Snapped in the parent and child parking

[seize]

Juggling my 3 month old from their baby carrier trying to get them into the car seat, a car pulls in and asks me to close my door, while I’m halfway into getting my baby in their seat.

Out hops a child in school uniform about 10 years old, not help needing any help to get out, my face must have had an expression of surprise. Someone in need of this space being asked to stop what they’re doing to allow someone not in need of the space to use it. The adult said “ignorant” loudly at me. So I snapped back, “these spaces are for people with babies and children that need help getting in and out, they aren’t for older children” she snaps something back at me about not knowing how old their child is (the one that is in school uniform, fairly tall, that needed no help getting out and is now safely stood in a car park without the adult needing to have them in their line of sight) and the bratty child screams “yeah!”.

I’ve had it with these spaces, they aren’t a convenience for people that happen to have a person under the age of 16 with them. They’re for people who genuinely need the help getting them in and out and need the extra space.

I dont think mother & baby/child spaces are an absolute necessity therefore I don’t think a whole civil service process (which is time & money) needs to be put in place for them.

It’s also annoying that my mother might not be disabled enough for a space, and if she doesn’t get a permit she has to park further away from the shop then someone else simply because they have a child. Her needs are greater, and Id say she is far from unusual. Many older people who can’t get a disabled badge struggle to walk etc. The young mothers are well able to manage in comparison.

Because I am disabled, have all my evidence and yet I can not get a blue badge!!!!

I think your mother's issue at the moment is completely different to what I am asking for - and I do genuinely care that your Mum is going through this at the moment. Same as my wheelchair bound grandmother has issues when there are no disabled bays left because able-bodied people grab them.
It would just be a nice thing to have that's all.

Well check you judging me 😳 i am autistic, adhd, urinary incontinent and disabled 🤷🏻‍♀️ think you need to stop and think too 🙄🙄

Mother and baby.... Mother and child....same thing 🙄🙄 ye shes 3 and still in a car seat so what's your point... bore off 🙄🙄

I agree with you. Of course parent and child spaces aren’t a necessity. I remember how difficult it was to get a blue badge for my mum when her health declined and she wasn’t given one until she could barely walk from the disabled spaces in the car park into the supermarket. I’m afraid I would support any disabled / elderly person who isn’t quite eligible for a blue badge (but who probably should be) if they park in a parent and child space if it’s nearer to the entrance to the shop.

One of the supermarkets I use regularly has a large number of parent and child spaces but these are all at the side of the car park, with a trolley bay close by. I accept that many people with babies and small children think they need wider spaces, but there is no need for parent and child spaces to occupy the prime position outside the entrance to a supermarket.

I know you do, but as someone who has lots of disabilities including mobility and neurodiversity, that can't work or get a disabled badge.

I am no one to judge, but I can't understand how these people that can work and get around get the blue badges... that was my meaning I wasn't meaning to offend.

Whether a child has extra needs or not, if they are likely to damage other people's cars in this way use your child lock and let them out yourself. It would just be bloody -minded not to do this.

Well then you of ALL PEOPLE should understand that not all disabilities are flipping visible!

OP, if you acknowledged the woman was waiting with eye contact and a smile then you're golden and she was a dick, but if you totally ignored her existence then you were being rude first.

It's harder for people to behave badly when someone has been proactively pleasant. Try it for a while - it might pay dividends.

The point is it’s a little ironic to challenge a disabled person for parking in a “mother and baby” space when you yourself don’t have a baby. Children are in car seats until 12.

Such a non story, just get on with what you are doing and jet them wait.

OP, is feeling so uptight a new thing or just since having a little one? Either way, it might be a good idea to have a wee chat with your GP about support for how you're feeling with things? Your cup seems pretty overflowing

OP, is feeling so uptight a new thing or just since having a little one? Either way, it might be a good idea to have a wee chat with your GP about support for how you're feeling with things? Your cup seems pretty overflowing

Go away and educate yourself 🙄🙄

How condescending and off the mark! OP needs to stop and manage the emotions of a rude stranger so she can attend to her child in peace and safety??? C'mon...🙄

What a shitty comment.

You have a 3 year old. A 3 year old is well able to walk or failing that be carried. And yet you felt entitled not only to ask people why they were parked there but once they explained they were disabled you continued to watch them and judge their level of disabled even though they have a blue badge.

It's possible to be pleasant with people as a matter of course without stopping or feeling like you're "managing" anything. If I'm feeling less than content for any reason (unwell or stressed) I might not be so, but then people are less nice to me and I accept that.

Simply engaging with good will with the world around us is not the strenuous hardship you seem to think it is.

It would have been clear what the OP was i the middle of doing! What moron butts in? Just because they can't wait 3 seconds.

And you feel ENTITLED to judge me 🙄

My 3 year old is autistic, adhd and absconds. I am registered disabled and use mobility aid. Who's judging now!!!!

The PP didn't know that about you though?

Why ? I agree the other parent was rude but OP has expressed some pretty shitty opinions herself. P&C spaces are for kids up to the age of 12 and OP has been horribly judgemental about hidden disability.

For the record, I'd have waited patiently for her to finish personally and even smiled at her afterwards, assuming she looked up and smiled at me in acknowledgement of me having done so. I wouldn't have said anything if she hadn't, but as we're seeing here, there are some right arseholes about.

Btw. I wasn't questioning whether the other woman was wondering what OP was doing.