To want to monitor supermarket car parks voluntarily to catch people without children parking in the parent/child parking spaces?

[Hotmad]

Ok it's me again but a lot of things have occurred to me today that are unreasonable.
Today as I came out of the supermarket a woman in a big nice Mercedes pulled in next to my car into the parent and child bays, she did not have a child with her! I was so angry but as I'm not the confrontational type I threw her my best evil look and made a mental note to vent on MN later about it.
I never cared before but now I Have a new baby I realise there aren't actually that many of these bays going and if people use fraudulently then this is not fair and something needs to be done!

[IceBeing]

I hope you didn't feel too roasted....MN really goes off on one sometimes...it isn't always like this

[Hotmad]

Ooh this has come back to the surface!
Thank you icebeing for being the only one! My humour was lost in internet translation (cue someone saying it wasn't funny anyway you look at it)

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

It's not about walking a few extra feet, morethanpotatoprints!! It's about having wider parking spaces, to make it easier to get small children in and out of car seats, without having to worry about bashing cars next to you. It is much easier to strap your child in safely, if you aren't having to contort yourself through a 6" gap to do so.

And no, it's not essential or vital - it just makes life a bit easier. We are more than happy for other things to be made easier (either for all of us or for some of us), but the very thought that somewhere a parent's life is being made a bit easier, is total anathema to some folk.

If the only space left in the car park is a P&C space, of course no-one should expect anyone to turn round and go home without doing their shopping - but other than in that, pretty rare situation, I cannot understand what harm P&C spaces are doing to other people.

I don't use them any more - the dses are 16, 18 and 20 - and so I have to walk a bit further to the store. That doesn't harm me, or blight my life, so why should I get all hot under the collar at the parents who are getting the big spaces near the store?

Frankly, some of the arguments on here, and in other places, against P&C spaces, just sound like petty jealousy. "I can't use that special space near the shop doorway, so I don't think ANYONE should be allowed to use it!!" Green eyed monster.

[IceBeing]

Absolutely loving the fact that noone got the OP was exaggerating for comedic purposes.

OP unfortunately there are too many people who genuinely feel the way you only pretended to feel for MN to get the funny...

[morethanpotatoprints]

I don't think we have ever used one tbh. I don't drive but whenever dh and I took 3 dc to supermarket, we haven't used one.
I don't understand the problem, can people really not just walk a few extra feet, are they really that lazy and entitled?

[pianodoodle]

Of course people can manage without them and of course they're a courtesy, but they're a courtesy for parents with children aren't they?

[CheeseandPickledOnion]

On the one hand, I think people who park in the P&C parking spaces when the car park is full would probably admit they are a fundamentally bad person.

No, I completely wouldn't. What am I supposed to do, go home without my shopping just because it's the only space left.

Idiot.

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

On the one hand, I think people who park in the P&C parking spaces when the car park is full would probably admit they are a fundamentally bad person.

A fundamentally bad person? I bet you're fun at parties!

[dementedma]

Someone mentioned those electronic bollards which rise up, earlier in the thread.
Two weeks ago, I followed a bus into a local supermarket car park. I shouldn't have done, but missed the sign which was obscured by the bus. The bus stopped, I stopped. The bus moved off, I moved off and met the rising, previously invisible, electronic bollard with an almightly crunch. Reader, it WROTE MY CAR OFF!!!

[ginbin54]

FFS - you're not disabled, you've got children. It won't hurt you or them to have to park in an ordinary space. I know it's awkward getting them out of the car in small space but hey, worse things happen!

[VulvaBeaker]

On the one hand, I think people who park in the P&C parking spaces when the car park is full would probably admit they are a fundamentally bad person. :)

On the other hand I have had a person remonstrate with me about this very rudely in a car park because they thought I didn't have a baby, at which point I got the baby seat out of the car. I have to confess that in the first aisle of the supermarket we loudly talked about busybodies and enjoyed the woman's cringing inability to apologise or look us in the eye.

Be careful if you take it upon yourself to busybody.

[HomeIsWhereTheGinIs]

How does shouting at someone teach your children any manners? Disabled parking bays are enforceable. Parent and child ones are a courtesy. Don't be ludicrous. Your baby won't melt in the rain.

[SauvignonBlanche]

Your Dad sounds great Arkina.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Ohhh I would love to have seen that exchange, Arkina - I'd have been applauding your dad!

[Cravey]

Maybe just concentrate on your child. And stop obsessing about something so ridiculous.

[SpecialAgentFreyPie]

With the ever growing amount of 4x4 drivers, I think the only real solution is wider spaces.

Unfortunately, it's cheaper to squash us in like sardines. [grumpy]

[frumpet]

No , but then it might have something to do with how dinged my car is and my careless trolley swinging as i saunter away , puts a lot of folk off !

[He11y]

frumpet - don't you find someone always parks next to you though, no matter how far away you are from the door?

My husband and I park in the most isolated corners of car parks and yet 9 out of 10 times, someone else will have parked right next to us when we return!

Not just near us but next to us!

I'm sure some people seek out lonely cars! LOL

[lljkk]

I have a policy of parking in the first place I see! Kids or not.

[frumpet]

I worked out years ago that easiest place to park at supermarkets is as far away from the place as possible , in all the empty spaces where i can leave my car and and swing a trolley round to my hearts content . Yes i do have to walk a bit further , say 300 yards , but i am sure i read some spurious bit of research somewhere that said exercise is good for you

[FlockOfTwats]

They're not enforcable so if you're really sad enough to care, go and monitor them all you like, there's nothing anyone can do about misuse of them.

[BrianTheMole]

.but yes, shout at the selfish fuckwits with no kids in the P&C spaces

Go for it. You think they will move for you? I wouldn't move for someone that did that. Rational conversation? Yes if I felt the need was greater. Shouting? Nope, fook off.

Arkina Sorry to hear about your dad. He sounds cool.

[Lotkinsgonecurly]

I have 2 words online shopping!! It gets delivered to you too!! More than 2 words but you order, they deliver. Fantastic invention... Or wAlking!!

[tokentotty]

Yes, of course keep P&C spaces free unless needed. Anyone posting on this subject will get flamed. full stop. end of.
However, if someone who obv has no kids/is not disabled uses it? Strap a pair on, give them merry hell. I have a big car and probably more young kids than is advisable. No, I can't always get a P&C space which I need to usher all the buggers out. If not? I drive to the furthest away space that allows me to open doors freely. They're children, they're not going to get rusty in the 100m dash to the supermarket in the rain. Breathe in, breathe out....but yes, shout at the selfish fuckwits with no kids in the P&C spaces

[Arkina]

My dad was disabled, needed a stick or frame to walk so parking near shops was essential. My mum still worked at that time so Id take him to Asda park him in the cafe with a coffee, sandwich and paper while I shopped.

We got there one day - no disabled bays. plenty of p&c bays. Yes I could have dropped him at the entrance and gone and parked but he suffered from severe osteoporosis and got very anxious on his own incase he got bumped.

So I decided to park in a p&c bay. While he was getting out the car and I was getting his walking frame we were approached by a woman with 2 boys Id say were 10 & 12 who started ranting about what a disgrace we were depriving someone like her of a bay.

Now to any reasonable person it would be clear who was in more need of a bay near the shop. Dad let her rant then interrupted her.

'parent and child bay is it'
She pointed to the sign confirming it
'thats ideal then' he said with a charming smile.
'Shes my daughter, Im her dad so were a parent and child'

Her face was shut. She had NO reply

Damn I miss him