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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Another parking one

52 replies

SeriousCreativeBlock · 04/03/2016 23:21

Went to the supermarket today, went to find a parent and child spot (full disclosure: I have a disability that causes chronic pain and makes mobility difficult, no blue badge yet, and we also have a 3yo DD). We see a couple nip into the only parent and child space available. I half jokingly comment to DP "I wonder if they actually have a child..." It soon transpires that they don't in fact have a child, and DP (who is quite confrontational) calls out to them "Where's your child?"

The woman replies, shouting, "I'm disabled and there were no disabled spaces, you twat"

To which DP replies, gesturing to me "She's disabled too!"

Neither myself nor the other woman have a blue badge.

AIBU to assume that child + disability should have priority? I should add that she seemed to be much like me in that we both probably appear healthy and able bodied to outsiders.

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 04/03/2016 23:26

Why would she have parked in a disabled space if she didn't have a badge? How did you know he didn't have one? Do you know her?

Champagneformyrealfriends · 04/03/2016 23:26

First come first served in afraid.

NewNameNotTheSame · 04/03/2016 23:30

How did you know she didn't have a badge? It wouldn't need to be displayed in a P&C space. First come first served really, yes she shouldn't have parked there without a child but if it was the next best space available and she really was disabled then it's understandable, to me anyway. Did you have to park much further away?

Bubblesinthesummer · 04/03/2016 23:31

First come first served.

LogicalThinking · 04/03/2016 23:32

You can't play top trumps for parking spaces.

kawliga · 04/03/2016 23:34

You were both unreasonable. She was unreasonable to call you a twat. You were unreasonable to poke your nose into her business.

I think parent and child spaces should be abolished. We should have more spaces for those with disabilities.

Ameliablue · 04/03/2016 23:36

If you consider a mobility issue without a blue badge to be a reasonable use of the parent and child space then there is no priority, it is simply first come first served.

Collaborate · 05/03/2016 00:12

Only on MN is it acceptable for someone without children to park in a P&C space.

Meanwhile, back on planet Earth, YANBU.

araiba · 05/03/2016 05:16

p+c places should be put at the far end of the car park. that way people who want to use them can and no-one else is tempted to

Rebecca2014 · 05/03/2016 06:35

People without children who park in pc spots tend get aggressive when confronted. When my stbeh confronted a couple like this, the man lost it and started shouting...

rosieliveson1 · 05/03/2016 06:45

In my opinion, anyone who is about to walk around a supermarket despite a mobility issue is surely capable of a few extra metres in getting to the store's door.

SanityClause · 05/03/2016 06:49

I'm agreeing with "First come, first served", I'm afraid, but I hope your blue badge comes through soon.

Sirzy · 05/03/2016 06:55

First come first served.

It isn't top trumps, otherwise what do we do have announcers in the shop asking people to move their cars as someone else needs the space more than them? (Who decides the level of need anyway?)

Pontytidy · 05/03/2016 07:06

The disability space is for those who have a blue badge, the child space for those with a child. The other person was in the wrong, there is no point having theses spaces if the criteria is not used.

DontCareHowIWantItNow · 05/03/2016 07:16

The disability space is for those who have a blue badge, the child space for those with a child. The other person was in the wrong, there is no point having theses spaces if the criteria is not used.

Actually the p&c spaces can theoretically be used by anyone as there is no law around them. The disability spaces ate different.

Nottodaythankyouorever · 05/03/2016 07:17

Neither myself nor the other woman have a blue badge.

How do you know she doesn't?

Roussette · 05/03/2016 07:29

She's in the same boat as you so you having a 3yrold makes no difference.

P&C spaces should be moved to a quiet distance away from the supermarket entrance and there wouldn't be these problems.

Witchend · 05/03/2016 07:36

"Will the owner of car registration GO07 TSG please cone and move it out of the parent and child spaces as they only have one child and someone's just arrived with three"

That suit you?

AugustaFinkNottle · 05/03/2016 07:37

Nottoday, maybe OP knows she didn't have a blue badge because she didn't display one?

rosieliveson1 · 05/03/2016 07:38

I used to think that the spaces should be moved too but I saw a good point on here that rings very true. Part of the reason they are close to the door is safety. The least distance across a busy car park with children in tow is always going to be a safer option.
I also agree that there is no point confronting people. By parking in P&C spaces with no child on board, people show that they are inconsiderate. There is no reasoning with people who do not care about the needs of others.

carabos · 05/03/2016 07:42

Are there any circs under which it is ok to use a disabled space without a blue badge? DH is currently and temporarily disabled owing to a serious leg injury. He's on crutches and will be for another couple of months. His leg is in one of those bionic brace things.

Out and about the other day, I refused to park in a disabled bay as we don't have a badge. He had to hobble quite a long way as a result and did grumble at me. What should I have done?

Nottodaythankyouorever · 05/03/2016 07:42

Nottoday, maybe OP knows she didn't have a blue badge because she didn't display one?

Don't need to display it in a p&c spaces. Wink

Sirzy · 05/03/2016 07:44

Carabos - in that situation I would probably drop him off near the front of the shop and then go to park. Or use a parent and child space of one was free.

FaithAscending · 05/03/2016 07:50

carabos is those circumstances I reckon the easiest thing is to drop him by the door then park.

My local Tesco was revamped last year. They've moved the disabled and P&C spaces to the side of the building (disabled obviously closer to the door). You drive further to these spaces so people only drive to park in them if they really need to and it also means there's plenty of 'normal' spaces by the door. I've never seen the P&C spaces used by anyone without kids.

Wolpertinger · 05/03/2016 07:52

Neither of you have blue badges so neither of you get to talk about disability.

Your DP is rude not 'quite confrontational'.

There is no policing of P&C spaces as has been said a million times on here, or even how old you child should be.

None of you come out well.