To get infuriated by people mis using parent and child spaces?

[nothingbyhalves]

It's all in the title really. A woman just told me she had parked in one because she had a dog in her car. Aibu to think she is inconsiderate?

Park at the back of the car park if you have trouble getting your toddler out of the car without hitting someone else's with your door! It's not rocket science. Or did having kids also make you incredibly lazy. How on earth did we manage before p&c parking

I fucking hate these threads. Usually because posters who I have a lot of respect for get really nasty on them.

Look, they might not be necessary but they're there.

Why would you park in them if you don't have children with you? Just, why?

Is it because you get some sort of kick out of parking there? FFS! It's ridiculous.

It's common courtesy to leave them free because maybe it will make someone's day just a little bit easier.

"She was BU by leaving a dog in her car"

Not if she cracked a window and was running in quickly.

Unless you are largely pregnant or have to struggle with a car seat, then you don't need a P&C parking place.

As others did, I managed my 3 without acessable buses, internet shopping and P&C parking.

I find people with walking children getting on the bus with an unfolded buggy, more annoying, especially when someone is left in the cold with a newborn.

I wouldn't equate my dog with a child, but I would equate the need to be close to the supermarket as a greater need with a dog in the car, than someone with a child that isn't a struggle to get out of a car seat.

I take my Mum out in a wheelchair and have had two children with SN, I still don't understand why it is such a problem to get about just because you have children, tbh and especially if you have a car.

"
It's common courtesy to leave them free because maybe it will make someone's day just a little bit easier."

Totally agree, but that could be for a variety if reasons, not just because you have children.

Just to add, I have been a carer to adults in my family, it is harder (for want of a better word) then when my children were small.

I hate these threads because there's about 3 a week. Nothing is going to change no matter how many times it is discussed.
Disabled spaces always come up even though it is irrelevant in a P&C space thread.
it's like Groundhog Day.

The thing is it's not difficult to get about just because you have children but it's more difficult than being alone or with older children or another NT adult.

Just this morning I was living the local leisure centre after dc swimming lessons. A woman pulled up beside me into P&C space. Loads of other spaces (it was early). Just here and her gym bag.

So, why do it? I genuinely don't get it!

I totally agree that if you don't need a P&C space, you should leave it free. But if disabled car spaces are full, or you have a problem that makes walking difficult and you are not eligible for a badge, then I think it is fine to park in them. It is about common courtesy and recognising that you shouldn't make life harder for others unnecessarily.

I hate these threads because there's about 3 a week. Nothing is going to change no matter how many times it is discussed

Agreed but the piss taking winds me up!

Sparkling - disabled spaces are relevant. Because two types of people park in P&C spaces. Those who are selfish and don't care. And those who have a real need to park close and are not being catered for e.g. not enough disabled spaces or not eligible for blue badge but struggling with walking.

I totally agree that if you don't need a P&C space, you should leave it free. But if disabled car spaces are full, or you have a problem that makes walking difficult and you are not eligible for a badge, then I think it is fine to park in them. It is about common courtesy and recognising that you shouldn't make life harder for others unnecessarily

Spot on, Grennie

where do you all live where these car parking spaces are miles from the store freaks

Sorry Greenie, yes I know what you mean. it's just that in the OP it only mentions P&C and a dog.

It's horrible that people that need disabled spaces feel they have to defend themselves on a P&C thread.

I really don't know what to think. It's something else that appears on MN a lot, and before that I never took a bit of notice about who parks where.

To anyone that suggests parents are just lazy and should park at the back of the car park where they can easily get DC out the car.

Surely all the people using the p&c spaces without needing to are equally lazy? You park at the back of the bloody car park and walk too! What's the difference?

I don't care where the p&c spaces are, I like that they are wide and I can get DS out easily.

Feel I should point this one out, even though its possibly to my detriment for people to know... (i have just got my blue badge through, and also have two toddlers, so there are oodles of spaces just for me )

But re disabled spaces being legally enforcable. In a supermarket car park, they are not, same as any other private parking fines.

I can't recall ever having made a point of using or looking for one. It was a while ago , possibly they didn't exist so either way it can't have been important to me.

Ah the power of MN - I parked further from the store entrance today close to the car park entrance - thereby avoiding having to block the entrance to the rows of spaces while the shoppers cross over to them and avoiding the sitting behind the massive cars doing their twenty-nine point turns.

On the way back to the car were a mum pushing a trolley and her 5/6 YO walking behind the cars, as was I, instead of going along the pavement as the pavement is horribly awkward with a trolley. In other words, the P+C spaces have the benefit of being wider, but are only marginally safer than spaces further from the entrance as their users find it easier to walk through the busiest bit of the car park than take the awkward pavement.

Which gives the cynical belief that supermarkets provide P+C spaces as a "marketing ploy" weight IMO.

But re disabled spaces being legally enforcable. In a supermarket car park, they are not, same as any other private parking fines.

They aren't legally enforceable, but the supermarket has to legally provide a certain number of disabled bays, whereas they don't legally have to provide any P&C bays.

I think they should just get rid of all the P&C bays and make all spaces a little wider.

"The thing is it's not difficult to get about just because you have children but it's more difficult than being alone or with older children or another NT adult."

But you aren't necessarily busier or need to be right by the door.

I agree that they should be left for people who really need them and someone who needs something g quick, but needs to keep an eye on the dog, qualifies.

My dog keeps me sane, so I am biased. I have done overnight hospital runs, had to go to work the next day. If I didn't have a dog to walk and de-stress with, I would probably drink etc.

There are days I have to fit much more in my day than when I had young children and worked.

Based on reasons why that person had to park near the front, theirs were probably more valid than a lot of the parents.

But who said they have to be near the front? I don't care if they're at the back! The spaces are wide, that's why I use them.

Presumably, nearer the door is safer than having to walk through the car park with little children who are harder to see than adults/older children and less aware of the risks of cars reversing.

The judgey vastness and superior attitudes of people who think they're so fucking amazing for managing without a P/C space wilds me up - especially when they imply that if you decide to use one if you have children you're obviously an incapable thick who can't parent their children. Nope, Imply not any of this things...Imply just not a martyr. I really don't understand the hysteria over these spaces: use em if you have need to, but realise their use is not an entitlement and is not covered by law don't if you don't want to and stop bloody judging others who do

The judgey vastness and superior attitudes of people who think they're so fucking amazing for managing without a P/C space wilds me up - especially when they imply that if you decide to use one if you have children you're obviously an incapable thicko who can't organise parent their children. Nope, Im not any of this things...Im just not a martyr and am nite willing to increase chances of an accident to my child or someone else's vehicle if there's a space free. I really don't understand the hysteria over these spaces: use em if you have need to, but realise their use is not an entitlement and is not covered by law don't if you don't want to and stop bloody judging others who do

The judgey vastness and superior attitudes of people who think they're so fucking amazing for managing without a P/C space wilds me up - especially when they imply that if you decide to use one if you have children you're obviously an incapable thicko who can't organise parent their children. Nope, Im not any of this things...Im just not a martyr and am nite willing to increase chances of an accident to my child or someone else's vehicle if there's a space free. I really don't understand the hysteria over these spaces: use em if you have need to, but realise their use is not an entitlement and is not covered by law don't if you don't want to and stop bloody judging others who do

Actually in my local ikea they aren't anywhere near the door.