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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have parked in a Mother and Child space?

61 replies

WanderWomble · 22/07/2015 20:19

Out and about in town today with my disabled mum. There's a smallish supermarket that we needed to visit. All of the disabled spaces were full, so I parked in a mother and child. Mum needs to be able to open the door fully to get out, as she uses a wheelchair. The only other choice was a single (between two cars) standard space where my Mum would have been unable to leave the car.

We were just leaving the car when I was confronted by a very cross lady who told me I shouldn't have been parking there. We put the blue badge on.

Was it unreasonable of me to use this space? (There were at least five M&C spaces open.)

OP posts:
bobthetomato · 22/07/2015 20:43

Not unreasonable at all. I say that as a hugely pregnant mum with three little ones. Parent and child spaces are a wonderful facility, but your mother's disability trumps the convenience of able-bodied parents.

Quietlifenotonyournelly · 22/07/2015 20:47

YANBU
I never take it for granted that I'll get a m and c parking spot and certainly wouldn't begrudge a blue badge holder one.

Original poster
WanderWomble · 22/07/2015 21:09

growl3th- sorry if I offended you. I meant to type parent and child but had mother/mum on the brain when I posted this.

Thanks everyone. I didn't think I'd done anything wrong but did start second guessing myself a bit tonight!

My Mum is fine, thank you. :) We explained politely to the lady why we'd had to use that space. She walked away with the parting shot that 'I should buy a smaller bloody car then.' No pleasing some people, is there?!

OP posts:
Caboodle · 22/07/2015 21:12

YANBU. At all. Hope your Mum wasn't too upset by this. I have 3 DC (9,7 and 4) and just don't use the P + C places anymore because we just don't need the extra space anymore.

TheRealAmyLee · 22/07/2015 21:18

YANBU If there are loads of disabled spaces free then you park there but when there aren't? I'd use p&c with no guilt.

Wolfiefan · 22/07/2015 21:21

How rude! (Not you obviously.) P&C spaces are convenient. Disabled spaces for blue badge holders are a complete necessity.

TalkinPeace · 22/07/2015 21:22

YANBU

RiverTam · 22/07/2015 21:25

Really, some people! Of course you were not being u, and I say that as someone who is in favour of p&c spaces.

BabyFeets · 22/07/2015 21:55

yes it is fine, you should of told her to do one

DancingHat · 22/07/2015 22:12

As someone who does get het up about inappropriate use of P&C spaces YADNBU.

Blue badge spaces are for those whose disability requires a larger space for them to access their car. Ditto P&C. Except P&C is a convenience whereas blue badge is a necessity.

DancingHat · 22/07/2015 22:13

Ha cross posts Wolfie!

LadyLuck81 · 22/07/2015 22:42

I've a preschooler and a small baby. People using P&C spaces who shouldn't irritate me unless they have a blue badge. Of course a blue badge holder should get priority. It might be a ball ache for me but I'll manage parking further away and walking further.

YANBU

Nettymaniaa · 22/07/2015 23:09

You are not being unreasonable. If you have a blue badge you can. Any supermarket who did not flex on this would have directly discriminated. Discrimination arising from disability. But supermarkets wouldn't the have legal teams it would be usually as you explained an angry parent. I ne reported used them even when my child was small. We can walk it's good for us. Car parks of shops I used regularly had easily accessible pathways. Not a problem.

theblairbitchproject · 22/07/2015 23:14

You actually can do this. I went into my local town one day when I had my BB, no disabled spaces but the PA told me I could park in the m&C spaces if required

PurpleDaisies · 22/07/2015 23:15

Another vote for not unreasonable. These threads often turn into bunfights but I'm hoping everyone will agree this time that being disabled is a good reason to need a larger parking space and you were totally within your rights to use one.

Silverdaisy · 22/07/2015 23:20

angel my local supermarket is the same. P&c spaces are all facing along the front of the shop. The disability spaces are further away. Did the planners all assume disability means wheel chair users?

Scissor · 22/07/2015 23:21

Next sale at local shopping centre 5am start, saddo that I am got there at 4am (number 90 something in ticketed queue) nary a child in sight but 6 parent and child spaces nearest entrance occupied...YANBU ...they are a complete waste of time and space, alongside the drop off parking that is full of people sitting for ages while other half shops.

Samcro · 22/07/2015 23:27

yanbu
you know it.

TheHormonalHooker · 22/07/2015 23:30

I've got a BB and always park in the parent and child spaces at our local Sainsburys because they are nearer to the door than the disabled spaces. I have spoken to customer services about it, told them my reasons why, they are fine with it.

I would have told the woman to fuck off. I get sick of people glaring when I park in a BB space before I put my badge up, or them commenting to DH or DS2 before they help me out of the car. And I get sick of people moaning about me parking in P&C spaces, so I'm not polite anymore.

Silverdaisy · 22/07/2015 23:32

scissor if i went to a 24hr tesco at 5 am and parked in a p&c space would that be unreasonable though. Please don't tell me many people dragged their children to the next sale at 5am Smile

MrsMook · 22/07/2015 23:33

Perfectly sensible to use a P&C space where there is a need to open the door fully and park close to the shop.

I used them when SPD kicked in during pregnancy as walking became difficult, and I had to open the door fully to be able to squeeze in and out of the car (big bumps and short legs are a bad combination). I couldn't walk to the quiet ends of the car parks to guarantee getting back into the care again.

ohtheholidays · 23/07/2015 10:26

YANBU,she was a Twattish Pleb!

Use what ever space you want OP.

I have a blue badge and if I had a pound for every time someone has been an arse over us parking in a disabled space I'd be bloody loaded.

steppemum · 25/07/2015 14:40

I can remember clearly when I had small baby and/or toddle who needed lifting into a car seat. In most car parking spaces this was impossible unless you and said baby/toddler were both houdini. Add in 8 months pregnant mum and you are stuffed, can't get kids out of the car. This was not an issue for my mum, as she was pre car seats.

So I am a fan of P&C spaces, but as the need is simply for space, and not for closeness to the door, I have always thought that putting the P&C spaces a long way from the door with a safe path would stop all the P&C space nonsense.

The only spaces that NEED to be near the door are disabled.

contractor6 · 25/07/2015 15:12

Even with a smaller car, a wheelchair is impossible in a normal space. I would have invited her to try and get a person in or out a car from a wheelchair by only partially opening the door.
Parent and child are help not a necessity.

tilliebob · 25/07/2015 15:15

YANBU. I never mind if disabled folks use a wider P&C space if they need to. Entitled twats in sports cars, lazy gits with no kids or people with teenagers, they do annoy me!

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