Waitrose Mum & Baby carpark - parking without child!

[NZMummy15]

So today I parked at Waitrose (in a normal car park as didn't have the kids) and noticed a middle aged woman had parked in the mum and baby carpark (with no kids).

I went up to her in Waitrose and said you've just parked in a m&b carpark but you don't have any children with you. To which she replied I have a baby it's just not with me and I'm in a hurry, anyway who are you the police? Long story short I said she shouldn't be there and also mentioned this to the customer service desk who didn't care.

When I was putting my groceries in to the car she came over to me and said I shouldn't judge without knowing the full story and she actually has medical problems. I said she should be parking in the disabled car park then if that's the case, but of course did feel a little bit bad about whether I handled it right and if she was telling the truth as she didn't mention any of that earlier?

What would you have done it that situation? It's making me feel really awful now, but on the flip side I know how awful it is when you can't get a car park and you have a small baby/child so it always gets my back up!

What a nasty bullying woman you seem OP.
Following a middle aged woman around a store to give her some abuse is really classless. Next time just mind your own business or if you really must get involved speak to a store manager.

I can’t believe people police this. Mind your own business!

Not this crap again.

I wouldn’t have done anything. Who’s got the mental energy to get riled up about this stuff? It’s not like she took a space you needed. I have a baby and most of the time forget about using them anyway.

Seriously get a life! Shes right you have no idea at all what's going on for people. Educate yourself on hidden disabilities and stop being a judgemental arse.

^This. Just play the ‘I have a hidden illness’ card and you can park anywhere you want

So how do you suggest hidden illnesses are policed then? A sign around the neck perhaps? A sticker on the back of the car?

Jesus, some people don't have a shred of compassion.

Oh here we go it must be what about 36 hours since we had a P&C v Disabled thread

I wouldn't have done anything personally. Don't you have anything better to do?

I wish there were blue badge ones and then 'accessible' ones for anyone with a small child, pregnant, older, sick, temporary incapacitation.

The majority of people parking in parent and child who don't fit the terms and conditions are just lazy-arsed people in their 50s and 60s with no kids and no mobility issues. From white van men to that sort of mean, entitled Tory, leave-voting older couple. Considerably moar entitled than yow.

No-one would begrudge someone with mobility issues using such a space but you can bet that most people using them incorrectly are just being lazy, or they really shouldn't be driving as they are incapable of parking in smaller spaces.

*I've learned that according to MN, parent and child spaces are for anyone who fancies using them.

They’re not - it is annoying when people park in them without children, but is it so horrific that you need to go and confront the person and write an angry post online about it? Definitely not. If I see it, I get mildly irritated but then after about 15 seconds I’ve forgotten about it and carry on with my day like a normal person. Get a life OP.

I probably wouldn't have bothered saying anything. But it really annoys me when people without small children park in those spaces. They are to help people get their children in and out easier in the wider spaces and so they don't have to bring small children far. I agree people without children shouldn't park there. Inconveniencing parents and children isn't the way to go. She sounds really entitled.

Did you log it with 101?

I think it's time P&C spaces are placed at the back of car parks. That way us disabled people won't be tempted by them. It's the space to open car doors wide that's needed, not closeness to the shop.

Why are people with kids/ babies so entitled about such things. People have been having them since the dawn of time. Such a big fuss is made over everything. Huge pushchairs and car seats that need the doors completely removed virtually to allow access

Inconveniencing parents and children isn't the way to go. She sounds really entitled.

FFS so having medical issues/hidden disability is entitled now?

I really think you should have got a grip rather than chasing her round Waitrose to confront her and going to tell customer services about it. AND THEN post about it online.

Like really. Get a bit of a life.

She shouldn't have had to justify herself to you, you are not the car park police, and while I am sure it gets your back up, she did not steal the space from you and you should have minded your own business.

One question...

Are you the P&C parking police? If so, crack on.

If not, you were being a busybody

She was U if it was the last free space and there was a parent struggling with a buggy and / or toddlers

You were U to grass on her.

This. Just play the ‘I have a hidden illness’ card and you can park anywhere you want

Cool. You have my cancer and I will very happily chuck in my parking privileges. Speak to me really nicely and you can have my free prescriptions too.

Given that this happened earlier today, I’m going to hazard a guess that the car park wasn’t even 25% occupied. So even if this woman was taking the last p&c space, which I very much doubt, anyone needing a bit of extra room would probably have been spoilt for choices.

Next time, either mind your own business, or do what you did today but don’t try getting validation of your choice on MN afterwards.

It's the space to open car doors wide that's needed, not closeness to the shop

Agreed that they don't need to be near the shop. In well-designed car parks they aren't. Easy access to the shop is required though so they need to be near a designated walkway. Ideally all the spaces should be really, mind.

Honestly if it was up to me I'd get rid of Mum and Baby spaces (keeping disabled parking obviously) and just make standard spaces bigger. It's always such a source of contention.