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

Meadowhall is the place I was trying to think of. They can do this because it’s not a public car park, but they still need to put up signage to make it clear that the normal P&C rules don’t apply.

I was confronted by someone when there were no disabled spaces which we need for my 88yo mum. I replied saying not a child but a disabled person and I got a good response. I wouldnt normally park in those spaces cos i know how hard it is with babies/ kids in tow.

I would share the pic with the supermarket. They may get a fine 🙏 You could have called the police when they stopped you from leaving, that would have escalated things aignigicantky thoughso im glad they came to their senses.

It's not illegal to take pics of anything in public places btw.

YANBU but do take care some people are entitled AHs and are aggressive with it...

My parents are in their 70s and wouldn't dream of parking in child and parent parking. Sorry but thats no excuse.

Its infuriating when selfish idiots take child spots up. Drives me mental. I would have said something as well. The way they responded shows the utter entitlement, those are not two frail old people. Those were two CFs!

This is terrible advice. You can absolutely get PCNs for straddling the line and taking up two bays.

Why are you causing people to get PCNs and lose money?

No it couldn’t. Being disabled is a protected characteristic under the law. Being a parent is not.

Were you there ?

But perfectly fine for you to rant at them without knowing why they were parking there - despite them being entitled to ?

I asked this and was accused of having a thing for burly men and that I needed a cold shower.

No answer from OP though. Silence means she wouldn’t approach a big man.

You are being unreasonable purely because for all you knew they may have been about to pick up their grandkids and kids at the supermarket, so you should mind your own business.

If your child is 9 why are you using those spaces? They are clearly for parents with young children who have to faff about with buggies, car seats, whose kids are running around potentially near roads. Why can’t people be nice and leave those spaces for those in greater need?

But OP had already done her shopping and was leaving, did you miss that? She became a vigilante for no reason.

Well technically it is “parent and child”!

People have all sorts of reasons for needing to be either near the shop or to have more space to get out of their vehicle. There are much bigger things in life to get wound up by.

It's extremely frustrating and I agree with you saying it to them. It may make them think twice next time. Those spaces are in demand and it's not fair for people to use them just because they are older. If they are able to walk around the shops they are able to park slightly further away. They are probably bad at parking and just want the extra room.

That's just nonsense, isn't it? There is a significant gap between not being very mobile and able to get out of a car without the door fully open and meeting the threshold for a blue badge.

You don’t know their medical history, my late DF looked fairly healthy until 6 weeks before he died of cancer.

OP ignore the others. People on mumsnet seem to hate children/parents.

I have also noticed a significant number of people - of all ages - using parent and toddler spaces. Sometimes I say something but always get a shirty response.

Society is most certainly becoming more selfish and it’s sad to see that people can’t forgo a parking space to help out a mother with young children.

Such twaddle.

There's hundreds of threads on mumsnet all saying people who park in parent and child spaces are awful and you should always challenge them.

The one time someone challenges them it's a pile on.

Good grief women are weird

I have seen spots for:
Veterans
Parents with children
Employee of the month
Employee of the year
Expectant mothers

I am over it. I don’t hate anyone but just am not sure dividing us all up this way is a positive thing.

Should have chinned the old codger, then said take a photo of that you twat. The said to his wife 'I feel sorry for you, married to that loser'.

😂😂

Well without being rude what did you expect? I would have said something to them as well but if he had been aggressive I would have enjoyed getting into it with him and used it as an excuse to rip him a new arsehole. If you’re someone that shies away from confrontation when it escalates (as you should be) then I would suggest not telling people what they should and shouldn’t do and calling them names.

No one’s asking you for a concession because concessions are not yours to give!

It’s SUPERMARKET or parking company property, NOT YOURS.

What you think about a person’s use of a P&C bay matters NOT A JOT.

And it’s not the same as a queue, a business will usually intervene if you don’t queue and try to push you in, a supermarket won’t intervene if someone parks in a P&C bay.

Well that depends on whether there is someone present who needs it more doesn’t it ? There’s no law saying you have to give up a priority seat, but if there are no other seats available, social etiquette and transport guidelines strongly expect you to vacate it for anyone with a greater need, such as a disabled person, an older passenger, a pregnant woman or someone carrying a small child.

By the same token, there was no-one else waiting for the space that this elderly couple took, and OP already had a space, so I’d say common sense and a bit of good old fashioned decency should be applied.

I’ve tried that. And when I returned there was someone parked close enough to the line on one side that there was no way to get my baby into the seat. Luckily I managed to get both children into the car from one side. What should I have done if there were cars parked on both sides? Ask my toddler to hold the baby while I reversed out enough to open the rear doors?

I’d love it if the p&c spaces were at the far end of the car park. There would surely be fewer selfish people using them.