To have a word? (Parent and child parking).

[OptimisticIntrovert]

I've just pulled into a parent and child space (with my baby who is sleeping so waiting for him to wake up before i go into the supermarket).

A woman pulled into the space next to me- no kids in the car- and went in to the shop. She's not back yet.

AIBU to accost her when she comes back and tell her that it's not fair?

Most answers wins!

we park in those spaces if car park is busy and our youngest is 14. They are a marketing tactic, not lawful. You'll look a right knob if you say something
Have you really nothing better to be thinking of.

YANBU OP.

How dare you stop in a space to let your baby finish sleeping?! Shame on you ha ha

I find it rude when the spaces are abused. I have seen people eating in their cars ... I find it disgusting and odd that people would let their children have a meal in a car park ... I find it odd when parents sit in a car while their children sleep ... seriously take your kid home and let them sleep there ... I find it lazy when parents use the spaces for children above 3, are you too lazy to walk a few meters to the entrance... I find it self-centred when people park in the spaces when one person is left in the car with the kids, pure selfish behaviour.

Overall I think mother & baby spaces are bad ideas ... just make spaces bigger altogether.

Yes, I would probably say something to the selfish driver.

Wow this really was only a tongue-in-cheek sort of post.

Of course it was. That's why you got so defensive and tried to back pedal.

~who jogged past me on her way out of the shop~.

Of course she did.

Dear Op...

1. Locate your neck
2. Wind it in.

I wouldn't challenge people. You never know the response you are going to get. Ds's wouldn't be pleasant.

Yeah it's a bit annoying but it's really not worth getting upset over. Are you a new parent OP? These threads crop up regularly and 9 times out of 10 it's the parent of a newborn that starts them. People with toddlers and older children seem to just get on with it.

If the correct signage is in place they are enforceable.

Well, it looks like a fair amount of, 'YABU' is being dished out. But as always, personal attacks, trollhunting etc. aren't allowed so please try to post within the guidelines.
(Especially as it nears Xmas - your Mumsnet mods are looking forward to Silent Nights on the boards and eggnog on their shifts).

I'll step up and say yabu for parking there if you didn't need to get the door open and she was obviously bu, so you both need to give yourselves a bit of a talking to.

Having a disabled child who when not using his chair doesn’t look disabled we are lucky we get double judgement.

If we use a p and c space we get stick for him being too old (and have done when helping him out of his chair before now )

If we use a disabled space (with blue badge) we get stick for using it when he doesn’t need it

Makes going out so much fun!

YABVVVU MichaelMumsnet What kind of twisted mod are you?

Eggnog 🤢

OptimisticIntrovert

Thought I might politely explain why the spaces exist...

The reason they exist is because some very clever PR people realised that a lot of yellow paint would ingratiate them with a key demographic. Mummies spend money. Disabled people spend less and if there were no legal duty, you can bet your arse that those spaces would go. There is absolutely no physical or moral reason why parents need to park by the entrance, it just makes them feel special and spend more.
It's absolute genius. They are laughing at you all the way to the bank.

After years on MN I've come to the conclusion that P&C parking spaces don't actually help parents. They just create a sense of learned helplessness, and parents end up feeling overly dependent on them. You just need to look at the number of people who honestly seem to believe P&C spaces are on a par with disabled spaces to see that.

they're not enforceable so I never see the point in arguing with those not using them properly.

What do people mean by "not enforceable"? Surely it's supermarket property and they can enforce whatever they like?

I'm always slightly gutted no one ever tries having a go at me when I use them with my mum (mobility probs, no blue badge, long story). I must have a certain 'look'

YABU and selfish to use the parent and child spaces when you're not shopping, therefore stopping other parents and children using the spaces whilst they need to shop!

Surely it's supermarket property and they can enforce whatever they like?

But in terms of the law they are not a legal requirement. They’re a courtesy. In actual fact (unless signposted that a fine applies) blue badge bays are also not enforceable on private land. However, most people respect them as a necessity for disabled people and don’t abuse them for that reason. As someone said above, P&C bays have their uses but I do agree they promote learned helplessness on the part of parents. As such, many people can’t be bothered to respect them as they view them as silly. I personally don’t know of any parents (except those with disabilities or children with disabilities) who would be forced to go home if they couldn’t get a P&C bay, however I know many disabled people who have to drive home if there’s not a disabled one. This is why they’re not enforceable - they’re a marketing ploy to get more parents through the door. If they were a legal requirement like disabled bays are then they would be enforceable.

But whether they're a legal requirement or not doesn't affect whether the supermarket can enforce them or not?

InvisibleAye (and others. They are enforceable after ParkingEye Limited v Beavis 2015, (Supreme Court):

www.supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2015-0116.html

They are not legally enforceable,they are provided as a courtesy by the supermarket. So not really much you can do if someone without children with them parks in one.

I think you have misunderstood me, I should probably have clarified my final point. As I said in my post, it is signage and fines which are key for all bays even disabled ones. In your average supermarket car park UNLESS there’s signage explaining rules and/or warning of a fine they are not enforecable (blue badge bays included). It is also not a requirement by law to have them hence why most car park owners would not sign for them. This is why they are unenforceable. My local county council car parks’ signage specifies blue badges can’t be used in P&C bays so I would get a fine if I did. However much the law stipulates about disabled bays being a legal requirement, if there’s no signage it’s not enforceable on private land. Same with P&C bays. Different ball game as soon as there’s signage! Apologies for confusing anyone!

Plenty of people need extra space because of disabilities, injuries or things like pregnancy.

You don’t know anything about why this woman was in the space. It’s not your place to enforce it.

alonghard

Sorry, but you think you know better than the Supreme Court?