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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

169 replies

Hotmad · 19/02/2014 20:38

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! Angry

OP posts:
needaholidaynow · 19/02/2014 21:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MorrisZapp · 19/02/2014 21:01

I agree with the OP

IamInvisible · 19/02/2014 21:01

It's strange, I p've never seen a P&C space outside a Maternity hospital, or any other hospital for that matter, how the fuck do parents manage there?

Thebluedog · 19/02/2014 21:01

YANBU to monitor if you've nothing better to do with your life!

As for having a special parking space because you've got kids, maybe you'd expect to have a personal shopper bring your purchases out, load them into the car, maybe even follow you home and unpack them for you. Heaven forbid you actually do anything like, oh I don't know, walk a few extra steps from the car park to the shop because you've got a child.

Maybe the supermarket could have, single with no kids, spaces close to the entrance too. That way those people could park their nice 2 seater sports cars in spaces where the, people carrier, with 3 kids, brigade, don't open their doors on the car and damage the nice shiny sports cars? Plus they'd be in and out the store quicker because they aren't dragging Tarquin and Chardonnay around in the trolleys Grin

galletti · 19/02/2014 21:02

That is a joke isn't it Candy? Just want to be sure.

3across2down · 19/02/2014 21:02

This has reminded me of a time when I parked in the last empty p+c bay with my Ds, who uses a wheelchair, because all the disabled ones were full. Behind me was a car with two women in who were glaring at me as they passed. In the supermarket they caught up with me and had a go as I had taken a space for parents with young children. They were quite abusive and I did feel bad as they had a newborn in a car seat. But there was nowhere else I could have parked and accessed the shop with my DS as he needed the extra space to get into his chair.

MorrisZapp · 19/02/2014 21:03

Brilliant post STDG

Doctorbrownbear · 19/02/2014 21:03

People on mumsnet are 'anti parent and child parking' OP. Every single one of them. Apart from me as I quotet like the convenience ot gives u when u can't just get out of the car and go in the supermarket but have to unload a heavy toddler and a baby seat. The p & child tend to make it a tiny bit easier to make the back breaking trip to the trolley store. Why the hell not I say! Entitped or not its about making life a bit easier for parents.

PinkyHasNoEars · 19/02/2014 21:04

I don't think people are angry OP, I think they are weary.

IamInvisible · 19/02/2014 21:06

3across you had no reason to feel guilty. They had less need over that space than you.

I am disabled. I don't feel an ounce of guilt if I park in a P&C space. I need the room to get out of the car and I need to be near the shop. It isn't a preference for a disabled person, it is a necessity, that's the difference.

MooseBeTimeForSnow · 19/02/2014 21:06

You'd implode if you lived where I do OP. Temps in the -20s and -30s for several months during the winter and no p&c spaces.

Sirzy · 19/02/2014 21:06

It's strange, I p've never seen a P&C space outside a Maternity hospital, or any other hospital for that matter, how the fuck do parents manage there?

at the two hospitals DS has regular appointments at its normally a case of arrive an hour before appointment to drive around and around and then rush into the appointment just in time. Its amazing how tight a space you can wriggle a child out of when you have been waiting so long for a space!

lchats · 19/02/2014 21:07

Agree. Great post STDG.

PinkyHasNoEars · 19/02/2014 21:07

HTH means Hope This Helps. It almost never does....

froubylou · 19/02/2014 21:08

You know it's only on mumsnet, a forum for parents , that people think you are entitled and grabby if as a parent you wish to use a p & c space. Baffles me.

I am pretty sure one of the main reasons for them is so that you can get your carseat out of the car. We parked in a normal space at the weekend and couldn't get the carseat back in cos the 2 cars either side were slightly off being central. Only just off but enough to mean dh had to reverse out. Our car is only a focus so definitely not a huge car.

OP you are not bu. It's a courtesy provided by a company to be used by a specific group of people. Ie people with babies or young children with them. It's not the law. Just something that makes sense to me. And fwiw a couple of supermarkets near us have the p & c further away from the doors but near the edge so you can get on the path with the dc.

But on mn you are not encouraged as a parent to use or want to use the spaces. Tis a mn phenomenon. Very odd imo.

Caitlin17 · 19/02/2014 21:09

I've never seen the point of them. I honestly can't even remember if they existed when son was small but if they did we never consciously used them.

Lj8893 · 19/02/2014 21:09

I can take them or leave them, im not really fussed about them.

Me and my mum went Xmas shopping when dd was about 6 weeks old, and the car park was packed and we were driving round and round looking/waiting for a space. It took us about 20 minutes before it finally dawned on us that we could use one of the P&C spaces of which there was about 4 empty spaces! We both felt pretty stupid.

Fakebook · 19/02/2014 21:11

I have 3 children. One newborn. I don't feel entitled to p&c spaces. If they're full I go to the other end of the car park and park in a space with two empty sides and walk, yes, WALK to the shop with my pushchair. It's not hard to walk a few extra paces. When I get back, there's never a car parked next to mine because most people are too lazy and try to get a space right outside the shop so they don't have to push a trolley more than 2 ft.

ohhifruit · 19/02/2014 21:11

I don't think it is an MN thing one bit. I know a good deal of people who think parents are becoming increasingly entitled.

CooCooCachoo · 19/02/2014 21:12

I agree the topic has been done to death but doesn't make the OP wrong.

I agree with the sentiment, if not the method.

Original poster
Hotmad · 19/02/2014 21:12

Did my post come across at all exaggerated for humorous purposes as intended? Laughing at some responses, this has made me smile :)

OP posts:
soverylucky · 19/02/2014 21:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IamInvisible · 19/02/2014 21:13

Exactly, Sirzy.

TheXxed · 19/02/2014 21:13

IIRC P&C spaces are there to reduce supermarkets liability and reduce their insurance premium. It was mentioned in the staff magazine once I no longer have a copy but I am sure the jist was children are more vulnerable as they are not as visable. By have P&C spaces by the entrance or immediately next to walk ways they reduce the cost of their insurance.

Bottom line supermarkets don't provide them out of altruism it's all about the money.

PinkyHasNoEars · 19/02/2014 21:13

Good for you OP - means that you are made of strong enough stuff to post in AIBU. Nest of vipers.