Parent and parking bay - outrage

[SpideyWoman1]

Just to stir up a hot topic.

My local gym has a few parent and child bays. I rarely get to use one and the regular bays are pretty small so they’re handy, although I obviously manage. It’s an expensive gym so you expect the perks that go with it.

I followed someone out of the gym this morning whilst leaving with my two year old and there was a lady parked in a P&C bay - given she had just played tennis I think it’s fair to say she wasn’t disabled (or atleast physically impaired to the extent she needed a smaller bay) like so many people said on another thread. Not only that she was driving a bloody Fiat 500 - ie one of the smallest possible cars.

I was just a bit outraged at the bare faced cheek!

What a passive aggressive way to call me a liar.

Absolutely!!!

No, they can't. Depending on signage etc.

I once witnessed a young couple drive their nifty little sports car with the soft top down, into a P&C space. They then proceeded to hop out of the car - literally hop out over the little dinky doors, as opposed to opening them. No children/babies/toddlers in tow.
A woman walking by very helpfully pointed out to them that the P&C stood for Parent & Child and not Prick and Cunt. And kept walking while they stood open mouthed, faces going a shade of red and what looked like trickles of steam coming out of their ears.😂

As a reasonable adjustment for their disability, regardless of signage, they absolutely can.

a parking provider saying on a P&C space 'these spaces are not to be used by disabled people' Is leaving themselves open to being sued. If you are happy to share what car park it is that says that, I'd be delighted to take them to court.

Also - in a 2 door car like a small Fiat 500 - the two doors are bigger than the doors in a 4 door car. So to say she didn't need the space because she was in a small car is wrong. I needed more room in my old 2 door car to get the door wide open than I do now in my 4 door car.

excellent!!

Selfish twats who think the rules don't apply to them will always exist. Try to not let them ruin your day.

You sound like a wonderful person 🙄

The "reasonable adjustment"would be the number of blue badge spaces they offer.

"Who can use parent and child parking bays?
Parent and child bays are reserved for parents or guardians with one or more children under 12 years old.
It’s unclear whether pregnant women can use the spaces and probably best to ask an individual store manager what their rules are.
While it isn’t illegal to park in a parent and child bay if you don’t have a child under 12 with you, you could be hit with a Parking Charge Notice (PCN).
Disabled drivers should use the dedicated bays for blue badge holders."

From the RAC website, here

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/know-how/parent-and-child-parking-bays-the-law-and-who-can-use-them/#:~:text=While%20it%20isn't%20illegal,bays%20for%20blue%20badge%20holders.

Not all disabled people have a BB

I would be delighted to take a company to court who objected to me using a parent and child space as a reasonable adjustment.

I would ask the store to move you and if they didn't I would phone the police.

I am disabled. I walk with crutches. And you would block me in, regardless of whether or not I have a bb? Aren't you just lovely.

i have a legal right to an adjustment. The P&C spaces are not yours by legal right, they are a courtesy of the owner of the car park. My legal right by virtue of my disability entitles me to use the space.

You'll look daft but do try it.

Disabled people can play tennis by the way.

PCNs are almost impossible to enforce as they rely on the recipient being "scared" enough to pay the fine/invoice issued.

Pp is correct in interpreting the actual law. P&C spaces are a courtesy offered by the organisation providing them and have no legal standing beyond the landowner slapping your wrist and threatening you with a PCN if you use them incorrectly.

Disabled parking spaces are upheld by law, and any badge holder who cannot find a space is legally entitled to use a P&C one. By law.

My sons just got the enhanced rate of PIP so I've been looking at applying for a blue badge for him. He might not be very good at it (or he might be amazing) but he can give playing tennis a go. He's only 16 and walks around with his hood up so I can imagine him being judged if he gets a blue badge. You really can never tell OP. Parent and child spaces are just a courtesy aren't they.

You would be breaking the law, not only with your parking, but by your harassment of a person legally protected.

Surely using a P and C space is a reasonable adjustment only if the BB space was not available or suitable though? Not just because you're feeling belligerent and don't think parents should also get allocated spaces? I can't imagine anyone in their right mind injecting to a BB holder using the space if they needed to. Obviously I would never intentionally block someone in.
And having a BB doesn't entitle you to park wherever you like on private land AFAIK. For example if I had a massive driveway you couldn't just decide to park in it and be allowed BC you had a BB?

You'll sometimes see me walking back to my car without children to a P&C space at the gym. It's because I had them when I got there and my sister has taken them home. I don't park there if I get there without the children but I don't go and move the car when I've handed them over to my sister either.

Since having a (less than wholly successful) knee replacement a couple of years ago, I need to open my car door really wide to get out. My knee doesn't bend far enough for me to get out otherwise. I'm not entitled to a BB because I don't have difficulty walking, just getting in and out of the car.

I've used P&C spaces a lot, and I've been challenged on it a couple of times. When I explain, most people have been fine with that.

What would your reaction to the police be?

This was a middle aged woman, driving, ALONE, leaving the gym with a good stride and climbing into her car.

Please don’t insult my intelligence by suggesting I would confuse a child, with LD or mobility issues for a lady who presented with nothing of the sort.

'Inclusivity is very important to me' 😂