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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking mother and baby places should not be used by those without children not pregnant etc and then laugh about it treating it as a joke!!

400 replies

2luvlyboys · 23/08/2008 21:43

PILs park in the mother and baby space all the time as a matter of course using the fact they have a child seat in there as an excuse!! Never take my dcs shopping never why would they? That is very very unreasonable imo and makes me ! They have been challanged about it and they say they make a joke about they left the kids at home!
Observant ones will notice I put this on another thread but then thought it deserves an aibu in its own right iyswim!

OP posts:
onepieceoflollipop · 23/08/2008 23:05

expat I am not a Londoner but I have heard that some of them use public transport.

I think that some of the car parking spaces in the South East are slightly narrower than average, but when visiting we have always been able to get the baby out of a "normal" gap, regardless of where we are in the country.

nappyaddict · 23/08/2008 23:06

a lot of people will get their shopping on the way to/from somewhere else so will be in their car. i don't think a car is really an issue. the only time i have felt i needed a P&C space was when ds was in an infant carrier. if he was asleep i preferred to take the carrier out of the car and put it in the trolley and couldn't do that if we were in a normal space. other than that though i don't think they are necessary.

Nat1H · 23/08/2008 23:07

With respect expat - how did disabled people manage before there were disabled parking bays?
Is this not just another way of making a certain part of the population's lives a bit easier?
Why have you got such a problem with P&T spaces anyway?

thumbwitch · 23/08/2008 23:07

crumbs - I think the PRINCIPLE of what your PILs are doing is wrong - they would probably park in the disabled spots too if they thought they could get away with it, which makes me v. mad.

I do appreciate the P&C parking spaces because it does stop people parking too close to your car so that you can't get into it when you get back (even though you might have parked it yourself in an empty area, doesn't stop others buggering it up for you).

When I was 40+ weeks preg, I couldn't understand why they didn't have Enormously Pregnant Women parking spaces - I really could have done with those

Onestonetogo · 23/08/2008 23:08

Message withdrawn

Gangle · 23/08/2008 23:08

DP is a doctor currently working an 80 hour week so doesn't really have time to go food shopping. No family in the area and don't want to leave DS with a babysitter at £10 an hour just to go shopping. Do do online shopping from time to time but sometimes you need something the same day! And sorry, but if it's pissing it down I do need an umbrella or are you suggesting I don't bother and get a stinking cold, in which case who would look after DS? Sorry but I find life as a new mum tough enough and if there is something that makes it a bit easier then I'm all for it.

sleepycat · 23/08/2008 23:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

onepieceoflollipop · 23/08/2008 23:08

expat I have been chuckling about the amount of "kit" that some people seem to take shopping with them.

I can only imagine that some of them must drive large vehicles in order to accommodate it all which of course means that they have to squeeze into a non-p&t gap and this causes some additional trauma when these gaps are "abused"

Also, due to the appalling traffic jams in London and other areas, they probably do need to have brought all this kit along with them to help them survive the journey.

3andnomore · 23/08/2008 23:08

this will probably kick off...you know that right?

For what it's worth....I do believe that Disabled parking spaces are far more imortant than morhter and baby parkin ones...however...I did find it difficult after teh Birth of my ys and ms being on 21 month when he was born, to get shopping andorganised if there was no m&b parking available nearby the path....because ms would just run...and well, that can be rather dangerous in carparks....also, liked the extra space at the sides of the car...but it was mostly about safety, really.....
now, that my 2 younger sons are 4 and nearly 6 I do't use M&B spaces and haven't ever since ms started walking nicely on my hand and ys did that anyway...
I do think it's stupid that M&B places are not just for m7b or m7t's, but also older children....I mean, once they have roadsense, etc...there is no need to be by the shop

ranting · 23/08/2008 23:09

Expat is NOT a troll, trust me on that.

expatinscotland · 23/08/2008 23:09

Oh please, Nat, don't EVEN compare needing a blue badge with needing a P&T space.

They are totally separate issues!

A disabled person has no choice, that is why they qualify for a blue badge.

I've got a problem with P&T bays because they are an utter waste of space for people who have choices but demand the laziest option.

expatinscotland · 23/08/2008 23:10

LOL. Oh, yes, I'm a troll.

Seriously, this board continues to circle the bowl.

Get.over.yourselves.

3andnomore · 23/08/2008 23:11

thumb, in the local asdas we have not just plentyful disabled parking aswell as M&P parking, but we also have Mothers to be spaces...qwhich aren't as close to the shop as the previous 2 but not to much furhter neither and also have the width allowence for teh bump

expatinscotland · 23/08/2008 23:12

We haven't had a good one of these threads in a while, though, haven't we, sleepycat?

PARP!

juuule · 23/08/2008 23:12

Totally agree, Sleepycat.

Gangle - you won't catch a cold from getting a bit wet. Ask your dh if you don't beleive me. I can't see why you would consider not taking your dc just because there isn't a p+t space available.

Gangle · 23/08/2008 23:13

I really don't know expat but you are obviously a far far superior human being and mother to me to manage all that. Of course you cope but, as I said, these things are designed to make life easier so that you feel you have a good day as opposed to a horrific one. Are you also suggesting that we get rid of all nappy change rooms as well and designate them as disabled toilets? Surely we should be able to cope with a loo floor? I'm sure people in other countries do.

hf128219 · 23/08/2008 23:14

Expat - you say P&C places do not exist in most countries. That has not been my (limited)experience.

expatinscotland · 23/08/2008 23:15

Oh, god, they don't know what PARP! means.

Someone explain, please.

I really can't be arsed.

lojoesmammy · 23/08/2008 23:15

Ok, but what about the likes of me, who has a disabled child. Where should I park with ds when the disabled bays are full.
I am sick to the back teeth of the filthy looks I get when I park in a disabled bay (with ds badge) and I and my abled bodied daughter get out of the car, then I get ds's major buggy out of the boot and him out of the car, the abuse can be heartbreaking some times. I can see what people are thinking, but do they have to be so abusive.
One time it was so bad that dd burst in to tears.
I never know what to say back! DH (who has a way with cutting remarks ) told me to say 'Heh, you are a lucky get, you had x amount of years of health, he has had none' But, how can I say something like that in front of ds and dd? it seems so wrong. What would you say?

Nat1H · 23/08/2008 23:15

As I said expat - I didn't mean to offend you. My son has CP and is in a wheelchair - can't walk outside unaided at all, and so I use disabled bays all the time. But whay have you got such a problem with P&T spaces? I don't necessarily think they should be right next to the shop - I do think that disabled bays should take priority here, but the extra space is really useful , especially when you have a baby in a car seat.

thumbwitch · 23/08/2008 23:16

3andnomore - really? wow, that's great. We don't have an Asda near here or I'd start shopping there, if I get pregnant again anyway.

sleepycat · 23/08/2008 23:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

2shoes · 23/08/2008 23:16

how boring
someone always makes out disabeld bays are a luxury

mrsruffallo · 23/08/2008 23:18

There is no need to drive in London is there?

sleepycat · 23/08/2008 23:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.