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Original poster

Waitrose Mum & Baby carpark - parking without child!

306 replies

NZMummy15 · 12/09/2019 15:07

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!

OP posts:
Venger · 12/09/2019 17:13

If she really did have some medical condition, she would have used that excuse when you first questioned her about parking in the wrong place and not not having her child with her and being in a hurry. She knows she was in the wrong and just wanted to lie her way out of it.

Or she didn't say anything initially because it her medical history is none of the OP's business.

WineAndChocolateAgainForDinner · 12/09/2019 17:14

It's my pet hate OP! I used to really struggle with my 2 when they were little and got REALLY annoyed when people parked in mum and baby spaces with no child. Yes, I did tell them so. No I didn't feel bad - they did though.

The supermarkets near us always have disabled spaces available, but mum and baby spaces are few and far between.

Just because someone is disabled doesn't mean they are automatically considerate, lovely people. I would be annoyed with a disabled person taking a mum and baby spot if disabled bays were free. Why shouldn't I be. I suspect in this case though, she just felt bad and made up a story...

MyNameIsIrrelevant · 12/09/2019 17:16

Yanbu.

MOTHER AND BABY SPACES SHOULD BE FAR AWAY FROM THE STORE - THAT WAY LAZY ARSES WONT BE TEMPTED.

Venger · 12/09/2019 17:16

How dare people consider child safety!

Do you not still have to hold onto your child if you've parked in a P&C space?

  1. Get out of car.
  2. Get child out of car and either strap into pushchair, put on reins, or hold hand.
  3. Walk to shop pushing pushchair or holding reins/hand while exercising commonsense levels of road safety.

You don't need a special space for any of that.

PurpleDaisies · 12/09/2019 17:17

I would be annoyed with a disabled person taking a mum and baby spot if disabled bays were free. Why shouldn't I be?

Because not all disabled people have blue badges? Which is stated in every single bloody thread about this topic?

hiphopchick · 12/09/2019 17:17

@Birdsfoottrefoil

See OP?? How DARE YOU suggest people with children should park in a parent and child space!!!! How dare people consider child safety!

Wind yer neck in. What a daft overreaction. 🙄

The needs of the disabled and people with mobility problems, trump the wants and desires of the precious entitled mummy-brigade ANY day.

Birdsfoottrefoil · 12/09/2019 17:17

Alsohuman how many deaths and injuries do you think it would take to justify these spaces? Yes there have been deaths and injuries of small children in car parks.

Jayaywhynot · 12/09/2019 17:17

Cant believe these threads about P&C spaces. Its not the law, people can park where they like. You were out of order approaching her, if something so petty fires you up enough that you need to berate strangers for something that has nothing to do with you then there's something wrong with you. Count yourself lucky you didnt approach me, I'd have chewed you a new aresehole

Engier · 12/09/2019 17:18

Yes, I did tell them so. No I didn't feel bad - they did though.

Or they thought you were a massive twat (more likely)

scarbados · 12/09/2019 17:19

@Mrsmiddle - They obviously weren't that bad or they wouldn't be walking round a frickin supermarket in the first place. You people just look for an argument. If she really had a bad disability, she would have a blue badge

I can walk round any supermarket. I can wak round town. I can walk for miles, although it takes me hours and I'll be in pain but I can do it. What I can't do is get in or out of a car if there's another parked close to it. Therefore I need a wider space. The fact that I don't qualify for a blue badge doesn't change that so I need a 'mother and child' space to avoid being unable to get out of the car.

Alsohuman · 12/09/2019 17:19

Tell me how many small children have been killed or injured in a car park in the last ten years @Birdsfoottrefoil.

ShiftHappens · 12/09/2019 17:19

*I said she should be parking in the disabled car park then if that's the case"

not everyone with a medical condition which affects mobility gets or has a BB. they are awfully hard to get and many who actually need them get turned down..

Venger · 12/09/2019 17:20

I would be annoyed with a disabled person taking a mum and baby spot if disabled bays were free.

