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!

[badgeradnauseum]

YANBU its disgusting bring back the death penalty!!!!!!

[Wantsunshine]

Who cares! I wish supermarkets would put them at the back then nobody would complain. Or is it you are jealous of her Merc?

[mayorquimby]

And what happens when they go to get the token without a child?
The supermarket confiscate their car?

[Mintyy]

Op, it's a much overdone subject on Mumsnet, that's all. Hence the yawns and references to getting popcorn.

[SauvignonBlanche]

They'll have to kidnap a child mayorquimby.

[BrianTheMole]

What would you do if you went to a place that didn't cater for these special bays?

1. Turn around and go home?
   
2. Park somewhere else and get a taxi to the front door?
   
3. Contact the manager of the store on my mobile and insist he/she makes a parking spot available immediately, right by the doors.
   
4. Go home and do an internet shop.
   
5. Send someone else to the shop.
   
6. Come on mn to complain.
   
   The choices are endless really.

[lljkk]

... how about if no child they can still get a token by paying a penance, like a bit of karaoke to entertain the punters or 2 minutes of head in the stocks for people to throw tomatoes at?

[BrianTheMole]

Nothing makes me sadder and outraged than a person in a P&C space without a child.

Nothing at all? Is that just the saddest thing ever?

[Bagofnutsnbolts]

The only time I actually cared, and wasn't qualified to use the space, was at 41 weeks preggars and could barley move, coz baby was sitting on me fecking bladder, well that's what it felt like, coz everytime I put one step in front of he other I wanted to pee, believe me far worse than making kids walk a bit further!

[Flossiechops]

Welcome op - 2 rules of surviving on MN

1. NEVER vent about p&c parking spaces

2. NEVER EVER post in aibu.

[PrincessOfChina]

I used to park in P&C spaces all the time before I had kids. Why not? They're there for people who are too lazy to walk from the other side of the car park and I was certainly that!

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I think P&C spaces are useful and a good thing. Yes, we did without them, in years gone by, but in days gone by, we also did without car seats, rear seat belts etc, and cars were smaller - you only have to look at a vintage mini beside a 'new' one to see how cars have grown.

So P&C spaces are useful because they allow the car doors to be opened widely enough for a car seat to be manoeuvred in, without the risk of banging the door into the car next to it.

It also makes it easier to get older children in and out, and strapped in, without risking damage to neighbouring cars.

Yes, these are not necessities - they merely make life easier - but that does not make them the brainchild of Satan. Dishwashers make life easier, so do supermarket trolleys with child seats or places to secure a baby car seat - are the P&C space haters going to give up the things that make their lives easier? No? Didn't think so.

All that said, P&C spaces don't need to be right next to the shop. Put them further away, or round the side of the store. It would be helpful if there were a walkway to the shop, but that's not a necessity.

I do feel, sometimes, there is a dog-in-the-manger feel to threads like,these - a sense of 'Why should someone else have even the tiniest benefit that I don't have? If I can't have it, I don't want anyone else to have it, even if it makes a busy, tired parent a bit more tired.' Doesn't it sound a bit mean and petty, put like that?

[BrianTheMole]

Yeah I did too when I felt like it.

[SpringPlease]

I wouldn't know about these problems as I don't drive but I do expect the bus driver to get off and hold an umbrella over me as I get on.

[KaFayOLay]

What's a criminal offence?
Parking in a p&c place.
Surely not, only disabled are legally enforceable.

[Hotmad]

Ha ha I am new-ish here so I didn't realise! Can't believe it angered so many :)
Just in response to some questions, I'm not jealous of a merc as I have a 10 year old ford called Molly and I like the p & c bays because they have space at sides for my crap parking to get the car seat out with ease, it don't bother me where in car park they are
What does hth mean by the way?

[ChoudeBruxelles]

Have a or and chill out or fine something a bit more important to occupy your time

[Bagofnutsnbolts]

Thinking about it lets have preggars places too. Then the men get a really raw deal!

[clairemum22]

To be fair, I wouldn't use them without a child with me - they are helpful to parents with small children. Why is it so wrong to have them? However, it annoys me more when they are all full and the family then parks in the disabled place instead. How on earth can anyone think that is acceptable?

[ohhifruit]

They are bullshit a un-needed courtesy and should be scrapped.
They give entitled parents something to occupy them outside Jeremy Kyle broadcast hours, so there is that.

[SauvignonBlanche]

Here you are OP HTH, Hope that helps.

[MauriceMinor]

I agree with all this. They are just a courtesy, not a right etc etc Very few parents can't walk across a car park with a child in tow or open a car door to get a child out of a car seat. They just imagine it will be difficult because they are used to the courtesy. Disabled spaces are different.

But, one thing is true. Most decent people just don't park in them if they don't "qualify" wouldn't you say? I definitely know people with fancy cars who park in them simply because they're bigger and they don't want people bumping their door. I once saw a guy in a Jag park across two spaces in a car park. He actually said to me when he saw me looking a bit puzzled "It's so no bugger scratches my door". And looked quite happy with himself.

[ohhifruit]

That's not to say they're not useful and appreciated but they are in no way whatsoever worth getting your knickers in a twist about.
The best place to park if you have DC? Far, far away from the store where you can open doors wide and not scratch another car.

[TheXxed]

When I worked in a supermarket, there was one woman who made a point parking in P&C spaces without any children in tow.

She was always goading me and colleagues to mention it, she would bring it up at the til. Or if she needed help to find an item the conversation would suddenly turn to where she was parked.

I could tell from her facial expressions that it pained her that no one cared.