I stood proud and shouted the odds about parents & toddler parking

[twiglett]

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Good for you Twiglett - this is a pet hate of mine and DH and I are constantly telling people that they shouldn't be parking in these spaces without baby/toddler. The number of people that say that they are meeting their children inside and then realise how stupid they sound! They then scuttle off and run around the shop as quick as they can looking very sheepish. It's nice to hear so many of us are standing up for P&T parking spaces.

Had to resurrect this one again - especially after hearing about Jimjam's bravery in Virgin today.

Should I make a complaint:

As I was leaving Tescos, a couple in their 60s, no children in tow, were being helped by a store employee to empty their bags into their car in the parent and toddler space next to mine. I asked the employee whether he was going to mention it to them, "oh, we've got building work at the moment." So I explained again what my problem was (he was very slow getting it, but very polite), and then said "I'll ask my manager." I said "no, tell this customer now that they should not be parked in this place, don't just help them and give the impression it is fine for them to park here." As I left he was talking to the customers, but ...

This is my pet hate, I get so wound up when I see P&T ir Disabled pkg abused. In fact calmlyt sat here I feel my temp rising - hormones probably. I dare not begin to tell you stories of my encounters for fear of being call 'ageist', 'fattist', or 'racist'. When you approach these 'beings' politly pointing out the massive signpost they've parked in front of, what they say to cover their guilt is not printable............

I told the manager at our local sainsbugs, when I had seen one of his staff run across the car park and get into his car and drive it away, from a disabled parking space!! I told the manager the make and reg. of the car, and asked him to inform his staff it didn't set a good example to other customers.

Of course, I was in my wheelchair at the time.

A friend of mine parked in a P&T space without her kids at our local sainburys, and got a £40 ticket!!

I thought I was really picky/nosey old batty when I carefully stuck notes on all the cars parked (without orange badges) in the disabled spaces in our local station/supermarket car park. They said something like. 'Please do not park her unless you have an orange badge, disabled people need these spaces' - I'm not disabled but it just bugs me that people seem to think that if the rest of the car park is full they can dump their car there all day and really inconvenience anyone who happens to NEED the space.

Oh yes this is something that really gets me on my soap box...

Was just returning to my car in Tescos with my Nephew (15) and DS. Saw a lady pull in to a P&T space. Sounds silly but I had to look twice cos I thought she was getting a kiddy out the back, but then she walked off. Just couldn't help my self...

Me: "Excuse me, but don't you think it's rather inconsiderate to park in a parent and child space?"

Her, looking very embarrassed: " Oh no no so sorry my husband and baby are inside you see, I'm just picking them up.."

I apologised, but kept telling myself I'd done the right thing!! Bloody typical!

BR

BR

Squirmyworm, glad to see it's not just me who sticks notes on peoples cars!! I do this in the P&T parking areas. Nice one twiglett!!

Spurred on by the more militant members of mumsnet, I too have been taking parking abusers to task. My first effort was not so good, and ended in a slanging match with a woman with a who justified her parking in the last available parent and child space by producing her hulking great teenage son as proof of her eligibility!!

But yesterday, when the last space was taken by a middle aged couple with no children, I blocked them in, wound down the window and asked them if they'd forgotten their child. They looked at me as if I was mad and carried on walking into the shop. So I got out (while dp skulked in the car, groaning "do you really have to do this"and wrote down their number plate, intending to go make a complaint in the store. The male driver came back, so I told him (politely this time) that because he had taken this space I would be unable to get my children out of the car as the normal spaces were not wide enough. At first he just said "Oh, we're only going to be 2 minutes", so I pointed out that his inconsiderate parking was causing me a really big problem, and that the store would undoubtedly take a dim view of his actions. When I finished my little speech I half thought he was going to tell me to eff off, but no. Instead he apologised and moved his car!!!
If I wasn't such a grizzled old cynic I'd say he almost restored my faith in humanity.

Ah this is my own personal bugbear. When ds twins were tiny it was a struggle to get them out of the car and into a trolley as they were at the store entrance! So anyone parking in a PT space without bubs is in for it!

