Parent and child spaces - would you sign this petition?

[confuseddazed]

A woman has set up a petition for safeguarding parent and parking spaces for under 5s here

Maybe the sign should read "Be compassionate, use this space ONLY if you really need it", so that only the needy and selfish pricks park there and everyone else will park elsewhere. Mind you, if that worked we wouldn't need heafty laws to stop people parking in disabled bays! Unfortunatly there are so many selfish pricks in the world and the only way to get them to comply is to use punishments that have impact. Which is why I think this woman is resorting to heavy tactics. Whose to say she wouldn't be open to the idea of extending the need category. Has anyone asked her?

Yes Hazel. Really.

I would like to see some sanction for selfish people who park in P&C spaces without a child just because it's closer (or they don't want to scratch/can't park their 4x4). But a permit is probably going too far and I would invariably lose mine

Having just had a Mini as a courtesy car where I couldn't strap DS in his car seat without fully opening the door, P&C spaces were invaluable.

The supermarket probably doesn't care who parks in them. Anyone disabled can park in them on the grounds of reasonable adjustment.

People weren't housebound before the invention of parent and child spaces by the marketing dept of whichever supermarket thought it up. p&C spaces are a convenience not a necessary life line for the vulnerable. Talk about melodrama.

The problem here is that some parents with small (and really not that small because, let's face it, 4.5 isn't that small) children seem to have been filled by the existence of these spaces into imagining that they are a vulnerable and marginalised group in society who desperately need adjustments so they can spend their money in tesco go about their everyday life.

Thing is, loads of people who do not fall into the categories of 'people who have been awarded a blue badge' and 'people who happen to have young children with them' have perfectly good reason for parking near the supermarket entrance or wanting to extra space to open their doors. The problem with insisting that the second group require their own special category of designated parking places is that far too many people seem to have bought into the parents of young children are special snowflakes who need preferential treatment myth to the extent that some of them actually think there should be a bureaucratic system to police those spaces and prevent the elderly or the infirm or anyone else using them.

Something has gone horribly wrong in society when a healthy adult woman with a big car who wants to cart her baby around in its car seat starts thinking they're entitled to conveniently located extra wide parking spaces over, say, the elderly, the disabled, the injured, and anyone else who may have perfectly good reason to park in them. But no, they're 'parent and child' spaces and, look, they have a picture of a buggy on them so everyone else must park elsewhere just in case someone with a 4.5 year old wants the most convenient space possible in case their shopping experience isn't made as good as possible.

Cars are way bigger than they used to be as well to be fair...car parks need to keep up. Parent and child spaces wouldn't be as necessary if all spaces were more sensibly sized!

The designation of some wide and conveniently situated spaces for a not particularly vulnerable group of people does actually do harm though. Insisting that they're specifically for parents with children means that all sorts of people cannot park there and must park further away and in smaller spaces.

So you get ridiculous situations where elderly people who (genuinely do) struggle to get out of their car and walk across the car park, do their shopping, walk back, and get back in are pushed aside to make way for healthy and able bodied adults who happen to have children under 5 in the car.

But, of course, those people spend more so obviously the supermarkets should treat them better. Who gives a shit about anything else?

Yes. Our local supermarket doesn't have them right by the door. Just by a safe walkway to the shop. People don't abuse it now

Sorry.. Have been following this thread and went out and have come back to find references to "Bb" spaces ... Omg what the hell are these as I think I'm going to flip now

Blue badge

At most supermarkets near me there are plenty of normal spaces close to the door. People still choose the p&c ones without any sight of a child. They probably save themselves about 10 footsteps.

These spaces should be moved from the front of shops, put near a trolley station and that would pretty much solve the problem.

They are also only needed if you have a baby in a car seat that needs to be removed from the car, so you need a space wide enough to get the seat in and out. Once you start taking your baby out of the car seat and straight into a trolley with a seat, there is no need for these spaces.

CalamitouslyWrong I don't think many of us who would sign this feel like we are "special snowflakes" more entitled than disabled/elderly/frail shopper to sue a designated space.

Fact is, if there is a P&C space free I am genuinely elated at being able to load my DC in and out of his buggy, collapse set buggy down being able to fully open car doors and shove it all in without having to scoot around opening this door so wide and that one this wide while cramming everything in while frantically pressed against another car parked far too close next to me. If there isn't a space free, Ill just drive around looking for the next best option, and sure we'll manage somehow, ill just be sweating/anxious before Ive already started shopping (thus less likely to hang around/spend more money) and seriously stressed after getting it all back in again. Thats all it really comes down to. Most parents will feel the same im sure, but anyone who even dares compare themselves to having the same needs as disabled people is clearly bonkers.

