To think that people who use parent and child spaces without children are selfish *****

[hotcheeto]

Fill in the starred swear word as applicable.

I've only started truly noticing how many idiots do this since I had my baby 4 months ago. I can't believe how many people I've seen do it. And yes I always call them out and have had some pretty disturbing abuse thrown back.

I have also always reported to the shop staff to be told it isn't illegal and there's nothing they can do bar having a parking attendant out constantly which isn't possible (I know this isn't the shop staff's fault).

No disabled spaces? Fair enough, crack on. But this isn't the case 99% of the time. People use them because they are close to the entrance. I would rather the spaces be far away from the entrance with a small trolley park nearby with car seat/child seat trolleys.

Yesterday I purposefully parked straight down the middle of two normal spaces because I didn't want to risk having to reverse out just to get my baby's car seat back in. As I was walking in I witnessed 3 separate very able bodied people walk back to their cars without children.

Just really pees me off 😒

I hadn't before because I was worried they were germy if I'm honest. But a wipe and a blanket would suffice. He's 4 months old now so sturdy enough but as a FTM I was apprehensive.

I get this!

I felt the same - also that they were a bit hard. I used a blanket & it was perfect.

One supermarket had a toddler seat & a baby seat side by side - I shop pec there exclusively for a few years as a result. It made shopping so much easier, actually pleasant! (My (eventual ex) H was useless even then & so I was on my own with 3 small DC a lot)

I'm not risking young children running off, being hit by a car or all the other issues that mean a p&c place is there. I'm not the one to complain to about that. It's not my responsibility to entitle everyone to a parking place.

I didn’t say I used them, I said I’d been paying attention to them.

Aldi I haven’t noticed because I’m not entirely sure where they are, not at the front.

All the Lidl spaces at the closest one to me are bigger than usual, the parent and child ones are just the next nearest ones to the door after disabled ones, co-op have “normal” sized ones everywhere except for the disabled ones, the parent and child are just closer.

There aren’t any at the doctors which is about the only other place I go nowadays 🤣

The majority of people seem to completely misunderstand (or not care to understand) the difficulty in getting a blue badge.

Good luck getting high rate mobility with the majority of disabilities, I cannot believe the ignorance on this forum with people saying just get a blue badge.

🤷‍♀️ parking over 2 spaces can get you a hefty parking fine. Especially if it's managed by a separate company.

I think the answer would be to move some P&C spaces away from the shop front.
Our local Sainsbury's has it sussed, lot of P&C spaces down the site. Still safe to walk to the shop front. But guess what? They are hardly used (by parents).

I have no issue with P and C spaces. If one is free and you need one then crack on. Otherwise park elsewhere.

it’s the sense of helplessness - and judginess- it brings out in some parents that’s the issue. Yes it may be harder but the world won’t end if you have to park properly in a standard space. Having a child isn’t comparable to being disabled.

I always think they should just do away with P&C spaces. People only need them because they drive oversized cars.

What a completely uniformed comment.

I didn't drive an over-sized car, whatever that is.

Sizing of cars has nothing to do with proximity of car spaces, poor parking by others, and indeed choices of cars made by others. All outside the control of the parent parking.

Cars have got bigger; parking spaces have not. It is a dick move to park in a p&c space if you have no need for it and it's a fact that most normal spaces often do not have enough room either side to maneuver a child seat into a modern stupid size car.

The real answer here is that all parking spaces should be bigger, given how incredibly rare it is for car parks to actually be full to capacity.

I sometimes have a wee grumble at the parent and child spaces and childless parkers. I have a blue badge and need the extra space to get in and out my car, I haven't ever parked in a p&c space if there have been no disabled spaces, I wasn't 100% about the parking etiquette and can't be arsed with confrontation if anyone challenged me.
It bugs my happiness when people use disabled spaces and don't get out the car, just wait on the passenger while they shop.
I don't think you were unreasonable to park over 2 spaces to allow a safe and comfortable exit for your child. X

But surely they could bolt from a p&c space too?

Agree

This 100%. There's no reason for them to be near the door. Disable spaces yes, but parent and child, no. The only reason others use them is because they're close to the door. I bet if they weren't not even the parents would use them!