In my local Tesco I once had an unpleasant experience though. I was wheeling the boys back to the car laden with shopping and a business woman, all suit and attitude, swept past me on her way to her sportscar guess where parked?

So I say in loud voice to the boys,"yes, parent and toddler, that means us. Special parking just for us." I figured she didn't hear.

Then, as I was loading my car boot with bags she sped past and beeped her horn really loud and long. I swear if she hadn't driven so ridiculously fast I would have caught up and smacked her one! Some people have awfully high opinions of their own self importance!

Um, that winky thing isn't meant to be there, by the way.

Don't you think today we parents have an overblown sense of entitlement about such things as special parking spaces. I mean do we REALLY need them that much? More than other people, particuarly older people who several Mumsnetters here feel they can scream at for daring to try to save their old legs? And, I have two dss myself, and it s not really that much hastle to get from a car to a store. Our mothers managed it. It s just we are so bone idle that we expect to drive to within an inch of where we are going.

I am fed up of mothers with those huge three wheeler push chairs which are entirely impractical and just a fashion accessory, blocking up shops or banging into the legs of elderly passengers on buses. Giving mothers a bad name, I think. FOLD THEM UP or get a more practical stroller.

There is this "we are the creators of the next generation we have a right to be treated better than anyone else" ethos taking hold. I mean no one forced us to have children.

It is not the location of the parking spaces that are important to me, but the width VictoriaPeckham. I have a 2 door car with wide doors. Dd goes in the back. To get her out means opening the rather long doors wider and this causes problems in some car parks. Proper P&T aprking spaces are wider and make this manouvere easier, and with less chance of me knocking against the car parked next to me.

Besides if they are there and designated P&T then others simply should NOT use them, simple as that IMO. I would love to see a fine system in place for them, like they can enforce for disabled parking.

Not P&T but still inconsiderate parking.

THe other week when I was in town I came to a pedestrian crossing that had been completely blocked by a driver. I wrote a rather irate note and when I left it under the wiper I noticed a diabled badge. This did not deter me. Just because they have that badge does not mean they can park across a crossing. I also went to the police station and reported it. The reaction I gt was "they've probably moved by now" but when they checked on the cameras it was still there so they sent a traffic warden to give them a ticket.

I agree about the ridiculous three wheelers Vp

I always think htat they look like Invalide carriages of yesteryear.

I couldnt wait to get a small buggy

Blimey!

When ds was smaller I found it essential that we park as close to the shop as possible, as he would run away at a seconds notice. I know that other mothers who post here have had similar needs.

I also needed the extra room on the sids of the parking slot so that I could fit the car seats/saftey belts correctly.....not too much to ask is it VP?

I remember having to cross a busy, icy carpark carrying my then 6 week old son in his car seat because some truly slepfish prat had parked in the last space. I had a section and was in no state to carry ds that sort of distance.

No-one forrced me to have children but I had particular needs at that time that a civilised society should find reasonable to meet.

I no longer need this provision as my kids are 7 and almost 4, so I don't part in designated spots any more.

So what is your problem VP??

sorry wrong thread.....doh!

ohhhhh....bloody hell! no it was the right one....you lots just posted so much so quickly.

double doh!

victoria, you haven't read Julie Bindel's column in the Guardian today by any chance?

Yes, I did which reminded me of a long correspondence in tmy local paper the South London Press from fed up oldsters sick of being bashed on buses by inconsiderate and selfrighteous mothers. I found myself on the oldsters' side.

Did anyone watch The Office at Xmas and recognise themselves as that appalling selfish pregnant woman Anne?

You don't answer questions then?

TBH I think sometimes mums need p and t parking sometimes they don't. If I'm with both boys I need it, but only because I haven't got my arse in gear to get a blue badge yet. If I'm with ds2 (2) nah I don't really need it although it does make it easier to get him out of the car.

TBH I suspect some older people need easy parking as much as I do if I'm just with ds2 (to have the room to get in and out of the car), and I don't get annoyed when I see older people using them. Fact is they don't spend as much as mums so supermarkets aren't bothered about wooing them.