To think that P&C spaces in supermarket car parks

[Braganza]

AIBU to think that where there is a pedestrian pavement down the middle of a supermarket car park, it would make far more sense to have the parent and child parking in a well lit area further away from the entrance. This would mean that the spaces would not get clogged up by drivers without children too lazy to find a space, and in some car parks could be in an area with less traffic.

In the city were I live ther is a whole floor of disabled spaces. 99% of the time it is empty.

I wonder do they need quite so many spaces, there are also disabled space on every level, these are always used, but the floor that is exclusively disabled is always empty. I wonder why.

In the car parks.

I have older children and have never used a P&C space but that doesn't mean I don't understand why they exist and why they are useful.

I'm very lucky that when my children were little I was more agile and my back was strong enough to use a sling. I'm fortunate that I had (have) a husband and parents all willing and able to take care of the children if I didn't want to take them shopping. I'm lucky that as I wasn't working when my children were little I could go shopping at quieter times when there was more space to park. I'm fortunate that the larger gap between my two being born meant I didn't have two toddlers or a toddler and baby at once. I'm sure I am not alone in having one or more of those things to help me but I know many, many people don't.

I can't imagine how it would feel to come back to the car and see there is no space to get your child/ren back in, to know you need to either trust them or your car to strangers to drive out to get room.

I know those saying they don't see the point in the spaces aren't trying to be upsetting to others but that kind of comment can be hurtful and frustrating.

My grandmother did her washing in a tin bath. Doesn't mean she wouldn't have appreciated a washing machine. That's a daft argument.

Sometimes things that seem like progress aren't progress at all though. Look at all the trouble they cause.

I do think they breed a can't cope in a normal space mentality.

They are helpful though I took 2 dds for big shop this morning and they give you somewhere to park the trolley while putting them in the car (carpark is on a hill!)

Is also helpful to have them near the entrance or on a walkway so you don't have to walk across the carpark....

People that need loads of space and to open their doors v wide must have to manage everywhere else other than the supermarket. No special spaces at the Doctors for instance. So it can be done.

If there is a free P&C space it's a bonus.

I completely agree with sparklingbrook I just can't see how it's hard to get a baby out of a car

Imagine no car at all and having to use public transport

Sparkling - why should people avoid supermarkets just because they have children? Get real!
Why purchase a car specifically with sliding doors?
Are we that much of an inconvenience?! I think not.

P&C bays help parents by creating space to put up/take down a pram, and lean into the car to strap children in without worrying about blocking a free space with an open car door, or bumping the door into a car parked in the next bay.

I don't see why P&C bays cause resentment, or why people who don't have children in the car think its ok to use them?

Some people are ridiculous. Its just a parking space created to assist those with children.

Because wherever possible shopping is easier without DC cookie. What do people with DC do at places where there are no P&C spaces?

No resentment here. I have done my fair share of hoiking little DC into and out of cars thank you.

It's not resentment, it's bewilderment in my case.

Might be easier, but not everybody has the option to leave children elsewhere. Not everybody would want to either. I enjoy taking my child shopping.

If there is a bay available in P&C section, great, if not, no big deal, i don't personally expect a space. It is obviously possible to manage without if needs be.

I'm also not bothered where the spaces are, for me its not about the distance to the shop door its about having more space around the car... I just don't see why people get arsey about them, they serve a purpose.

I do think it is selfish of people who don't need to park there to do so, but thats way some people are. Selfish, and also lazy if they have parked there just to be near the door!

I imagine there are some who would go back home if there wasn't a P&C space free.

Isn't that just what you have done though cookie, parked to be nearer the door?

I use p&c spaces if they're free. I'm 7 months pregnant with a toddler so being able to actually open my car door and walk easily down the side of my car without pushing my bump against another car is a bit of a bonus

If there's not one free then I just park further away in a space with spaces on either side and hope that some inconsiderate twat doesn't park ridiculously close to my car.

In the nearest big town to where I live there is a multi-storey car park that I avoid like the plague. It is ridiculously badly designed with very narrow spaces and pillars placed every two spaces along at just the right position to make it impossible to open the rear door of your car. The end result is that I avoid going shopping to that town and go to another town instead.

I don't understand why people get so uptight about them tbh.

I think they should be entirely done away with a replaced with disabled bays and anyone who parks in a disable bay with no blue badge should be towed.

No dame, if you re read what i put, i said for me its about having space around the car, not the distance to the entrance

Agree with OP- its the space that matters and the pedestrian walk way. Now with a pre school walking - the pedestrian walkwa y is increasingly important as walking x carparks is not a great option- space is still key - DS needs strapping in hwich means I spend time standing at car doior and its nice to be able to do it w/o being frowned at/glared at by the neighbours.

I don't think there's any need for more disabled bays though, I don't think I've ever been anywhere where more than half the bays weren't empty.

P&C spaces are brilliant, all this 'bewildered' 'don't understand' is ridiculous. It's beyond obvious that more room equals easier to get your children in.

People who've dealt with getting children in and out of carseats, or strapping newborn seats in will also know that if someone has parked right up beside you, you literally don't have the width to put the child / seat in.

Understand now bewildered people?!

When I was about 8 months pregnant with my hypermobile 2 year old who can't walk very well or always bear weight, a car had parked right up against mine and I hurt my back terribly trying to get her into the car, as she doesn't have the gross motor skills to climb across from the other side.

They should definitely move them to the back of the car park... I loathe seeing childless people (or even worse) people with teenagers parking in them.

No curious I don't. How do the same people manage in places where there are no P&C spaces??

I spent years strapping two DC in and getting in and out of the car. There are no P&C spaces in my town, But I did it.

Pfft a chance would be a fine thing, they have replaced the original P&C spaces at our local supermarket with double the number of disabled spaces, and created new P&C spaces what seems like half a bloody mile away.

TBH I think being on the sick might gradually be taking over as the new local industry, so it's no surprise. :)

Sparkling, I didn't say it was impossible, but it's clearly harder.

P&C spaces just make life easier... Elsewhere you manage because you have to, or in the case of my doctors surgery, pay to park in a different car park because the spaces there are far too small to get a child seat out.

What's wrong with making life easier? Having babies and toddlers is hard enough!

I was with you until "This would mean that the spaces would not get clogged up by drivers without children too lazy to find a space,"

then you just came a cross as prissy.