It's a parent and child parking one

[meow1989]

Fully prepared to be told IABU, and I wasn't actually affected so I probably am.

Pulled into a supermarket earlier where there was one parent and child parking space left. Just before me, a hatchback pulled into it, half over the dashed lines so I had to park in a regular space, of which there were a few, (hatchback relevant as not a huge 4x4 that wouldn't fit in a space). Regular spaces weren't too bad to be fair so although to get pram and ds our in car seat I had to be mindful and careful with doors and wait for the car next to me to get in out etc I was able to manage.

The car that had parked in the last space was occupied by a mother, a teenage girl and a boy of 5 or six in a school uniform (well behaved).

AIBU to think that if you have children of an age where they do not require equipment to be out and about then you don't need to take the last parent and child space? Also that the spaces are massive and there's no reason to park half in, half over the lines?

Like I say, it didn't actually affect my day much, but things like this irrationally annoy me. Totally aware it's a first world problem and that I must not have enough to worry about.

TBH i personally think kids of school age its fine to park in those spaces- as for parking over the line, fool who cant drive- should be shot!

She had children in the car, even though the 5 year old was ‘well behaved’ doesn’t mean it wasn’t safer for whatever reason to be parked closer. Even if not, life really is too short; yes they are wider and avoid having to walk across the potentially hazardous car park, but it’s not really the end of the world is it.

I think it’s acceptable to use a P&C space with a 5 year old.

P and C with a child - reasonable. Ours does say parent and toddler but I think an age where you'd hold hand to cross road is fine

Shitty lazy parking - never reasonable

Everyone is so precious about this. I had mouthing off from pram pushers when I used one with a toddler - they apparently would never use one with a walking child.

Now I have a nine year old with ADHD and I use them. I don't give a monkeys about it. Park further away and push your pram/buggy - your kids safely strapped in are safer then mine.

So, in short. Who cares?

She had a 5 year old. Child may have been well behaved that day but you don’t know if they were usually.

Sorry.

Its a Parent and ‘child’, not ‘baby’ space. Using it with a five year old is fine,

If the driver has a child with them then they can use the space unless the car park owner directs otherwise. If the driver happens to be 60 and has their 40 y.o. 'child' with them then it still applies. If you want different then you signpost it differently. Make it parent & buggy only or whatever.
But do park between the lines.

Sainsbury’s say you can park in a P and C space with a child up to 12 years old.

It may have been a 4 year old, my just turned 5 year old is huge and nearly the size of a 7 year old.

Fair enough 

Yab VERY u

I use them with my 8yo. He appears 'well behaved' but by fuck he can run when he wants to. It's all about safety and minimising risk. He has autism and is unpredictable. I don't give a fuck about the judge brigade.

This is a non story. The other parent had a child in the parent and child space. I don’t know why you’ve posted tbh OP.

My 9 year old with ASD flings car doors open, possibly damaging cars next to ours. Plus I have three younger children to manage as well. A normal space is so tight, so if there is a family space available, I use it!

I hate it when people with no children park there though.

The Tesco by me has signs asking people to be mindful that the spaces are for children 5 and under. But I know the local Sainsburys is under 12. As someone who has used them for convience with a baby, I would like to think that in the future, I will be conscious to use regular spaces when my child no longer uses a pram.

Hmmm. The child could have had autism and looked “well behaved” at that moment in time but may suddenly go into a meltdown without warning and be impossible to get back into the car safely without more space or bashing the door into the car next to them - been there, done that, ds has autism. Not every child like this qualifies for a blue badge either before someone comes along and says these children should have a blue badge...!

I think on the face of it yanbu but there are a million different things that might be doing on underneath.

Kids are kids. If they’re under 12 it’s fair game.

I think it depends on the particular car park’s terms and conditions but generally any child in a car seat with a harness usually needs help getting in and out.

I was just musing really, I wouldn't have said anything and am not one for passive aggressive looks/comments, I just thought it was annoying then wondered if it was just me, hence the aibu, which apparently I am, and that's fine.

To be fair, only having ds (baby) I hadn't considered the walking across a hazardous car park perspective (though not really relevant in this case as car park so small) and it's a very good point. I'd only considered getting bulky equipment out.

The spaces are usually for people with dc with them that are under 12 so you are being a bit U

Tbh I would have forgotten all about it by the time i got to the supermarket door.

I used to get annoyed too but five years later...I am still using those parking spaces ;) swings and roundabouts.

I think they were fine.

I do think people are princessy about P&C spaces. I don't bother with them as often as not because they're always really busy where we are. People will actually hover waiting for someone to move rather than park elsewhere! I can see that if you are heavily pregnant and trying to get a very wriggly toddler out, it'd be a godsend. But otherwise, I don't think it makes much difference, does it?

I wouldn't use them with my five year old, but someone's else with a five year might well need to for reasons outlined. Others may just be opportunist. You will never know OP