To wonder why there are always more disabled spaces than mother&baby spaces in car parks?

[Feierabend]

In places like Waitrose, John Lewis, etc. Surely there are more mothers with little children out there than disabled people?

bebemoo - please do report them to the coucil if you know they are doing it - people who genuinely need a badge have enough trouble finding a space without having to compete with people who've borrowed one.

Or there is another option-order and get shopping delivered via the internet!

True, Riven. I suppose I would rather order and pay an extra fiver-cutting down on the odd item to "compensate" than struggle on the bus, or in a car with 2-3 DCs. It's a moot point as they didn't have online shopping when my twins were young (old bag icon!) I would leave them with their father and go on my own getting a cab back or get a lift with my dad-we'd do our shopping and I'd get dropped off home.

going back to OP.......when DC1 was born, P&C spaces didn't exist. I totally agree that they are helpful (which is why I got narked when "Mum of teenager" took one of those spaces when I had DC2) But I would say the spaces are helpful, rather than essential, and for some people with disabilities (not necessarily for all PwD), those spaces are essential.

FFS, what is the world coming to? Of course there should be more disabled bays then Parent and baby. I've got twins and managed to survive if there wasn't a baby space free. Yes sometimes it was a bit of a squeeze getting them out but hey ho at least I'm physically able to do it. Shop online if you're that worried!

So, just because p&c spaces are not a legal requirement, and we could live without them, means that we shouldn't desire them??? I really don't understand all the "there were no p&c sapces back in the good old days" attitude.

If something can be improved, like better, safer and more user friendly spaces, then why shouldn't there be a call for more of them? How can they be classed as a privilege and how can anyone asking for them be called ungrateful that they don't think of all the poor disabled people and think themselves lucky?? The two issues are not really intertwined!

Supermarket bosses should be lucky that we shop at them and should be doing all they can to make things easier for the shoppers, and considering that a large proportion of their customers are families with children, then their needs being met are in the best interest of the supermarket if they want to retain custom.

It would be interesting to post this on a non-parenting forum, so that all the busy people in a hurry who aren't hauling around small children could have a rant about places being restricted for them.

a lot of people would find it easier if they didn't have to dodge the tot whilst shopping, so maybe we should have tot free sshopping days.......
just to make life easier you know

The issues are only being intertwined on this thread because the thread starter interwined them by comparing the two?

I think few people would begrudge more P&T spaces (unless of course it cut down on spaces available to those without children, then where would the 'majority' park?) but they would if they came to the detriment of disabled spaces. I am sure that this is not what the OP meant, but is what is implied by wondering why there are more D spaces than P&T.

OR you could just go shopping after 7pm when most 'tots' are in bed.

Exactly Riven. When we are all living on planet tesco with no choices at all, God help us.

And we all know how upright and ethical the Tesco empire owners are.....

This was exactly my point when I said supermarkets are lucky we shop at them. There are choices for many people. For example, Riven, the 5 shops in your high street wouldn't have closed if the people had supported them instead of the new Tesco- I use my local shops all the time and although they cost a little more, they stock better quality meat and veg etc and I can walk to them!

Tell you what, though. I wish Tesco was put in charge of the parking at my local hospital, because it's a lot more organised and professional, and there is much better provision for the less-than-able-bodied. I gave up going for treatment recently as I couldn't stagger to the clinic from the disabled parking area without further damaging myself. (There is a mobility bus but it never came so on the last memorable occasion I missed my appointment, and then I thought - sod it, this physio is crap anyway, and never works). If Tesco ran Addenbrookes we would have little invalid wagons and smiling people with badges on to help us. And given how much time I spend up there, I'd probably get enough loyality points to get a weekend break!

I agree, their marketing and management skills are very good.

It is the ethics and morals that bother me. And don't even mention their policies on employing people with disabilities.