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.

Yes, she should get a sparkly medal

No, P and C spots should not have the same rights as disabled spots. Your kids ain’t more important than a disabled person trying exit a vehicle.

How is using how disabled spots are governed as an example to maybe put something into effect for p/c spaces minimising the challenges that are are often faced by disabled people?????

I'll ask you the same questions I asked another poster - If we do grant parents the same parking rights as disabled people (or something to that effect) and everyone gets the impression that the two are equally as important (which of course they're not), WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN? Like whats the worst case scenario in your head as a result??

Parent and child spaces absolutelt shouldn’t have the same importance or legislation as blue badge spaces.

We have a civic, so not huge, not small, its fine getting our two in and out, when our two year old was younger it was also fine getting her out as car seats should remain in the car, not taken out as a pushchair as the position isn’t suitable for a small baby to be in for long periods. Using a sling or a proper pushchair is what people should be doing, rather than choosing to repeatedly take a huge plastic seat in and out of the car when they don’t need to.

More people will equalise them in their minds and you’ll get more entitled parents - and we all know there are plenty - using disabled spaces because “they’re just the same”.

Then people who have no choice will be penalised because of the choice to be a parent by others.

If people want to campaign to have p&c spaces moved to the back of the car park I’d get behind that (though it failed miserably at the shops here), but trying to get equal rights to disabled people simply for having a child is just disrespectful imo. The two are not remotely comparable.

What would happen is that the tiny things we have that mean we have a glancing acquaintance with parity would be eroded more.

Enough people already use Bb spaces without sending the message to all parents that their decision to have children is on the same level as a disability.

Akin to what happens when changing tables are put in accessible toilets, or bus drivers don’t ask parents to fold prams on the bus, or people think having a pram means they can use the accessible changing room.

Agree. The problem is the elaborate car seats & travel systems.

Leave car seat in car (DGD has a seat that swivels on its base to make it easy to get her out). Lift child out of car & carry to trolley. Strap in. Or if you have twins, or a toddler, use a sling or reins as well

People may equate the two and think that they're comparable.

But more importantly, I think it's a slippery slope if we start legislating for everything. Legislation is there to protect important rights and ensure social justice. Not to satisfy trivial preferences like this. Shall we also legislate to allow extra wide spaces for fat people? What about people carrying bulky items etc? Where does it end?

if we do grant parents the same parking rights as disabled people (or something to that effect) and everyone gets the impression that the two are equally as important (which of course they're not), WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN? Like whats the worst case scenario in your head as a result??

Parents will start to think they are entitled to park in disabled spaces

Legislation is there to protect important rights and ensure social justice. Not to satisfy trivial preferences like this. Shall we also legislate to allow extra wide spaces for fat people? What about people carrying bulky items etc? Where does it end?

Not really comparable though is it because the parent and child spaces are already there. You're saying it as though it's some crazy idea that parents have just made up. If there were special spaces just for fat people I wouldn't park in those either. (Although if you're big enough then you would probably qualify as disabled anyway I suppose)

I've always felt like this, as long as trolleys are near by then there is no need for them to be near the store.

I think you would get less lazy people using them then.

Our Asda store has them sort of midway down the car park and I've never seen non parents park in them. I think mainly as they aren't the closest spaces.

@Geneti @GiantHornets @YetMoreNewBeginnings @MrsBennetsPoorNerves

Interesting, ok! I don't necessarily agree with everything but definitely understand the points you've made.

Thanks for answering.

There are usually lots of free spaces further away from the entrance - you could park there - doesn’t need designating for parents.

@4leafclov3r agreed. Standard spaces should be bigger.

Oh get over yourself OP and park further away walk to the shop, or shop online or whatever!

But the spaces are there as a marketing ploy. They are neither more nor less necessary than special spaces for fat people, but I don't suppose that the latter would have the same marketing appeal.

Neither of them need to be protected by legislation!!

My old dad is disabled. He did have a blue badge, but packed in driving, moved area, rarely went out.
If I take him to a hospital appointment and we nip in to Tesco for his annual 'me' shop, you can bet your last dollar I'm going park in a p&c place.
Anyone trying to stop me can fottfsof.

Fartooold · Today 21:01

My old dad is disabled. He did have a blue badge, but packed in driving, moved area, rarely went out if I take him to a hospital appointment and we nip in to Tesco for his annual 'me' shop, you canbet your last dollar I'm going park in a p&c place.
Anyone trying to stop me can fottfsof.

Well that's fair enough. He needs it because he's disabled. Pretty different to the people who think they can just use them because they feel like it or whatever. He doesn't need to drive to get a BB though. Why don't you just get one for him for when he's in your car?

I have a swivel seat and have never taken a car seat out but as a large family we have to have a larger car so we have 7 seats in it and we absolutely can’t get the kids out in a lot of normal spaces so have to seek out end of the aisle type spots to do so.

@Fartooold your dad can still have a Bb for whenever he is driven somewhere.

This is all well and good until the superstore you go to doesn't have a twin toddler trolley and you end up like me, having to push your twins around in a pushchair whilst dragging a trolley. As I am unwilling to leave my twins in the car whilst hunting down the correct trolley. Due to knowing someone who's children died in a car whilst she just popped in the shop (different scenario same time duration). When the car exploded due to a malfunction. The spaces are near the entrance so parents are nearer the correct trolley's to be suitable for their needs in most instances.
The same as when you had to leave your child in the car to Pay for fuel before pay at pump was invented that is why the windows in petrol stations are the way they are. So you had a clear view rather than having to carry and take toddlers in to pay.

I don't always use parent as toddler but appreciate I have had to take my pushchair full trolley and myself the whole distance of a car park whilst 2 cars with zero children go back to their car with a newspaper

My nan is disabled and has a bb, if there are none available I simply drop her in the drop off located near the entrance and park in a normal space leaving the BB spots for other people who need them more as I can drive back to pick her and her shopping up when we are finished. She sits on the bench and waits at the drop off point. Courtesy costs us nothing. I am also a twin parent of 1yr olds. I am aware of the difference between the two but we can find ways of doing things to help each other. I am in no way suggesting a parent with a BB for their child do this neither am I saying everyone should but I do feel obliged to be considerate of others as best I can.

Choosing to have a child is not the same as being disabled. Of course it should not be treated the same. Out of order OP.

I never see people driving around the soft play car park and leaving because the spaces are too
small. Although judging by the hell that is soft play, they may well be better placed to avoid it! 😂 The P&C spaces are useful and I certainly wouldn’t use them if I didn’t need them. I think its
impolite to use a P&C space without a need but my god do some people act like they can’t get their kids out of a car in Tesco. Yet, they’re fine at soft play or the farm or whatever and the spaces are tiny there too. Spaces really need to be made bigger to accommodate bigger cars and I say this as someone with a city car, so it’s small.

Why are both your children crying and screaming in the car?

Why if the p&c spaces are full does that stop them crying and screaming?