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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

At what age is it unreasonable to use the parent and child spaces on a car park?

114 replies

TheFlipsideOfTheCoin · 30/05/2013 17:57

Just that really.

Saw a woman with a young teen (about 14 years old) use a parent and child space at Tesco yesterday.

Also saw a family with a baby using a normal space, although they could have used the parent and child spaces as there were some available.

So just wondering.

OP posts:

Lambsie · 30/05/2013 19:21

I may be still using them when my son is a teenager because he has severe sn but no blue badge.

ilovesooty · 30/05/2013 19:24

There could be many reasons why they parked there, the child could have special needs, but is not severe enough for a blue badge

Whatever the reason I doubt it trumps an old man struggling with his wheelchair bound wife, or justifies that woman's bullying behaviour.

Bonkerz · 30/05/2013 19:25

My ds is 12. We don't have a disabled badge but ds has autism and I need to be able to open the door fully to get him in and out. He looks normal so prob do get looks and judged when I park in baby space without my other children but its a necessity for me.

ilovesooty · 30/05/2013 19:26

She pulled into the space and left her child of about 11 in the car as she strode off into the shop!

And even if her child had sn it's irrelevant if she left him in the car anyway. Bitch.

starfishmummy · 30/05/2013 19:39

I would use them for ds who is 14 but looks younger BUT only when the blue badge spaces are full (of cars with no badges) because I need the wider spaces to get his wheelchair next to the car door.

livinginwonderland · 30/05/2013 19:39

My mum did it with me a few weeks ago - I'm 24 and don't even live at home anymore!

ktp693 · 30/05/2013 20:38

Until children are able to get out of the car without help from anyone else, my dad uses them for younger sister as she cant get out of her booster seat alone (she's 8 but short for her age!)

ShellyBoobs · 30/05/2013 20:58

It's fine for anyone to park in P&C spaces with or without children.

HollyBerryBush · 30/05/2013 21:07

Once out of a car seat - so that's 4'11" isn't it?

It's not age specific, it's convenience.

lurkedtoolong · 30/05/2013 21:08

I think it should be till the child can open the door safely ie without banging it on the car next to them.

In which case I'll use one next time I'm driving my 74 year old dad places. He's a bugger for not paying attention to the car next to us.

It is ok for a driver to be the child?

smokinaces · 30/05/2013 21:14

I use them still. Ds1 is five, ds2 nearly seven. Mixture of reasons, part safety due to the paths around the car. Part width so my door doesn't smack into another. Part as ds1 has asd and only low rate mobility dla so no blue badge but sometimes it just takes a stress out to use a p&c space.

LadyBeagleEyes · 30/05/2013 21:14

I don't drive, but when I was with my ex we just parked wherever.
Baby, toddler, 5 year old, it really doesn't matter.
I don't see the point of them.

hazeyjane · 30/05/2013 21:17

Once out of a car seat - so that's 4'11" isn't it?

Blimey, I'm 4'11", and don't use a cars eat!

The cut off for booster seats is age 12 or 135 cm(approx 4'5")

Startail · 30/05/2013 21:24

Once you don't need the extra width, to open the door fully to lift a child into the car and/or strap them in. Normally 5-7 I guess is when they can be trusted to do their own belts.

But no fixed age if you are trying to get three DC with some still on boasters in my car as getting all the belts in may require adult arse out of door even with older DCs.

lljkk · 30/05/2013 21:24

imho, under 10s. Has to do with road sense (or lack thereof).

HollyBerryBush · 30/05/2013 21:27

I cant work in new fangled centimetres

P&C spaces are courtesy anyway.

TigerSwallowTail · 30/05/2013 21:29

I still use them and my son is 6, but he has asd and motor function/coordination issues and needs help getting in and out the car but doesn't qualify for a blue badge. I'm just about to have another baby though so will be able to use the space for a few more years without getting any bad looks.

Jinsei · 30/05/2013 21:47

I'd say up till 4/5 maximum - I think they're mainly for parents with babies and pre-school children, aren't they? Obviously different for kids with SN.

My dd is 7 and I haven't used a P&C space for years - I would be embarrassed to use one as we simply don't need it. DD is quite short for her age and does still need a car seat but she can strap herself in, and even in a normal space, it's easy enough to make sure that she doesn't damage the next car when she opens the door.

I don't think they're really necessary at all, but they are quite handy for parents of small kids who need help getting in and out. And for people like me who are rubbish at parking.

LiegeAndLief · 30/05/2013 22:01

I used one the other day with my nearly 4 and nearly 7 yo and felt like I was taking the piss a bit. I do still need to lean in to strap dd in but it's not really that hard in a normal space.

Fairyegg · 30/05/2013 22:09

5, roughly when they can get themselves in and out of car by themselves and put there own seatbelt on and aren't as likely to run around and be silly in car parks.

theoriginalandbestrookie · 30/05/2013 22:14

I think of them as being for parents with children still in buggies or car seats, unable to walk the short distance to the shop, or perhaps larger families where it's hard to keep an eye on them all at one time.

DS is 7 and I haven't used one since he was about 3. I remember when I was pregnant it was very hard towards the end to get out of the car without the door touching the car beside me, it would be good if they extended their use to pregnant women as well.

Patchouli · 30/05/2013 22:20

I'm sure the tesco/asda near me has a pic of a pushchair on the sign - I think that's a bit of a clue.

itsnothingoriginal · 30/05/2013 22:26

Bonkerz - yes I get that feeling I'm being judged for using them too as my DD is 6 yrs but has cerebral palsy although not severe enough for a blue badge (is anything severe enough these days

She can't walk too far, do seatbelt or get out of the car unaided but I got some serious evils from another mum yesterday when I used a P &C space.

Ruby1080 · 30/05/2013 22:46

This reply has been deleted

The OP has privacy concerns about this post, so we've agreed to take it down.

manicinsomniac · 30/05/2013 22:46

Tidydancer - I know they're not legally enforced but that doesn't mean they're for all to use. There are many rules which aren't law but we follow them because we're decent, courteous people surely? Many people have pointed out their use for the spaces with very young or sn children and I don't have that need so why wouldn't I leave the spaces for those who do?

Anyway, many of the supermarkets near me give huge fines for parking there without entitlement. I wouldn't risk it during the day even if I thought they were fair game. 10pm plus I think they're fair game but otherwise absolutely not.

I think only on mn do people think it's ok for anybody to use these spaces. It's weird.

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