Altercation in carpark

[Icecreamsundaz]

I was in a supermarket carpark, I had put my baby in her carseat and had just loaded my groceries in the boot. A car parked in the parent and child space next to me and an older couple got out, early 70s I would guess, able bodied, no kids with them
I said "sorry do you realise thats s parent and child space" and I pointed to the markings.
Well his response was very rude in tone "I came here to do my shopping, not to dance around" ?? "It should be first come first served " and they stormed off. I was a bit taken aback, I said loudly but they were a bit away at this point so not sure if they heard me "god id hate to be so ignorant". I took a picture of their car. Not really sure what I was going to do with it, thinking I would think about it and perhaps report to management. I got into my car
The next he was at my window "you took a photo, its illeageal to take photos of other people's property, delete it." I ensured my doors were locked, he stood behind my car so I couldn't reverse out, she was at my windscreen taking photos of me. Eventually they moved and I got out.
Maybe I shouldn't have said anything but there were loads of other places they could have parked but the parent and child spaces are limited. Its very frustrating when I've all my kids and can't find a free parent and child space because people like this who dont need them take them and they don't give a shit

Agreed

They’re £1 per sticker! If I bought them, I’d have to be quite selective on which parking infringements to protest about.

I used to find this really annoying when my two were small. But honestly it’s not worth the aggro. They were wrong and they were inconsiderate, but they weren’t breaking any laws. Just the car park/supermarket rules. And no matter what signs are up (car eating monsters/fines etc) in reality nobody gives a toss about enforcing the rules with regard to spaces that are simply a courtesy.

There is nothing polite about accosting people in parking lots.

You made it about age by quoting what you think their ages were.

And here you are again assuming that just because you saw them able to walk a straight line with reasonable speed that they are able to negotiate getting in and out of a car with no issues.

My husband can walk 3 miles. He's 7 weeks on from a hip replacement and he cannot get into or out of the car without the door fully open.

You cannot judge anyone's frailty, pain or difficulty manoeuvring by seeing them walk across a car park. So please stop doing it!

P&C spaces are usually a courtesy and I used them before I could get a BB. I didn’t initially know if my deterioration was going to be permanent, and I hadn’t had my pip award, so wasn’t entitled to a BB yet.

The supermarket were happy for me to use the P&C space as a reasonable adjustment (I asked first) so who are you to say I shouldn’t be parking there?

What is your obsession with big burly men? I think you need a cold shower.

What do you mean by ‘appeared disabled’ , you do realise that you can’t tell by how somebody looks . I look as fit as a flea and am actually quite disabled . In future MYOB , you had your space , you’d done your shopping . FWIW I wouldn’t park in a P&C space but then I also don’t think they should be a thing at all , if you need to open your doors wider park further away where there are more spaces .

I'm waiting for a PP to suggest they should show the OP their medical records, rather than snap back at her.

I said that in my original post i didnt add it on after, as thatnis what happened! I hadnt intended them to actually see me taking the photo. They may not have even been 70 FFS I was estimating, in my experience most 70 year old nowadays are very active and capable. This thread seems very ageist to me, suggesting that someone of 70 needs to be frail and incapable!!

Why will the council care?

Yes they where they had no children ! Their commodity doesn’t trump child safety , being old is not an excuse to do whatever they see fit .

Why should they? I don’t feel the need to explain myself to people in car parks. If I’m doing something I’m allowed to do I would not feel the need in any way whatsoever to tell a woman in a carpark anything about myself.

Unlike disabled spaces, these can be used by anyone. Wind your neck in.

You wasted your time taking a photo of their misdemeanor, parent and child spaces are not enforceable by law.
Why not keep your beak out of other folks business, especially when it doesnt impact upon you

OP has made herself judge and jury of all parkers.

OP, are you the one that parked up next to the woman and her disabled husband so that the driver could not access her vehicle a few weeks ago?

And this is what happens when two people decide that a parking space is the hill they’re both prepared to die on.

The simplest way to avoid it, though, is not to be the person who starts the drama in the first place. Especially when you’ve got a baby with you, what on earth were you thinking?

My hips are fucked.

i have other conditions and im now in a wheelchair or on crutches, but 6 or 7 years ago, all I needed was to be able to fully open the door to get out, and a short walk to the trolley bay / front of the store.

where did you do your medical training so that you could assess my disabilities from a short walk? Have you considered a career with Capita?

I have a blue badge and because I look pretty standard behind the wheel I often attract the ‘car park police’ before I’ve even got the badge out of my bag !!

On one memorable occasion an elderly lady was ranting at me and demanding to know why I qualified for the blue badge because ‘you don’t look disabled enough’. She had to take a step back because the rooftop winch had wound down my wheelchair had reached the drivers’ door while she was running her mouth. I truly wish I had had my phone with me at the time because I would have loved a photo of her open mouth as I got into it, shut the door and wheeled away without another word. Some people are just twats.

It's just your opinion that the OP is 'right' and the couple were wrong though.

Society is no more of a cesspit now than it was in 1976.

I parked in the parents and child space the other night. I was the only person parked in the but I feel I was probably safe enough from the buggy brigade as I was11.30 pm.

People are being ridiculous that men was probably q bigger threat to you and your child than the other way around and he had no place preventing you from leaving . You are a bitter person than me because the minute he touched my car things would have gone extremely wrong

What did you honestly think would happen? You picked a fight and got one. very silly of you to do that with your child in the car. This is why you need to be careful who you choose to pick a fight with these days - you never know how people will react. Is it really worth it? What if they were an absolute psycho and lamped you in front of your kid. The best thing to come out of this situation is you might learn a valuable life lesson - pick your battles.

While these spaces aren't legally enforceable, a store manager would be within their rights to ban shoppers abusing the courtesy of P&C spaces. They should, but most wont. its hassle they just don't need. Shame.

Especially when you’ve got a baby with you, what on earth were you thinking?

That a couple in their 70s are an easy target I expect.