It's a P+C parking one but with a twist

[1099]

AIBU to still be silently seething about this one.
I was at the supermarket yesterday with my 9 yr old DS, this particular Supermarket is some sort of MN utopia, the P+C Car park is round the side a good 50-60m walk from the store, disabled parking in front of the store and some of the front car park. Now there are also several Disabled bays in the P+C parking area, think a row of disabled bays with the last 3 P+C (along with the rest of the car park).
We don't always use the P+C but it is right next to the recycling so we often do use it and drop off bottles, then go to the shop. So onto yesterday, we went in I parked up in one of the P+C bays and jumped out to drop off the bottles DS loiters with car until I come back, there is a car next to the recycling, I don't really pay it any attention, as we are walking to the store the car drives past and the front seat passenger leans out and start shouting at us, I'm not paying attention until I hear 'you're not even disabled are you' I realise she is having a pop because she thinks we've parked in a disabled bay, the car drives down into the car park. I don't even have time to think of a witty and scything reply, I spend half the time in the store hoping she will confront us so I can point out her error and accept her no doubt groveling apology. It didn't happen, It's still on my mind. I have too much time on my hands don't I?

It's ok. If they go to that shop regularly, at some point she will realise her error and feel like a massive twat. It's all good.

Why on earth would you need a P&C bay with a 9 year old?! They're for getting small children in and out of car seats - he is well capable of doing this himself! No wonder they assumed you were in one of the disabled spots. They were rude but you are wrong.

I don't get it, and what is the twist?

and TBF why are you using P&C parking with a 9 year old?

if I saw you park there, and there were no other P&C spaces left, I would tell you what I thought.

Not so peodar it says quite clearly on the signage for parents with children aged 12 and under. But as I said we don't always use it, but also we do use it.

That's not strictly true. Some shops say under 12s, others under 8s and our local Tesco is under 7s. So if the OP was entitled to be there then she did nothing wrong. Bedsides, none of that is relevant because she wasn't in a disabled space which is what she was shouted at for.

you parked in a p&c with a 9 year old? even if it says ok to 12 - surely you can see that you dont need a p&c space? (unless you're going to drip feed your DS is disabled)

Why would you use a p&c space if you dont need to?

As the OP has stated, the sign read 12 and under. Her DC is 9.

Christ.

@peodar and @JustLikeBefore whether you use P + C parking with a 9 year old or older child under 12 depends on the individual child. I've had two children about 10/11 opening their door on my previous cars while I've been sat in it. There as I've had younger children who are more careful about the "better" car next to mine.

OP unfortunately if you are young whether a child, teen or young adult and you use a disabled bay you will frequently get shouted at by older people, normally OAPs, even if you have a disabled badge. The shouting only tends to happen if the disabled person is with someone they think they can intimidate.

P&C parking is ludicrous anyway. Stupid idea that just feeds into certain types of people's sense of entitlement. You did nothing wrong and the woman was an idiot. Smile sweetly and wave next time!

I (age 47) parked in a P+C with my mum (age 77) because she is the parent and I her child. (Actually we did this because disabled were all full, mainly with people with no blue badges )

FFS if the P&C is there for under 12s then she's perfectly entitled to use it for a 9yo regardless of what any of you think. It doesn't matter if it's for the bottle bank or sheer lazyarsed reasons, she is within the age limit and therefore able to use it. No one else's business.

funnylittlefloozie it's not ludicrous. You often can't get a car seat out of a car in a normal space, due to cars parked too close. The P&C parking spots are to give you extra room to get car seats in and out and to enable you buckle small children's seat belts.

O stop it. You took the best available space on dubious grounds -9! - and now u want MN to justify it for you.

AnyaChristinaEmmanuellaJenkins and everyone questioning parking in a P&C space with a 9 yo. Read the OP.

1099 used the P&C space on this occasion because:

it was next to the recycling banks
she was recycling
then going into the supermarket

Also from her OP, you will see that 1099 doesn't always use a P&C space, and that she was parked within the rules of the car park, ie with an under 12.

Untwist your knickers, people!

Sainsbury's is 12 and under for P&C spaces. Have to say I haven't used them regular since the kids were babies but the OP WNBU to use space in that circumstance and according to the terms and conditions.

Also people should hold off their judgement. I might be driving my dad to the supermarket, he clearly has mobility problems but I don't.

Cheeseplease, it IS ludicrous, really. Obviously the spaces are nice to have, but really not necesary. How do you manage in places that don't have designated P&C spaces? How did parents manage before P&C spaces were invented? You just park a bit further away where you have a bit more space. You certainly don't get all worked up about them and start shouting about who is more or less entitled to them.

I found P&C spaces really useful when they were toddlers and pre-schoolers, as one of the most dangerous things we did was crossing a supermarket car park when they were too small to be seen by cars. It was great to be next to the footpath/safe walking route.

Mind you, it would be better if all supermarket spaces were designed to be next to a safe walking route, and spaces you can reverse into and drive out of, as adult pedestrians need saving from themselves. Nearly every time there is a space I have to reverse out of, someone dashes behind me last minute like they have a death wish.

Supermarkets should put up posters for pedestrians:

Highway Code Rule 15

Reversing vehicles. Never cross behind a vehicle which is reversing, showing white reversing lights or sounding a warning.

I was shouted at for using a disabled space on the weekend - when with my blue card carrying disabled mother.

Some people are just arseholes and quick to shout off their mouth if their victim looks easy to attack much the same attitude as keyboard warriors and trolls IMO

They misjudged badly with us though, my sister was in the car too and leapt out to confront them about their attitudes whilst I got my mother's wheelchair ready for her. They definitely had the wind taken out of their sails by the time she finished with them!

funnylittlefloozie - Yes it's ludicrous for supermarkets to try and make life easier on parents and ensure they can get their car seats out of cars without damaging other cars. ok.

OP very clearly states that at this shop P&C parking is for under 12s which her son is, and that she uses it sometimes when recycling because it's by the bins, so why all the sneering comments about her doing something completely reasonable which she is entitled to do?!? Do you all really think it's ok to go around aggressively haranguing strangers for doing things they are legitimately entitled to do because you happen to disapprove of it?!

OP YANBU - what a horrible woman. Hopefully she will be back one day, realise her error and be blindsided by mortification. In the meantime you can take comfort from the fact that, unlike her, you aren't the type of person to blunder into a situation you've misunderstood and make a tit of yourself because you have an excessively high regard for your own opinions!

Nobody needs a P&C space. They don't exist here and yet somehow the shopping gets done. Nice to have - yes sure but need? No.

Not even sure they are nice to have, they seem to be a huge source of irritation on here.

I have used the p n c space when I had a temporary mobility problem. I struggled to walk due to hip pain, and got shouted at by an irate mother which was unnecessary.

I never manage to get a P+C space, the Tescos by me only has a few. The other day I parked at the end of the car park where there were 2 spaces together so I could get the car seat out. When I returned there was a car parked there too close for me to get the car seat in. I had to stand around waiting for 20mins until the owner of the car on the other side came back.

@sola82 I don't understand why people have to park next to you in car park that is not even full, where you have parked far away from the entrance.

I'm going to have to start doing what one of my brothers' use to do and park in the middle of two parking spaces to stop it and leave a sign on one of the windows.