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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Peak P&C space rage!

184 replies

beepthemeep · 24/02/2018 09:26

Argh. Just whipped DD up to the shops to get some nibbles for our guests who are arriving shortly. The spaces at this particular Waitrose are very tight and I'm very pregnant, so did need a P&C spot.

There was one left, so I headed for it. But nooo - some tool in a wannabe sports car zoomed the wrong way up the one way bit and parked in it (badly). Door opened and a young couple got out. No baby. No child. I assume no disabilities as there were several empty disabled spaces even nearer the shop.

I had to get DD out at the side of the car park and then park, as there was just no way I could do it in a normal space. The worst thing was, as I was struggling to do so, I saw them heading off... THEY WEREN'T EVEN GOING INTO FUCKING WAITROSE!!!!!

Am I wrong to wish the plague of a thousand traffic wardens upon their heads?

OP posts:
Baudelairian · 24/02/2018 10:48

YANBU

It’s totally inconsiderate and I find people who use p&c spaces and who don’t even have children incredibly selfish. It’s totally unreasonable to park in these spaces with no real need while another is struggling for space with buggies and young children.

My SIL’s dm parks in these spaces for convenience and claims that she has a right as she has a dd (who is pushing 40). It’s a totally selfish and arrogant attitude.

ChristmasCakes · 24/02/2018 10:49

YANBU but MN is very annoying on this topic. Heaven forbid parents should have the tiniest bit of help from a shop. Having said that I do think there should be spaces set aside for the elderly too. But people who park in p&c spaces because they're lazy and selfish should be fined.

Original poster
beepthemeep · 24/02/2018 10:49

Sparkling - if you are physically fit enough to walk around a town centre, why can't you walk across a car park? I saw the car. I saw them get out. Neither of them needed assistance in any way. So please explain.

I try to be considerate. I would never have considered using a disabled spot, for example.

OP posts:
TotHappy · 24/02/2018 10:50

I doubt loving the spaces to the back of the carpark would have prevented this couple - some people park there to lessen the chances of someone banging their car with a door getting in or out. The 'wannabe sports car' makes me think that's why they parked there.

Samcro · 24/02/2018 10:50

op how do you know they were walking round a town centre?
just curious

Jaygee61 · 24/02/2018 10:51

Nobody needs a P&C space. Yes, it’s very handy to have the extra space when trying to manoeuvre a toddler a baby a pushchair and getting them in and out of seats, but believe me, parents did manage in the days when carparks just had spaces.

Probably because they didn’t drive massively oversized cars in the first place.

JaneEyre70 · 24/02/2018 10:52

OP let me tell you about P & C spaces - they are closest to the store therefore used by every lazy entitled twat who thinks they deserve to park there most. And most aren't pregnant or have kids.

Once you've accepted that, life is far less stressful.
Until stores employ people to stand out there and watch the spaces, there is no way this will ever change.

Sparklingbrook · 24/02/2018 10:52

Disabilities are not always physical ones beepthemeep. Did you see them walk all around the town centre? Or just away from the car park?

They probably were just being lazy arses, but I haven't got time or energy for being car park police or people watching when I am shopping.

TheJoyOfSox · 24/02/2018 10:54

@jaygee no, my Volvo estate in the 1990s was pretty big. We didn’t all drive mini clubmans.

HotCrossBunFight · 24/02/2018 10:54

Probably because they didn’t drive massively oversized cars in the first place.

Cars even 10 years ago were much smaller. Even "small" modern cars are pretty big. Cars have grown but spaces haven't.

YellowMakesMeSmile · 24/02/2018 10:58

I don't get the angst over these spaces and wish shops would just ban them. All they have done is make people lazy and entitled. Pregnant woman and parents with chidren managed to shop just fine without them before and could again. They may need to just park further away and, crazy I know, walk a bit.

Original poster
beepthemeep · 24/02/2018 10:59

I saw them walking right into town. And as I left Waitrose I drove past them on the high street. Still walking.

My dad lost his blue badge in the last round of checks. He struggles with his knees to get in and out of his car and sometimes has to ask passing people to help him swing his leg out. He could never get in and out of a sports car. Believe you me, these guys just sprang out of there like happy little bunnies (they looked about 20)!

