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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed at people with no children taking up the mother and baby spaces

108 replies

AGivenNickname · 09/04/2013 12:12

I popped to the local supermarket this morning to do a small shop with my DS2 (19 months). I was just about to park in a mum and baby space when some arsehole in a fiesta came around the opposite way and took it.

The bastard was on his own with no children or any sign of car seats. It may sound petty but it really winds me up when people do it - including friends of mine.

One friend often goes off shopping with a 21-year-old daughter and parks in them. Her reasoning is that her 21-year-old is and always will be her 'baby' so she has every right to use it.

OP posts:
Freddiemisagreatshag · 09/04/2013 12:33

You can have hidden disabilities. And disabilities that mean even though you can walk, you can have a blue badge cupcake. My friend has one for her SN daughter who is physically able to walk, but has other SN.

Wincher · 09/04/2013 12:33

It pees me off too. I actually had a go at a man the other day who was the fourth person I saw going in or out of the spaces without a kid as I was walking past, only for him to say he did have a child in there. Oops - it was a sports car with tiny back windows so I had made a bit of an assumption! He did indeed get a toddler out. I was embarrassed.

Freddiemisagreatshag · 09/04/2013 12:33

Nobody wants my lemon drizzle cake

dingit · 09/04/2013 12:34

yes op. i would like james bond style pram, so i could scrape them as i go past.

lottieandmia · 09/04/2013 12:35

This is at least the third thread about parent parking in the last month.

And all those threads were at least 500 posts long............

Sorry but it's getting tiresome!

Gorjuss · 09/04/2013 12:36

It used to drive me crazy. I wouldn't have objected to them being further away from the entrance to stop lazy people using them. You just need space to be able to open a door wide enough to get a baby seat in.

EverythingIsTicketyBoo · 09/04/2013 12:37

I'm with you op, and applaud your bravery starting a thread about it. Yep they are a courtesy for parents with children and I absolutely agree that people without children in the car/children to collect should not use them, but you know what is worse than all that for me?? People going the wrong way round car parks to get in a space before anyone else Angry especially when you have gone the right way round, seen your space (it doesn't have to be p & c, any space) and some ignorant git drives up and bloody takes it off you AngryAngry

BumpingFuglies · 09/04/2013 12:37
Sirzy · 09/04/2013 12:37

I will have lemon drizzle cake!

dingit · 09/04/2013 12:37

oh well, at least its not a MT one.

MrsMelons · 09/04/2013 12:39

You will see MN at its worse on threads like these. I agree with you if there is no genuine reason for someone parking there. Everyone will assume that teh man was disabled even if you couldn't tell or was picking up his DCs etc - couldn't possibly be just an inconsiderate arsehole!

FWIW sometimes parents do need etc space - when I was 8 months pregnant someone had parking in a P&T space (cut in front of me to do so). They had no children and laughed at me and admitted it (apparently it was tough as they were their first) - I had my 22mo son with me who had a broken leg in a full cast, his car seat was on the opposite side to the drivers seat and due to narrow parking spaces I couldn't get both of us out however I parked.

I had bad SPD so couldn't climb over and I ended up in tears. The parking attendant was there and said nothing to the man but did allow me to park somewhere that wasn't really a space but had more room at the sides.

NorthernLurker · 09/04/2013 12:39

Parent and child spaces are a courtesy provided by the shop. It IS annoying when other shoppers misuse that courtesy. However any parent in good health, shopping with dcs, needs to be able to get them in and out of the car without needing a superwide space to do so in. So be annoyed but not obsessed with this OP.

BumpingFuglies · 09/04/2013 12:39

IMO it's about time these supermarkets had drive through shopping so that NO-ONE HAS TO GET OUT OF THEIR CAR AT ALL.

CoffeeShoppe · 09/04/2013 12:40

ok, so if it is only because you can open the door wide enough to get the car seat in, then just supposing child and baby places were on the far side of the car park, bet you would find them all empty. That is a lame excuse, it is because you feel entitled to park right on the doorstep of the shop because you have a child.
There is always online shopping if it infuriates you that much.

Original poster
AGivenNickname · 09/04/2013 12:40

Bumping, are those the ones who take up pretty much two spaces to park?

I think I should rename this the pet peeve thread.

OP posts:
CoffeeShoppe · 09/04/2013 12:40

pmsl BumpingF Grin

sydlexic · 09/04/2013 12:41

What surprises me most is that it was a Fiesta driver and not one of those evil BMW drivers.

MrsMelons · 09/04/2013 12:41

To be fair you can't have a go at the OP because of this being done to death, most people don't search every topic before starting a thread. MN would come to a stand still if you could only post things about 'new' stuff.

cupcake78 · 09/04/2013 12:41

I can't get a blue badge for spd! I've tried and they don't issue them for short term problems unless its for cancer treatment or wheelchair access etc.

What about ladies who've just given birth within a few weeks and really need the spaces. I know they are provided for comfort and ease and not a legal requirement.

It's simple, you don't have children with you, don't park there!

CakeExpectations · 09/04/2013 12:41

Ooh, lemon drizzle. Wouldn't say no. (I promise not to punch it Grin)

BumpingFuglies · 09/04/2013 12:42

They are the ones. Not that I'm particularly bothered. I only came for the cake. Grin

MrsMelons · 09/04/2013 12:43

I must add - I would be more than happy for the P&C spaces to be at the other end of the car park, the point is surely so people can get the DCs/car seat out - I have no trouble walking - especially with a tiny baby in a car seat as they go in the pram of course!

Avondale · 09/04/2013 12:43

This used to wind me up too, especially when my twins weren't walking as can't simply park, take child out, put in trolley and shop.
I would have to park, leave twins unsupervised in car, run round car park/ various trolley collection points in attempt to find trolley with two baby seats/ two spaces (always near the back, so have to pull out twenty trolleys first to get it), go back to car 10 minutes later, put twins in and then shop. I really don't miss those days!
Also, am crap at parking so loved having all that extra space to park in Grin

skratta · 09/04/2013 12:44

Although I can see your point. I've seen some people come out without a child and yes, I do get angry, because actually it can be hard with the other cars right next to you so you can barely get a pram out etching; However, loads of times I've seen people park in them (no kids) and rush off inside while I park next to them or whatever, also in a space, silently seething about lack of courtesy when the person comes back out, with partner and also with kids, so although they might not park WITH kids, they might be picking them up, for example.

Caitycat · 09/04/2013 12:44

I am thrilled to see that there is actually some support for the op today! People seem to finally be realising that just because they're not legally enforcable, not as important as disabled bays and possible to live without they are still very useful and make life much easier for those of us who have made the life choice to have children. YANBU OP, they are there for a reason and it is rude and thoughtless of people to use them if they don't have young children.