To think elderly couple should not have parked in parent and child space?

[Pelly8]

Local supermarket has loads of disabled bays (which are 90% empty whenever i’ve been) but only 5 parent and child bays. Elderly couple (probs in 70s) parked their car in a parent and child bay just as I was packing away my shopping.

I almost pointed out that there was plenty of other places for them to park (including plenty of other non disabled bays close to the entrance) but bit my tongue.

AIBU to think they should have parked elsewhere?

My local Waitrose has also gotten rid of P&C after a trial that moved P&C spaces to the back of the carpark resulting in most of the lazy sods who used to need the extra space for their ‘octopus kids’ suddenly finding they could manage with smaller spaces if it resulted in a shorter walk

Why does that not surprise me.

‘FFS. The angst that some people have over P&C spaces is mind boggling.’

It’s not angst, just irritation that some people abuse them and people like myself who have to safely get a newborn and a toddler in and out of a car can’t do that. I’d happily walk further if they put them at the back of the car park. For me it’s a child safety issue rather than an entitlement one.

Yabu

I used to use parent and child spaces once every couple of weeks or so to take my neighbour shopping. She used to go herself but after strokes and surgery she couldn't go out on her own.

The times I took her were the only times she got to go out outside of hospital appointments.

She couldn't walk too far and I needed the door wide open to be able to help her ul and back into the car.

But dont worry op shes dead now . You can have the space back

Parents wedge themselves into the most ridiculous spots in order to not have to walk more than 4 feet to the school gates but suddenly lose the ability to park in a supermarket.

Dont buy it sorry.

It’s not angst, just irritation that some people abuse them and people like myself who have to safely get a newborn and a toddler in and out of a car can’t do that

Surely you managed in car parks that don’t have P&C spaces though...?

Parking in M/Child spaces isnt illegal or parking in disabled spaces in shopping car parks. Yellow lines are different though. Im also glad you bit your tongue.

It’s not angst, just irritation that some people abuse them and people like myself who have to safely get a newborn and a toddler in and out of a car can’t do that
Why are they any less safe getting in and out of a car in a normal parking space? The only thing the p&c has is extra room either side of the car so you can open car doors wider. They also are usually right near the shops entrance which is the busiest place in the car park so it would probably be safer anyway using spaces further away which are less busy .
I think you are bu chances are they didn't even realise thet were parking in a p&c space and if they did their needs are probably just as valid as yours so they're welcome to it. Some supermarkets have elderly spaces now which is good. I think supermarkets should put the p&c spaces near the back of a carpark and the elderly spaces near the door.

‘Surely you managed in car parks that don’t have P&C spaces though...?’

If I have to yes but it isn’t that safe or easy. I need space either side to safely place a pram/trolley so that I can leave one child in it whilst I get the other out of the car. If you don’t have the space at the side of the car you have to do it at the rear by the boot which is in the path of traffic.

It might not seem like a lot but P&C spaces are a simple thing that make my life much easier.

‘Why are they any less safe getting in and out of a car in a normal parking space?’

As explained above.

If you don’t have the space at the side of the car you have to do it at the rear by the boot which is in the path of traffic

Every single bloody day I see parents driving on the pavement to pull up to park. I see them.park over drives I see them park in ways which push anyone with pushchairs or scooters or wheelchairs onto the bloody road. I see them.drive cars that anyone smaller than sasquatch would be hidden by their blind spots and every single day they pull.put in front of me on fact it happened just now.

Are we really really supposed to believe they all these parents who drop off on the zig zags, double park on roads and who would park on the pavement rather than wall a few feet, suddenly care about safety and the convenience of others?

Nah ...

I thought we were meant to look out for our elderly? If this post was about your parents, how would you feel?

I also wonder how parents coped before parent and child parking?

