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

[MickeyMouseShithouse]

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!

What is the assumption that everyone with kids buy huge cars? What if they own a small 2 door car that fits perfectly in a small space but due to the doors needing to be open wide to get both children out they need the room

How ever can there be an ‘obscene amount’ of spaces for disabled people?

Oh I see the supermarket doesn't understand that disabled people are losers who don't shop there so they should take their parking spaces away and give them to parents, so their loyal customers don't have to 'fight over dregs'?

This thread is making me angry now, I think I will have to leave. I will try to be charitable and assume that some posters have no idea how offensively ablist they are being.

Do you have Xray eyes that enable you to check on things like hidden heart or lung conditions? Yes, someone with a heart condition who has been sitting down may be able to walk fairly briskly till they can grab a trolley to hold on to, it doesn't stop them being disabled.

And how do you know those people aren't carers coming to meet their disabled charges/partners etc?

I think I’m an anomaly here, but if I see someone without a child parking in a P&C space I don’t find myself getting into a white hot rage like so many others do. Yea, it’s annoying. But I’m not so entitled that I feel like having children means I get my own special car parking space! OP, you’re not the only one who has children. The rest of us manage and while yes, it is nice when we get a bit of extra space to get the kids in and out of the car, if it’s not there then I’m afraid you just have to manage. YABVU to consider parking in a disabled spot. Can you imagine if everyone with children did that? You might only be one person but if every parent with a baby/ babies suddenly decided their needs were so great that they had to do this then the people who genuinely do need the extra space would be in trouble.

Some absolute cows on ere, make your point without being dramatic.🙄

My teenage DD is BLIND and qualifies for a Blue Badge, but you know, she walks well. You, meanwhile, are a tit who is hard of thinking.

It is frustrating & I remember being anxious about going out. My 2 year old was so naughty when my DS was born. Going out was hell, I could never find an end space. It was dangerous to leave the pushchair with my toddler or baby in unsupervised whilst I got the other out. I understand how hard it is. You will get a ticket if you park in one but if they didn’t patrol them & there was loads left I probably would have used one out of desperation. It’s like public toilets when you have a baby. In my area I can’t fit the pushchair in the toilets. It can be a struggle

Yabvu parents and child spaces are just a courtesy that some shops have. Of course you can't park in a disabled spot just because you have a child.

I dunno, I've got a small 2 door car, I've never had a problem getting children out in a normal parking space. If it's SO tiny that it's impossible, I just move on to a space with a bit more room and park accordingly.

I agree. I'm horrified people actually agree with the op. The amount of parent entitlement and ableism is shocking.

Who owns the car park? Local authority? Private company? I would write to them if it’s that bad.

Some spaces here are tiny. If you park in the middle of a space with cars either side, you often can’t get a baby carrier/car seat out which if you want to leave baby in, is a pain. I don’t have young kids now but I remember it being impossible and I see parents struggling now. They need parent and child spaces that are wider, I wouldn’t have cared if they were at the furthest end of the car park, I just needed to be able to open the door wide enough. You see people here getting the kids out and then parking if there’s 2 adults, one to have the kids and 1 to park.

I hope you are referring to the entitled parents and not the disabled posters.

This.

I don't have a large car - just large enough for my wheelchair, crutches and 'clean-up' kit for incontinence emergencies.

I need the extra room to allow me to get out of my car. A wheelchair is a lot harder to get out of a car than a pushchair (we've had to carry both at times).

I wasn't born disabled and never parked in a Blue Badge space before getting one. I also don't leave it in the car if it's not used as they're a target for theft. I've found a space at the back of a car park before now as I've forgotten my badge and I don't want the hassle of being approached and intimidated despite being clearly disabled. I have a friend with a hidden disability that gets a lot of hassle from well-intentioned (I hope) people because he uses a Blue Badge.

I've previously parked in a P&C space because I genuinely need the space to open my doors fully to get myself and my kit out. I don't like doing it but there's not enough room in a standard space. I've not felt so bad when I've seen parents without a pushchair use a P&C space simply because they've left their teen in the back playing with their phone.

OP I understand your frustration at not having access to P&C parking spaces- I don't agree with PPs who seem to think because we chose to be parents we should just put up with struggling to maneuver children/car seats/prams out of tight spaces. It would be lovely to live in a world where we could all be a bit considerate of one another. But unfortunately there is no legal requirement for P&C spaces and 9 times out of 10 it is possible to safely unload the children using a standard parking space. If it isn't, and you can't pop baby in a sling, or get your toddler into a buggy without leaving them in the line of traffic, then you just can't park there. Its annoying but it's not an accessibility issue on par with having a disability.

It would be beyond inconsiderate to park in a disabled bay if you are not a BB holder, even if there are plenty of disabled parking spaces available. They are legally protected and it would be wrong to park in one. No matter how tempting it is, please don't do this. You could write to the owner of the centre/car park and ask for P&C spaces to be added, but you'll likely find that there will only be a handful and you still won't be able to guarantee you'll get one.

Did I insult you or call you a name?

Your dd absolutely qualifies and I am glad she does.

A few points,

I understand your frustration as our multi-storey is the same, huge amounts of empty disabled parking spaces, even when it’s very very busy in the rest of the car park. It must be very tempting to nip into one!

When I had DDs there wasn’t such a thing as child and parent spaces so we did used to get the baby out into the pram then get the toddler out. I don’t understand why it’s dangerous to leave a baby in a pram, for less than a minute whilst you get the toddler out?

I’m really hoping that @KalvinPhillipsBoots genuinely isn’t insinuating that the disabled or parents or carers of the disabled aren’t the ‘absolute cows’ here?

Not so long ago there was no such thing as P&C spaces. I wonder how we managed.

Well when I was a kid you didn't have to go in huge car seats & cars were smaller.

OP doesn’t say she chose to have 2 kids. Could be twins for all you know

Mea culpa if I have got the whole quoting thing wrong here? So sorry if I hav.

HAVE! MN hates me tonight, I’m going to throw in the towel and go to bed.

I’m only asking out of interest, I don’t think I would actually bring myself to park in a disabled space.. even if there are an obscene amount of them..

I genuinely can't believe I just read this sentence 🤬

Also not having a blue badge doesn't mean you don't have a disability. A friends mum was dying of cancer & could barely walk, didn't get a blue badge. Another relative has vision impairment, can no longer drive (doesn't qualify) but still likes being a passenger. They aren't nimble though & need the car doors open completely.