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Original poster

Parent and toddler parking

143 replies

mumbojumbo · 28/10/2003 20:01

I completely lost the plot today at my local M&S / Tesco in Camberley. I had been hunting a parking space for some time when I spotted a parent and toddler space become vacant. Before I could get there, another car nicked the spot. I noticed pretty quickly that it was full of adults (senior citizens). I have nothing against seniors but being 39+1 weeks pregnant with a 23 month old toddler in tow, the red mist decended! I went over and had a word with the driver to the tune of.....did he realise that this was a space for parents with young children.....the reply from one of the passengers was that they had someone who couldn't walk very far and there were no disabled spaces (no disabled badge either). Normally I'm quite laid back about this, but I did point out that I'm 39 weeks pregnant and I can't walk that far either.......!

OMG, I've never taken it out on someone before, it must be those pregnancy hormones again .

What got me even more incensed was I spotted another car with adults in and no kids hogging a parent and toddler space on my way out!

There, rant over feel much better now.

OP posts:
codswallop · 28/10/2003 20:04

what di d they say?

handlemecarefully · 28/10/2003 20:14

Mumboj

I've tackled people about this before - but then I am quite bolshy over certain things!! Most of them time I confine myself to a really hard haughty stare.

I get equally incensed - no more incensed - by mums of older children (e.g. big strapping able bodied ten year olds) who (ab)use parent and toddler spaces. I really think that they of all people should know better (having had small children in the not too distant past).

I've left an abusive note under the windscreen wipers of a two seater sports car in a mums and babes space before...

hellbell · 28/10/2003 20:32

I know what you mean. I have gone to leave a note under the wiper of an empty, but in use, contractor's van in our local supermarket P&C parking space only to find that another parent had got there first...
Having said that, I have parked in a P&C space, taken the baby seat out of the car to put into the trolley when DS is asleep, only to find that I am getting Paddington Bear stares as my car appears to be child-free as there is no obvious sign of a little 'un.

Jimjams · 28/10/2003 20:46

well I use parent and toddler spaces with my autistic 4 (nearly 5) year old. When (if) he gets a blue badge I'll use disabled spaces if he's with me. Haven't noticed anyone staring at me - I think we're still within the age range (although he looks older).

I do get annoyed with single middle aged people using the spaces, but not with elderly. Blue badges are hard to get.

Jimjams · 28/10/2003 20:51

I know a frined said Tesco had given her a mother and baby badge thing to use with her autistic 8 year old as she couldn't get a blue badge.

Jimjams · 28/10/2003 22:04

I've just remembered the occasion I was glaring at someone on Sainsbury's- she was about 45, no kids, big posh car- and she thought I was admiring her car! Must practice my evil stares......

Twink · 28/10/2003 22:31

I too get the red mist thing BUT I have a two seater sports car with parent & child badge & car seat in passenger seat (plus child too !) so would be pretty irritated of I got a note under my wiper.

In fact, in my old 'maternity leave still with company Mondeo days' I got a note from the Sainsbury's parking people about parking in a child space - I had a sticker but I hadn't got a car seat in the car, because dd was 6 weeks old and her seat was parked inside the trolley in the store. They were very apologetic when I had a rant !

SofiaAmes · 28/10/2003 23:19

I've been tackling (verbally) lots of people in parking lots lately about mother and toddler parking. They're generally really rude and say stupid things like their wife/girlfriend is inside with the kids (yeah right). I follow up with a lecture about not having car seats for toddlers being completely irresponsible.
I also try to complain to the store whenever I can. If they don't know that it's a problem, they won't do anything about it (like enforce it).

Dixie · 29/10/2003 01:25

Must admit, my local sainsbury's was very good when I complained to them....They came out & got registration number & called the driver over the tannoy system 'because there is a problem with the vehicle' when the man (completely on his own) came to the customer services the manager explained the 'problem' was he had no child..& asked him to move it. He did!

handlemecarefully · 29/10/2003 08:16

Oh dear Twink - I hadn't thought of that.

Crunchie · 29/10/2003 13:25

Dixie, that's great, perhaps that is what I'll suggest my local ASDA says they cannot reinforce it!!

Twinkie · 29/10/2003 13:35

Message withdrawn

Bozza · 29/10/2003 13:58

I suppose I will be back to all this soon. My DS is an able-bodied 2.8 yo so I never use the child spaces. I park in an ordinary space near a trolley bay, get him out and stick him in the trolley. But I have a two door car so once I get a sizeable bump I will be back to using them. And it is so dire. Once when DS was little I was waiting ages for a space while some single bloke was loading up his shopping. You would have thought guilt would have made him hurry but he took ages.

handlemecarefully · 29/10/2003 13:59

Bozza,

Were you tempted to run him over?

fisil · 29/10/2003 18:16

We had a go at some guy who had parked right up on a pavement today - so that we had to take DS & pushchair out onto busy road to get past. In fact we removed DS & I took the pushchair round on the road. While I was doing that DP rang on the nearest door, which was answered immediately, and DP had a go at the man who answered (who was the car owner).

Nearly got in a fight cos dp said "buggy" instead of pushchair, but the guy's English wasn't great, so we think he misheard, and he started getting aggressive until DP repeated "bugGY", then he just moved the car!

I stare at people in Tescos - bit weak, I know.

