To want p&c spaces to be renamed "easy access" spaces?

[UndramaticPause]

This has been triggered by other threads but also by life events as a person with disabilities and reduced mobility who doesn't fit blue badge criteria.

We all know and love the p&c warriors and I have had the misfortune to be accosted by them in carparks and have had photos of my car plastered on Facebook parking pages as I will use these spaces if they are close to the shops to alleviate fatigue and pain.

Aibu to think there must be a large amount of people like me or with temporary issues like a broken leg or recovering from surgery who could benefit from the rebrand?

groovee unfortunately that's not an option for me as I have a cfs issue combined with a musculoskeletal disorder

Threads like these really make me want to go and park in a p&c without any qualifying passengers just for the amusing possibility of having some irate mumsnetter confront me on it.

All joking aside, I don't have any issues with people using them because they are there, and they have kids. I just disagree with the reasoning they are needed, and that people are more in need of them because they happen to have brought kids along.

aworld how do you think people who walk there get across roads and car parks? Fly? No, they actually have their pram on the road and car park.

dramatic it sounds like your issue should be with the blubadge assessment and allocation, not the parents using the facility they are entitled to.

There has to be a cut off point for everything. It just so happens I'm the wrong side of it.

I subscribe to the view me and my health issues are not the problem, the problem is the world needs to be more friendly and more accessible towards people like me

lurked you are more likely to be cheered my mumsnetters for parking there. Haven't you noticed the overwhelming attitude of "how ridiculous, I park at the furthest possible space available and everyone should be as marvellous as me" attitude that appear throughout these threads.

When walking across a car park or road you are usually pushing the buggy and holding the children. Not leaving either of the two alone whilst you walk with the other.

I wish I could fly.

And that's a lovely attitude dramatic and its why these nice to have conveniences aren't a legally bound thing. They are nice to haves that make customers lives easier. There is nothing to stop you using them if you wish, the stores have no barrier to it. But you may get the occasional look. Just ignore it and carry on with your day.

But not people like me undramatic because that makes me precious and entitled.

Personally I would never judge a persons need or right to park in a space. It has crap all to do with me and I have no idea of anyones situation. My friend was once abused by someone because she had a blue badge and was a disgusting person. The badge was for her child and to the outside world she did not appear 'disabled' it was hideous.

giles is right. More suitable spaces for all would be the answer. Sadly that would involve less shoppers buying grass crackers and blackbird tears.

I think changing them to easy access would mean they were open to more abuse tbh. You would have no visible way of proving if someone needed to park there or not. As it is the vast majority of people who don't need to be closer don't park there because it's clear if they are entitled or not and the embarrassment puts them off. It would me but if I had a genuine reason like the op I'm sure I'd get over that pretty quickly.

I never used to have an opinion on this until recently as I never needed to use the space so didn't witness the abuse they're open to. Since having ds I head to p&c first just for the ease of getting the baby out. If none available I park in a quieter spot near the back, no big deal. They are abused more than I realised though.

I'd like to see p&c nearer the back so more chance of getting one and then something like easy access near the front for people in need like the op or for kids with sn. Don't think it'll happen though cus people will just treat them as normal spaces

My issue with p and c spaces is they seem to create a sense of helplessness amongst some parents who seem to be unable to function if they can't get a space.

If there is a space then use it, if there isn't park elsewhere. Don't get wound up about it though and don't abuse people just becauSe they don't look like they need the space.

Ah, the MN abhorrence of appearing entitled and grabby.
But judgey is fine. I assume the implication being families who use parent spaces buy ridiculous, airyfairy products. Yes, households up and down the country bypassed the pizza and fishfingers tonight and went for "blackbird tears".

I also get confused about blue badge eligibility. My mil has one but has no problems getting about whatsoever. We recently spent the whole day walking round a town and she was fine whereas I seriously struggled being heavily pregnant.

It's sad that there are people in pain and can't manage but can't get help going about their day to day lives because they don't meet the criteria. I know there has to be a cut off but it's still crap

mydarlin I was being sarcastic about lurkers post on Baboon milk.

Sirzy, why helpless. Most customers go there if it's available and if not find a space that suits elsewhere. They aren't wailing in the car, just giving the occasional dirty look to the people who park there because they want to.

On more than one of these threads people have posted they have gone home if a p and c space isn't available. I often see cars driving round and round the p and c area waiting for a space rather than just parking elsewhere. For some people they really seem to think they need the space rather than it being something that's handy if it's free.

And they don't know why that person they are giving a dirty look to is parking there. They don't know it's not someone like the op who is in agony with every step do they?

Nice try aworld. But blackbird tears just ain't cutting it. You could try using something like dairy free diced badger and wild broccoli smoothie next time.

Yes that's fine as long as you don't mind me denting your car door trying to get two baby seats out.

I would be happy for the p&c spaces to be further away from the store with a safe route through the car park.

Surely if you had somebody elderly or with a broken leg etc you could drop them by the door and then go and park? We don't have that option with young children.

This is one of those issues that I can't really understand, The Equality act says that reasonable adjustments must be made for disabled people and exists to prevent discrimination, but the Blue Badge rules say that there is a threshold under which you can be disabled, but not disabled enough, how is that OK? and what if you just choose not to claim Pip?, why on earh should your level of disability be defined by wether you choose to make a claim?

Well if they go home, then they obviously not need that weeks shopping but I've never seen that here to be honest. I have seen people circling - why not, if they have the time to spare and want that space, let them.
And we never know another's situation but we judge ALL the time. One day on AIBU covers some mighty judging. That's human nature sadly.

lurked have you ever been in a supermarket or does that chip on your shoulder stop you getting through the doors. Have you been in an Iceland store fir example. Aimed at busy, large families. Less affluent demographic. Parking spaces for families. No flighty products in sight. You need to get off that high horse for a while and let it access some free range, distilled through a mountain, imported water.

I don't have a chip on my shoulder, either of the Iceland kind or the waitrose sweet potato variety. And no, the Icelands etc round here don't have family car parks. More your old shopping precinct with a bus stop nearby. Not quite getting the sarcasm thing are you? Funnily enough I am aware items such as essence of organic antelope aren't available at most supermarkets or someone would be starting boasty threads asking what to serve with it. I was infact deliberately exagerating the likely food choices of the 'I need p&c' lobby. Sorry if that went straight over your head.

star but surely short of a disability , parents can just carry babies/ toddlers too young to walk across the car park? Somewhat harder to carry an adult.

Yanbu
Same situation with you, but having a temporarily disabled family member. (Cannot walk at all) And will 100% use these spaces because he needs the space to get into wheelchair.
These parents with their children not in pushchairs or car seats using these spaces actually disgust me. But they are the ones who will think we are in the wrong for using them.
I do think these spaces are extremely useful to people will children in pushchairs/buggies so they should definitely exist.

lurked I can't safely carry twin babies across a car park neither can I drop them off by the door and go and park the car.

There's no law to stop anyone parking in these spaces but I will give you a death stare and make a comment. If your self centred enough to use a space designed to make a parents life easier and keep a child safer then you're probably a tosser who doesn't care how many people pass comment to you.

There are plenty of adults who don't have blue badges who can't be dropped off by the door either. Those with severe learning difficulties or dementia for example.

Many parents really need a p&c space. They offer a valuable service to parents and children.

Op why don't you lobby your local supermarket for a space separate to p&c spaces?