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

Ideally places should have empty disabled spaces - because people with disabilities shouldn't have to struggle to part in a suitable space.

Like fairy said though the reality is there is often to few spaces for people who are disabled.

I hunk they are important. Spaces sre often so tight these days and getting a newborn and car seat and a toddler the other side out of a narrow gap can be so stressful. Also agree trolleys should be nearby. Otherwise have to leave dc in the car to walk to the trolley bay, sometimes can be quite a distance.

I think generally the only reason they are near the shop is so there is a safe pedestrian area to put DC, trolley with infant etc rather then have them amongst the cars/traffic which is less safe for all. In car parks big enough for wide pedestrian paths linking the spaces to the shop they are further away, in the supermarkets I visit.

sparklingbrook you don't happen to live near me with that multi storey spiral of doom car park do you?? the one near me sounds the same with stupidly placed pillars between every 2 spaces making it very difficult to park especially if you can't get a p&c space (only about 7 p&c spaces over 3 storeys!) and get kids out, the amount of times I've had to climb over passenger seat into drivers seat when I wasn't pregnant or have kids with me was stressful enough never mind now. I think if everyone parked more considerately there is enough space to get in and out but unfortunately too many people just pull into a space and abandon it

Move them far away so help mums shift the baby weight. Shops these days put the bike rack the furthest away despite them being the people least in need of exercise.

help mums shift the baby weight

How bloody patronising.

Arf at trying to make a permit scheme for parent and child spaces. What a load of bollocks.

It isn't so much martyrdom that people are displaying here, just bewilderment that some parents of young children really do lose all sense of perspective and, instead, gain a massive sense that the entire world owes them something.

Also, why under 5s (other than, of course, that the people running to petition have children in that age range)? What is it about a 4.5 year old that makes it so much harder to get in and out of a car than a 5.5 year old? And, equally, some 7 year olds may still need help with their seat belts and be a bit untrustworthy around traffic.

It's all so completely arbitrary and unnecessary.

Nope wouldn't sign, it's a perk not an essential. I have twins and i rarely used the P&C spaces as they were always full of twating knobheads who sit in the car with their kids while the other parent goes in to shop. I always managed just fine.

I wouldn't sign, sorry. They are a bonus but not essential.

I have one ds who is now 18 months old so I rarely use them as I can carry him to the nearest trolley park and then put him in a trolley to get in the shops. He can walk but I don't let him in the supermarket car park as it's too busy.

Even when he was new born in a seat that you take out of the car it didn't bother me if there wasn't a P&C space - I just parked further away in a quiet area or on the end of a row so there was more space. I managed just fine even recovering from a EMCS.

Lack of sufficient disabled spaces or people using disabled spaces when they don't need to gives me the rage though I'd sign a petition for that!

No, I wouldn't sign it. The main reason people without children park in these spaces is because they're located near the door, or the car park is full and it's the only space available.
Move P&T spaces to the main body of the car park and most shoppers without kids in tow will leave them free. If the car park is otherwise full then I don't see a problem with parking in it. Why should I go home without my shopping in case someone with a child decides to arrive into the car park in a few minutes time?
And spaces by the door should remain accessible to elderly people, people temporarily suffering some kind of disability etc.

At the risk of outing myself but I actually know the mum behind the campaign as I live in Aylesbury and also have 3 under 3yr olds. I love the convenience of P&C spaces. Our car is large, it has to be for it to be fit for the purpose. The law requires all three to be in car seats which are bulky and so only a fairly large car will accommodate three car seats and two adults plus luggage. It is very difficult to get them all in and fastened if parked in a normal space. However, interestingly, Tesco Aylesbury has 2 sections of P&C spaces. One near the doors which is ALWAYS full, often with people with no children. The other is at the far end of the store and I very, very rarely see any other cars there. You have to walk the full length of the store to get to the entrance. Totally worth it as there is loads of space, it's very quiet, there's usually some abandoned 2 seater trolleys right next to the spaces and you conveniently don't have to walk past the ride on Thomas to get in the store I don't know why more parents aren't using these spaces...

Supermarkets have provided them so it's up to the supermarkets to ensure they are used correctly. If people thought they would be caught then less people would abuse them, that way they can be used for the purpose intended. Which is to make people's lives easier. Unless of course that is a luxury that people shouldn't expect!

Ridiculous.. No I wouldnt sign. I have a 16 month old and I have no issue using normal spaces.

Move them far away so help mums shift the baby weight.

Yes, while I was recovering from childbirth birth AND a deep vein thrombosis I really should have been thinking about ways to make my life harder in the name of shifting those extra few pounds

Get a grip!!

Well that would indicate wanderingcloud that it's not the extra space a lot of parents are after, but the luxury of a space at the door. I have no problem with extra wide spaces being provided for those who need them, but hijacking spaces at the door and making them permanently unavailable to the elderly etc is incredibly selfish.

and getting a newborn and car seat and a toddler the other side out of a narrow gap can be so stressful

Awwww poor you. You find carparking so stressful. After all, you've proven your fecundity, so people really should understand and leave you additional space. You've reproduced, dammit! You are entitled to assume that everyone who breathes the same air will understand that you are now a 'parent' and should be afforded the appropriate deference that the title demands.

I'd rather they were parent and infant/ accessable spaces as someone upthread said, surgery, broken leg, heavily pregnant etc.

Every airport I've been through in South America has two queues for immigration/customs, the picture on one is off someone using a wheelchair, someone with a walking stick, a crew member and a heavily pregnant person.

But I think the vital bit is that they were not abused, in this country people do abuse bb and p and c parking.

Don't be fooled sashh they are abused, some people take the Royal Piss!

It's not just airports (they put signs there for the gringos to know the rules) and it's not just pregnant women. Here in Brazil if you are in a supermarket or bank for example, you are expected to let anyone over 60, pregnant, disabled or with small children go in front. You are also expected to do this if someone behind you has one or two items and you have a trolley load.

And as for parking outside the supermarket, I'm lucky if I get a spot that's not taken up with mule carts and motorbikes, and when I do find space I have to juggle, squeeze, wrestle and pull out my toddler in 30 degree heat. So when I read "We never used to have the spaces and people managed" I just think... but does that mean they have to?!

I'm shocked at the comments on here. I would absolutely sign it! Getting a car seat for a baby in and out of a car in a normal space is awful- if you're on your own and can't do it then what are you meant to do? Leave the car seat outside while you reverse??

You do whatever people do when there are no P&C spaces I guess.

midnightscribbler I have never damaged anyone else's property.
and if you have one child that might explain why it's not so much of an issue for you. If you have a baby and a toddler you need to use both sides of the car. If you have 3 children you have to reach right into the middle to do the belts. And you can't leave any of them unattended in a trolley without brakes while you sort the others out.

Either that or you are just simply a far superior being to the rest of us, who find it difficult. We are not finding it difficult on purpose, I'm fairly sure.

Use the other side of the car and lean over? I am a single mum and have never not been able to get DS in the car from one side or the other! Sometimes it's a right squeeze but it's possible.

Yes you can do that if there are not 2 other car seats in the way