The Robin and Kat Real Radio Breakfast Show (West of Scotland) advocating parking in parent and child spaces

[KirstyWirsty]

Oh they were having a right old laugh this morning about people who have teenaged or 30+ year old 'children' who still park in the parent and child spaces. Then they read out a text message from a Lothian Traffic Policeman who said that parent and child spaces are a 'courtesty' (which I already knew!!) and that there are no rules about their use!!! As if the situation isn't bad enough when you have to try and squeeze your child out of the back seat because the parent and child spaces are full of selfish, mindless morons who don't realise there is a reason why the parent and child spaces are a bit wider..

The really really really annoying thing about it was these people are PROUD that they are inconveniencing people who have a greater need than their own!!! Bragging about it on the radio

Time for a change of radio station methinks!!!

[Neighboursfan]

I've printed out some of these but haven't had the guts to use them yet!

posters

[HorseyWoman]

My husband parks at the arse-end of all car parks. Not because we have children or dogs or disabilities. NO! He's got a newish 4x4 (which we use to pull our horse trailer) which is rather posh, black, shiny and flash, and he wants to keep it that way. He is terrified someone in a wreck will come and park next to him and not care if they bash it!

[HorseyWoman]

Do NOT get me started on the Ruth Kelly arse. Good poster though!

[sweetkitty]

I park at the arse end of car parks as

1. I like space to get the buggy and 2 children out
   
   
2. I'm scared I'll hit someone as I'm trying to squeeze into a tiny space and I have a small hatchback.

[HorseyWoman]

Yes, and that's sensible. Rather than handbags at dawn over the last P&C space. My husband never uses disabled or P&C spaces and parks at the arse-end of the car park so he has space for his big car.

[mawbroon]

I've never liked Robin G. His wind up calls really really annoy me. I lived in the Northsound radio and Grampian tv region many moons ago and he was just as annoying back then as he is now.

Much prefer Boogie and Jill on Forth1

[melpomene]

It's all very well saying "park at the back of the car park" but it's not easy walking across a busy car park with under-5's, especially if you have more than one child with you. It only takes a second for them to escape from your grip and run ahead, and they then risk being mowed down by a reversing driver who can't see them. (I myself once nearly ran over a child who ran behind my car as I was about to reverse out of a space; I managed to glimpse the top of her head through my rear window but if she had been a couple of cms shorter I dread to think what could have happened.)

Supermarkets need to provide more safe walkways to the entrance, and should also ensure that it is easy to access trolleys from all parts of the car park. Far too often, the trolley bays are nearly empty and all the trolleys with toddler seats are right next to the shop entrance.

[HorseyWoman]

Well, as far as I remember from my local Tesco (actually 20 miles away), it's the disabled spaces closest to the store and even some normal spaces are closer than the P&C spaces which are across the other side of the carpark, so you'd have to walk, with a child in a trolley provided near the parking bays. Thing is, in these parts, you either park in a normal spot or park on the edge to avoid other cars. No choice in the matter. Period. I've walked across a car park with three under 5s (2 of them under 3), one on my hip, one holding one hand and the oldest holding her other hand. It's a risk, but generally drivers aren't doing 90mph in a car park and can see people walking across with children.

[HorseyWoman]

BUT, I have nearly run over children when reversing so I take that point.

The same could happen when walking from a P&C space, though.

[HorseyWoman]

And I completely, 100% agree with your last paragraph.

[skidoodle]

So something that's a "courtesy" is something we should all just ignore at will?

Unless something is legislated for we should show no consideration for other people, even if asked?

If spaces are reserved for people with particular needs then refusing to observe that courtesy means you are a bad-mannered lout.

No YANBU. I have no children (yet) and the first time I saw P&T parking spaces I thought "what a good idea, it must be nice for parents with children to be able to park nearer the shop, and also safer since they won't have to get children across a busy car park when they are small and not easily visible to other cars". I didn't even know about the wider cars/child seats thing, which makes them seem an even better idea.

What a shame that so many people see other people getting something and resent and disrespect it. No wonder we have so many petty little laws and government intrustion into our lives if we can't even be polite to each other without it being the law.

[HorseyWoman]

Of course, as per my first post on here. But they shouldn't be expected or taken for granted. I think what people are saying is that the argument that you can't get out of the car/into the car unless you have a p&c space, is flawed, in that many of us HAVE to do just this all the time. We're not saying anyone should be allowed to use them, but we shouldn't have to be given them either. ALL spaces should be made wider.

[skidoodle]

Who was expecting them? The only argument I heard was that it's rude to refuse to respect them where they exist.

As for "taking them for granted", does that include using them if you need then and expecting those who don't to leave them free?

I'm not clear how one takes a parking space for granted. Does it involve forgetting important dates and throwing dirty linen on the floor?

[lazyemma]

robin galloway is a right knobjockey - I used to work with him at Scot FM (I was a lowly administrator). His ego is the size of greater Glasgow on its own.

[KirstyWirsty]

Yes - smug B*tard - he was trying to make out that he was against his wife parking in P&C spaces while encouraging the 'proud' violators of the courtesy spaces.

Although not as annoying as Steve McKenna but that's a different matter altogether

[evenhope]

Horseywoman, if your post

"Could you be a bit clearer? In what way was parking next to you, being inconsiderate? Unless you had a neon sign in your rear window, saying 'I have children with me, please do not park next to me'.Unless they parked a bit of an angle..."

was in response to mine, what I always find is when people find it necessary to park next to mine, ignoring the 20+ other empty spaces all around, it is also the case that they park on or over the line, or at an angle, so that I can't open my door.

It seems to be part of the same mentality- ooh look, that person has parked well inside the line/ in the middle of the space, so I can park right over...

I parked in a completely empty car park recently and the old boy who followed me in parked next to me on the line... (DH wouldn't let me ask him why)