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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To park in one of hundred of disabled spaces where there isn’t a single P&C space?

388 replies

MickeyMouseShithouse · 26/01/2023 21:21

I have two children in car seats and I struggling getting them out in one particular multi storey car park local to me. The thing is, this multi story has hundreds.. hundreds(!) of disabled spaces that the majority of are always empty, but not a single parent and child space for a shopping centre?!

Its started to effect my anxiety and puts me off going there but it’s really the only half-decent place I can get anything locally.

WIBU to park in a disabled spot? Not even one close to the entrance, just any of them!

or who do I contact to question why there aren’t any p&c spaces?

it’s so frustrating, I can’t imagine there are a couple hundred disabled people going shopping to the same shopping centre in the same day.. but I can imagine there are are least 1 family with a car seat/pushchair!

OP posts:
EilonwyWithRedGoldHair · 30/01/2023 16:03

DonnatellaLyman · 26/01/2023 21:29

Sounds like you need a smaller car? You only have 2 kids why can’t you get them out of a normal space?

While OP shouldn't park in the disabled space, cars have overall got bigger and parking spaces usually haven't. It's often a squeeze to get out of the car for me and 9 yr old DS without hitting the neighbouring car with our doors, how you're expected to get a baby in a car seat out, or wrangle an uncooperative toddler, I don't know.

Scalottia · 30/01/2023 16:06

ShakespearesBlister · 27/01/2023 16:20

How did parents ever cope without parent and child parking spaces? Nobody expects parent and child spaces outside their houses but still mysteriously manage to get in and out of their cars at home. Some people carry on like having a child is a disability and should be afforded special treatment.

Agree with this 100%.

Scalottia · 30/01/2023 16:10

Pensatucky · 28/01/2023 11:53

YANBU

our local Asda used to have one long row of disabled spaces and a half row of P+C spaces. You could never get a p+c space.

Then they decided to make all the half row of p+c spaces disabled spaces and moved the p+c spaces to the side of the store (halving the already tiny amount). Now it was near on impossible to find a p+c space.

Then … they decided to change a quarter of the bloody car park into disabled spaces. They were always half empty. It’s ridiculous (and the P+C spaces have totally gone)

Oh no, no P &C spaces, whatever will you do? Posts like this are ridiculous.

PumpkinPastiez · 30/01/2023 18:05

IncompleteSenten · 30/01/2023 15:57

I am such a sad bastard that I actually emailed the Trafford centre and asked them the total number across all their car parks of disabled and p&c spaces.

Then I forgot I'd done it 🤣
Until I got this reply.

I googled and there are 11,500 spaces in total in the Trafford centre and 'over 900' spaces in the Palazzo.
So call it 12,400 in total.

The number of disabled spaces out of 12,400 is... 286. I really don't think that's a lot.
It's what? About 2.3%?

I love the fact you emailed the trafford centre Grin

lieselotte · 30/01/2023 18:09

Noonesperfect · 27/01/2023 11:11

I think you've been given a really hard time on here OP. You have explained you are concerned about your young children's safety and that is what tempts you to want to park in one of the many free disabled spaces. It's right that you shouldn't do so, but I don't know why some people are acting so disgusted that you feel tempted to use one to keep your kids safe. 🙄

The rest of us manage just fine to keep our kids safe without parking illegally, unlawfully or (usually) inconsiderately*.

*excluding the yummy mummies who insist on driving 5 minutes to school and parking in front of driveways

lieselotte · 30/01/2023 18:10

Scalottia · 30/01/2023 16:06

Agree with this 100%.

Show quote history

Exactly. They did exist when ds was small but there were very few of them and people used to queue up for them. Which I also thought was mad when there was a whole row of spaces somewhere else.

BonBon10 · 30/01/2023 22:48

I'll lend you my wheelchair for the day........hopefully you'll meet someone like you 😤

Mummyoflittledragon · 31/01/2023 04:25

AshTreesEverywhere · 27/01/2023 16:30

@fairysimples Someone entitled to a Blue Badge for a start.

I imagine you haven’t looked into how difficult it is to qualify for a blue badge. They aren’t given out willy nilly. A disabled person gets a blue badge if they cannot walk or are able to walk 50 metres or less. They may be entitled to one if they can walk further. But equally they may not.

An occupational therapist, after a lengthy assessment, scrutinising a disabled person’s life and their mobility, gets to decide whether or not a person is entitled to a badge. Disabled people are therefore at the mercy of occupational therapists. Some OTs apply the 50m rule to the letter and if a disabled person can walk even a few metres more, they will be deemed to not fit the criteria for needing a badge.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-badge-can-i-get-one/can-i-get-a-blue-badge

And we can’t get one just because it’s hard to get in and out of the car because we need the door fully open. It is perfectly acceptable and a reasonable adjustment for disabled people, who cannot walk far or need to open the door wide to use P&C spaces whether they qualify for a blue badge or not.

StridTheKiller · 31/01/2023 05:29

@somoslagente blue badgers :)

Wheelyfembot · 31/01/2023 06:06

This infuriates me! Would you take the space if you had to take the disability too?
I have NO CHOICE but to park in a disabled space and you feel entitled to take that away from me just because you have two kids and are seemingly inept at parking. Have a word with yourself and check your privilege.

ButterCrackers · 31/01/2023 07:57

Take a taxi to and from the shops and you won’t have to park. Check on car seats and it will be easy. The taxi firm will load your shopping into the boot as well.

lieselotte · 31/01/2023 09:35

And we can’t get one just because it’s hard to get in and out of the car because we need the door fully open. It is perfectly acceptable and a reasonable adjustment for disabled people, who cannot walk far or need to open the door wide to use P&C spaces whether they qualify for a blue badge or not

I agree. And your post is actually an argument against getting rid of P&C spaces, or charging (extra) for them. I've long thought that wider spaces should be offered but charged for so that those with kids or oversized cars or who just need a bigger space temporarily eg because they are on crutches, could use bigger spaces. But I can see that would be unfair for you.

lieselotte · 31/01/2023 09:35

ButterCrackers · 31/01/2023 07:57

Take a taxi to and from the shops and you won’t have to park. Check on car seats and it will be easy. The taxi firm will load your shopping into the boot as well.

Or shop online!

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