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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To park in a Parent / Child spot with a child seat but no child in your car is wrong.

100 replies

sushipaws · 09/08/2007 16:10

Ok, so I was driving into Asda and as usual the car park is rammed. I'm not the best of drivers, I like a big spot so I can squeeze in the volvo and unpack the buggy.

I see a space in the parent and child area, hoorah Then this little car nips in and as I drive past a woman hops out and even though there's a child seat there is no child. "Oi" I shout out my window "thats a child place" she just locks her car and runs away.

It took me about 15 minutes to find another spot and even though I headed up each supermarket aisle ready to pounce on the selfish woman, I didn't find her.

Grrrrrrrrr

OP posts:
ledodgy · 09/08/2007 16:41

I'll tell you what grates on me more. Those annoying feckers who park diagonally across two bays in a packed car park now that is something worth getting cross about!

nomdeplume · 09/08/2007 16:44

No, blatantly diagonal is irritating but those who just cross the white line, just enough to ake the space next to it just that little bit too narrow for another car really bug me.

ledodgy · 09/08/2007 16:45

OOh yes I agree that is really annoying!

nomdeplume · 09/08/2007 16:47

Especially when it's the only space left in the car park and so you cram yourself in and when you come back the badly parked car is gone leaving yours looking all wonky. You can practically hear other drivers muttering "bloody women drivers" under their breath.

ledodgy · 09/08/2007 16:49
Grin
HappyDaddy · 09/08/2007 16:49

I'm a very considerate parker and driver, myself. But having to walk a few more yards to the door of the supermarket doesn't really bother me. Babyseat / holding child's hand / having to look for traffic included.

nomdeplume · 09/08/2007 16:49

It's like when you go to a public loo and you are the only one in there but the person before has done a really smelly poo, inevitably you pass someone on their way in on your way out and you get the urge to blurt "It wasn't me !", at them....

michie40 · 09/08/2007 16:49

This is one of those things that really annoy me - I have one dd 5 months and one very active 2yr old. It is extremely difficult and dangerous to navigate the sainsburys car park if i can't get in a p&c space. And why is always the buggers in the big 4x4 or expensive cars without kids that feel the need to park them in the big spaces so they won't get any ding in their precious doors (which are obviously more important than my kids). Boy this really annoys me.
I wouldn't scratch their cars but I would park across them so they can't get out until i've finished my shopping.

ledodgy · 09/08/2007 16:50

Oh god I hate that but you know if you did say that they'd assume you were covering up the fact that you did indeed do it. it's a lose,lose situation.

nomdeplume · 09/08/2007 16:51

exactly. Life can be so cruel sometimes, ledodgy

doggiesayswoof · 09/08/2007 16:51

NOOOOOO
not again

deja vu

Original poster
sushipaws · 09/08/2007 17:04

Ok, so it's not the end of the world and I was just having a winge but I do think the woman was being selfish.

I only passed my test last year and then with being pregnant I hardly had any time to practice my driving. I didn't choose the volvo, my husband did, before I passed my test

I think it's very admirable for those to leave the spaces for other people when they have more reason than most to use them. But C&P spots are designed to make life a little easier for parents and those that abuse this are just plain arrogant.

And yes it is very different from people parking in diabled spots, I know from experience as my FIL is severely disabled.

FioFio - I think it's amazing that your driving at 8 1/2 months pregnant. I think it's shocking that there is never enough disabled parking at hospitals. I put that on my comment card when I had my DD, it took my In-Laws nearly an hour to park.

OP posts:
nightowl · 09/08/2007 17:08

having to walk a few extra yards to the door of a supermarket is no big deal, with or without kids.

but its a big deal when you're recovering from a section, have a sleeping newborn in a carseat you shouldn't really be carrying, and its either freezing cold or pissing it down. then yes...limping across from the back of the car park because some selfish fecker parked in a mother and child space when they have no child with them is a big deal!

saw a great one the other day. why do people think disabled spaces are wider? so they can park their motorcycle in the yellow box of course!

Original poster
sushipaws · 09/08/2007 17:10

I hadn't even thought about it from a toddler point of view as my DD only tiny.

Actually my nephew was run over in a Safeway carpark when he was nearly 3, fracured skull and twig fracture (or something like that) in his foot. Happened in a split second.

OP posts:
nomdeplume · 09/08/2007 17:12

Nightowl, in my local supermarket there are lots of trolley parks all over the car park, even in the far flung corners, so if you were struggling with a car seat/section wound you could, in theory, put the seat in a trolley and push trolley+baby to the store entrance

nomdeplume · 09/08/2007 17:13

sushipaws - greenstick fracture ?

Original poster
sushipaws · 09/08/2007 17:14

Thanks Nom

Green sticks?? Twigs?? All the same to me

OP posts:
nomdeplume · 09/08/2007 17:15

lol

LazyLineLegilimens · 09/08/2007 17:16

To all p/t car-parking space whingers:

Please just shut the fuck up.

It's a parking space. The fact that it is wider is a luxury. Just count yourself lucky that you don't actually NEED a wider space.

Do we really need another thread on this?

tortoiseSHELL · 09/08/2007 17:19

There are so many threads on this. When did mums become so helpless?

I know it's sometimes difficult with a carseat, but honestly it can be done...

tiredemma · 09/08/2007 17:20

not unless you are a contortionist apparently tortoise

nightowl · 09/08/2007 17:30

not in ours nomdeplume, you dont get that kind of luxury at asda

tortoiseSHELL · 09/08/2007 17:30

lol tiredemma

tortoiseSHELL · 09/08/2007 17:31

maybe it should be in the curriculum for antenatal classes!

doggiesayswoof · 09/08/2007 17:34

I'm sorry.

If you want a parent/child space or indeed a quiet car park - then go shopping when it is quiet - maybe first thing in the morning. Or learn to drive and park properly.

As someone said on another thread recently - it would have been better if m&t spaces had never been invented. People expect them, nay, think they are entitled

PAARP