Parking wars

[Solonelywastheballard]

Time and time again we have threads on here about blue badge Vs parent and child spaces.

Many people feel that there are people that have a greater need for parent and child spaces than parents with children.This is always explained as those with mobility issues that can't get a blue badge.

I'm of the opinion that the p&c spaces were put there for parents with children (that require help getting in and out of the car and crossing the car park, not a NT, healthy, unimpaired 13 year old) and so unless you have a blue badge you should not use them.

But that does leave the "what about xyz".

So aibu to think that supermarkets should have a third priority space for elderly, ill, pregnant and/or infirm. These would be courtesy spaces not backed by law to be used by people who may need wider spaces and/or spaces closer to the shop but don't have a blue badge.

We could then end this p&c space war and see piece on mumsnet and in the car parks.

The type of spaces up u describe already exist. They are labelled as parent child spaces but in reality they are a courtesy to make life easier for anyone who needs them. There's no need to create a separate section selfish parents need to use their common sense and realise it's not all about them.

Simply not true. The spaces are provided for parents with children and many shops have signs warning of fines if used without a child under 12.

Also p&c are like gold dust in most places so I doubt those that need them for accessibility reasons that don't have bb ever really get to use them. So it makes sense to have a space dedicated to elderly, inferm and injured.

P&C spaces are there for safety, not just convenience - hence their usual position near the doors.

And yet people tend to be able to keep small children safe in the myriad car parks with no P&C spaces, or when they park on the road. It's what pushchairs and reins are for.

Please forgive my naivety here, but I always presumed that parent and child spaces were for those who needed the extra swing to put / take children out of car seats etc. There was an article in my local paper years ago about a person receiving a parking ticket for parking in such a space as they didn't have a car seat in the car. There was a bit of a to do, but apparently in the small print it stated that blue badges must be displayed to park in certain bays and those with booster / car seats in the parent and child seats. I presumed from then on that all car parks were the same and wondered how people got away with it when the car seat comes out and attaches to the buggy! I'm easily confused!

Wilderr you can get a blue badge if you dont ow a car. My adult son has a BB and will never drive.

Spaces not seats! Oh thankfully it is Friday!

YANBU.

But my solution would be different. I think car parks need to have lines redone so that spaces are wider, and there should be a designated path. The reason for this is if you have mobility issues, it's a lot harder to get out of the car if you cannot open the door properly and not everyone with mobility issues gets issued a BB (I've heard the requirements are quite high). I also think the width of the spaces makes it hard for people with car seats. I think overall if the spaces were redone to be more like the ones at Costco, there would be far less issue.

Having an autistic child & P&C at the other end of the car park would be a nightmare !

I did try parking away but you still get drivers (and it’s mostly women) who despite there being loads of spaces free, still insist on parking close to the one car in the middle of 10s of free spaces.

I am so tempted to post a thread about making car park spaces wider, but knowing this is AIBU, I will probably get a bunch of biscuits for no reason and it's not worth the agg. I wouldn't take it personal OP, I don't understand it, lots of people seem to hate solutions but love to find anything to get upset at.

@Jaheira I’m still not sure it’s a reasonable excuse to use a space you are not entitled to.

I have seen an ASDA where the BB spaces were right at the end of the drive through the car park, but actually directly outside the front of store. It meant to abuse a BB space you would have to drive past every other available space first. I was so intrigued that I got chatting to the security guard at the entrance (who had a good overview). He said they were never all taken, and abuse appeared unknown. Which was nice to hear, (although unfortunately it meant I had even more reason to despise BB abusers than before).

However, it does got to show that sometimes imagination is needed.

yabu to start a thread using blue badge Vs parent and child spaces. could you be more goady?

There's no parent and child spaces at my local supermarket (very small carpark) but plenty of spaces across the road in the free public car park, the parents seem to manage quite fine with regular spaces rather than walk an extra 100m (there's a trolley return in the public carpark). How about people are just a bit more understanding, deciding to procreate is a choice, courtesy spaces are great but they are not a right, if a person needs one because of injury, not meeting criteria for the blue badge due to benefit mix ups etc understand that you could just park in one of the many spaces further away where's there's space either side

yabu to start a thread using blue badge Vs parent and child spaces. could you be more goady?

Starting debate/discussion isn't always "being goady".