Comments like Zazzles really don't help mums argument either and yes, if I saw you parking your "coupe with its massively wide doors" in a P&C space then waltzing happily, child free into the shop, Id have something to say.

Scatty, I agree completely

And I would ignore anyone who raised their eyebrows or had something to say. FWIW I haven't waltzed happily anywhere since I had the lower part of one of my legs removed over 20 years ago - but that's not relevant. I have parked in perfectly normal spaces and managed ok to get babies and toddlers out. I don't need a disabled space as my mobility is fine now.

Whether or not I am with children my money is as good as anyone else's and I will park where there's a space.

X

Right -
we are NOT asking for more of these places
We are NOT saying we are disabled
We are NOT moaning

Someone thought it was a good idea to make baby and parent parking spaces (not me!!) - the point I'm making is, these should be used by people with children and babies, and these people need to be able to be identified! End of!!

I agree I have legs! I didn't ask for the spaces to be so close to the shops! I agree they should be further away, then maybe people who shouldn't be parked in them, won't park there!

I have 3 children under the age of 5, yes my older one can easily walk and I don't use the baby spaces when I just have her, but my twins are just turned 1yr old - neither can walk. And I can't carry both. Finding a twin trolley is a mission in itself.

The point I'm making is - vans (without children), pretty cars, etc etc should not park in these space, only when they have a child! It's a pretty simple concept. Baby spaces for people with babies.

Over the years, cars have got bigger and spaces have got smaller. It's extremely hard getting babies in and out of the car when you can't open your door wide enough!

Thank you for everyone who has supported so far, and have understood the petition.

Xxx

I don't have a coupe. I do have an on occasion head butting, hair pulling, biting and scratching when he doesn't want to get out of the car, older child, which is why I need the extra space.

Alex how do you think people managed before these spaces?

I had 4 kids in the 80s/90s.

It was fine I managed.

Oh ok...sorry.. I am so with CalamitouslyWrong on this thread( and a few others) ... Why oh why do parents with small children feel that society needs to offer them a big deal??? P&C parking is a luxury to lure people into spending money at their establishment... It's not an Act of Parliament ergo anyone can in theory park in them ... They are designed to be politically correct and be "an invitation to treat" (as it were as per contract law).. Vaguely) anyhow why do so many people feel that P&C spaces are their need? Yes you have a small baby so make the world bow to you? Oh honestly just park in an ordinary space and struggle through .. People always used to cope.. It's a bind but you'll live through it .. It won't be forever... There are many , many more people who genuinely need these close-to door with wide spaces... Methinks these P&C spaces should be re-designated as "for those in genuine need"... Online shopping is a modern convenience that should be embraced for those who those who are scared to go shopping in case they can't get their toddlers out of a car or walk your buggy to the local shop... The world doesn't revolve around shoppers with small children .

*zeezeek have you suddenly name changed?
Its not about "your money" being "as good" as anyone else- why do you keep so proudly stating this random fact? Do you really not care that by parking in this space, without needing it (as you again very proudly state) a mum with a young kid, who'd be beyond grateful for a wider space to load baby/buggy/other stuff in car even more stress is likely being deprived that space? Does that honestly not bother you at all? All because you feel spending money in the store makes you feel as if you have some right to use this specially designated space despite not, at that time, being in any way in need of it?

You really make it sound as if you get a very bizarre kick out of it all

1More.. Do you feel that the disabled should similarly stick to online shopping if they are inconvenienced by supermarket parking then?

zazzie - I think she meant me . I borrowed DH's coupe today and parked in a P&C space despite not having the children with me. Obviously it is a major crime and I will severely punish myself.

Or, just not give a shit, which is what I have done.

The only point to the things that I can see is that they do make for entertaining threads on MN.....

Ffs Scatty we're talking about parking the car for the weekly shop here. Anxiety/sweating/stress?
What do you do when something really bad happens?

It is unbelievable Scatty isn't it but we've all seen it haven't we.

I'm parking here because my car's too big/it's raining/I'll only be quick/etc etc. There are 8 p&c spaces at my smallish supermarket. 8. To cater for a large number of parents with small children. If you park unnecessarily in one of them then without a doubt you will be causing hassle for someone else. But hey, you won't care about that because your money is as good as everyone else's hey.