Another parking one

[SeriousCreativeBlock]

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.

[shinynewusername]

p&c spaces are a courtesy. They have no legal standing. I wouldn't park in one because I have no problems walking, but I wouldn't judge someone with mobility problems who did. There are plenty of people with genuine problems walking but no blue badge - like you, OP.

[Ditsy4]

Don't care
Unless it has changed supermarket car parks are different. I had back and shoulder problems from an accident and asked in Tescos and they said although they couldn't say I could park there technically there was nothing stopping me. So I did when there was loads left but not if only a few until I was better. I really was struggling to walk before I'm shot down. I had no one to help. It was only a small shop so wasn't there for long.
I would agree with Sirzy get dropped off and picked up again - means you don't have to pack shopping in car either

[OnceMoreIntoTheBleach]

Maybe I'm missing something, but if the OP had her child with her, and the other woman didn't have a child, surely that's why the OP should have got the P&C space?

[RidersOnTheStorm]

carabos I asked at our local Tesco in similar circumstances and they said to park in a disabled space.

[ajandjjmum]

On one occasion I followed a middle-aged, well-dressed woman into Waitrose, who had parked in a P & C spot. I was obviously feeling stroppy, and said 'you are aware that those are for people with children?' - she stuck her fingers in her ears, and started singing lalalala - I laughed so much it was worth it! She clearly thought she was back in the playground.

[emilybrontescorset]

I do think part of the problem s the location of both disabled and p&c spaces.

Yes to gaving them at the side of the building ensuring no road to cross.

Then allow regular spaces near the supermarket too.

Many a time I gave tried nipping into TESCOS just for milk or bread, nothing else, and had to park so far away due to rows and rows of disabled and p& c spaces and the regular spaces being at the back f beyond.

I have no problem whatso ever with the allocation of both p&c spaces and disabled spaces but why put all the spaces nearest to the building as only those?



Also you have to cross the car park for these spaces so they really aren't that safe.

The side of the building is safer so I would have thought far more appropriate for both disabled and p&a c as it is safer.

[Beth2511]

I got screamed at in a multistory which had crazy tight spaces. I had dropped dd and dh off downstairs as queue for lift is horrendous and parked in it knowing we wouldnt be able to get her in when we were done and due to layout no safe place to do a pick up on way out. Sod em

[Gileswithachainsaw]

P&c spaces are a bonus that years ago we didn't even have. you do not get to play top trumps with the spaces.

the fault is the criteria which stops you from getting a badge that would make a difference to your life. it is not peope in the same boat who are just trying to do their shopping too.

[PennyHasNoSurname]

Im all for the disabled spaces being right at the entrance, makes sense! But P&C spaces should be at the far end of the carpark (with zebra crossings to the entrance) as then they wont be seen as a premium space. They really are very handy for getting kids in and out of cars.

I have a 4yo and a 16mo. I like that I can wheel the buggy down the side of the car and know its safe while I decide which of my kids I like the most which kid to buckle in first.

[SavoyCabbage]

Maybe I'm missing something, but if the OP had her child with her, and the other woman didn't have a child, surely that's why the OP should have got the P&C space?

The other people were already in the space though. It would be madness, and chaos, if people had to use a ranking system in order to use disabled and P&C spaces. Then move their cars out of spaces because someone else had more children, or less legs.

[BishopBrennansArse]

I have a blue badge and 2 kids who also have badges.

At my local ASDA I quite often have to use P&C bays as all blue badge bays full (of people who don't have badges)

So I'd trump you, OP. So nyerrrrrr

[Eminybob]

I totally agree that if you need a p&c space because of a disability, either permanent or temporary, or if you are pregnant and need to open the door as far as it will go to get your huge bump out like I did then you definitely should use one.
Also, if you have children in the car they are really useful, so you can pull the pram to the side, or open the door wide enough to get a carrier in and out.
I don't think there should be a hierarchy though. I park in a p&c space when I have my DS with me because it does make life easier, but if someone with a disability gets there before me, that's fine, I can park elsewhere, it's not the end of the world.

[Eminybob]

I forgot to add, I do get angry at the thought of a completely able bodied healthy person without children with them using a space just because they are lazy fuckers. But I would never ever confront someone because you just don't know what hidden disability they may have.

[hedgehogsdontbite]

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.

You might want to think about getting a new opinion because this one is showing your ignorance.

[BishopBrennansArse]

Ooh I missed that.
Quite often I'm not about to walk around the supermarket, I use a wheelchair on a bad day.

But I'm getting a power chair on Tuesday

[shinynewusername]

But I would never ever confront someone because you just don't know what hidden disability they may have.

And you don't know if they are going to fetch someone with a disability. This was a nightmare when I was my DDad's carer: he could only walk a couple of metres so I had to park his car into a disabled spot to fetch him. Despite having a blue badge on display, I used to get lots of dirty looks and muttered comments when I got out the car with no disability. I used to get a certain grim pleasure from seeing their faces when I returned with my - sadly - very frail darling Dad.

[BishopBrennansArse]

Oh and Morrisons in Brixham have the P&C spaces closer to the store than the blue badge bays.

So we used P&C as we had 3 kids in the car...

[Sirzy]

Ds is 6 and can't walk around the supermarket, he either has to be in his SN buggy or squashed into a trolley

[BishopBrennansArse]

I was on holiday so couldn't be arsed bad as that sounds.

Quite often I want to complain when out and about wrt disability adjustments but as it's process of firefighting when out as s family something crops up and it slips my mind!

[Pseudo341]

You're both being unreasonable. He shouldn't have called your DH a twat but it sounds like they had just as much need of the space as you. Personally I still display my blue badge when taking a parent and child space if all the disabled ones are full but in a supermarket carpark neither are enforceable so you don't need to.

[Bubblesinthesummer]

full but in a supermarket carpark neither are enforceable so you don't need to.

Depends whether the supermarket car park is council owned or not.

[hedgehogsdontbite]

Quite often I want to complain when out and about wrt disability adjustments but as it's process of firefighting when out as s family something crops up and it slips my mind!

I'm the same. Sometimes the planning around adjustments gives me rage.

[Samcro]

i always thought if you parked in the pc bays without displaying your BB and without kids you could get a fine.
??
but i answer to the op.
your dh should not have said anything and they got there first.