Its the people at our gym who park in the parent & child places. The gym, I ask you. Like they, of all people can't walk the extra 100 metres.

coppertop · 29/10/2003 19:10

At our local ASDA I saw someone with a brilliant idea. They walked along the Disabled Parking row looking for cars without blue badges. On each one they left a printed notice pointing out that the spaces were not designed for the able-bodied and could they please be more considerate in future. At the time I was standing waiting for a taxi. A woman trotted over to her car in high heeled shoes and spotted the notice. The look on her face was priceless. When she realised she had an audience she looked ready to explode!! Maybe MN could draft similar notices for parent & tot spaces so that the point can be made to inconsiderate parkers. Probably best to use them only if you're sure they have no eligible children.

fio2 · 29/10/2003 19:14

all old grannies with kiddie seats in the back if you ask me, they are desperate for a disabled badge and can't get one - so it's the easiest option

Cavy · 29/10/2003 19:18

I had a loud shout at cyclists on the pavement today who were threatening to run over my 4yo. Pregnancy hormones have made me very nasty, good thing I don't drive and feel the need for Parent+Toddler spaces, eh?

philippat · 29/10/2003 19:35

I only recently discovered our local department store car park has a whole floor (well only about 15 spaces but pretty good if you ask me) of parent & child spaces.

AND they have speakers on this floor blaring out nursery rhymes interspersed with 'this floor is reserved for parents with young children' announcements to shame everyone else into parking elsewhere.

It obviously works because there is nearly always a space on that floor. I was totally impressed (and went in and spent a fortune on underwear so it obviously had the desired effect!).

fisil · 17/11/2003 16:38

I had to resurrect this thread cos came home fuming.

Went for a lovely swim with ds (got sent home from work cos power cut ). Walking out of gym a few paces behind a couple of women. At first set of double doors one woman turned, made eye contact with me (struggling along with bag, ds & float), paused a second, but then decided not to hold door for me, and let it swing in my face. I was just catching up with her when she did the same at the next set of doors before I could say anything.

So I happened to be watching when she walked into the carpark and got into her Merc in the baby parking spaces.

I was livid and pulled faces at her, so she drove away fast. So I went back inside to complain (the woman she had been walking with was an employee at a concession there). The employee kept saying "it's nothing to do with me" But in her squirming she let out that this other woman has a child.

This is the bit that made me mad. If she had just been some childless woman who didn't understand, maybe it was thoughtlessness. But this woman must know what it's like to struggle through doors with all the kit, and to fight your way into a car seat in the carpark. So that makes it downright rude.

AAGGHHHH!

Thanks for listening. Rant over.

salt · 17/11/2003 16:45

Oh don't get me started on this, I had a terrible rant on a thread one day..

I have a sports car and a mother and toddler badge and a child seat in the passenger seat and I have had numerous nasty notes left on my car (one even upset me quite a lot).

It was worse when my dd was still in her baby seat that I used to carry out of the car with me... I wouldn't mind so much if the people writing the notes hung around to actually see that I wasn't hogging a space I wasn't entitled to use!

anyway that's my repeated rant over, it still infuriates me. The worst thing was one day I watched a middle aged couple in a big Jag. park in a space, get out and smile at me (I was staring) and I know this is really stereo typically but I just think that they should know better!

Paula71 · 17/11/2003 21:02

Oooh this is a major bug bear for me but DH goes ballistic. One time at ASDA he made a big stink about a woman in a volvo who was sitting in her car (passenger side) and had no child (back seat was full of messages) and wasn't moving.

DH pointed out we have toddler twins but she didn't care as it wasn't her problem but ours - charming! So he complained to the car park attendent. Apparently the store won't put signs on cars without small child as they expect the customer to respect that the space is for parent/child.

Respect.

Yeah right!

At our local Tesco I was walking back to the car with the boys in the trolley. A businesswoman literally pushed by heading in the same direction (the baby spaces are in a separate area.) So I said to the boys in a very loud voice, " Yes, parent and child, that is where we belong."

I thought she hadn't heard me until she sped past and blasted her horn at me as I was unpacking. (luckily the boys were already in the car.) I made a hand gesture but will know her if I see her again, which I really hope I do!

CnR · 18/11/2003 17:44

Well, just got back from Asda amd all the parent and toddler places were gone. As I was to about to reverse to go and look elsewhere 3 different sets of people came out:

  • middle aged couple, no children about them or sign in car
  • young couple, again no sign of children
  • middle aged couple with teenager

Mmm, no toddler in sight! Trouble I am such a coward I just waited until a space came free and gave them all my best teacher glare, didn't dare say anthing. Was really fed up about it though.

As I was walking from car to supermarket two more sets of people came out to the nearby disabled cars. Again no badges in sight on cars, no obvious signs of problems - seemed fit and well enouh to carry several bags of shopping each too.

Jimjams · 18/11/2003 17:55

Mind you CnR - I am meant to be applying for a blue badge so I can use the disabled spaces, but I know if I do I will get loads of hassle as ds1 doesn't look disabled. I haven't been brave enough to do it yet.

Having said that I agree that often the spaces seem to be filled up by middle aged workmen, or people waiting whilst their partner pops inside for a few things.

mieow · 18/11/2003 17:59

Jimjams, I was shopping with DH and the kids one day at safeway, we had finished the shopping and I had the trolley with DD2 and DS in it. I went to the kiosk while DH took DD1 back to the car in her Major buggy.
DH was shouted at by some old boy who said "you should be parked there, youre not disabled" To which DH replied "Yes you are right, I'm not, but she is and so is my son who is in the shop" apparently the bloke drove off in a huff

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