What is with childless people parking in family spots!!!

[Asher09]

I have a toddler and a baby - so thats 2 car seats and a double pram. I genuinly need a fair bit of space when parking and recently I've seen so many people without children parking in the family spots - its so frustrating!

Surely family spots are there for a reason - they're closer to entrances and allow more space to get in and out. Its so helpful to a parent!
When inconsiderate people park there without thinking it leaves me driving around with a screaming toddler and a crying baby trying to find a decent spot where I have some room - some car parks have such narrow spots its impossible to get my kids in and out without hitting a car.

I've caught some people in the act, and have confonted them 'Hey I think you've left your kids in the car' but no one thinks they sre doing anything wrong or should move.

I think family spots should have the same rules as disabled spots. Just don't know how that would be implimented.

They aren’t the same as disabled spots though.
Are you sure the people are always child free? I used to sometimes park in a shop car park, drop dc to nursery & get some shopping or do it in reverse.

It’s inconsiderate, but I don’t think it’s illegal, and people managed before without these parking places.

🍿

You lost any sympathy from me when you tried to compare them to disabled parking spaces.

P and C are handy. Disabled spaces are necessary.

These parking spaces would be better served at the far end of the car park because then they are less likely to be used by people wanting to park at the front of the shop. It’s bizarre to me, I’ve got children but I’m still capable of walking.

YABU though, I have three young children, these things are a luxury not a necessity and LOl driving round with screaming kids in the car, it literally takes 1-2 minutes in a supermarket car park to identify a space.

Family spots are just a courtesy, they don't actually mean anything.

Personally I think they should be renamed 'extra space' spots so they could be used by people whose mobility is temporarily impaired, e.g. after an accident or while awaiting surgery. My MIL when awaiting hip surgery had to cling to the side of the car and shuffle her way round to the back as there was no room to get her walker between cars in a normal space and the car park was too busy to stop in the road part.

I suppose it's like anything else; systems are in place to help people and others abuse them - like parking in disabled spaces, not stopping at zebra crossings, taking priority seats on public transport. Selfish behaviour which I can't imagine anyone defending.

family spots are different to disabled spots. Disabled people may need more space to get wheelchairs and adaptions out of their vehicle. Having a family is a choice. Being disabled is not.

Shops paint family spaces to tempt you to spend money with them. Not because there’s any legal requirement.

Oh I like parking in a Princess & Toddler spot. Especially if it's raining and I've forgotten my brolly.

I have young kids but don’t use family parking spaces (they are usually full anyway!). It’s not the end of the world tbh, have to be more careful, but nothing major.

I simply cannot fathom going on driving around with two screaming children in the back because there are no family spaces available!

how do you think people managed before these spaces existed?

I also have a toddler and a baby and have a double pram, so I do understand that the mother and baby spaces are helpful. That said, I've never actually had an issue using normal spaces. Plenty of car parks don't even have mother and baby spaces.

If someone has a disability or mobility issue that makes getting out the car difficult and perhaps all the disabled spaces are full OR perhaps they don't qualify for a blue badge but still have mobility issues, I'd certainly not begrudge them a mother and baby space. When I see someone using the space without child, I just assume it's a scenario like that.

Of course it's probably more likely they just prefer a big space. But I think it's good practice to assume the best of people in situations like this where you can't actually do anything about it anyway. If

I often wonder how many parents would use these spots if they were the furthest ones away from the store's entrance.

I wish there were child spots and baby spots personally. The needs of a child under 12 and a baby are so different. With a child you obviously want a walkway and a short distance but with a baby you carry or push them anyway. It’s more about space between cars. Used to really annoy me when I’d miss out on a bigger space to a parent with a child who could easily hop out the car by themselves even though they had as much right to park there as I did.
The problem is cars have got so much bigger and spaces haven’t matched up. It annoys me when people say ‘people coped before’. Car seats are large and heavy and trying to wrestle them out of a small space is difficult.

Its inconsiderate, lazy and cunty behaviour.

Right, so let me clarify a few things -

Disabled spots are not less important than family spots at all. Thats not what I'm saying

I'm not even saying family spots need to be right by the entrance... they can be at the furthest end, I don't care - its about the space.

Its not entitlement, surely if I'm parked in a narrow space, I could end up damaging another car getting kids in an out.

The simple solution would be to relocate the p&c spaces to the furthest part of the car park, ensuring that there is a wide, smooth walkway, with ramps, all the way from the spaces to the entrance. Site a large, covered trolley park right next to the parking. The p&c spaces are a courtesy.
The blue badge spaces should be nearest to the entrance. Everyone else should be in between.

I assume loads, like me - I just need the space so I don't hit someones car getting a car seat out. Its nice to have but Its not about the distance.

You’re suggesting that family spots should have equal legal standing to disabled spots.

Thats downright offensive.

Having a family is a choice (I have 6 kids including twins). Being disabled is not.

Eh? They’re a courtesy for people with small kids, that’s their ‘meaning’. I don’t even have kids and I couldn’t be arsed to be as mean and anti social as some of the twats on this thread

I'm not even saying family spots need to be right by the entrance... they can be at the furthest end, I don't care - its about the space.

And yet in your first post being closer to the entrance was mentioned as a reason to use them before the additional space, so it's obviously important to you. I suspect if they were further away you; or someone else, would complain about how unsafe it was to cross the carpark with small children. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Surely family spots are there for a reason - they're closer to entrances and allow more space to get in and out. Its so helpful to a parent!

One of the shops where I live did exactly that and
had a raft of parents complaining. The P&c spaces were constantly empty and people whinged so much they ended up moving them back.

they get less complaints about them being full all the time than they did about them being further away

Yes 100% - I've seen elderly people use the spot and think that great but when 2 teens are sitting in their range rover, evidently childless - thats going to piss me off a bit !

They’re not even a courtesy. They’re a marketing ploy. Make it seem easier to shop there than elsewhere and people will spend money.