to think parent and child spaces

[ScarlettAlexandra]

should be just that. not for any one else.

i don't even care that they are not by the door but having the extra space at the side is a safety issue especially when your like me and have two little ones and have to strap one in while the other is in a buggy or trolley. i have list count if the amount of times i have seen people (usually the elderly with no blue badge) using them.

gets my goat.

To those who think that being a parent puts you on a par with those with disabilities, in terms of difficulty in getting to the supermarket, ask yourselves this: if I don't have access to a special parking space can I physically manage to do the shopping? Not, "will it be difficult?", not "might I have to come up with a creative solution?", but "is it physically possible?"

Generally, the answer is going to be yes. Getting to that "yes" might involve making some changes to the way you do things, or the way you would like to do things, but you can probably get there.

For some people with disabilities, the answer to the question will be no. Some people simply can't walk the extra distance. Some people have such serious mobility issues that they can't get out of the car without being able to open the door to its fullest extent. Some people need wheelchair access.

For most parents, the lack of a special space is a mild inconvenience at best. For some people with disabilities, it is the difference between being able to do the shopping and not.

If the space is there, by all means use it. But don't try to suggest that it is vital to your ability to go about your daily life.

"... I vaguely remember years ago that Sainsburys would fine people who parked in P & C spaces without a child in tow. ..."

Splitting hairs maybe but a company cannot "fine" anyone.

They can send you their invoice (which you are free to ignore) and possibly take you to court to try to enforce their contractual rights (which they very rarely do).

Supermarkets often use parking companies who dress up their invoices to look like official court documents to frighten people. The position is still the same.

Beware however supermarkets which operate in town centres and sometimes - as part of their planning consent - have to offer their car parks as public pay and display. These are usually operated by the local council and they can issue fines for white line contraventons and other minor infringements.

Gosh just seeing the thread title had me in fits of laughter!!!!!!!!
Nice one :)

Park in the middle of two spaces ... People will just assume because you are a woman with two kids in tow you can't park anyway.

I parked in p+c space last week, I don't have kids, however one is sat quite heavily on my internal organs and I can't walk for shit so figured if anyone wanted to argue the toss about it, I'd just start crying...

Owlshaped I have been known to park only about 10-15cm away from the driver's side door of idiots who do that. I don't assume they are parents, I assume they are entitled brats who are too precious to park like an adult.

Who cares if you can cope in a normal space a parent with children is entitled to that space and has priority.

Genuinely chuckling at 'entitled' and 'priority'.

You can't be serious.

ThisIsANickname I wouldn't be so quick to assume that people who park over two spaces are "entitled brats" as there was a story in our local paper recently about a disabled lady who had been forced to park over two spaces to get into her wheelchair (very few disabled spaces in this car park and no p&c) she ended up getting a parking ticket but took her case to the papers and got the ticket cancelled. A lot of people just park like twats for the sake of it but there is the occasional case where they have good reason.