AIBU to expect people to respect parent & child car spaces?

[Holly129]

This is something that has bugged me for a long time. I am constantly seeing men in vans in parent and child spaces amongst others. I would never park in a disabled space or a parent and child space if my dc were not with me!

Today I waited for a space at the GPs and when the person left a clearly signposted parent and child space someone cut me up and sped into the space. She then got out WITHOUT A CHILD. I wound my window down and said excuse me, I was waiting for that space and you don't have a child with you. Did she have the decency to back down or apologise? No, she gave me a tirade of abuse! There should be passes or something for those spaces, (like the disabled ones) to fine people who don't use them correctly.

[shallweshop]

Tokengirl, I agree. The whole principle is about allowing a bit of extra space, not about being closer to the shop and being lazy!

[morticia74]

Sod that. If one is empty and I can't get another space then now I will park there....easier for my coupe!!

[Doodledumdums]

It IS about space. I couldn't give a shit where the p&c parking is, I like to use it because it makes it easier to get my baby out of the car, and that's a fact. There have been a number of people on this thread who have said this, we aren't liars, we don't feel 'entitled', and we aren't part of some 'p & c brigade.

I think it would be petty to move the p&c spaces to the back of the car park, and would certainly mean that it couldn't act as overflow parking if the disabled spaces were all full, which would be a shame. But sure, by all means petition to have it moved if it makes you feel better?!

[Doodledumdums]

Actually, i've changed my mind. It is about space for me bwcause I have a baby in a car seat, but when my baby is bigger, by which time I may have one or two other children, it will no longer just be about space, it will also be about safety. I have not done it as I am a first time mum, but I can imagine that getting three small children of varying ages across a car park, while trying to negotiate a trolley full of shopping, can't be very easy. So I see no issue in the slightest with making things slightly easier for the mother/father, amd safer for the children/other drivers.

[VixZenFenchell]

We don't really have P&C spaces here - there are a couple labelled "Stork" near the front of the car park but they're the same size as all the others & mostly get used by everyone. Each space is separated by a double line to allow for larger cars/door opening needs.

However - this woman sped into a doctors car park, cut OP up to get into the space, unleashed an angry torrent ... Did anyone think she might have been called in as her child was in extremis in there? Or another family member? Think if I'd been called by someone and told "this is the surgery, we have your DP/DS here and you need to come now" I might have behaved exactly as this driver did. Screamed into the first space I could see whether someone was waiting or not, hurled angry panic at anyone who tried to slow me down and raced into the surgery.

Of course if she was just late, or going shopping or something, then she was just rude.

[exoticfruits]

You wouldn't put them so they had to cross the car park- you would put them so they didn't need to cross but in a far corner- problem solved. They do not need to be near the shop- they just need extra space.

[Sparklingbrook]

Yes there could be a path all the way to the door.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

VixZen has a point.

DH's road manners went by the wayside when we were rushing DD to A and E with an allergic reaction..lots of horn honking

[exoticfruits]

They could paint feet on the pavement so that they know the safe way. Children, even small ones can walk or they can sit on trolleys - the relevant ones would be in the right area.