Parent and Child Parking

[Faerie87]

After being a FTM for a coming up 7 weeks I have found that in most car parks the parent and child spaces are nearly always full, where as the disabled parking spaces are nearly always empty.

Would it be unreasonable of me to want more parent and child spaces as opposed to disabled as there seems to be a supply and demand issue?

I also think that the amount of spaces is not necessarily the issue. I would never begrudge someone with a disability a space however to park in a disabled bay you need a blue badge. Would it not be easier for parents of children under let’s say 5 be given a similar badge when the child is born in order for them to park in the P&C bays? That way you stop Betty aged 70 and her son Gerald aged 40 parking in the bay stating that they are parent and child! That way more spaces would open up as fewer people would be able to legally park there, similar to the system the have to get a blue badge?

What do you think?

Just for the record I would like to state again, that I don’t begrudge a person with a disability a space, I just feel a better system needs to be in Place for parents and young children as there seems to be more of them.

Fuck sake this would all be sorted out if they just made the spaces wider for all bays and keep B.B. holders spaces right at the front then we wouldn't have this terrible parent entitlement that we have now.
Christ almighty the snowflake parents that are being churned out now really do make me despair. Their life is made so much easier these days and yet they just want more!

OP make ne most of it now because this is the easy part with a tiny baby, they turn into preschoolers who like to run. Comparing p/c spaces to disabled is insulting. Tell you what live a day with my severley disabled daughter and everything it entails and you will wonder why you ever thought getting an I mobile baby out of a car was so difficult alongside getting a reality slap.

As someone who has a son of Gerald's age, with a sister 2 years younger, we never had P and C parking and somehow we managed just fine. As a nan, I have rarely used the P and C parking, and again have managed just fine (expect for my first car outing with my eldest granddaughter when I could work out how to collapse the buggy)! Now that was a squeeze.

@ProfessorMoody - You can use a P&C space in any area if you have a blue badge. They're not legally enforceable and they are provided only as a courtesy.

Some supermarkets will clamp if you are parked in a p&c without a child. However, they cannot do that to someone with a BB.

It should be obvious but there should always always be spare disabled spaces as not having a spare one would mean that person was unable to shop. So there should be deliberately more than you think you'll need so that even at the busiest times there are some free. P&C spaces are purely for convenience so there is no reason to provide extra as it reduces the number of spaces for other shoppers (some of whom may have reduced mobility but not qualify for a blue badge).

I think that B.B./P&C spaces will end up with carnage. BB is obviously more serious than P&C

I think that supermarkets should define their P&C policies better. Yesterday I was in Morrisons and a woman was getting hassled for using a P&C space for her school aged child on crutches. I've seen pregnant people hassled for not having a live baby but needing the extra space and proximity to store too. They aren't technically P&C but deserve to park nearer the store imo.

I propose that P&C spaces are scrapped and renamed so that it encompasses people who need extra room for car seats as well as people temporarily needing the space like the pregnant and people on crutches. Some P&C are very entitled about these spaces when they are a marketing gimmick designed to appear more family friendly

I sure hope all the parents who struggle with a fairly basic parenting task of removing a child from a car are receiving additional support in other areas xxx

I sure hope all the parents who struggle with a fairly basic parenting task of removing a child from a car are receiving additional support in other areas xxx

I am thanks, my son has one to one work and we’re getting an ECHP in place for when he starts school. Thanks for the concern about those of us with SN children and being a judgemental cunt

What is needed is larger spaces which people pay for. You can then choose whether to have a smaller car which fits in normal spaces, or have a bigger car.

Get rid of P&C spaces and allow anyone who wants to pay to use larger spaces. I imagine the parents who claim they must absolutely have the larger spaces will suddenly decide they don't.

Wow I was NOT referring to parents of SN children at all, who obviously have a need for p&c spaces, AND disabled spaces.

Wind your neck in.

