AIBU Parent & Child Space

[Noapologiesthisisme]

My DD (8) Is recovering from a dislocated knee. She is able to go out tomorrow and I have borrowed a wheelchair. Any twisting to her knee is very painful. Would I be unreasonable to use a parent and child space so I can help her out of the car into the wheelchair?

Of course you can. Technically the spaces are for up to 12years in many places.

Of course why wouldn't you?

Yes it's fine. I think there is a gap in provision for people with temporary disabilities like broken legs etc. But I would have no worries about using a P&C space in those circumstances, even if it was me with the twisted knee, if I couldn't find an alternative space with room next to it.

8 is still a child so even without the wheelchair you wouldn't be unreasonable to park there.

@JuergenSchwarzwald

Yes it's fine. I think there is a gap in provision for people with temporary disabilities like broken legs etc. But I would have no worries about using a P&C space in those circumstances, even if it was me with the twisted knee, if I couldn't find an alternative space with room next to it.

I think I’m the instance of temporary ‘disability’ such as a broken leg, I’d use a disabled space.

But you’re entitled to a P&C space until they’re like 11/12 anyway. So just use it.

@Ileflottante you can't without a blue badge

I think I’m the instance of temporary ‘disability’ such as a broken leg, I’d use a disabled space

You'd be unreasonable to do so unless you had a blue badge as disabled spaces are protected by law.

Yes and you'd be one of the few with a child that does so

I recently waited in the car whilst DP and dd3 went into tesco. In that time four cars parked next to me. Only one had a child

@Mrsjayy I stopped using the spaces as soon my child was old enough to get in and out of the car safely by herself. Also I know some people are very anti anyone other than parents with toddlers using them. I used one when I was 9 months pregnant, I was so big I couldn’t get out of the car without the door being fully open, and I got dirty looks from some!

@Hospedia

8 is still a child so even without the wheelchair you wouldn't be unreasonable to park there.

This. My DS is 9 and we still use the spaces sometimes.

Yeah I would say it’s absolutely fine! You at least have a child- I parked at Aldi a few days ago and arrived as other people were leaving and about 3 didn’t have children, yet were parked in the parents and child spaces.

[quote Mumofsend]@Ileflottante you can't without a blue badge[/quote]
That only applies to on-street parking. In a supermarket or other private car park, if an adult with a broken leg (or some other temporary disablement) utilised a disabled space, I really can’t see anyone objecting.

Almost all of the major supermarkets require you to display a blue badge and will take enforcement action if you don't.

@Hospedia

I think I’m the instance of temporary ‘disability’ such as a broken leg, I’d use a disabled space

You'd be unreasonable to do so unless you had a blue badge as disabled spaces are protected by law.

Only on-street, as I said above, private car parks are obliged to provide disabled provision but the extent to which they ‘police’ their use is down to the car park owner’s use of a third party enforcer. Which they very often don’t do. And I suspect, in that instance, if they did issue an unenforceable charge notice for misuse of a disabled space, the person who received the fine could probably successfully argue that their temporary impairment justified the use of the space.

Of course you wouldn’t be unreasonable.
Loads of twats use them with older kids so it certainly isn’t an issue for someone with a injured child to use one.

@Hospedia

Almost all of the major supermarkets require you to display a blue badge and will take enforcement action if you don't.

I think you’re optimistic to think that is the case.

Just use it.

I used P and C spaces with my ds until he was 15 and we got his BB!

I do think there needs to be a review of temporary blue badges being issued for injuries. If anyone injured their hip they'd have the same issues as my ds getting in and out the car. I don't see why a short term injury has nah less need than long term disability.

In my local supermarkets, anyone just uses the p and c ones. It's not a big deal.

Incidentally, before posters come for me, we’re a blue badge family (disabled family member who lives with us) and I don’t think any of us would mind someone with a broken leg making use of a convenient space to help them during their time of need.

@Ileflottante

Incidentally, before posters come for me, we’re a blue badge family (disabled family member who lives with us) and I don’t think any of us would mind someone with a broken leg making use of a convenient space to help them during their time of need.

We are too and I would object so you don't speak for everyone with disabilities.

"If an adult with a broken leg (or some other temporary disablement) utilised a disabled space, I really can’t see anyone objecting."

It reduces the number of available spaces for people who have blue badges.

@Yogurtpotofdoom can I ask why you use the spaces for a nine year old? Genuinely wondering.

Use the P and C space. You need it.

Don’t do what others have said and use the disabled parking. That is rightly for those with blue badges only and when we start trying to say otherwise they are just inviting even more abuse of them

We are too and I would object so you don't speak for everyone with disabilities.

Obviously not.

So, if there was a raft of empty disabled spaces at the supermarket, which in my supermarket there always is, and someone pulled up next to you and a passenger with a broken leg and wheelchair got out, you’d actually complain about them using the space? I’m very surprised by that. Very surprised.

If there were no spaces and a disabled person couldn’t use a space because of it that is different, but that has never ever been the case at any of my three local supermarkets . They have so many disabled spaces.