T space we parked right at the back of the carpark. Plenty of room to get her out and into the sling. When we came back someone was parked next door, but still plenty of room to get her into the car seat (8 mo old so rear facing, fiddly). Used to do this when pregnant too, more space.

dolldaggabuzzbuzz · 10/04/2011 13:42

YANBU. Parent and child spaces next to the store are a stupid idea and just cause a lot of aggro between people who need them and lazy folk who don't want to walk across the car park.

I don't bother trying for a P&C space if it's close to the store. I think we should leave them all for disabled parkers.

carriedababi · 10/04/2011 13:44

yanbu at all

i often wonder

why do parents with 12 year old use the p and c spaces !!

Hatesponge · 10/04/2011 13:50

YANBU. I can think of at least 2 supermarkets locally where the P&T spaces are a lot closer to the shop entrance than the disabled ones. A friend (who is disabled and has a blue badge) has occasionally parked in P&T spaces and once got quite aggresively questioned by a family coming out of the shop - she ended up saying that her partner and child were in the shop already (they weren't, she was on her own that day) which they grudgingly accepted. She has a very visible disability, so the fact they even questioned her is pretty poor, imo.

Glitterknickaz · 10/04/2011 13:50

TBH ALL parking bays should be bigger.
If you see just how much for example a Vauxhall Corsa has got bigger in the past 15 years the previous bay size isn't sufficient for most modern cars.

Cars have had to grow to accommodate safety standards, so the bays should grow with the cars too. Common sense, but not to the retail 'pack 'em in like sardines' giants.

Hatesponge · 10/04/2011 13:50

aggressively

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 10/04/2011 13:54

Do it online.

confuddledDOTcom · 10/04/2011 17:21

I think you should all come and shop at my Tesco. It's a multistorey with two cars between each post. The only advantage is being closer to the ramp into the store which is so steep it pulls your trolley down or the level below you get pulled down with a loaded trolley. The spaces are the same width and you can only get out one side of the car.

I resent the idea that all parents who like P&T to be close are lazy, I have long term pgp and although I could get a badge if I applied there are many women who have it bad short term and not entitled to a badge. I can't walk far across the carpark and I have to get my children to walk themselves. I'd love to be a lazy parent.

Btw, I'm not saying parents should have priority over disabled shoppers just that parent spaces are needed near the entrance because we aren't all capable of walking miles to get there and I'm fed up of generalisations.

dolldaggabuzzbuzz · 10/04/2011 17:25

BLIMEY! What supermarket has a car park that is miles long! I suggest you find a supermarket with a smaller car park!

MadHairyMilkEggonEasterDay · 10/04/2011 17:31

YANBU

Stupid of the shop to put P&T nearer than disabled spaces Hmm

melonian · 10/04/2011 19:30

Our local Tesco has done it brilliantly - the P&T spaces are round the side of the store so not that close to the door but no roads to cross which is really handy with a toddler and a baby. The disabled ones are outside the entrance but you have to cross the road to get in to the shop.

YPANBU

WhereYouLeftIt · 10/04/2011 19:43

Well if a blue badge entitles you to park on double yellows, I'm pretty sure it covers a P&T space. I can't believe anyone except a complete arse would object to it.

goodbyemrschips · 10/04/2011 19:44

No prob at all and when there are no parent and child parking spaces left I suppose they wont mind someone using the disabled spaces.

confuddledDOTcom · 10/04/2011 20:38

If that was aimed at me you obviously didn't read my posts very well because I don't have miles to walk, however it is impossible for both sides to be able to get out the car at the same time. I do use another Tesco that has a carpark that's 1/4 mile long but fortunately they do have parent parking near the door as I'd never make that walk (they also have mobility scooters before I get more smart comments). My comments were not about a real supermarket that puts parents miles away it was to posters who regularly say that they should be miles away and parents should stop being lazy. The only way me using parent spots (when I have children with me) is lazy is because I've not got around to getting my Blue Badge.

Sirzy · 10/04/2011 20:41

But thats not a P and C space issue thats a disability issue to be fair.

I have arthritis, which isn't bad enough often enough to warrant applying for a blue badge yet (I have been told I could but would feel a fraud even applying!) but it makes things harder when it is bad. My using a P and C child without DS for ease when its bad is a different matter to P and C spaces in general.

(I hope that makes sense, I know what I mean but its not coming out right!)

confuddledDOTcom · 10/04/2011 20:49

I don't use either when I'm alone, which is actually rare unless it's the middle of the night and then I do because there's not many parents shop at that time. I'm just fed up of people saying it's lazy for parents to want parking spaces near the entrance. When there's plenty of reasons people need them close. If I had a badge I'd probably use either with the children with me but I'd still object to people saying they should be a mile away.

I'm all for the disabled using them but I don't feel comfortable because I don't have a badge - that I'm entitled to.

Brahbrah · 10/04/2011 21:05

YANBU. I still cringe about the time I sternly challenged 2 apparently healthy young lads who had parked in a P&T spot next to me. One of them very politely explained his friend couldn't walk very far and pointed out the Blue Badge in the window. I immediately apologised profusely but felt awful that I had made him explain his friend's situation like that.

microserf · 10/04/2011 21:14

YANBU. I wouldn't mind if P&C were further from the store. The issue is the extra space to wedge the kids in the car seats. Not the walk.

Disabled drivers / passengers should have priority.

confuddledDOTcom · 10/04/2011 22:08

See?

flyingspaghettimonster · 11/04/2011 14:34

I disagree that moving parent and child spaces to the back is a good fix. If you are pushing a trolley with a bockety wheel, full load and baby in it, whilst trying to keep track of two toddlers then the last thing you want is to walk all the way across a car park where people are constantly reversing out of spaces and might not see your little ones... not saying that the disabled people don't have priority, but actively moving parent and toddler spaces further away is also a bad idea.