Parent and child spaces should be for those with children 5 and under

[seize]

Parent-child parking spaces at supermarkets should be reserved primarily for those with children aged 5 and under, aside from older children with special needs (although a blue badge might be more appropriate where they meet the criteria, in these cases).

I was alone with my 4 month old today, the trolleys with the baby seats are kept next to these spaces. The spaces which have the easiest access to the trolleys had all been taken with the last taken by someone just before me, I reversed into a space around the corner and the driver was shaking their head at me, presumedly because their space only had extra room on one side and my space came up to them (see picture). I was surprised to then see them get out with a child of about 13. I saw multiple other people using these spaces with children looking like teenagers. I was able to get a space which still had fairly easy access to the trolleys, albeit by needing to walk on the road and inbetween the other cars, multiple people had parked in the spaces with the easiest access with much older children. I was lucky to get a space at all, had I not I would have had to walk across the busy carpark holding my baby.

YANBU- Just because someone has a child under 16 doesn’t mean they should take up these spaces, they should save them for people who need them the most.

YABU- first come first served, who cares if someone with a baby is having to traipse across a busy car park holding a baby to get to the baby trolleys.

Absolutely not, but when I was a SAHM, I would shop off-peak and have the time to park further away, so I had room to open doors. Few GPs have enough space, but some of the newer ones do have disabled/parent spaces if they have parking at all.

Gosh I’m not that old. But I don’t see what it has got to do with anything. Park in a space with no one next to it. Or at the end of a row. There are ways round the issue. The way some people are going on you’d think not getting a p&c space was the end of the world. You’re going to have to face many more serious problems as a mother I can assure you.

Just wondering how people cope when parking in a council car park without P&C spaces or on the road? Or do people with babies/young children/children with special needs only go to supermarkets?

I think they’re for anyone who has a child using a car seat and by law that’s either until they’re 12 or reach a certain height (think it’s 4 ft 12 or something). It’s harder to accommodate a child of any age jumping out of a car seat hence the need for a bigger space. Also prevents the door swinging open and the car next to yours getting hit.

I used them until I could get them in safely (two autistic kids) and get seatbelts on, and once they could get themself in I didn't need the spaces. Really would annoy me people using them without kids though. I would have happily had them at the back of the car park as I only was using them for the space to get the door open. My Tesco is the worst for it, the car park is full of people using those spaces without kids, but Sainsburys people generally co-operate, except the time I saw an employee use one to go in for a meeting

That would work if their wage could run a car plus pay the extra £20+\week it would cost to shop online vs in store

£20 + extra a week? Nonsense. I pay £4 for delivery but it would cost £5 in petrol to get to the supermarket plus an hour of my time.
I also spend less shopping online as I only put what I need in my order, there are no impulse buys as I don’t see the tempting displays at the ends of the aisles

They’re handy when you have a baby if you’re getting the car seat out (space) or if you’re getting the buggy out as there’s space out of the road.
If you’re carrying baby though then you’re more unreasonable than someone with an over 5. Just wait and see.

I need the child spaces so much more now I have 2 children and they are both walking! Add in a trolley or bags of shopping and it’s much more dangerous than when my life was easy with one baby who couldn’t move away from me.

@Wibblywobblylikejelly

why do you think you’ll need to keep using them until your kids are 12?

Because I want to. They're really convenient. And if it's within the rules I will do it.

Presumably because most kids should be in a car seat until they are 12, and it’s more difficult to get out a car when seated in a car seat (the door needs to open wider)

I think anyone with a child that still uses a car seat or booster seat should be able to park in these spaces as there's usually more room to open the car door wider allowing a parent to lean in & fasten/unfasten seat belts. Any child old enough to sit on a seat without a car seat surely is old enough to fasten their own seat belt therefore parents don't really need the extra room & can easily park in a normal space.

I pay £4 a month and I agree about no impulse buys. I also find it can be easier to compare prices and work out best value than in a busy shop.

Er, no, they didn't have car seats and let them bounce around in the back like ping pong balls, so of course it was easier to get them in and out. Hence why a baby born now is significantly more likely to live to adulthood.

Car seats have been a legal requirement for over 30 years! 😂

Are you sure that's right? I thought seatbelts became a legal requirement in the late 80s. Compulsory car seats were surely much later than that?

According to wikipedia:
Front seat belts were compulsory equipment on all new cars registered in the UK from 1968, although it did not become compulsory for them to be worn until 1983. Rear seat belts were compulsory equipment from 1986 and became compulsory for them to be worn in 1991.

Thanks @GRex , that's about what I thought for seatbelts.

Car seats for under 3s.

Sainsbury’s has the policy that BB holders can park in P&C. I imagine others do also. https://www.saga.co.uk/magazine/motoring/cars/using/can-a-blue-badge-holder-park-in-a-parent-and-child-space

Car seats became a legal requirement for children under 12 or 135cm in 2006, and the laws still aren't really enforced.

‘ Under the 2006 law, all children under the age of 12 had to use some form of car seat unless they were taller than 135cm (4ft 5in). It was also recommend that booster seats were used until a child reached 4ft 11in. So it wasn't until 2006 that car seats were compulsory for those over the age of three. ‘

Completely agree it’s not enforced, I assume it’s difficult to police.

I completely agree, but there is no way to control it. At the end it's up to each person's moral, sadly.
Even if they reduce the age there will be people using them withoutreason :(

I’m sure I remember police saying at the time that they don’t actually have the power to measure minors and request dob. I was once stopped by the police, I drive a van with tinted windows so he just called in are you all wearing seatbelts. Children called back yes very sweetly. Told me I had a brake light out and to get it fixed asap. No measuring or checking of dob.

Blue badge holders can use those spaces if the usual disabled bays are full, I have no children of any age!!

It isn't that simple to enforce because there are times when it doesn't apply, e.g. travelling a short distance with no car seat available: www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/when-a-child-can-travel-without-a-car-seat.