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.

Must have been two very small parent and baby spaces - or someone was parked way off centre. Literally the whole point is that you can open doors fully without bothering the people next to you. I’ve just parked in one after school and there’s miles of room.

How do you know they didn’t have somewhere to be? A medical appointment? Something urgent? Did she ask you nicely to begin with?

The space inbetween is big enough to accommodate one open car door, not two

Just came on for this comment 😜

Since there is no place to attend an appointment at this supermarket I think we can all assume why they were there

If I had two young children, I probably wouldn't be on mumsnet mid afternoon, you’re only going to get more wound up with the responses you dont agree with! Yes it's annoying, but don't sweat the small stuff!

A cuddle with my then 3 month old, always cheered me up 🙂

I've considered using a P&C space because one of my knees doesn't bend very far, so I have to open the door very wide to get out. I've never dared do it though, for fear of reading about myself on here.

I try and get a space on the end of a row, or next to another small car so that there's a bigger gap, but it's not always possible. And it's a fucking nightmare if the small car goes and is replaced by a monster 4x4.

Hoity toity

The OP was rightly pissed off with the rude impatient parent and child

Why? Kids will be in a car seat until they are 10 or so. DS is literally in the same car seat aged 9 that he was in aged 4 (and no he can’t undo the seatbelt himself, I have to climb into the back seat to do it).

Do you really only follow enforceable rules as you go about your life? So you feel absolutely no moral responsibility to others beyond follow rules that could land you in trouble otherwise?

I thought they were so the kids didn’t need to cross the carpark, and get straight onto a walkway as well as them being needed to get them in and out.

Crumbs - some of the replies on this thread are weird.

Posters tying themselves in knots to blame the OP who has a toddler and 3 month old baby 🙄🙄.

Really??

They had no need to be rude, but to be fair wither dis you. You aren't more entitled to the space just because your child is younger. They are for people who have children with them.

Snapped and farted is an old thread op. 😂

Honestly, some people are complete nitwits.

Yabu for two reasons. 1. If someone asks you to move while you're in the middle of something, simply say you will do so once you've finished. It's not hard. You're not obliged to make room when you're in the middle of something.

1. You know nothing of anyone else's situation and it's best to just mind your business. Had you just finished putting your child in their seat then moved out of the way it wouldn't have caused you any bother

Nor would it have caused other mum and gobby 10 year old any bother to wait

So they'd just smash their car door in to op then?

I totally agree with you, I hate having to try and get my baby in her car seat when I can’t open the door, or get the pram out when there’s just no room and it feels unsafe. I don’t know why people have to be so dick-ish about it either, if you don’t need the space just don’t park there. I don’t understand why people get so pressed by mums of small children in car seats wanting space. So much arseyness towards mums just wanting a little bit of allowance to make everything easier, I don’t get it! X

I think you are being unreasonable - even if she shouldn't have used the space. You are overeacting.

Not a fantastic idea if she's right there and can take a photo of their numberplate.

My only recent experience with parent and child spaces was when I took my late Mum to her local supermarket about four years ago. There were over 20 parent and child spaces and 3 spaces for disabled users. The only way my mum could get round the supermarket was by using one of their wheelchair trolleys. This particular occasion, all three of the spaces for disabled customers were full but there was one parent and child space left, which was slightly closer to the shop anyway, so I decided that I had no option but to park in the P&C space. When I came out of the shop with the wheelchair, I was subjected to a torrent of abuse from a woman with a toddler who seriously expected me to move to an empty space at the far side of the car park so that she could take the space I was in. She really couldn’t have cared less that my 90 year old mother was disabled, had advanced dementia, was almost blind, and had to be helped out of the car and into the wheelchair, and having very limited mobility myself at that time due to a back problem, I could not have pushed her right across the car park. I had also checked the signage by the spaces and it said that they were for parents with children - no mention of any age limits. I thought the woman who was shouting at me was going to explode when I pointed out that technically we were a parent and child anyway 😆😆 As far as I’m aware, car park operators can issue fines for people occupying spaces allocated to disabled customers, but I don’t think parent and child spaces are enforceable.

I know 🤔

I posted that op should not have rushed, pp said that wouldn't have stopped the other driver so I queried what they would've done if op hadn't moved for them

Blue badge holders are allowed to use P&C spaces if all the disabled bays are full. If they are not blue badge holders they can be fined. I would suggest your mothers apply for a blue badge.

You should have stopped at telling them to wait while you got your baby into the child seat. You put yourself in the wrong by challenging the other parent.

Most supermarkets say their P&C spaces are for under 12s, there's nothing to specify they are for children who need help getting in and out of the car.

That's not to say I agree with this use of the larger spaces - I think they should have a smaller number of spaces for under 5s and give the other spaces for people using walking aids but who don't meet the criteria for a blue badge - in preference to spaces for ten year olds who are probably more agile than the average 20 year old, let alone pensioners.

However, the other person wasn't doing anything wrong by using the space - her wrongness was in being impatient for you to move.