WIBU to park in a disabled space?

[FairfaxAikman]

Ordinarily I wouldn't dream of it.

Our local supermarket closes off half the car park with barriers overnight to deter boy racers. It doesn't reopen until after 8am. ALL of the parent and child spaces are in the closed off side.

DS is still small enough to be in his car seat. In the past if I've arrived before 8am I've parked in a normal space but every time I've ended up with someone next to me, making it hard to get DS back in.

There is a row of 10 disabled spaces, all empty. WIBU to park in the furthest one from the shop?

Wish they'd get rid of those P&C spaces. They're a fucking nuisance and so many lazy arses equate having a baby with a disability.

Common sense should be never park in a disabled space.

When we start making exceptions that’s when the piss faking will become even worse because people will use shit excuses to justify it

Does anyone here not recall there never being any P&C spaces?

God, I wish there had been that luxury when mine were small.

My DCs are now in their 30s. In the old days you managed the best you could. I had a 2-door car to start with and used to struggle strapping them in by leaning in the best way I could.

One thing that would help is if people didn't buy Chelsea tractors just to do the school run in and pootle to the supermarket, then there'd be plenty of space.

Park at the end of a row with the baby's car seat on the side where there's no adjoining car space. If you are there before 8am as you say there must be some available. Or just manage.

If you had dealt with the issue of parking with a disability then you'd understand why people get aerated about even what you consider to be a rant about using BB spaces because the main spaces are inconvenient to you. You think your situation is inconvenient but it's not at the foothills of living with a disability so people find it hard to be patient with your "rant".

I'm kind of in awe of anyone with a tiny child who, without the necessity of work and nursery/childminding drop offs, still manages to get up, ready, out of the house and into a supermarket carpark before 8am.

I can't imagine it's a very common problem. The shop probably thought they were quite safe to have the P and C parking roped off at that time.

That sounds a weird set up. I lived in a town without a 24 hour supermarket and they just used to lock a barrier across the entrance to the car park after the last staff/customers had left so no one could access it. That would be cheaper and easier surely? OP what do you mean when you said you asked but the council won’t allow them to open the barriers till after 8? Is it the councils car park or the shops? If the latter, they can do what the hell they like at whatever time they like. But yes, YWBU to use a disabled space.

I don’t think it’s quite as black and white as some are saying. Firstly, blue badges are only legal in public bays, not in private car parks. However, it’s up to the owner of that land and they could still issue a fine if they wanted to.

However, the supermarket appear to have recognised there is an issue and have given you a temporary solution whilst they feed this back so in theory you are now entitled to use one of those spaces.

Generally, I’d be pretty vocal about not using a disabled space but I can see that there are occasionally circumstances when it’s tricky.

When I was heavily pregnant, my bump was so massive that I couldn’t use normal parking spaces as I simply couldn’t squeeze out of the gap!

What really is irritating me here, is that so many people are saying they managed without P&C spaces years ago - then follow up by complaining how hard it was to strap the children in because there was not enough space! Why don't people ever read what they write before pressing the post button ...

The supermarket (or whoever runs the carpark) needs to rename temporarily a few blue badge spaces.

Park in an end space or one at the back of the car park.
The chance of 10 people with bb arriving is small but the chance of 10 people without badges thinking it is ok ( like you) is much higher and so blocking them from those that need them.

**All they'd need to do is swap a couple of disabled with a couple of P&C - that way there's the same number of disabled spaces but there's a couple of P&C outside the barrier.

Are you joking?? There isn’t an equality of need between the disabled and people with children. There’s no “striking a balance” between the two. The disabled are prioritised, end of. Don’t park there and don’t make excuses. Go shopping when your husband is home or get it delivered if you find it that difficult

I cannot describe how much I hate people who park in disabled spaces when they’re not entitled to. They make me so angry.

I’ve struggled twice to get spaces at Tesco with my mum and when I went into the shop to tell them people were parked there without blue badges they didn’t do anything about it. Because basically they care more about profits than looking after their customers. So ignore the staff member who told you to park there. She clearly isn’t familiar with the law.

You may think you’re only one person taking up one space, but what if everyone had your selfish attitude?

I saw a sign in France which said something along the lines of - you take my space, would you take my disability too? Well would you OP? Or you do really seriously honestly think that having a small child is any way equivalent? Park by a curb FGS.

