I left an note…

[Whiskytangofoxtrot12345]

Basically, I feel like a petty “Karen”.

Our local supermarket has a limited amount of toddler parking. They are always full, normally parked in with people that don’t have kids, have teenagers with them, etc.

I have 2 children under 2. I really struggle if I can’t get parked in those spaces (have to leave trolley behind car with child in while I get the other one out and it’s a busy car park, i leave and go back later).

Went today and there was one space left. Saw numerous people coming and going, childless. So I left a note on one of the cars explaining why these spaces are important to me and if they could please respect that.

You’re supposed to be fined for parking in them unwarranted but it’s not policed.

AIBU…I feel awful now and regret doing it.

I just don’t see why I should struggle because people are lazy and want to park as closely as possible to the entrance.

@Whiskytangofoxtrot12345

Wouldn’t they have a blue badge though?

It's very hard to qualify for higher-rate DLA. Of course, plenty of people are totally ignorant of the process for getting a blue badge but all about the ridiculous parent spaces. Whatever did we all do before the stupid things existed?

@DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult

People who confront others over the use of P&C parking are ridiculous.

Do you really want to put someone in the potential position of having to explain their disability to you because you've had to park further away?

Those are the people who will be bothered about being confronted, people who use them out of laziness won't care anyway.

Put it this way, if there are plenty of disabled parking bays free and no blue badge on display and someone with out a kiddo parks in a p&c bay, you can bet your bottom dollar they're most likely CF who can't be bothered to drag their arses an extra few yards to the store. Sure makes me feel better when I spell out their behaviour to them.

I never bothered with those spaces when mine were little, because the convenience they provide didn't outweigh the foul mood I'd be put in if I saw someone misusing them.

I used to park in the furthest, least used corner as close to a trolley park as I could get (which always seemed more useful than being close to the entrance).

Argh drives me mad as well. I have a 2 year old and a very large 8 month bump.

I watched someone with no kids swing into the last P&C spot ahead of me the other day. I thought ok, calm down, let it go, just park elsewhere, so I did. When I came back, someone had parked so badly next to me, I couldn’t open the driver’s door more than a few inches so had to get in through the boot

@EssentialHummus

Karen is a fucking awful term, please don’t use it.

I have said on numerous occasions to people in a very worried tone….’excuse me..you seem to have left your child in the supermarket’.

I do this too. On one occasion when I wasn’t in a hurry ans it was the second time I’d seen the same (distinctive) childless car park in one, with every indication that they were an asshole rather than disabled/pregnant/confused/whatever other possibility might exist to excuse it, I parked across the back of their car and went into the shop cafe for a coffee and a good view out the window.

I can't help asking what happened next?

I agree all spaces should be a bit wider for modern cars but that would take a long time for every car park in UK!

Wtf is wendying

I really really really don't get why people would park there when they don't have kids in pushchairs.

Because it is a much bigger space so easier to park in and you don't have to be careful when opening your car doors.

A Tesco I occasionally use has put these spaces a long way from the front entrance. Think that was a smart move.

@DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult

People who confront others over the use of P&C parking are ridiculous.

Do you really want to put someone in the potential position of having to explain their disability to you because you've had to park further away?

Those are the people who will be bothered about being confronted, people who use them out of laziness won't care anyway.

Even when they don’t have a child with them at all? Or they have two teenagers?

I'd never park in a P&C space unless I had a small child or elderly or infirm relative in the car.

I wouldn't say anything but have had words with someone who parked by the cashpoint, left her Range Rover's engine running, and there was a child in the car.

Why do they put the P&C spaces close to the entrance anyway? I think most parents would prefer to walk the length of the carpark to get a wider space than piss around waiting and getting wound up by lazy buggers.

Put it this way, if there are plenty of disabled parking bays free and no blue badge on display and someone with out a kiddo parks in a p&c bay, you can bet your bottom dollar they're most likely CF who can't be bothered to drag their arses an extra few yards to the store. Sure makes me feel better when I spell out their behaviour to them.

Lots of people with disabilities can't get a blue badge. They cannot park in the disabled bays without one.

Even if they are a CF does it really matter? Park further away and walk an extra minute, like you would have to if they were full of parents with kids.

Good for you op. Unfortunately on here you’ll no doubt get slated for needing to use a P&C space, because you know, nobody needs them and you’re a failure if you can’t deal with carrying a car seat, multiple children, opening doors, stretching to do seatbelts, kids running off, kids opening doors too wide, wrangling a trolley and balancing your shopping on top of your head all at once in a narrow space 😉

[quote Whiskytangofoxtrot12345]@Jakadaal
Love it 😂 I know a lot of mums in the area have mentioned it to the supermarket but it’s not their car park. It’s meant to be managed by a firm but no one polices it. It’s a £100 fine.

