Parent and child spaces or parent and carseat spaces??!!

[margobambino]

I am getting really angry with people who park on the designated parent and child spaces just because they have a kid's car seat in their car. I strongly believe that I am not being unreasonable but wanted to ask your opinion anyway.
A couple of weeks ago I was looking for a parent and baby park in a retail park and saw one next to boots. I have a very active toddler and it is very difficult to keep him on the route so it would have been wonderful to park next to boots but a woman, who did not have a baby or child with her but had a car seat fitted in her car, drove faster and parked there. If I had time I was going to have a word with her and even take this to the shop managers etc. This happens quite often unfortunately. Next time I am planning to express my anger and concerns.

[mosschops30]

And I would imagine that if you have a notice then you can charge people a fine for anything, otherwise clampers would be out of business.

[margobambino]

Thunderduck, Of course I am not reporting people who disagree with me. I'm reporting the ones who called me names above which I believe is not very nice. This is nothing to do with being grown up.

[mosschops30]

x posts cyradis, thats what I meant

[Thunderduck]

Yes they can issue fines, but they cannot legally enforce payment of the fines.

[Stayingsunnygirl]

[Nancy66]

If you don't pay a fine in a Sainsburys car park it never gets followed up.

I've had about three tickets from my local one for ridiculous things like parking on the white lines instead of inside them - and just ripped them up. Never any follow up.

[Thunderduck]

[Thunderduck]

I think they'd have to take you to small claims court to try to have it enforced, and the chances of Sainsburys doing that and losing customers as a result are slim to none.

[Thunderduck]

Sorry but I really don't think that being called selfish is worth reporting,though I'm aware that you've already done so.

[HerHonesty]

I used one when i was 38 weeks pregnant with first dc and got shouted out by someone. tbh i suspect it was because at the time i was driving a rather nice car which has since been traded for the standard kiddy wagon.

anyway, i posted on here that i didnt think i was BU to have parked in a p and c space with baby in tummy and got truly shouted down.

anyway i dont think op unreasonable but perhaps a little ott in reporting. what goes around comes around, one day when its pissing it down with rain and she really needs a space there wont be one..

[KembleTwins]

Have just read this through and think it is hilarious. Of course disabled people have the right to park in P&C spaces if there are no disabled spaces available, although in all my local supermarked carparks, there are far more disabled spaces than P&C. In our Sainsbury's, where I generally shop, the P&C spaces are quite a long way from the shop, but are connected to the main concourse with a path and a zebra crossing, making it safe for parents with kids but not really suitable for someone who has problems with mobility, and this is exactly as it should be. When my DD twins were tiny, though, it was real hassle getting both their car seats out without a wide space, so I did go through a phase of putting snotty (not literally, that would be minging) notes on the windscreens of people who had parked in P&C spaces but were clearly (I had to see the actual people) not in need of them at - just lazy. I had a big row with one man once, who pushed his trolley at me in retaliation. All very amusing now, but at the time...

[HerHonesty]

lol at real snotty notes...

[Tiredmumno1]

I wonder if any of them ignorant sods that park in p + c spaces, are reading this, you know the ones without the kids, own up who does that lol. My dp always parks as far away from the door as pos, + walks with the 2 little'uns, its so much easier, as our local tesco always seems to be packed down the p+c lane. I am sorry to say a lot of the time its foreigners who park there with no kids, i have pointed it out before, they just respond with me no understand. I find that fucking ignorant, especially when i see them in there, + hear them speaking in perfect english.

[Tiredmumno1]

Oh + them blasted idiots that use p+c + disabled spaces for the cash machines, whats the matter your damn legs broken or something.

[chegirl]

Bloody hell.

Its nice if you get a p&c space because its bigger. Thats about it really.

When DD and DS1 were babies they didnt have p&c spaces and guess what? We managed to go shopping .

Yes its annoying when people park in them but they are probably thinking 'why the hell should you get this nice big, near space just because you have given birth at some point in the last 12 years?'

The world is full of selfish people. Some of them even have babies.

As for people with disabilities not being able to use p&c spaces - FFS.

Having a child is not a disability. Having MS, Cancer, Arthritis etc is and you dont get any choice in the matter.

[kitkatqueen]

I would actually be quite happy to have the wider spaces further from the store. My only isue is having enough width to get myself and the kids back in the car without having to post the kids through the windows Or going to ask the manager to back my car out for me. Its really really embarassing

[chegirl]

I would prefer them to be further from the store, with plenty of trolly parks and a safe route to the store. I am sure they would be left alone by those who didnt have a baby.

[Stayingsunnygirl]

I suspect that the reason that doesn't happen, chegirl, is that it is easier to put p&c parking places near the disabled ones, so that they can share one safe route to the store. It certainly wouldn't have worried me if I had had to walk further to the store in order to get a P&C parking space.

[WesternBelle]

Our local supermarket has put P&C spaces next to the covered walkway (after the disabled spaces) so that (presumably) babies, small children & people with disabilities don't get wet. Plus you can leave trolleys there so don't have to leave DCs to put trolley back

Also it is safer with just one zebra crossing to cross to get to the walkway.

all they now have to do is tackle the trolleys which unfortunately, number too many to fit under the trolley store hence the ones nearest (and most accessible with baby in one arm) are generally wet, grubby and often have broken straps due to overuse... there's another thread...

[chegirl]

The Tescos near my mums is set up like that western (could be the same one if your name implies you are from SW).

Morrisons (I will explain what that is later - I know this is mumsnet ) Doesnt have straps on their trollies. You have to queue up and get one from customer services (whilst holding baby down) to get one.

[fledtoscotland]

YANBU but mumsnet gets its knickers in a total twist over this old topic.

my understanding was the p&c spaces had a path to the door of the shop so were safer to walk with kids in tow - no necessarily closer.

I do sympathise with OP - last week i nearly had an accident as a person with a blue badge raced me to the last p&c space. I got out and got a mouthful of grief about "children not being a disability". I was about to tell her she'd driven the wrong way round the one way system and if she'd noticed, the blue badge spaces were closer to the door (ideal if you cant walk). i got a torrent of abuse as she strutted off. Nice (and probably not her badge)

[PM73]

I do my shopping online,saves all the aggro

[WesternBelle]

I'm from the NW Chegirl!(L'pool way) but it is a Tescos .

I know what Morrison's is but the one nearest is still too far. Didn't know you have to ask to get trolley! How annoying.

OTOH, Asda are great. I was struggling over car park on a windy day, baby (4mo) bobbing about in one arm, big reusable jute bags and handbag bobbing on the other arm. A trolley man actually came up to greet me with a baby trolley. I thanked him for saving me the trouble and he said "I saw you coming across the car park and thought you might need a hand".

Sometimes it's the tiny things that make all the difference.

[chegirl]

Oh wrong end western

YOu dont have to ask for a trolley but you do have to ask for a strap (sorry if I didnt make it clear). Tis very annoying indeed. Then at the end you have to give it back and its really easy to forget so you get all your stuff put away then you have to go back into the shop.

Oh and another thing. They have trolley parks in the car park BUT they only accept plain trollies. So if you use one with a baby seat you have to take it back to the front of the store (which is why Morrisons is the only shop I look for a p&c parking space in.)