One last time for the hard of thinking amongst us.

Not.

All.

Disabled.

People.

Qualify.

For.

A.

Blue.

Badge.

No blue badge means you cannot park in a disabled bay however this does not negate the effects of the disability that may require the person to need to park in a wider bay and/or a bay closer to the store (i.e., P&C parking).

Not all disabilities are visible so instead of being a judgemental cunt busybody it is better to give the benefit of the doubt.

Ginseng1 · 12/09/2019 17:20

Cannot believe you followed a person round the supermarket for parking in a p&c space! I mean they handy enough when baby small n it's lashing rain or something but hardly essential. Disabled spaces are different but even then I'd never confront anyone & think it should be self policed by ones own conscience.

BollocksToBrexit · 12/09/2019 17:21

You told someone to take up a disabled space rather than a p&c space? You should get a lifetime ban from Waitrose for that.

Venger · 12/09/2019 17:21

Yes, I did tell them so. No I didn't feel bad - they did though.

I'd have ignored you and kept walking then had a good laugh about you once out of sight.

Sirzy · 12/09/2019 17:24

Ds does have a blue badge. There are certain places we go where the p and c spaces are closer/better positions so too right we park there!

I will pick the space which best meets his needs

Birdsfoottrefoil · 12/09/2019 17:28

Alsohuman I consider one to be enough. How many do you think are needed?

WineAndChocolateAgainForDinner · 12/09/2019 17:29

I followed a group of young lads into Tesco that parked in a p&c bay once when I was a very stressed out mum of a tot and newborn and couldn't find a space to get them out and had had enough. They did not have a disability. They were roudy and giving it large about the store. They had a fancy boy racer car I presume they didn't want scratched in a smaller space. Yes I told them off!!I don't care if they thought I was a twat!!! I felt better for my rant! Not all mum's of little ones are clear of mind! Sometimes we are stressed out crazy ladies!!!

I think it's ironic that some mumsnetters judge those of us who complain at people for parking in m&c spaces! They can judge us, but we can't judge others? ...funny place mumsnet!!

ShiftHappens · 12/09/2019 17:33

I followed a group of young lads into Tesco that parked in a p&c bay once when I was a very stressed out mum of a tot and newborn and couldn't find a space to get them out and had had enough. They did not have a disability.

how do you know they didn't have a disability? Can you tell by looking at people?

MNHQ
JoMumsnet · 12/09/2019 17:35

Thanks for the reports about this thread. We've deleted a number of posts that we felt broke our Talk Guidelines. Many of these deletions have been for disablist posts.

Please take a look at our This Is My Child Campaign especially the Myths about Special needs. We think that Myth 6 - You can always tell when someone has a disability would be a good starting point for some posters.

When posting on threads like this, we ask everyone to please consider the challenges that people with disabilities, or who have children with disabilities, face on a daily basis.

Many thanks Flowers

AloeVeraLynn · 12/09/2019 17:36

I can't believe you 1) confronted her and 2) went to customer services! Get a life!

WineAndChocolateAgainForDinner · 12/09/2019 17:39

shifthappens - Pretty sure I could! Yes! :) Haha! Maybe I'm psychic!!!

Sometimes mumsnetters - you can just presume things!

Bunch of lads, music blaring, stacking up crates of larger to load in their boy racer! Yes, there is perhaps a one in a million chance that one of the group had a hidden disability that they couldn't get a blue badge for, but they could jump around the store, carry crates, jump on each other etc... yes, maybe they did have a hidden disabiltiy. I sincerely doubt it though!! Sometimes it's ok just to be normal and presume the likelihood was pretty slim and they were just being inconsiderate!! People can be inconsiderate you know!!!

Alsohuman · 12/09/2019 17:41

If I had a go at everyone I encountered who was inconsiderate I’d live in a state of perpetual rage.

Cohle · 12/09/2019 17:41

Why on earth would you stalk someone around a supermarket to criticise where they parked? You massively overstepped.