@1starwars2
It’s more that I’d have to leave the trolley at the back of the car with cars going past while I squeeze the other one out to get in the trolley. It’s a tight and windy car park that it supposed to be one way but people ignore it. It’s that bit that I worry about.

@CuriousOrangee
I do have a look on my way past and they rarely have blue badges (and disabled spaces are often empty). I’d have no problem with someone with a disability using them as “overflow”.[/quote]
The last part is where I feel a lot of people need to engage their brains.

There is nothing wrong in wanting to use a space for parent and toddler and getting annoyed when no toddler/child appears etc but not all spaces are created equally.

Sometimes the parent and child spaces are actually closer or more conveniently placed nearer the door than the blue badge space and this is why people with blue badges may use them over the BB space even when they are free.

In our local Morrisons that is the case and the manager has said I can use a parent space when DD with me. Maybe similar in this supermarket?

@LubaLuca

Why do they put the P&C spaces close to the entrance anyway? I think most parents would prefer to walk the length of the carpark to get a wider space than piss around waiting and getting wound up by lazy buggers.

No, their kids all run away, they can't manage getting them and all their other kids across a car park safely, and a ton of other flimsy reasons but of course everyone else is 'lazy'.

I have to say nowdays i would park in between two normal spaces instead.

And I would report people who have no reason to use those spaces, aka they don’t have any child with them.

I really hate it when people park in the p&c spaces with no kids. I have been known to say something to people who do it.

I think the only times it's ok are;

1. a blue badge holder when all disabled spaces are full
2. a heavily pregnant woman - you need the extra space to get out for sure
3. it's before 7am or after 7pm when tbh not many parents with toddlers are shopping

@MistyFrequencies hahahahah brilliant

@DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult

Put it this way, if there are plenty of disabled parking bays free and no blue badge on display and someone with out a kiddo parks in a p&c bay, you can bet your bottom dollar they're most likely CF who can't be bothered to drag their arses an extra few yards to the store. Sure makes me feel better when I spell out their behaviour to them.

Lots of people with disabilities can't get a blue badge. They cannot park in the disabled bays without one.

Even if they are a CF does it really matter? Park further away and walk an extra minute, like you would have to if they were full of parents with kids.

Why should I have to park further away when I've got a wild toddler to get out the car and almost man handle into the shop just because some lazy twat has decided they can't be bothered to walk the extra minute with no parental/caring responsibilities? Come on, dear. Be sensible.

Why don’t you just shop online in future? Can’t think of anything worse than dragging a toddler and a baby round the supermarket!

I appreciate if it’s an emergency and you need something urgent, but not for the weekly shop.

There are hardly any at our Tesco but there are many people who, either park with the children in the car to wait for someone else to go in to the supermarket or don’t have kids at all as spaces are very close to the doors. I don’t use them now but did for my 2 youngest who are a year apart in age so I needed a wide space for me to get both in and out of car seats it’s not easy trying to squeeze in in a normal space or if you’re pregnant you also need both sides. I also put the mobile child in first then the baby and parked them at the side not back of my car whilst I put sibling in. I did tend to do shopping if it was quiet though.

Basically you lost me when you outed yourself as a misogynist

A little over the top.

@DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult

Put it this way, if there are plenty of disabled parking bays free and no blue badge on display and someone with out a kiddo parks in a p&c bay, you can bet your bottom dollar they're most likely CF who can't be bothered to drag their arses an extra few yards to the store. Sure makes me feel better when I spell out their behaviour to them.

Lots of people with disabilities can't get a blue badge. They cannot park in the disabled bays without one.

Even if they are a CF does it really matter? Park further away and walk an extra minute, like you would have to if they were full of parents with kids.

Except the issue is NOT about being parked close to the entrance is it?

It’s about being able to open the doors of the car to take the children in and out of the car wo a major struggle, damaging other people’s car etc…

Of course, you can also take the stance that people don’t mind if you touch their car with your door, just because there isn’t enough space and go for it. Would it work for you @DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult?

I can't help asking what happened next?

I gave it 20 minutes after they came out, said “Oh dear, you seem to have left your child in the shop, how silly” as I got into my car and drove off to a torrent of abuse.

When I was inside looking at them there was quite a lot of head-scratching, walking around my car, looking on their phone etc.

Don't feel bad for leaving a note. Selfish, inconsiderate f**s who do this. They lack the ability to park in a standard space. They expect parents to have enough room in these standard spaces to safely remove young children/pushchairs, while avoiding smacking the cars beside them. Prcks.