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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Mother and baby parking

461 replies

crispysausagerolls · 10/09/2018 14:33

Went to the supermarket today with my baby and really could’ve used the mother and baby space to get my car seat in and out etc (especially hard as I have a 2 door car). Just as I arrived a woman without a baby pulled into the mother and baby spot, without a baby. My mother asked her what she was doing and she said she was waiting for a child. 2 mins later a middle aged woman came out of the supermarket and got into the car and she started to drive off. So she had lied. I said thanks to her in a sarcastic way as i was struggling to get my baby out in a tight space (very passive aggressive of me I know but DS hates the car and had been screaming and I was so irritated by not having the space) and she started spouting off about being heavily pregnant and blah blah blah. Which was all completely irrevelant (if even true) because she didn’t get out of the bloody car anyway!

AIBU to think the mother and baby space isn’t somewhere to just wait for a mate to come and join you in the car? People genuinely need the extra space provided by them!

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 10/09/2018 14:38

Unfortunately P&C spaces are courtesies, not rights, and some people do not observe that courtesy.

If you have this issue in the future, perhaps find two spaces together, and park in the middle of them - that way you get enough space to get the car seat out. It’s not ideal, but it can make life a bit easier.

ThreeAnkleBiters · 10/09/2018 14:41

Obviously she was BU but there's nothing that can be done about it unfortunately :(

Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 10/09/2018 14:42

She was telling me to be more respectful of other mothers!!!!!! But IMO what she was doing was utterly CF behaviour and disrespectful to other mothers

OP posts:
UrsulaPandress · 10/09/2018 14:42

Happy Days.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 10/09/2018 14:46

You were rude to say something to her. People don't have to explain to other shoppers why they've parked in a particular space. For all you know the person who she was waiting for could have been disabled or couldn't walk far for whatever reason.

Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 10/09/2018 14:48

GreatDuckCookery

I disagree - there were plenty of free other spaces in equal walking distance. I think it’s really I considerate to use a space you don’t need. And then lie about it. My mother asked her initially and maybe I shouldn’t have followed up but I was then pissed off that she had lied and didn’t even NEED the space as she wasn’t getting out to shop.

OP posts:
TeddybearBaby · 10/09/2018 14:48

It is annoying and selfish, that’s just what some people are like. Parking over two spaces would be really selfish as well though. I hate that.

Satsumaeater · 10/09/2018 14:49

YABU to call them mother and baby spaces. Nobody needs a P&C space either, they are a courtesy and a convenience.

If people drove smaller cars they wouldn't need the larger spaces.

P&C spaces did exist when ds was tiny but there was always a queue for them so I never bothered. I never had difficulty getting him in or out of the car.

Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 10/09/2018 14:50

Parking over two spaces would be really selfish as well though. I hate that.

I agree with this

OP posts:
GreatDuckCookery6211 · 10/09/2018 14:50

Why didn't your park further away where it was less congested?

Supermarkets need to put P and C spaces at the back of the car park and then all this nonsense will more than likely disappear.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 10/09/2018 14:53

Did you use the space she vacated?

ProcrastinatingPingu · 10/09/2018 14:56

Some supermarkets charge people for parking in the P&C spaces when they don’t have a child or have a child over a certain age with them, (I think it’s usually about 12?) but usually you have to report them to the desk. They then check the reg.

We sometines use the spaces when they’re closer, but otherwise I’ll just walk with DD to get inside, as sometimes they’re further away.

Shopping with a child is bloody awful anyway, so I do most of it online and keep trips to a minimum. Grin

Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 10/09/2018 14:58

satsumaeater

Forgot what they are actually called hence saying mother and baby.

Maybe you didn’t need one but many people do, which is why they are popular. I struggle with my tiny 2 door car to open the door wide enough to get his car seat from
The back seat onto the front seat to be able to take him out. Or to get his buggy out of the back where it has to go.

OP posts:
Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 10/09/2018 15:00

GreatDuckCookery

Parking further away is what we did - I really did not care about the proximity to the shop, I cared about the amount of space to get car seat out of the car. That’s what I wanted the space for. Would be very happy for shops to move the spaces further away! However the spaces available were all between other cars and therein lay the difficulty.

OP posts:
Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 10/09/2018 15:00

Shopping with a child is bloody awful anyway, so I do most of it online and keep trips to a minimum

Amen to that 🙌🏼

OP posts:
Stalmida · 10/09/2018 15:02

It would have annoyed me too. She wouldn't have lied if she thought she was justified in parking there.

I agree with putting the P & C spaces further away from the store. It would sort out the people that really need the space from those that just don't want to walk as far.

Greggers2017 · 10/09/2018 15:04

Maybe get a more practical car?

greendale17 · 10/09/2018 15:05

**GreatDuckCookery

You were rude to say something to her. People don't have to explain to other shoppers why they've parked in a particular space.**

She wasn’t rude at all. Well done to the OP for calling out these inconsiderate, selfish dickheads.

Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 10/09/2018 15:05

She wouldn't have lied if she thought she was justified in parking there.

Yes, that’s what I think

OP posts:
Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 10/09/2018 15:07

Maybe get a more practical car?

We are going to, yes. Not really the point of the thread though is it.

OP posts:
GreatDuckCookery6211 · 10/09/2018 15:10

Greendale you know for certain this woman was being selfish then? No you don't. There could be hundreds of reasons why the woman in the shop needed the car close by.
She certainly didn't need to be interrogated or give her reasons.

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 10/09/2018 15:11

YANBU. I hate the 'it's not legally enforcable ' argument - just because it's not a legal right doesn't mean it's not rude not to let people who need them more take them. Also the 'we didn't have them in my day' argument - people didn't have travel systems and wider cars in those days. I feel for you, I had to get rid of my 3 door as getting the car seat in and out gave me a bad back that put me out of action for a few months.

mrs2468 · 10/09/2018 15:12

Women was indeed rude but you got a space with the room you needed so did it really matter

Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 10/09/2018 15:13

She certainly didn't need to be interrogated or give her reasons.

But if she had a good reason she would’ve given it and not lied? I get your point that she could have been a person with a reason, and then i would have felt like a total tit. But I would not mind if someone asked me if I was doing something that looked ostensibly questionable and I had a reason to.

OP posts:
Stalmida · 10/09/2018 15:13

And I believe you can be fined for using P & C spaces incorrectly. It's private land so they set out their own rules and fine if they are flouted. How strict they are depends on the store so a complaint to the staff might be effective next time.