to have shouted at the knobhead who parked in a parent and child space?!

[SparklyTinselTits]

(pre-thread warning: I'm a bit of a grumpy arsehole most of the time)

So, about two hours ago, myself, DH and DD (6 months) went to tescos. Headed for the parent and child spaces, but they were all full. I saw a couple, probably in their mid-30's loading their shopping into their car - not a child or car seat in sight. So DH pulled into a space just across the way from them. I made a big show of struggling to get DD out of her car seat in the normal sized space, and as we walked past I said "nice to see you struggling to get all your kids into your car in that massive space"

The man didn't know what to say, and the woman just put her head down and pretended not to have heard me.
Was I BU? Or does everyone else get The Rage when childless people park in parent and child spaces?!

YANBU, people who use P&C spaces and don't have small children annoy me too.

I asked if the poster calling me a shit parent was being a cunt, if it sounded angry fair enough, it didn't in my head. I don't think I at any point actually called him/her a cunt.

People without small DCs or disabilities shouldn't park in P & C spaces; it's lazy and inconsiderate
BUT
the Precious Parking Police can't tell who has a disability, just not a BB.

WHY would you risk seriously upsetting someone with a disability, maybe discouraging them from going out again ?
The risk outweighs the gain.

Better to let 20 selfish people use a P & C - which is just something nice, not esential - and avoid causing long-lasting hurt to even one vulnerable person with disabilities.

so forgetting the misuse of p&c spaces, what happens if you go to the supermarket and the spaces are used by genuine p&c space users? Do you go elsewhere or find the best space elsewhere?

We have a large out of town m&s food store and there are 3 maybe 4 p&c spaces and about the same blue badge. If you couldn't park in p&c would you drive off in a huff?

Asda closest to me has roughly 30 if not more p&c spaces and they are never full not even on a Saturday, but yet the rest of the car park is full. I've been tempted to park in a p&c then, but haven't.

Yes, our local Sainsbury's has loads of disabled spaces, even on Saturday only half are used. Loads more P&C ones in prime positions. Those of us who spend well over 5K a year in our favourite supermarket and have to park at the far end of the car park every time, even in the rain, then face a supermarket blocked up with often badly behaved children sometimes wonder if their custom is valued at all. Add to that the unmanned checkouts which simply can't cope with the use of own bags makes for a really frustrating shopping experience. At least all those strange shoppers who just can't make a decision even about what brand of coffee to buy without calling home for advice are not taking up extra room by having the full family in tow.

Our Tesco has about a dozen P&C spaces immediately around the entrance. I nipped there quite late one evening to pick up something quick and easy, pint of milk maybe. I zoomed into the car park - no more than a handful of cars there and yes, I admit it, I parked in a P&C space at the door. I could claim that I ran through the scenario in my head that in the time it would take me to get the milk, pay and come out again, it was a bit unlikely that a load of baby wielding parents would arrive and need the space, but Ididn't.

When I came out a couple of minutes later there was a woman standing by her car with a babe in arms and a toddler and a load of shopping bags at her feet. She started shouting for security, then started shouting, "Somebody, somebody" at the top of her voice. Startled, I looked across to see if I could help her - after all I was child-free and holding only a pint of milk. She then shouted in an agonised, slightly hysterical, shrieky tone "please please somebody do something about this woman". She then shouted across directly to me "you shouldn't be parking there".

I slid into the car and drove off without further engagement and I've never parked in a P&C space since for fear of meeting That Woman . To the note-writers, the confronters and others - don't be That Woman, especially when you've got your toddler with you. Perspective is everything.

I slid into the car and drove off without further engagement]

A quick "you'll never take me alive!!" out of the window as you screeched off would have been great!!

I have a huge car. I want special parking spaces!

Not really. I happen to be shit-hot at parking

Seriously though, I have two elderly parents both of whom are fairly wobbly on their pins, and my mum is frequently in pain when she walks. They have walking sticks. They do not as yet have BBs and wouldn't dream of parking in a disabled space. However a wider space nearer the store would be fantastic for them as mum in particular needs to open her door wide so she can slide around to be at right angles to the door before she gets out. I think all P&C spaces should be converted to 'limited mobility spaces' or something of that kind. Parents of young children do not have a monopoly on shopping difficulties.

Carabos
You just escaped the Tesco SWAT team: They travel on armoured trolleys and wield those lethal stale French bread sticks.

"please please somebody do something about this woman"

Where you by any chance trampling on babies with your hob-nailed boots as you strode back to your car?

It was utterly bizarre. It was quite late on a summer's evening, so just going dusk and the car park was mainly tumbleweed. It had a kind of dystopian, post-apocalyptic feel to it . Honestly, about 200 people would have to have turned up in a two minute window of time before it could have been a problem. She was proper upset though .

I hate all this "I have a child so I rule the world!" business.

Get over it ffs - what did people do before "parent and child" spaces??

Next "Parents with children" will be demanding their own aisles in the supermarkets.

I feel the same MsRamone. I'm sure parents never used to be like this. It's like they think having a child entitles them to override everyone and everything. Having a baby seems to give some parents an over inflated sense of importance and expect people to have to put up with unacceptable behaviour just because they have a baby.

Probably had a lot more avoidable incidents of knocking someone else's car with their door, MsRamone.

I always call it "Madonna and Child syndrome".

Moral dilemma and thought of this thread, sainsburys next to swimming pool so park there. About 5 ish so few parents with toddlers loads of parent toddler spaces next to pool. Have 7 and 9 year old with me and in a rush due to tight choir practice/swim lesson turn around. Am I morally wrong to park in one?

My friend got into car once in one of these spaces her dh following on abit behind with their baby but he was out of sight. Another mother hissed "you discust me" to my friend. She was quite shaken

Should be disgust obv

Gives me the rage but i tend towards a meaningful glare between the offender and the signs. I give people a mouthful for parking in disabled spaces and shop them to staff inside stores though.

ExConstance - would advise you to do food shop online. You seem to find the supermarket very upsetting!

Ooh I love a parking furore! So when I had twin babies I did get annoyed if non parents parked in a space. Simply because with two baby seats and a wide car it was impossible to open door wide enough to get babies out without touching next door car. When they were toddling and I wanted a double trolley which was by front of store it was necessary cos I couldn't carry them both but neither was buggy big enough for my shopping. I did come up with a solution though. Online shopping. Never had a problem since

Is there a special website for "parents with children" to shop on though? Surely one is needed

Dd is hypermobile and often dislocates, usually her knee so she's forced into a Cricket brace for a bit. When this happens I'll always head for a p&c space because it's hard to get out without opening the door wide and she can't walk across the car park on crutches. She's 18 now but as it's sporadic she doesn't qualify for a badge (and rightly so I feel).
Last time I pulled up and saw a woman having a gawp. I was just getting ready to go all hulk smash when she must have seen dd's crutches and wandered off to stick her beak in elsewhere.

I have to admit I was really annoyed with someone who did this too me today. She pulled straight out in front of me on the road to tesco so had annoyed me already then took the last p+c space, got out with no kids, I wasn't happy, did say I think you've forgotten your kids as she was walking from the car but she didn't stop for a chat about it. I'm normally very non confrontational so I'm blaming teething twins and a long few days inside with a toddler with hand foot and mouth!

I hate all this "I have a child so I rule the world!" business.

Then make sure you don't open any threads along the lines of "do I have to prebook seats to sit next to my kids on my Ryan Air flight next week?"

If you had to make such a big deal of struggling to get your child out of your car.. Then the reality is, it wasn't actually that much of a struggle was it.