I would also hugely support moving the P&C spaces to the back of the car park. I think that would solve the issue. It wouldn't stop people abusing the disabled spots, of course. It would be nice to think that we could rely on human nature to do that, eh?

OP posts:
Rockandrollwithit · 24/02/2018 11:00

Do you have a big car OP?

I've been heavily pregnant with a toddler and now I have a toddler and a baby. I've never struggled to park in normal spaces as I have a Micra. If P&C spaces are there, I will use them but if not no big deal. Certainly not something I would ever get annoyed about.

Jaygee61 · 24/02/2018 11:00

But SUV/MPV type vehicles are much bigger than a medium sized hatchback. And there are lot more of them about nowadays.

Andrewofgg · 24/02/2018 11:01

They should be boiled slowly in oil and the process uploaded to YouTube.

Sparklingbrook · 24/02/2018 11:01

You proper studied them didn't you? Grin

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 24/02/2018 11:04

The spaces must be very tight if a pregnant woman can't get out of her car in a normal space.

What about obese people? Can they not park there? Do supermarkets need to start allocating Obese spaces? Where will it end? Spaces for above averagely tall people? Spaces for people with a phobia of car parks? Spaces for people with ridiculously large 4 by 4s?

Of course the other drivers were inconsiderate arse holes. All you can do is tut, mutter "pricks" under your breath and find another space.

Arguing over a parking space has never ever in the history of mankind gone well.

HotCrossBunFight · 24/02/2018 11:04

I need an MPV as I tend to have too many people for an average 5 (4.5 when considering car seats) seater

MrMeSeeks · 24/02/2018 11:05

*In the real world outside MN it's clear they didn't have a disability.

Just to look at me people would say I don't have any disability. I have however.

Assumptions usually make you look stupid.*
Here here.
I lose track of the people who assume i have disabilities.
I tell them to try a day of taking my medication and pain and see if they manage to get out and about Hmm

MaxWeber · 24/02/2018 11:09

Love the notion that supermarkets should start employing people to police the P&C spaces.

That would have to be the shittest job ever.

Original poster
beepthemeep · 24/02/2018 11:11

Sparkling - I have 36 week pregnant hormones coursing through my veins and a stroppy toddler screaming about not being allowed to stay in the big girl front seat. Andrew's suggestion of boiling oil and YouTube would have been a treat for them compared to what i had in mind!

It's not a massive car; it's my DP's q3, but he's away this weekend (hence my having guests to keep me sane). When not so massively pregnant the normal spaces are fine.

OP posts:
Frusso · 24/02/2018 11:12

Is peak p&c a bit like peak trans?

If not, I think you need to consider parking somewhere other than Waitrose

FlouncyDoves · 24/02/2018 11:14

Fuckers. When possible I strategically place my trolley at their passenger door (just close enough without actually touching it) in the hope that they won’t notice and turn the wheel to reverse, thus hitting the trolley.

At the very least it will inconvenience them in the same small way that I have been by their shit parking.

DadDadDad · 24/02/2018 11:14

Love the notion that supermarkets should start employing people to police the P&C spaces.

That would have to be the shittest job ever.

I'm not so sure. If supermarkets put someone out there in the busiest times (they could get a security guard to do it for a few hours), politely speaking to people who get out of the car with no child, then it would deter all but the hard-core CF.

It would at least alert the store to the scale of the problem and force them to consider whether it is good for custom or not (ie hits their bottom line) - and even wake up to suggestions such as these spaces don't need to be next to the front door, it's the width that's the main benefit.

Blushlove · 24/02/2018 11:15

MN drives me mad for this, yes of course they could have had hidden disabilities but if they can climb out of a sports car and walk in to town, then they could have parked in a normal space as clearly their (potential disability) doesn't include walking a long distance or needing extra space to get out.

I'm sure the OP wouldn't have minded (all though they would still have been taking the piss driving the wrong way) if their need was greater than hers but in this circumstance it is clear that it wasn't!

I'm all for giving people the benefit of the doubt as they might have a hidden disability but not everyone parking in a P&C space without kids has one, some are just selfish pricks. So what if they're only courtesy spaces, have some thought for other people and just park in a normal space.

Fully support moving at least some of the P&C spaces to the back for people who use them for space rather than having less car park to cross with a toddler.