Depends really whether they were physically less able or not.I know people struggling physically at 65, and I know people in their 80s perfectly capable of longish walks and going up and down stairs etc
This couple ( unless OP has told us if she saw they were struggling?) could have needed the space or they could have been taking advantage as people doing that at 40 will prob still be doing it at 70!
It wouldn't bother me though,I'd give them the benefit of the doubt.

C&P bays are a bonus, not a right.

it’s quite tricky having to wrestle a little octopus in and out of the car in the normal bays! have you ever needed to help a frail disabled person out of a car, op? Between the two, I'd say the child was ALWAYS the easiest.

My FIL needed wider spaces as he had to get out of the car, straight to his walker and we needed the passenger door to be fully wide. Often times, it would take two of us to do it. You can't do that in normal spaces, and there are never enough disabled spaces. So I fully support older people using the bays as needed.

Before P&C spaces were invented standard spaces were the same size but cars were much narrower because less safety stuff etc. Our 09 Mondeo Estate is really tight in a lot of supermarket car parks - like under 6 inches each side if parked perfectly in the middle. The older Subaru is a foot narrower... same "large family estate" class of car and not an SUV/MPV.

At the other end of the scale small modern 3 door cars actually aren't much narrower and you need the door quite wide to access the back seats... these are often cheap to lease so are probably more common as "family" cars than they were pre P&C spaces where on a limited budget you'd get something old and maintain it yourself as was possible then!

Not everyone with health issues can get a bb. When I’m really bad and go out, if p&c is the only space free closest we park there.
Supermarket is the only place I can walk around extremely slowly without getting jostled. And when it gets too much I can sit in the cafe and wait.
Yea I know about home deliveries. Most of the time I use this. But sometimes I want to do regular things.
We’ve had a few complaints. Friend others to help them. One ass though blocked us in and went to cs. Someone came out and suggested they parked elsewhere and staff would assist.

When my dc’s were younger, the spaces didn’t exist. To get three under 5’s in and out I parked at the end of row or at the back.

@05JenniR29 Do you only ever park at supermarkets then, since other car parks don't have P&C spaces and it's so unsafe to do without them?

DM wasn't considered disabled enough for a BB until just before she died but she needed to be close to a store far more than someone who has children.

@JenniR29 Ah come on, I also had to get a baby and toddler out of my car safely. You're no different to the rest of us. You say you can't do that, but why not? It might be a pain in the arse but it's hardly impossible.

People seem to actively look for reasons to be fuming or raging about something.

Do some people just not go out anywhere with their children if they can't be guaranteed a P & C space? 😁

Do you only ever park at supermarkets then, since other car parks don't have P&C spaces and it's so unsafe to do without them?

Sigh. No, please refer to my earlier post. Of course I use other parking spaces, I do live in the real world. It’s just not as safe or easy. P&C spaces give me piece of mind and make a trip to a shop much less stressful. Do I have a god given right to use them? No. Do I believe I should have priority over someone who just can’t be bothered to walk or doesn’t want to damage their car? Yes.

I don’t think I’m being unreasonable by saying that if you don’t have children or mobility problems then you should be considerate and not use them.

@WilburIsSomePig I never said I was special. All I said was people shouldn’t use them if they don’t have children and are capable of walking. This was specifically a post about P&C spaces so I explained why I use them and how it makes my life easier and my children safer.

OP one day you’ll be elderly, a little bit less steady on your feet, and easily tired. So have some compassion.

We have to hope that we all get old. The alternative is worse.

They may not be disabled. My grandmother was still driving until she was 87 she wasn't disabled but found walking difficult so wanted to park as close to the doctors or shops as she could. I think there should be an elderly parking section. That would have helped her in the end she avoided going to the local shopping centre because of the lack of close parking.

@cushioncovers That would be a great idea, my Nan would also benefit from something like that.

I'd say only if plenty of p&c spaces, otherwise doesn't everything said about it being a luxury and 'how do you manage elsewhere?' also apply to these people?

Children are a choice, getting old is not. They should ALWAYS have priority.