They could, but have you ever had to carry a child or teen in full meltdown mode across a busy carpark? FFS having a disability or a child/teen with a disability is far harder than having a baby in a car seat….

aNot all disabilities qualify someone for a blue badge but people still need the space and convenience of the closer spaces.

What @Sirzy says

I am disabled, have a motability car but can't get a BB to bloody park it. I don't use P&C spaces but on a bad day I can see a situation where I might consider it.

I think you should spend more time enjoying your baby Op instead of looking for things to be bothered by, it's so true when they tell you they grow up too quick. Don't waste you time with your baby in a customer service queue telling tales.

As I was walking in I witnessed 3 separate very able bodied people walk back to their cars without children.

How do you know what has happened?

We went to some friends for the weekend, last weekend. Friend asked me if I have a car seat for a 1 year old - I do for DGC. She asked me to take her adult DD and baby to the station, as she had been staying with her parents and was going back home. I parked in a parent and baby space in the car park, next to the station, so friend’s DD could get the baby out of the car seat. We saw her DD and baby onto the train, then friend and I walked back to the car!

Car seats are for cars, if the baby is young its even more important that they are taken out of the seat, rather than left in it to go to the shops. If there aren’t any parent and child spaces just take the baby out of the carseat when you have parked.

My physically disabled husband is young and wears suits, people with disabilities are allowed to be both young and employed. Unless he had his arms and legs showing he wouldn’t look disabled.

Where did I say I wanted parents of young children to suffer?

I was pointing out that the places I go to regularly have parent and child spaces that aren’t in fact bigger and give no extra room, after many many people said that’s what they needed.

if places aren’t actually providing that, then they’re pretty pointless are they not?

I'm baffled that people are able to get the car seat in with cars parked either side.
I'm wondering if my infant car seat is unusually big.
My car is a Vauxhall Mokka so bigger but not huge?
I wouldn't be able to open the door wide enough to get it back in without a space free on one side or a p&c space.

I don't think I'm special for having a child. Far from it. I also don't believe supermarkets that don't ask people who don't need p&c spaces to move would ask someone parked over the line at the back of the car park to move or would clamp me. Maybe I am a massive hypocrite, and maybe I will start carrying my child in and using the trolley seats. I certainly will when he can sit up. I don't think it's morally wrong to take up 2 spaces at the back of the car park to make sure I can get my baby back in the car though in the same way taking a p&c spot that isn't needed is wrong. Each to their own though obviously hence asking AIBU.

There's some aggressive people on this site.

The comments about back in the day, aren't meant to detract, it's fab that there is now an option, but it's pointing out that "need" is not necessarily to he same as with disabled spaces. Which incidentally were originally to allow those with wheelchairs to disembark, but now seem to cover everyone over the age of 65..... I know, I know, but all these things are subjective.

So..... Back in the day (just to annoy), I only ever had small 2+2 convertibles, or coupes, two door cars. I have never owned a child friendly car. Coped perfectly well getting car seats/kids in the back.

Same. I wouldn't call myself disabled but struggle to get in/out of the car unless I can fully open the door. I would never use an actual disabled space but do sometimes use a P&C one. This thread comes up every few months by the way.

No I haven't but I have a close friend with a severely autistic child and have had a snapshot of some of the difficulties faced when out and about and it's fucking hard work. Of course these people should be able to use whatever space is easiest. I did say earlier that I don't use p&c spaces now as my kids are older and others need them more than me. Surely if everyone adopted this attitude it would solve the problem?

Annoys the absolute hell out of me too. It's so selfish. Sometimes you can't open the door wide enough to get the baby seat back in the car (it forms part of the pram).

So what do you do? Leave the baby in the pram whilst you reverse out.

I think it should be parent and baby spaces. They're not necessary for walking children.

Hope you are also reporting knobs who Park over two spaces too, ah your not are you.

My Grandmother used to take my mum shopping just so she could use the parent and child parking. She didn't give a hoot about the fact my mum was in her 50's at the time.

When your children are older, you're realise what an absolute flower you are being. It's absolutely possible to get a baby out of a car without needing tonnes of extra space around you. Seriously, not that difficult. (unless baby carriers have tripled in size in the last 10 years of course)