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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

parent and baby parking

73 replies

Nesssa · 08/09/2009 17:10

am i being unreasonable to expect people who do not have children with them to park in the parent and baby spaces at our local supermarket?

we had an altercation with some harridan in a blue peugot on sunday in the beckton branch of sainsbury's. dh politely mentioned to her that she was parked in a p&b space and so risked being fined. she then, with a completely straight face, explained to me that she was ok to park in that particular space because only the spaces in front of the signs saying that it is reserved for parents etc count, meaning all the others in the row that just have the pram sign painted on them are open to anyone.

it seemed to me she was talking bs and i told her so; she told me to f* off and then ranted at us until we walked out of earshot about what kind of parents we thought we were and so on.

i admit it was rude of me to say what i did, and im also worried that maybe she was right. can anyone clarify?

OP posts:
Original poster
Nesssa · 08/09/2009 17:31

the signs say a £50 fine for abusing p&b parking and they say attendants patrol the car park

OP posts:
abra1d · 08/09/2009 17:31

'I got verbally abused in my local supermarket '

I got verbally abused by an old boy for parking in a disabled space because I couldn't see the very faded road markings (no sign on street--this was years back). I got out of the car and IMMEDIATELY, on seeing my mistake, got straight back in to drive off, feeling mortified anyway.

I followed the old boy into the building society and told him that he'd been wrong: it wasn't my fault the markings were faded.

He backed down and apologised.

JollyPirate · 08/09/2009 17:35

Regardless of whether this subject has been done to death or not I think berating someone for posting a thread about it is downright unfriendly and nasty - don't click on the thread if you hate the subject. Perfectly obvious from the title what the subject was.

I am in favour of MB spaces from my memories of trying to get DS's infant car-seat into the car through a barely open door because some git had parked too close to my car. At least in a MB space there is room to open the car door.

bumpsoon · 08/09/2009 17:37

And do you know what he didnt return my exagerated friendly wave as i drove past him .I always park at the far end of the car park ,as the walk gives me time to remember that vital item i have forgotton

Rindercella · 08/09/2009 17:39

Once, when DD was very little I had a right go at a man who parked next to us and clearly did not have any children with him. As I was ranting talking to him, it started to cross my mind that perhaps it wasn't the most sensible thing to be doing - he was built like a bulldog and looked twice as mean (no offence to any bulldogs, but I hope you get the picture)! Anyway, do you know what? He apologised profusely, said he saw my point, got in his car and drove away

Usually though, I don't bother getting annoyed. Life is too short.

ilovemydogandmrobama · 08/09/2009 17:42

A lady parked in a P & T space without a child, and I mentioned it to her as she was walking into the store. She said she had children, so I suggested she didn't leave them in the car in future, which made her say, 'Oh, but I don't have them actually with me...'

Morloth · 08/09/2009 17:44

You know the best thing about P&C parking?

The messageboard threads. The amount of times I have been tempted to park in the stupid things without a kid just to piss someone off is way too high.

Original poster
Nesssa · 08/09/2009 17:48

thank you jolly pirate and hecates - you are the true friend of the first-time poster

OP posts:
EyeballsintheSky · 08/09/2009 17:50

I stuck up for you as well

HecatesTwopenceworth · 08/09/2009 17:51

don't let it bother you, Nesssa. some people are clearly narky old meaniepants!

Original poster
Nesssa · 08/09/2009 17:52

so you did eyeballs - i love you too

OP posts:
EyeballsintheSky · 08/09/2009 17:54
Grin
Original poster
Nesssa · 08/09/2009 17:57

you're right, hecates - they must need some chocolate . now must get back or will hardly see ds today.

OP posts:
diddl · 08/09/2009 18:06

Usually if ther are two signs, it means the spaces between the signs, doesn´t it?

ThingOne · 08/09/2009 18:26

Last week there were actually spaces in the P&C parking in my Sainsbury's. But guess what? I was without the DCs. There is no justice in this world.

TheDMshouldbeRivened · 08/09/2009 18:27

you should have reported her so she got fined so then you could have said 'see, ner ner ner'

lol at her excuse though.

Thunderduck · 08/09/2009 18:43

They can't really enforce the fines for using P&C spaces when you don't have a child with you.

They'd have to take you to a civil court I believe in order to make you pay out. As only the police and local authorities have the necessary authority to enforce payment of fines.

I very much doubt that Sainsburys would risk losing customers by enforcing a £50 fine.

I wouldn't park in a P&C space but I don't agree with the fines as I don't believe that parking in one is an equivalent offence to parking in an accessible space,and the fines make it seem as though that's the case.

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 08/09/2009 19:33

YANBU - I saw a couple do that today in asda. I didn't have DS with me so wasn't personally put out but it does piss me off. It's not so much the question of whether or not P%T spaces are necessary, or a right, but more people taking something which is not there for them because they are too lazy to walk a little bit further. It pisses me off.

I don't know why this subject annoys people so much. P%T parking is so obviously not the same right as disabled parking.

Thunderduck · 08/09/2009 19:36

Well some people think it is, and the fines make it seem as though they are equivalent.

pjmama · 08/09/2009 19:40

I've seen Sainsburys fine people for doing this. Must be working because you don't see it happen there too much any more. Hooray for Sainsburys

roundwindow · 08/09/2009 19:44

My DH's way of confronting people without children who're parking in these spaces is to say to them 'excuse me, you forgot your baby'... usual reply 'I haven't got a baby'... then they sort of land themselves in it

mind, he's a bit sanctimonious vigilant like that, eg. if he sees someone dropping litter says 'excuse me, you've dropped something' etc.

Me, I just do the more usual passive aggressive staring and tutting before walking away type thing.

Thunderduck · 08/09/2009 19:49

No you can't. No tickers, signatures or blinkies please.

Thunderduck · 08/09/2009 19:50

Ignore. Wrong thread.

gingerbunny · 08/09/2009 20:00

This drives me mad too, I can't stand people who do this.
Once while I was pregnant with ds2, I went to the local supermarket with ds1 and I saw a 'chav/boy racer' car, park in the last mother and baby space, then 4 young men got out and went in the shop.
I saw red (I'm blaming the hormones, the lack of sleep as ds1 was teething and the fact that I was starving, as I wouldn't usually do it!!) and wrote a not very polite message on one of ds1's nappies and left it on the wind screen. I felt so much better afterwards!!!
The nappy was clean but how I wished I'd had a dirty one with me!!!

florence2511 · 08/09/2009 20:01

PMSL at round window!! I love your DH. I say that sort of thing too.

I ran after a lady who had just let her dog poo in the middle of a park and asked her had she forgotten something - poor thing was mortified that I had run after her to tell her - serve her right.

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