Speaking as a parent of a disabled child who benefits hugely from a blue badge permit you'd be amazed how often there are no disabled spaces available.

I can appreciate how it can look like there's a sea of blue badge spaces not being used but there is a huge demand for them and I don't get the impression there's more than needed.

The supermarket (or whoever runs the carpark) needs to rename temporarily a few blue badge spaces.

Yeah I mean those pesky people with disabilities needing spaces hey.

I remember once being at the receiving end of a right angry rant for parking in a disabled bay. I'm not disabled but was taking my very disabled mum to the train station after she'd stayed with me. I parked in a disabled bay close to the station and helped my mum into the platform. My mum has a BB but doesn't drive, obviously she was taking her B&B with her so it wasn't in the car. There were lots of other BB spaces free, in fact only my car and the rant car were there. Was the angry rant justified?

Unfortunately you do need to display your badge. If you had been caught you would have got a ticket at our train station.

Yes M00rfarm, those disabled spaces should be reallocated from people with life long disabilities to parents so to avoid having them suffer the inconvenience of struggling to strap their child in the car. Honestly, some people should read what they write before posting it.

There is a distinct lack of P&C spaces everywhere though - either have a decent amount for the number of people that come through or don't have any at all and make spaces decent sized throughout.

I often park at the back so I can get DD out in the car seat (3 months) but that doesn't guarantee someone being there when you get back. A few weeks ago I had to park her up to the side and behind my car and reverse out so I could then get her in. Not safe at all.

Since when does having a child put you on a par with having a blue badge? Babies are not disabling any anyone that thinks having a baby puts you on a par with a person with disabilities needs to give their head a wobble.

I am lucky (!) enough to have both a blue badge and kids. I've also got a fair few phrases as well for WHEN I get challenged. And just because someone appears to park their car, get out no problems and walk into the supermarket no problems doesn't mean they are disabled.

If I'm having a bad day your suggestion of swapping 2 blue badge bays for 2 parent and child will mean it's too far for me to walk into the shop.

Genuinely can’t believe anyone has to ask this question.

I went to Aldi to do a big shop yesterday. It has a tiny car park, which is always busy as it’s in the middle of town and is basically free parking as long as you buy something from the shop.
Every BB space was free, every P&C space and normal spaces were taken. I’m heavily pregnant and have a DC in a car seat. People were queuing all around the car park and some giving up and leaving. I managed to squeeze into a tiny space next to a wall so small I had to let DH out first so I had space to get my bump and ds out on my side.
It was a PITA but doable and it never even crossed my mind to use a BB space. Nor anyone else who was leaving the car park, presumably to go shopping elsewhere.

P&C spaces are handy, but not a necessity.

If the whole car park spacing is being reduced, then clearly the number of blue badge spaces should be reduced by the same proportion. Presumably there was a decision when the car park was built as to the proportion o f blue badge spaces required? Or not? 100 spaces - 10 for blue badge and 5 for P&C. Now only 50 spaces - so 5 for blue badge and 2 for P&C.

This is the reason P&C spaces should be the furthest from the shop. Makes no sense to have them as close as the disabled spots.

I had twins and a big car, I’d park in the furthest spaces and get them out through the boot if I needed to.

If you are not disabled, you will always be unreasonable parking in a disabled space. You have other options. A person with disabilities may not. I'm glad to see people on here telling you so.

Yabu. I have 2 dc in wheelchairs who aren't entitled to blue badges. We manage, with difficulty, to not park in spaces we are not entitled to use, mostly by not getting out very much. Either park in a normal space or get your shopping delivered.

I think some of the nasty responses you are getting are unjustified. You did say you weren't going to park there any way.

Yes you shouldn't park in a bb space but you've agree with that. Contrary to mumsnet, or aibu, opinion going shopping with a baby or small child is hard . That's why p and c spaces exist - supermarkets acknowldge that it is but strangely a site for parents doesn't.

Maybe parking over two ordinary spaces is a better answer although I guess you are more likely to get aggro for this. Your idea of swapping sounds fine if at night there are lots of empty bb spaces and all the p and c ones are cut off.

Also OP, the trouble with what the shop assistant said to you will then open the floodgates for everyone else to do likewise; “But Fairfax has been told she can park there...” etc. Where do they draw the line?