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.

Agreed.
I just remember how stressful it was putting my two little pickles in the car. The last thing you need is someone pestering you when you're going as fast as you can. When I finally was able to get in and out of a car like a normal person it was a great relief! 🤣

Then put simply your evidence doesn’t meet the threshold for a blue badge.

So you know how hard it is to get a blue badge. you know the struggles of those without yet you still judge?

I've now looked it up and t depends on the supermarket/retailer/car park who the P&C spaces are for. For example Meadowhall says the age limit is 5 (which seems much more sensible to me than 12 but apparently the 12 age limit is due to the fact that a child that age might still use a booster seat....)

But if an older child is disabled, their parents can apply for a blue badge for them.

What I do think is missing is a temporary badge eg if you have a bad accident which will take some time to recover from or while you are having treatment for cancer. You don't need a long term blue badge but you do need to be able to park easily for say six months. There's nothing in the system to allow that, as far as I can see.

I worked for over thirty years. In a wheelchair for most of it due to congenital disability. Can you explain to me how you think the ability to work relates to the need for a blue badge? They have absolutely nothing in common.

I would challenge the legality of what Meadowhall are doing. If the accepted rule for P&C spaces is 12, why are they limiting it to age 5 ?

So it warrants the comment God help the teachers? That's excessive.

I absolutely would not challenge anyone with a blue badge or ask to see it or ask questions. But that's not the same as everyone just passively accepting clearly anti social behaviour such as the headphones example. It's not a zero sum game.

as P and C spaces aren’t legally enforceable then them having an age applied would have no legal ramifications.

Them saying those with blue badges can’t park there would most likely though. I would love someone to challenge a fine when displaying a blue badge as using P and C when no disabled parking is available is very much a reasonable adjustment.

Why ? It’s not about the children. At the end of the day they are the ones who are going to have to deal with the parents, not the kids.

FWIW there just are not enough accessible parking spaces and if there were perhaps there'd be less conflict.

Most sensible post here.

Excessive eh? Oh come on! 😂

So is the OP's consistent comments, slating those parents / carers with older children who also choose to use these spaces. 🤷

Stupidity the rule is under 12 but how will is that !!!!!

Exactly, you can use it for kids up to the age of 12, in some supermarkets. Doesn't mean you should though, if you don't really need to. I've seen many people use them, then getting the car with clearly no kids, when my 8 year old was a baby. I had to grit my teeth to avoid saying something to them.

I was actually that person last night and emailed them. More on the grounds of children above age 5 with disabilities who are equally likely to need that extra space for their equipment.

I imagine I'll get a BS response like "well provide substantial disabled parking spaces" but we've literally never been able to get a disabled parking space.

We don't go that often and the parking rules seem to have changed since we've last been but now if we can't find a disabled bay nor are we allowed in a P&C bay because DS is 6 now we are at a substantial disadvantage compared to able bodied shoppers by way of them making their facilities inaccessible.

It's a way for them to make a quick buck and it feels like there could be an element of indirect discrimination or discrimination by association in instances where it's the only acceptable and available parking bay.

They are private car parks though so they can pretty much set their own rules, so I imagine I won't get very far at all with it, but I would like to understand their logic for cutting off the need at age 5 when it isn't true that need stops at that age.

I can't really talk, see my earlier comment! 😂😂😂🫣🫣🫣
So, I think I'll be team OP.

The child might have been neurodivergent some autistic children can be really difficult and those parents prefer to park close. Not saying this is the situation but it is a reason why you might see parents use this space for older children. This is because some neurodivergent children bolt or require extra care. Still horribly that they forced you to move when you where in the middle of something just not nice people in general

They can be yes… but it’s still lazy and unnecessary to use them if you have a child who can safely get in and out of a car themselves, and wait for you by the car (ie not a 6yr old who might be able to get in and out but might also leg it across the car park), and quite frankly at that age is old enough to walk to the shops themselves. So yes people are going to judge!

Depends on the shop you’re at…. However the general rule of thumb is the child needs to be 12 or under.

She has absolutely no right to speak to you like that, but had every right to use a parent and child space.

Selfish of her

The signs often state for children up to 12 years old. That’s the rule set by the land owner.

You having a different opinion as to what you think the rules should be is neither here nor there.

But OP was already midway through her maneuver, up to the car that had just arrived to wait. Very odd reading of the situation.

So let them do it in a normal parking space?

I've never understood why these carparking spaces aren't 'badged' like disabled spaces. Ie when your child is born you get a card valid for 5/8/12 years etc. The ones in supermarkets near us are never used by 'parents and children' - always just people with a fancy car they don't want getting scratched, or people too lazy to walk across the car park!
Also, I've never understood why the p&c spaces are near to the shop - if they were at the far end of the car park less people would use them who didn't 'need' to imho.
Anyway, I hardly drive and park anywhere with my children anymore for this very reason