Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

People using Paret and Child spaces just to wait in the car

84 replies

calamityboo · 19/12/2011 15:16

Just had a little moan about this on another thread, it felt nice to get it off my chest so i thought i would have a great big moan in my own thread.

Went to Sainsburys today in the pissing wet hail with 2 yr old ds, the car park was really full (as you would expect) but thought i would chance it in the parent and child spaces only to find spaces (yes more than one) filled with people waiting in the car for dh or dw to go in the shop alone to do the shopping while they wait with the kids.

I thought the whole point of a parking space is that you park the car to go in the shop, and the parent and child spaces are there for mums with a fat arse like me to be able to get the kids out of the car with out banging the door on the next car over! WTF is the point in waiting on the fat arse space if you dont need to get the kids out of the car????

Parked further away, which if the spaces are full normally would do without issue, but got really pissed off today because there is a little part nearer the door for waiting cars, why couldnt they use them - oh yeah because they have kids in the car so can use the parent and child! Angry

OP posts:
Kayano · 19/12/2011 15:20

gets out bingo card and dobber

Kladdkaka · 19/12/2011 15:21

How do you know what's going on with them? Perhaps they are following later? Perhaps they have already been in for bacon butties and 1 parent has taken sleepy child back to car while other does the shopping? Or perhaps they realise that it doesn't matter at all as anyone is actually free to use those spaces if they so choose.

5318hoho8 · 19/12/2011 15:21

let it go, think of unicorns, fluffy clouds and marshmallows

and breathe

AFuckingFestiveKnackeredWoman · 19/12/2011 15:22

Parent spaces shouldn't be available full stop. If you cant manage in a normal space then learn to park properly park further away where there's more room.

GoingForGoalWeight · 19/12/2011 15:22

YANBU :)

AFuckingFestiveKnackeredWoman · 19/12/2011 15:23

Kayano that's a tick on you bingo cardXmas Grin

kidsinamerica · 19/12/2011 15:23

Get over it.

Move on.

Leave it be now.................................

Kayano · 19/12/2011 15:24

I'm waiting for someone to mention that children do not dissolve in the rain. I can not call house until at least that has been rolled out lolWink

Liluri · 19/12/2011 15:25

I would have attacked the windscreens of the offending cars with a trolley, until the owners begged for mercy, and promised only ever to shop in locally-owned independent shops on the high street for the rest of their sniveling lives.

Then I'd go home and try to tackle the thorny issues of child poverty and the world economy.

HughBastard · 19/12/2011 15:26

But my parrot flies away if I have to walk too far across the car park.

Kladdkaka · 19/12/2011 15:27

But it wasn't rain, it was wet hail. They may not dissolve in the rain but HAIL! OMG Think of the children!

slavetofilofax · 19/12/2011 15:29

People can use child spaces whenever they want. I used one the other day with my dc aged 11 and 9. Yes, I know I wasn't supposed to, but it was raining and I didn't want to walk the entire length of the car park any more than you did.

Get over it.

DeckTheHugeWithBoughsOfManatee · 19/12/2011 15:29

I thought Parent and Child spaces were for Chelsea tractor drivers who can't see well enough out of their fortified panzer to park properly in a normal-sized space.

TimothyClaypoleLover · 19/12/2011 15:29

There are many reasons which are unknown to you including they may have done the shop and waiting for DW/DH to get lottery ticket, one child may be sleeping and do not want to disturb them etc. And the so called "waiting" area near the door is only meant to be a drop off point. It is dangerous to have dozens of cars waiting outside the doors of a supermarket.

doyouthinkshenoticed · 19/12/2011 15:29
AFuckingFestiveKnackeredWoman · 19/12/2011 15:31

Arf @ parrot..Put it on a lead and muzzle, parrots are vicious!

lljkk · 19/12/2011 15:31

Coz it would be so much better if they all went inside together, and took 3x as long to get around the shop. That way the next person along needing one of those spaces would definitely not find any free any time soon. But at least you couldn't come along & criticise.

ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets · 19/12/2011 15:32

I hate it aswell Calamity. But i do think having the spaces for any children up to 12 is a bit ridiculous. They should only be for littlies, as I have to leave the baby in the car on his own whilst I return the trolley.

TimothyClaypoleLover · 19/12/2011 15:33

I parked in a parent and child place recently in the pissing rain and waited in the car with my DD for some 20 minutes for the rain to stop before heading instore to do our shopping. Do I need to fess up to the police for my actions?

Kladdkaka · 19/12/2011 15:35

I used one when on holiday (already confessed to mn jury). In my defense, I had my dog with me. He's my baby.

HughBastard it took I while, but I got there. Haha parrot. Xmas Grin

TimothyClaypoleLover · 19/12/2011 15:35

Shock horror! at ICanTuck for leaving a defenceless baby in the car on its own to return a trolley. What if the car suddenly exploded?

ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets · 19/12/2011 15:39

Or what if some MNer with double standards and massive judges pants sees a tiny baby in a car on his own while I have to walk back to the store and starts a thread on the dangers of leaving babies/children unattended? I cant win either way can I?

ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets · 19/12/2011 15:39

*judgey

Kayano · 19/12/2011 15:40

My judgey pants are not that big Wink

TimothyClaypoleLover · 19/12/2011 15:40

But at least you are parked in the right space ICanTuck, surely that would go in your defence.

Swipe left for the next trending thread