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.

That isn’t ableism.

It is perfectly possible to put wide spaces at the back of the carpark, with a covered trolley park and covered walkways, with ramps, all the way to the doors with clearly marked pedestrian crossings where appropriate. This is the norm in many hot countries where shade is essential. The trouble with the UK is poor design and thoughtlessness. In USA, diagonal parking is the norm and is much easier for everyone.

I would have loved online shopping and home delivery when my DC were little. It would have transformed my life (late 80s - early 90s). I didn't have a car or a freezer and the constant shopping with a baby and toddler was exhausting.

Oh my goodness.

OP didn’t say they were the same. Or equal either in law or in essence.

You don’t understand the word ‘berate’ so I’m sorry I used it.

OP was, I suppose ‘berating’ the people (in general, not on this thread) who park in p&c spaces without kids. That’s it.

Then there was a pile on. People love a pile on! Even better if you can justify it by saying OP is ableist!

I pointed this out. You didn’t like that. And here we are.

To be clear, I’m fine with people having different opinions (even if they’re questionable ones like ‘it’s fine for non-parents to take all the p&c spaces). I just don’t like a pile on.

The one that annoys me more (and I have two under two!) Is when people use them with kids old enough to get out the car using their mobile phone..

I use the parent and child spaces when I have my younger 3 with me. 13 nurse old has asd and adhd, 10 year old has GDD, 9 year old has asd. They are not babies or toddlers. They don't qualify for blue badges and tbh as individuals they don't need one. But when I am with 3 of them I need the extra space and safe walk way to the shop. If I only have 1 or 2 of them with me then we park in a normal space.

My child can get out of the car with a mobile phone in hand.

he is also disabled and much harder to get around now than when he was under 2! He does have a blue badge but even before he did his needs were the same. Even with the blue badge I will use P and C spaces if they are better for his needs.

people are very quick to judge but you have no idea what someone’s actual story is.

Or equal either in law or in essence

She said they should be. That is what people were objecting to.

I think family spots should have the same rules as disabled spots. From the thread opening post.

If you’re going to have a go at people at least read the post they’re objecting to.

No to be fair I hadn't thought about that- and I'm wrong to assume so I hold my hands up!

It's one of those things that's a hassle when you need the spot if there isn't one, but also I will just park elsewhere and be done with it

All the signs I’ve seen re p/c spaces say for adults with at least one child 12 and under, so you are well within the rules.

Our local tesco has a man who stops you going up the ramp to the disabled and parent/child spots over the festive period unless he can see the children or your blue badge! I wish he was always there really

I’m with you Op. I have one toddler .
it’s not about walking, it’s about the extra space.
I had a pop with a colleague when she told me her mum used to get annoyed when the spaces were taken ‘when me and my sister were teenagers’
again, missing the point of who they are for!

Yanbu to be pissed at people who park in parent and child spaces when they clearly have no child. Its pure laziness for the sake of having to walk an extra 30 seconds across a car park and its ignorant. Sometimes people may genuinley need those spaces for differing reasons but I would think most really dont. I wouldnt be comparing it to disabled spaces though. I have a friend who is a wheelchair using 24/7 and has a terrible time finding a space for their medical appointments (of which there are many) because so many ignorant people use the spaces out of convenience/laziness. Difference is my friend then has to cancel appointments out of lateness and miss out and has to give up completely on finding anywhere else because theres absolutlely no way they can use a normal space. Iv had to navigate many difficult parking spaces with a pushchair and getting baby out of the car but iv never had to drive home and miss out because of it.

@GreenAppleCrumble the op said

I think family spots should have the same rules as disabled spots.

The rules that are in place for disabled parking spaces are hard won and enshrined in law, they exist so that the disabled population has a chance at living life doing normal things in the same way as able bodied people do. They create a (slightly more) even playing field.

p/c spaces are there to make life for parents that bit easier- the vast majority of parents are not disabled, and neither are their children- so they already have an advantage over disabled people and disabled parents, and are being given an additional helping hand.

