To get irate over misuse of parents' parking spaces at Sainsbury's

[Sunnymama]

No, not by those people without kids (although they are bad enough), but by people who use them when they have no kids with them but a car seat in the back of the car. Hello? The whole point of the spaces if for people who have their kids WITH them, not who just happen to have kids, somewhere. I saw two people do this on Saturday (while shopping with DD aged 2) and it really riled me - they should know better than anyone what a struggle it can be taking kids shopping.

By ladylush on Wed 09-Jul-08 18:16:02
2shoes - supermarkets could audit how the spaces are used and decide whether to increase/decrease types of spaces. Or is that too revolutionary

was just going by that post.

I didn't equate one with the other. Did you actually read the bit where I said that I agree disabled spaces are essential whereas P+T are not? Or did you just decide to cherry pick the bits that fit into the argument you're trying to have with me?

Initially you said "so what"? I replied by saying that maybe supermarkets can audit the demand for types of spaces.

Exactly, which means looking at how spaces are used and how they can improve provision. Audit may mean that disabled spaces are increased. Trends will vary from one place to another.

FWIW - I have a 4 yr old and rarely use P+T spaces. Very happy to use the other ones. Feel very fortunate just to be able to drive tbh.

Next time theres not a P&T/C space i'm parking in the middle of 2 spaces!

If the shops provide the spaces for their customers then they should police them too.

herbie - I hope you read all my posts. I agree with you entirely.

They should just get rid of them and be done with it.

Herbie - your post also demonstrates that allocation of types of spaces varies considerably across the board, since at your supermarket there are very few disabled spaces which are always full and many p+t spaces which are not. Disabled spaces should always be close to the entrance. P+T spaces could be anywhere, though it is helpful to incorporate a walkway so that small children are not walking in front of moving cars.

herbie - I'm not het up. There are not more disabled spaces where you live maybe. There definately are where I do. It doesn't bother me in the slightest as I don't use P+T spaces much. I thought it would be a possible idea for supermarkets to look at how their spaces are used, but to be honest I don't have a strong feeling about it

I do have a strong view on being deliberately misinterpreted (ala 2shoes)

I don't know. In the Tesco I worked in England customers were constantly 'tannoyed' for parking in the bus lay-by and pick up points. "Would the owner of the car registration blah blah, please remove it as you obviously don't have kids with you today", would be good and to the point and hopefully embarras them . Maybe stick a note on the car asking them to not do it in future?

I know some supermarkets only let you park for 2 hours, so they obviously do some sort of policing.

Hatrick - good post (18:44)

P&T spaces are courtesy and should work on the good nature of the shoppers. They should not be policed in any way.

Disabled spaces are law. They are policed by whichever Govt. body distributes the badge that cars must display.

The two should not be compared.

I give up

There are always loads of disabled spaces in my local supermarkets. No matter what time or day i go, there are always lots empty. It doesn't bother me one bit tbh how many spaces are allocated for disabled or p&t, i often park at the back and walk.

I do wonder though, why is it that someone who says they cannot walk an extra few minutes across the carpark can then walk around the supermarket? Surely if you can't walk that far, you would use a buggy that some supermarkets provide?

I always wonder that about shopping centers as well, i think why is it you can't walk across a carpark and have to park right next to the door, but can then walk around the shopping for an hour? This genuinly baffles me?

Like customers who can walk around the shop carrying a heavy basket but want help to their car parked just outside!

Police was too strong a word but I do think people should be made to look if they park there with no kids.

herbietea, i probably do sound ignorant yes but i just cannot see how someone can't walk across a carpark but can walk around a massive supermarket. In some cases i think it's more won't rather than can't.

There is a legal requirement to provide a certain percentage of disabled parking spaces. When our local town centre car park was extended, the local council would not sign off on the building regulations until the appropriate proportion of disabled spaces were allocated and sign posted. Once the building regs certificate was complete, they changed about 10 spaces to "dual use" for disabled or P&C.
Our local Sainsbury's fines you for parking in two spaces, but does nothing about the twunts in Porsches who block up the P&C spaces.