Why are people on here so bloody angry? And jump at the chance to have a fucking go? I would ask any other poster on this to calm their tits or not bother fucking posting! Had it up to hear of it!

so the poor op is angry that people think her goady op is just that.
the very idea that BB bays are in anyway similar to P&c ones is just plain daft.
it makes me angry that another thread has been started just to make people feel worthless.

ADastardlyThing but you won’t know who has SN will you? You’ll jut look at people using them and be judgemental of us. It’s frustrating because it feels like threads like this constantly get at parents of children who have more difficulties than others. I appreciate that may not be what you meant, but when your child has invisible needs stuff like this gets annoying.

Yet another OP trying to push disabled people vs parents as though we're natural enemies at war and not in many cases the same thing.

People with disabilities need and have a right to BB spaces. There needs to be more in some places.

Parent and child spaces make sense as they allow extra space for unloading small creatures from cars. They should be put further back with a walkway. Possibly more spaces are needed.

Any extra spaces should come from the general spaces.

It isn't a them vs us.

Get rid of P&C spaces and allow anyone who wants to pay to use larger spaces. I imagine the parents who claim they must absolutely have the larger spaces will suddenly decide they don't.

A car park near me let’s you pay for a badge that allows you to use p and c spaces if your kids are under 5. It’s great.

Ye Gods! I note op hasn't been back since her page two tantrum!
Interestingly, P&C spaces were suggested back in the 80s by a few councillors in Watford. None of them will admit to it now, it's become a bugbear and not what they intended.
I too park in a P&C space if they are a) nearer than the BB spaces as is the case with my local Tesco and b) if all BB spaces are in use.
Locally it's hard to get a BB space. We need more, and we're pretty rural.

Any thing that helps anyone with additional needs, be it transporting a small child/children or a working with a disability, is a good thing.

Princess, seriously, i am talking about the ones who are banging on about having a large car, wriggly toddlers, having to circle for spaces........comparing the need for them with the need for disabled spaces.

You are massively misunderstanding me but I get it

@runningkeenster

“What is needed is larger spaces which people pay for. You can then choose whether to have a smaller car which fits in normal spaces, or have a bigger car.”

Car size is often a necessity rather than a choice.

For example, we had one baby. Easy. Any small car will do. We then planned for child number 2. Surprise, it’s twins. So we wind up with 3 kids under 3.

Ever tried to look for a car that fits 3 full size car seats side by side? Options are limited and you basically have no choice but to get a massive car.

I hate that massive car. It sucks and it’s a nightmare to park. But it wasn’t a choice. We “chose” two kids and wound up with 3! Sure, we could have chosen to terminate the twin pregnancy. But it kinda of seems churlish to terminate a twin pregnancy because parking spaces are a bit tight...

Well I've had my baby for a 16 weeks and never thought to look for a p&c space stealth boast. I just park and get the baby out in the space I'm given

I think that disabled spaces and p&c spaces are two separate issues. It's not a case of needing to reduce the (essential) disabled spaces to make room for more (non-essential) p&c spaces. Your issue is people using the p&c spaces when they don't have children.

Poor self absorbed OP who is ignorantly assuming that P&C spaces can be legitimately compared with the needs of those with disabilities. That tantrum showed how the uneducated are still prepared to embarrass themselves.

ADastardlyThing I understand that. Sorry for being a bit snappy, I have HG and am feeling a bit sensitive, especially when I feel like people are “picking on” my DS who tries so hard. I hate it when people stare at him for being loud, and he doesn’t speak “normally” so people often give him weird looks and it winds me up.

I do marvel at how my generation and my parent’s generation managed to take our children shopping at a time when there were no P&C spaces. If it was up to me I would change these spaces to BB spaces - there are nevee enough and P&C spaces are not needed.

What is needed is larger spaces which people pay for. You can then choose whether to have a smaller car which fits in normal spaces, or have a bigger car.”
I assume this doesn't mean people with Blue Badges? Some folk need larger cars to accommodate their disabilities.

I've always thought if they put P&C spaces furthest away from the shop there would be less problems. When my LO was young i wanted more space to set up stroller or grab trolley, get him out of the car etc. Didn't bother me being right next to the shop just give me the wider space.