In thinking Mother and Baby car parking spots....

[Writerwannabe83]

....are actually for parents with babies/toddlers?

It was always my understanding that the wide spaces are for parents who have car seats and pushchairs to contend with, not for parents of 10 year olds who just want to park nearer to the shop, like a family that I saw today?!

I'm only moaning because I've just twisted and scraped my back trying to remove my car seat from my half closed back door door, in a very tight parking space whilst trying not to scratch the car I'm parked next to.

I was secretly fuming at those in the Mother and Baby spaces who surely shouldn't have been there, like the one I mentioned above.

And breathe

[3littlefrogs]

At my local leisure centre all the P&C places and the "drop off" spaces are taken up by young men who cannot possibly walk more than 5 yards to the gym.

[TheFairyCaravan]

Mybigfatredwedding that was totally un-necessary. Its okay to have an opinion but not okay to be so rude!

[SauvignonBlanche]

"I tell you something else though. I never knew disabled badge holders could park on double yellow lines?! I helpfully warned this old couple this morning that a parking warden was out and about, and she practically snapped at me that she was allowed to.
What's that all about! So the double yellow lines, to ensure the bike lanes are free, don't apply to the disabled! Now, there's a debate"

No debate needed Fairy, the legistaltion is quite clear here

[chopinbabe]

Big Dog

Why would you respond with such a vicious mouth if the manager had a word with you about inconsiderate behaviour

Quite frankly, I would hope that he would call the police and have you taken away before you could pollute the atmosphere any further.

[londonrach]

Tbh sister when children were babies parked as far as she could away from the door of the shop as it meant she had more room. In theory you correct but I don't see the need for any special parking spaces for parents. We managed in the 1970s and 1980s.

[stagsden]

fraidycat my local asda has a charged for carpark owned by the council (they own all the big carparks in the town centre and a few of the little ones). They are very hot on giving out fines (even saw them fine someone with a blue badge because it was a single day out of date - poor person was crying, she hadnt realised and her husband obviously very disabled). They also fine you for being a minute over you ticket time and if you forget to get a ticket during the free time.

However they do not, ever fine for missuse of p&c spaces as its too difficult to enforce/prove.

Anyway p&c spaces are a nice but not actually necessary. It also doesnt help stop people using them by having them further from the door - both my local morrisons and asda have them right round the side/back of building, making them some of the furthest away spaces - still get abused. Sainsburys have some extra wide spaces at the back of their carpark which seems to help discourage people misusing the p&c spaces.

[whatsthatcomingoverthehill]

"Council fines you have to pay. Private parking 'invoices' you ignore."

You can ignore, but you risk being taken to small claims. It does happen. Citizens advice.

[Smilesandpiles]

For years I could never understand why my dad and my ex insisted on using the spaces furthest away from the shops. Now I know. It's to avoid all this bollocks.

[Scousadelic]

My DCs are in their 20s so I am of the generation that managed without these and I have never held any strong opinions one way or the other on P&C spaces until recently.

I took out a friend who has MS, doesn't look "ill" but is wobbly, can't walk far and often will not go out because of the appalling behaviour she faces from others when using her blue badge. All the blue badge spaces were full so we parked in the end one of the P&C with the badge clearly visible only to be berated by an older woman because she, her daughter and her grandchild (who looked to be about 4) had had to park further away and walk all of about 50ft to the shopfront.

I asked her if she thought it was more difficult for 2 adults and a child to walk that distance or for a person with a disability to do it but she could not see past the fact that the spaces are labelled P&C. Some people are losing all common sense and decency because they think they have some sort of entitlement

[bigdog888]

Why would you respond with such a vicious mouth if the manager had a word with you about inconsiderate behaviour

Because I'd be quite happily minding my own business. How would you expect this manager to detain me until the police arrive? Such a heinous crime calling someone a cunt.

[LittleBearPad]

An unnecessary one though BigDog. I've read your posts before and you do seem very aggressive, particularly in relation to anything to do with cars

[Andrewofgg]

My DS uses P & C spaces after about 9 p.m. at 24-hour Tesco. Says young children should not be out by then. Not sure why he's wrong but sure that he is . . .

[Owllady]

The signs specify they are for parents with children under 12

[maddening]

Yanbu - but apparently the parents from the 70s and 80s who drove smaller cars at a time when there were far less cars around and the cars were smaller and supermarkets less frequent feel that no one should have anything vaguely useful as they didn't have it - while not vital they do make shopping with dc - particularly young dc with car seats to wrangle etc.

I don't know why disabled spaces get dragged in to these debates - the legalities, reasons for having the spaces etc are totally different.

As for the argument of the p&c don't need them - well nor do the selfish twats taking up the spaces - and far less than the p&c whom the owners of the car park have issued the spaces for.

[stagsden]

scousa i really sympathise with your friend my brother has had nasty comments when using a blue badge. My other brother had a major go at someone for it once and dragged them to my disabled brothers adapted car (it has hand controls as he cannot feel peddles due to spinal damage), and made them look at the adaptations.

[Owllady]

A car seat in the 70s and 80s? Are you having a laugh!
4 on the back, 2 in the boot and a child in the football. No seatbelts
Whilst mum was smoking in the passenger seat whilst dad was tanked up on gin

[Owllady]

Footwell, not football :)

[Smilesandpiles]

There weren't seatbelts in the back of most cars in the 70's and 80's never mind car seats.

[Sirzy]

DS is 4, if p and c spaces are free I will use them for him. If they aren't free I park elsewhere.


As he gets older our need for them is actually increasing as he is finding it harder to walk distances without getting breathless.

Ideally spaces should be at the back of the shop, or just called "accessible spaces" for anyone who for whatever reason needs the space but doesn't have a blue badge. Yes some people will abuse them but if people are going to they will no matter what. Most people who use them have some sort of need for them.

[TheFairyCaravan]

I first became a parent in 1994, DSS was born in 1990, my DN was born in 1992. We drove a huge Peugeot 405 estate, the babies were in car seats and P&C spaces didn't exist until DS1 was born then there were about 4 per our massive Tescos.

We did manage. I don't care that P&C spaces exist now, I appreciate that they are a useful perk. That said, I believe too many parents think they cannot manage without them and that the sky will fall in if they are not there. It won't. You can manage and go about your day if you are parked in one or not.

[ExitPursuedByAKoalaBear]

Well the new AIBU guidelines seem to be working.

[ExitPursuedByAKoalaBear]

Dull though.

[2old2beamum]

owllady you must be around my age, didn't even have a car with 3 under 4 (sorry off post!)

[maddening]

Exactly owllady - and You can't fit 3 car seats in a small car !