A week doesn't go by where there isn't a thread full of arguments about parking spaces. I thought of a solution that I'm sure of enough people petitioned to supermarkets might get implemented. I want to hear if other people would get behind it or have a different solution.

Obviously not as the hatred for p&c spaces is too strong amongst many.

All parking spaces should be made wider. They are ridiculously small especially if you have a larger or 3 door car. I dont know who decided the size but it needs rethinking

It's a non issue. People using blue badge spaces, however...

Why not have one second category of spaces that includes people with young children, elderly, infirm etc - not separate categories. Like the way they group everyone when they preboard on planes. It would obviously have to be on the honour code but there would always be people taking advantage I’m sure. And I’m sure there would always be people getting into confrontations about who needs it more.

My local Sainsbury carpark is designed so that it is pretty near impossible to get out without driving in front of the entrance which is no good for anyone. The spaces and the driveways are narrow too, so it is a bit of a nightmare to get in and out. It would make sense to put P&C spaces round the side, which is at the end of the carpark, with a walkway to the front so that they do not have to cross the main traffic, but they are in the middle of the front with the blue badge spaces so everyone has to move the same zebra crossing where everyone in cars is trying to get out.

Supermarkets seem to start off with reasonable car parks, but they get bodged about every time the extend the store.

Having an autistic child & P&C at the other end of the car park would be a nightmare !

But you don't have to use the P&C spaces. Presumably you could just park somewhere closer, or your child may qualify for a BB anyway.

I started using P&C spaces when my twin-size bump got so big there was no way I could get in or out of the driver's seat unless the car door was open to maximum. No-one ever stopped me or tried to fine me for not (yet) having baby seats in the car.

As long as there is a safe level route between the P&C spaces and the shops, I absolutely agree that they would suffer less abuse if they were at the far end of the car park.

I also support the idea of calling them Accessible rather than P&C, reflecting the fact that having a bump or small children isn't the only reason that some of us need wider spaces with good provision of elbow room either side.

I agree that instead of a third type they should just all be Accessible spaces and separate BB spaces should be near the door.
My local ikea has P&C spaces in approx the middle of the car park, not massively inconvenient but also not right by the door and I have only ever seen cars that have car seats parked in them. There are also safe walkways into the shop for those with toddlers.
B&Q on the other hand has its spaces right by the door (even closer than the blue badge ones!) And they are always occupied by white vans. I don't park in them any more even when one is free after getting a torrent of abuse from a white van man because he wanted to load up his van but I was in the way getting my baby out of her car seat and into the pram to be honest I think it's this sort of thing that people are thinking about when they come on her to complain about P&C space misuse, not elderly / infirm / pregnant people using the spaces.

'Simply not true. The spaces are provided for parents with children and many shops have signs warning of fines if used without a child under 12.'
This is because the carpark will be on private land - however p&c spaces are not a legal requirement as blue badge spaces are.

@Jaheira - That was brave!

This is just like the accessible toilet debate and prams on buses debate.

People with small children only deal with these issues (usually) for a couple of (very busy) years. By the time they generate enough anger or outrage to petition for better spaces etc, their kids are old enough to not need them anymore and they have different problems to be angry about.

Disabled people have their condition for the rest of their lives. They have petitioned and fought for better access to just live their lives. As a parent you always have another option, as a disabled person, most of the time you don't.

Creating a third space will just create even more people who believe they are entitled to things they aren't. My dad is quite fat (just being honest) and could do with a wider space. He manages just fine in regular space but he loves it when he has my son out and about so he can use the P&C space so doesn't have to breathe in or squeeze. People like him (not him directly) will start using this third space for silly reasons like this, so again when someone comes along with a genuine disability yet no BB, they again can't park.

Then we'll have spaces for fat people, spaces for tall people, for short term ailments and broke legs etc.

I used to whinge about P&C spaces (on another forum) and made quite the fool of myself believing I was entitled to something I wasn't. As my child has gotten older (now 2) I have realised how precious I was being. I still use P&C spaces if they're available but I can completely make do with regular spaces or strategic parking if I need to.

@Wilderr You dont need to own a car to apply for a blue badge. You apply as a person with a disability. I recently applied for my mother in law who cannot walk very far - she has never driven in her life let alone owned a car. the badge is used by us / bil and anyone else transporting her - usually to hospital etc but also elsewhere.