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?

Coming late to this one but thought I'd add my tuppence worth.

1. We know they're just a courtesy not statutory
2. But so are lots of things like holding doors, saying please etc
3. People moan here every day about a lack of manners but
4. At some point it has been decided that the mumsnet position on this is that as p & c hasn't always been around it is the work of the devil.
5. anyone who thinks it is a good idea and thinks people should be courteous in using them is clearly a spoilt princess who should buy a hair shirt and piss off with her babies to the deserted corner (non-existant in my town) as far from the shop, ttollies and walkways as possible.

P&C spaces discussion = MN parallel universe.

My problem though Shente is that they're a courtesy granted at the expense of other people. It costs nothing to hold a door open for someone or to say please and thank you. But it annoys me when I see an elderly person having to drive past a space near the door so that a young parent can have it. I know those spaces are convenient for people trying to get small children out of the car, but they're also convenient for people with arthritis or bad backs or who are a bit shaky on their feet and find dodging quickly out of the way of reversing cars not that easy.
I think, apart from disabled spaces, spaces at the door should be free to everyone.

Good post, Shente.

I always find MN threads on this surprising.

I have never had a go at someone misusing a P&C space, but I don't think much of people who do. If there were "Over 70s" spaces I wouldn't dream of parking in them. If I thought I fell into a category that should have spaces nearer the shop I'd write to the supermarket about it, not complain by taking away someone else's space.

The supermarkets provide those spaces to encourage parents (who tend to spend more money than the elderly or disabled but without a blue badge) into the shop.

Yep, noone is arguing about people who need to park close/need extra space using them, nor is anyone suggesting noone misuses them, the debate here centres around...

Parents who want to use them are "entitled", and therefore I will use them just because noone can stop me
And
Assuming you have no kids or mobility problems, you shouldn't use them, even if its not legally enforceable, do you have no manners?

Oops' was agreeing with everlong, and missed a off the end

At my local Sainsbury's the P&C spaces are for children aged up to 12. I think this is good because it also helps parents with disabled children who may not have been able to get a blue badge or don't have it sorted yet. Personally I don't use them if with DD1 (8) as she is quite sensible and also tall so can be seen by other cars almost as well as an adult. If with DD2 (4) I do use them - they are quite near to the shop but not necessarily the nearest, but the walking route to the shop is safer for her in using them.

As the car park is generally well-designed though being quite new I find the P&C spaces don't tend to get abused that much. The threat of a £60 fine on the sign may help somewhat (however unenforceable it may be).

I'll probably still be using them with my son when he is an adult if he doesn't get a blue badge.

I tend to think the type of people who abuse them are the ones who hate 'modern parents' and children.

We didn't have P&C spaces in my day

Basically they haven't evolved from a whinging 6 year old themselves. It's NOT FAIR!

Re all those with disabilities themselves/disabled children. You can use supermarket disabled spaces, they are not legally enforcable!

But sometimes it isn't fair, DucktoWater. What about someone who has been driving around a busy car park for ten minutes trying to find a space and finally someone pulls out of a P&T space. Are they supposed to keep driving around or go home without their shopping in case a parent comes along in a few minutes who is 'entitled' to that space?
Likewise, I have often been up at my supermarket at about 7pm on a rainy evening and a row of spaces are sitting empty at the door while everyone has to park further away and run across the carpark in the rain - because all of these spaces are marked P&T.
People have legitimate annoyances about these spaces, whether you agree with those arguments or not, or feel they outweigh parents needs or not. It's not necessarily just people whinging like six year olds.

To all the people saying P&C spaces are simply a courtesy and people have no 'right' to use them, I hope you are aware that you could get issued a Parking Charge Notice if you don't park in accordance with the terms and conditions of the car park. When you park your car you are entering into a contract. So long as the contract conditions are clearly displayed (e.g. not staying longer than 2 hours, parking within bays etc) you could be caught out.

There is no legal difference between parking in P&C space or disabled spaces on private land - it is a contractual matter between you and the car park owner. It is different for on street parking.

Are they supposed to keep driving around or go home without their shopping in case a parent comes along in a few minutes who is 'entitled' to that space?

Yes of course they are! I have done so when I didn't have my DDs with me.

People have legitimate annoyances about these spaces, whether you agree with those arguments or not, or feel they outweigh parents needs or not.

Then complain to the shop, don't protest by taking the space. Most people taking these spaces don't have legitimate annoyances, they are just lazy and entitled.

Exactly, whatsthat. Though enforcing parking fines on private land is another matter.

YANBU, OP.

The extra space in P&C spaces makes transporting 2 children in and out of the car that much less stressful/less damaging!

Seeing childless people parking in them vexes me, too.

DuckToWater and what are these people supposed to do while waiting for the spaces they need to be installed, or what if they're ignored? Eventually the car park will be so full of P&C spaces, pregnant women's spaces, Over 70s spaces, Temporarily Disabled/Don't Have A Badge Yet spaces, there'll be nowhere for anyone else to park. Keep disabled spaces as they are but have Extra Wide spaces for those who need them, and also Safe Access spaces for people with young children - not necessarily close to the shop, but with a safe pedestrian route through to the shop.

I can't believe someone would actually get annoyed at seeing someone elderly/pregnant/struggling to walk parking in a P&C space.

You have actually gone home without your shopping rather than park in a P&T space DucktoWater. Sorry, but that really is taking things too far. Fair enough leave them empty if there's other spaces available. But if a shopper has driven around a carpark several times and no other space is available it is ridiculous to say they should go basically just sod off and go home.

Would love to be confronted by one of the lazy arsed entitled mummies, who think the world revolves around them because they've popped out a couple of sprogs

I guess it's ok to park there whistle. It's not like you'll be long, just another large bag of chips for your shoulder, eh?

Um...you're just as lazy for parking in them if you don't need to. Walk.

I am late to this thread but have seen plenty before.
They are not an entitlement and my ds and some of his colleagues are campaigning for their removal, nationwide, not just one store. They are busy enough without the bloody hassle these things cause.
Now with the run up to xmas it gets worse and they've had enough.
So unless you all want to find your precious spaces given over, stop bloody complaining and expecting already over worked staff to manage the courtesy you have been given.
Play nicely or privilages will be removed. It really is playground stuff

ASDA has started intoducing parking spaces near the door for 'low emission vehicles.' Really got my goat to see that, - like Prius drivers need another reason to be smug!

No signs up to say what constitues a low emission vehicle either, so there were cars parked there which were clearly polluting fuel guzzlers.

Tulip

My ds works for Asda, the low emissions lot don't cause trouble like the P&C lot do. A time in motion study on front line staff found too many being distracted by moaning parents. These are to replace P&C spaces eventually, so I'm told.