parent and child bays

[fairy1303]

Our local supermarket is always rammed. I have often had trouble finding a space. There are some parent and child bays and these are great when I have to take the baby - you need the extra space for the buggy and to be close to the supermarket etc etc.

Today when parking in them, the woman next to me sprung out completely childless.

I know I shouldn't get so annoyed sleep deprived and am anticipating biscuits galore - but she was still parked there when I left and I really wanted to let the supermarket know!

There were other spaces btw, just a bit further away.

[BoffinMum]

1. Cars used to be narrower than they are now.
2. People weren't as dependent on out of town shopping for day to day needs.
3. Most women now work whereas previously a smaller proportion did, leaving less time for chores.

Which is why they are useful. But the reason they are there is

1. It's the families wot spend da massive dosh so supermarkets like to suck up a bit to their big spenders, getting them in the habit of visiting a particular chain early on.

[hazeyjane]

Just to throw a spanner in the works, ds has just been awarded a BB until 2015 - so a 2 year badge!

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

fairy I got my blue badge a few months ago. The assessor and I discussed the option of a 1 year or 3 year badge and she went for the latter in the end. I have a long-term condition but it is fluctuating and can be gotten under control by medication - although it hasn't yet - hence the discussion between 1 year and 3 year badges. I just asked my mum who was with me and she confirmed that I was not remembering incorrectly, we definitely talked about it.

[greenfolder]

Parent and child bays are only next to the doors because car parks are so poorly designed. In our tescos there are no dedicated walkways- you have to walk along the roadway, dodging reversing cars and people looking for spaces

[SauvignonBlanche]

Some people's views are beyond belief Dawndonna's DD but I do think they are in the minority.

[Dawndonnaagain]

Oh, and I don't mean that benefit scroungers do show a sense of entitlement, it was the mumsnet posse coming into play!

[Dawndonnaagain]

Mrs Buckett Are you serious? This thread has made you more determined to have a go at people like me? (Dawndonna's dd). You would approach a 17 year old, in a wheelchair and tell her off for using a P&C space, despite having a blue badge and without knowing anything about the disabilities of said person. Bring it on, the only person you will embarrass is yourself. Although I have to admit that I am shocked that you are happily announcing that you may have a go at someones last trip out before they die, the only trip out that month for another person, the chance to do a rare bit of shopping for themselves for another. You really should be ashamed of yourself for your really quite unbelievably selfish approach to something that isn't actually a right, but a privilege. So called benefit scroungers show less of a sense of entitlement than that, but hey ho, you have to live with yourself.

[CommanderShepard]

I have to confess: I recently parked in a P&C space without DD in tow. Genuine, genuine error; I'm so used to having her with me that it was automatic. Felt very bad. Fortunately no one threatened to knock my block off.

[fairy1303]

candy I used to work for the BB department. No short term badges, only 3 years, which is why it is long term conditions only.

[SHarri13]

And just to add, I mean people who use them
Without genuine need.

[SHarri13]

I used to get annoyed but having read lots of similar threads like this over my short years of being a parent I no longer get worked up. People do it all the time.

If someone is enough of an arsehole to park in them they're not going to give a shit what I say to them about it so why bother.

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

Where You can get a badge for the time the assessor agrees, some people have to get theirs renewed yearly and some get lifetime badges.

[SauvignonBlanche]

UK government's definition of disability here.

[Catnap26]

I really really hate it so YANBU.

[WhereDoAllTheCalculatorsGo]

There's no short term blue badge, they're only for permanent disability.

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

Ledkr Excuse me if I've read this wrongly or I'm speaking out of turn but might it be worth you applying for a blue badge? I believe you can get shorter term ones as well as longer ones.

[fairy1303]

Ledkr you are bloody marvellous. You have so eloquently summed it all up.

[Ledkr]

Well firstly I didn't "have a go" I've been pleasant throughout the thread.
Coco described her spd as "having issues" with it and said it was not a disability, which sounds a different issue to yours for which you have a blue badge.
I still do what I can and my spd is extremely painful when I walk or stand for long and extremely exasperated by carrying my toddler!u mastectomy/radio therapy damage makes pushing a trolley fairly difficult as well.
But this thread isn't about comparing disabilities it's about normal able bodied people selfishly parking in p and c spaces just to be closer to the supermarket.
It's about that facility being available for parents that just might make life a tiny bit easier.
The "hidden disability" point could be applied to disabled spaces too. At the end of the day if you have a disability that affects mobility you get a blue badge which quite rightly trumps everybody!
It would be interesting to see if people who do desperately needed spaces close to the shops would startusing the disabled spaces if the p a c spaces were moved to the back.

[littlemisswise]

ledkr it is a bit shit to have a go at cocacols for still using a P&C space because she is still suffering from SPD after having her baby. Just because you had SPD in your pregnancies and it cleared up doesn't mean everyone else's does.

I still use a P&C space with my SPD if I feel like it and DS2(my youngest is almost 17), only I display my blue badge! My pelvis is held together at the front with plates and pins and fused to to my spine at the back with massive bolts going from my hips. I have around 8 hospital admissions a year for pain killing injections.

Some of us do not suffer with the SPD that is often described on here, where the poster can still run after their toddler, drive, go shopping, walk with out any sticks. I will never walk unaided again due it SPD. You really don't know how badly cocacols is suffering.

cocacols your GP can write a supporting statement to the council if you feel that you could benefit from a blue badge.

[FiftyShadesofGreyMatter]

Jeez how did mothers ever manage before these spaces were invented

[raisah]

In my local tescos you cant find a space in the baby area because its full of tractors. Only space big enough for 4x4s so thats where they are parked, most of them dont have baby seats in the back..

[Ledkr]

I've just come to sainsbos with my two yr old partially deaf child who us a bloody nightmare in shops.
I can't lift her or drag her as I've just had neck surgery but I'm parked in a normal space as no p and c.
Absolutely fine but not if some of the spaces are taken up by able bodied childless. Not a huge issue but mildly irritating no?

[Ledkr]

Yes that applies to anyone who can't shop without parking 3 ft away from the shop entrance!

[LittleBearPad]

People have posted that they are 'essential'

They aren't. There are lots of ways to deal with supermarket car parks. Ocado is the best one.