To think that mother & baby spaces are for people with babies & small children?!

[cranberryx]

Parked up at asda before work and low and behold what do I see?

3 vans, an elderly gentleman and a young couple all park up and get out of their vehicles and stroll into asda. Not one car seat, not one small child in sight!

I know it wasn't a busy time (8am) but still, I would be so peed off if I parked up with my little one and couldn't find a space with space to get a car seat out of etc!

Next time I might have a word! Or am I just being a grump!

daisy doesn't seem to be taking exception to the point I made at all as far as I can see.

Lurked Your paraphrasing is utterly incorrect.

Wagglebee. .sorry..so many goady fuckers around. In your ignoring the crux of matter and asking that question repeatedly I mistook you for one. My bad. Sorry

Sorry about that mittens, tell me how to quote and I'll get the exact words. Or if not you could just briefly explain why a driving parent needs to be close to a door and by comparison how non driving parents manage to get there from home and back with a recap of your views on elderly people. Which would also demonstrate the point

Na Mittens was only yanking your chain. Totally disagree with all your posts though.

There are some people though who go a tad unhinged when they become parents and do expect the wider world to dance around them.

Usually funny but can be annoying.

Maryz yes just the type.

Would have given me great pleasure to tell the lazy cow to park and walk and be a better example to her children.

I definately would never have a go at anyone parking in p&c regardless of the situation. They are handy and are 'safer' for parents and children but then some people have invisible conditions etc that need them too.

FanFuckingTastic I get the point. Who gives a F? You use them because they are convenient and you like convenient things. Let everyone park wherever the they want. So when I park my clapped out banger that I don't give two hoots about 6" away from some muppets drivers door! it is hilarious watching them trying to clamber into their car through the passenger side, particularly when it's a 4x4 with a huge central console she's got to try to straddle. Some people take a good ten minutes just to get back into their car. Still, I'm sure the extra ten minutes and the absence of convenience sets their day up nicely.

And yes honestly it really pisses me off when people say they need these spaces as they effectively can't control their children. That's just crap parenting.
And opening a door fully to access a car seat is just poor forward planning?
I have found that if space is tight, you can still make room by exerting force on your own door. The bodywork of modern cars is remarkably supple. I'm sure that is why so many people choose to park at the far end of the car park and walk, avoiding the areas where extra space for opening doors and getting babies in and out are needed.

Sooty I didn't take any exception whatsoever to the point you made re elderly people. I totally agree with it and it is one of the reasons I would far prefer that spaces at the door be reserved for elderly people than parents with young children.

I don't have an issue with extra wide spaces being provided in the main body of the car park. They would be useful, not just for parents but for shoppers who might be buying something that is cumbersome and awkward to manoeuvre into the car without the doors wide open. Obviously you can't stop other people from parking in them, but I think if they weren't right at the door shoppers would be happy enough, in the main, to leave them free for their intended purpose.

Well, I don't really give a F because I don't have a car and never will have one, so I'm only talking hypothetically or on the rare occasion I forget my blue badge when I'm with my mum for a day out.

Thanks daisy

I thought I'd interpreted you correctly.

itsmine yea I wouldn't really give it a second thought to be honest. If they're there great but if there not it's not a problem. I do feel sorry for people with tiny babies in car seats as if someone parks so close to them they literally can't get their child back in the car.
Hey ho, think there's more testing issues to deal with but just don't understand some points of view.

I just told DH to park in one in order to unload me (currently in a wheelchair but only for 6 weeks) he didn't even though I pointed one out, I think he was too scared of the likes of some on this thread (it was Waitrose).
I decamped in a normal double space but it was blocked in on our return.
We had to move into a blue badge space to load me back in but I'd much rather have found a P&C one.

Look, OhMittens, everyone but you can see that neither Daisy nor anyone else is taking exception to Ilove pointing out that some elderly people would benefit from being able to park near supermarket entrances. You are the only one who claims that that would mean that they shouldn't be driving at all. Obviously there are some people of whom that would be true, but the mere fact that someone has mobility difficulties clearly does not correlate with their automatically being unable to drive safely.

Why are they so bad though? I don't get the issue? They're there for childrens safety. Simple as that.

Of course they aren't. They're there because supermarkets want to attract customers who have young families and cars. If they were that bothered about children's safety they would be running shuttle buses right up to their front doors.

Which is, actually, perfectly fine. Because it is parents who are responsible for their children's safety when they are with them, no-one else.

Well said Icimoi

Icimoi not really, it doesn't have any influence on me deciding where to shop? Most supermarkets/shopping centres have them now so it wouldn't sway me either way.
Shuttle buses is slightly extreme but hey go for it if that's what you fancy!
Why do people loathe them so much? If you don't need to use them then why have such an issue with them. It makes no sense to me. If something is there (regardless of what you think the motive for it being there in the first place!) to make peoples lives easier then surely that's a good thing.
I don't agree with getting annoyed if they're not available. It's not the end of the world.
I'd rather they were actually just for people with babies. At least that would limit the amount of people using them?

They loathe them because of thread like this one that crop up regularly.
I don't mind at all except that I get fed up with entitled people thinking they must have one and it is like the BB places. It is nice if there is one, but if not just park elsewhere.
It may not attract you but supermarkets think they do. It is nothing whatever to do with safety. You, the parent, are responsible for that.

Mehitabel Fair enough, I agree with that.

I think they are a brilliant idea and wish we had them when I had 2 children under 2yrs. But they are a perk and not a necessity. Disabled spaces are a necessity.

Id caution anyone from getting snarkey about parking especially to their faces you have no idea they're situation prehaps they're off to meet partner with small child? My mum is a blue badge holder and regularly has people telling her 'they're for disabled people you know' and other offensive shit because she looks in good health. She has multiple schlorosis and those do-gooding wannabe parking pricks can do one as far as im concerned. If your not personally affected mind your own buisness or you might just seriously show yourself up.

I agree rale. I would never presume to know other peoples situations. I know first hand people can look fine and have terrible underlying conditions.