Now, I have no problem with that- screaming kids a a pain, Asda is a pain, I’m all for things being more pleasant for everyone BUT

To say that p/c spaces should have the same protections as disabled spaces is to draw parity between the two states- that of ‘disabled’ and ‘has a child with them’.

That is the only reasonable interpretation of two things being equally protected under the law.

And they are not even approaching comparable.

Look, I’m not going to keep going back and forth with you, but I do like clarity so I’ll say this.

You keep mentioning what OP said in her first post. Yes, she said ‘family spots should have the same rules as disabled spots’ as you’ve quoted.

What do you take that to mean? You’re so caught up in outrage that you’re not using reason. She clearly doesn’t mean ‘p&c spaces should only be for people with blue badges’ does she? But that’s the literal interpretation of her words; that would be having ‘the same rules’, wouldn’t it?

I used my critical thinking to assume that she meant something more along the lines of ‘they should be strictly controlled’.

Genuinely interested to learn what you took those words you keep quoting to actually mean.

Doubt we’ll get anywhere though so I’ll probably just leave it.

What really really really pisses me of is when one parent and the kid(s) stay in the car in a P&C space while the other parent goes into the shop. Parents should know how valuable the extra space is to other parents. I feel this is extremely selfish.

It's because they've got their and one of their kids have had an absolute meltdown so it's safer to stay in the car

I agree that they are handy and it is frustrating when childless people use them. I would be happy for them to be at the other end of the car park. I have a 9 month old and a 5 year old. Several times ive had to leave the baby in the pushchair behind the next car, pull slightly out, then im able to open my door to put baby back in as i have a small car, but theres too many big cars out there now that park so close you cant get the car seats back in.
If i just have the 5 year old, i tend to park in a normal space as she doesnt need help to get in/out now. It frustrates me when spaces are taken with older children say 8 plus that really should be starting to be taught road sense ect.
But its always going to be an issue as theres too many entitled people now adays.
Might be best to scrap them and just widen slightly all the other spaces to adapt for the larger cars

Often they become overflow for disabled people which is perfectly acceptable

I am from Indonesia actually, so yes I am well aware that some places have women-only spaces, thank you 😂 they are nice to have but I am perfectly fine to use the regular spaces if they are full. However, I wouldn’t just keep driving around (especially with screaming children in the back) if one wasn’t available.

Fwiw, car seats are not commonly used in Indonesia, and there aren’t parent and child parking spaces either - we manage fine. If I’m not driving, our driver drops us off at the store entrance. They are not really comparable situations, so not sure what your point is.

I park at the furthest away part of the car park at my supermarket, whichever I use. There are usually NO cars around, people do not generally like to walk.

If you're saying that the spaces can be at the furthest end then you should be able to park there just fine. I don't understand why you're having an issue really?

I take issue with you even trying to equate disabled spaces with parent and child spots, they are not even in the same league. P&C is a sop to parents, to encourage them to shop there, that's all. Not special.

Disabled spaces are a need and are legally protected.

I am finding many park further away comments.
You do realise some car parks are rammed don't you? You are lucky to find a space never mind a nice far away one in a quiet corner so no-one will park next to you.
What if there are no quiet corners?

Why do we have to keep suggesting that parents think they are "special". No parent I know thinks that. They just struggle to get in out of their car with kids in tow and so would like to be able to use the space that is provided for that purpose. No where have I seen anyone suggesting they are "special"
This is a made up argument to increase indignation from other people.
See also the "little Jonny" argument that often gets trotted out 🙄 (although to be fair I haven't seen that phrase in this particular thread)

And the only way to calm them down is to park in a parent and child space?

Some people are lazy inconsiderate gits sadly.

Well if the car parks are 'rammed' then the P&C spots won't be available either, will they?