To be annoyed at everyone who uses the parent and toddler parking who shouldn't?

[sunshinemeg]

I am prepared to be told I am being a twat, but it's really bugging me.

So many people get angry (quite rightly so) at people who are not disabled using disabled parking spaces. However it seems so many more people use the parent and toddler spaces who really shouldn't.

The signs variously state
-for parents with children under 5
-for parents with children in pushchairs etc

Why do I see people park with their children who then jump out and walk off without a pushchair, it drives me mad, especially when I am struggling with a 6 month old and limited space to open her car door or get a pushchair remotely close enough!

I park in them and all my dc are 5 and over. I am a twat.

Hit post too soon.

Ds2 is 8 and has autism, but not entitled to a blue badge. He has no danger awareness so parking in the P&C helps to keep him safe as he knows to stand in the path infront of the car.

you can never tell, those who do use them may have a child with a hidden disability.

They're a gimmick, a marketcan't tool. They're there to make a parent go, "oh wow, this supermarket really cares about my child and me, so therefore I must
must part ways with my cash here more often to show I honour their acknowledgement of my entitlement."

They've existed for what? Five minutes and already everyone feels like they can't cope with the misuse of or

Or...

Yawn...

I love the new mobile site and how it posts on your behalf! The misuse of or without Parent and Child parking at all, was what I was going to say!

Our nearest Asda says that it's Parent & Child parking is for those with children up to 12yrs old who use a car/booster seat.

It may be that someone who is used to that policy has assumed that all P&C parking is the same.

Jesus Christ, randomness has appeared everywhere in my post.

raincorn i will join you on the twat bench. I sometimes use them with DS 9 when he his having an off day. He also has ASD with no danger awareness. I had the evil glares off people with babies. At least a baby is safe in a car seat, DS would not be very safe running across the car park.

I agree with the suggestion upthread that P&C spaces should be put further away from the store with a safe path for access. The main need is space to open doors and get children in and out safely not being unable to walk.

Another suggestion - go shopping without your dcs!! Know this is not possible for everyone but when mine were young I used to go in the evening when they were in bed or weekends and my dh was at home. Saved loads of hassle and a bit of me time (sad)! Anything I needed in a hurry I got from the local shops! P&C parking had not been invented then and when I did have to take them occasionally cannot remember having problems.

I kind of agree that perhaps it's no harm to leave them for parents with push chairs or whatever, but they are not legally licensed like blue badges and shouldn't be regarded as equivelent to disabled spaces. Ever.

think parents with young children and no pushchair are more in need than parents with young babies or pushchairs as you can walk from a space with lots of room far away....

ditto elderly people who find it hard to walk who arent registeres disabled (although my 90 yo nanna can pretty much skip across the length of supermarket carparks so dont know how you would judge the needy ones..)

Just to Inject a little humour, I got shouted at one day in asda carpark by a gorilla like bloke who grunted "gotta kid av ya?" At me.
Leaning into the car I produced my 5 month old dd in her car seat whilst smiling sweetly.
Even more funny was seeing him inside the shop with his two big kids aged about 9 and 11 whom he clearly needed a p and c space for!

I have no issue with how far I walk. I was just wondering why people feel it's acceptable to use these spaces when they don't have a child? Or don't have a child that requires extra room and a safe route to the shop?

Then why mention disabled spaces in this context?

I agree with Ledkr.

BUT in all likelihood the people who park in P&C spaces when they don't really need to are the same ones who would leave litter, not pick up dog poo, drive while drunk, and generally act like a selfish thoughtless arse.

So don't waste your time and energy on fretting about them or getting really cross. If the P&C spaces weren't there, you'd never have this brought home to you1

Just park next to an empty space elsewhere and breathe and get on with your day.

You big mistake was comparing to disabled spaces - obviously not the same and not part of the question.

P&c spaces are good for several reasons :

They are situated usually by a path which means dc are not walking in traffic - hard say with a buggy and a toddler.

The supermarkets and shopping centres where you generally see them often make spaces small as possible to get more in - v hard with pushchairs, multiple dc (although not bad if you can get an end of row spot

Cars are also wider these days so again less space

These are all things definitely not needed by able bodied adults so they are unreasonable to use a spot designed to help parents with small dc.

And while everyone copes without them when not available and they didn't have them in the 70's (when the world of cars and roads were v different anyway) it is nice to have them and selfish to use when you need it less than the people it is designated for - you are able bodied so fuck it - park further away and let young dc have a safer time without having to dodge traffic in car parks that are far busier than the golden age of the 70's-90's get trotted out in these discussions.

I went to the leisure centre and drove past the P&C spaces

A man had parked his car and headed over to the door, I was walking just behind him and debated telling him off (never done it before)

Then two tinies raced out of the centre and threw them selves into his arms

Mintyy. Very valid! I guess it annoys me in the way people dropping litter annoys me.

Ps the "don't take dc" and "shop on line" arguments are bullshit

YABU this really winds me up too. It seems to be a minority view on MN though!

I don't think I have ever seen a p&c space that specifies they are for parents with a child in a pushchair or under 5!

Riddle me this.......

In a car park with 100 spaces. 99 spaces are taken. The only free spot is a good old P+C space. Should the next driver go to another store on the basis that the driver does not have a child?

I was in this position- and yes I parked in the space! The mother in a passing car thought I should have toddled off home!

Pathetic.

Never used them, never needed them, never had trouble getting kids out of their seats

Pfffffft get a grip