Result! Successfully managed to evict RAC driver from mother & baby parking slot!

[pacinofan]

Driving round and round Tesco's today, as usual no m&b parking slots, we have two little ones in the back. I spot an RAC van going into one - no kids. Bravely decided to ask if he wouldn't mind moving as he seemed to have parked in m&b spot in error. Tells me to bog off. Dh gets out, asks politely, no result until dh asks for his name, surprisingly he gave it, and we take his reg. RAC van driver reverses out of spot at a rate of knots in a whirl of smoke, and we get to park in said spot.

Wonder if he'd hop in a disabled bay in just the same way?

presumably Surrey hatrick (which perhaps explains it)

Bring the trolley to the car Surr3ymummy- honestly it's easy.

depends on the trolley. When I parked at asda yesterday ( yeah I know but it was the closest) I was lucky enough to get a P&T space (unheard of).

I was sooo grateful when I was going back to the minibus, as the trolley had three children in it, shopping, I had a baby under one arm, trying to steer the unsteerable trolly with the free arm and 2 other children marauding round the car park which is on a hill anyway so bloody trolley shoots off and cannot be stopped .

I hate asda

P&T not necessary? Not necessary everywhere perhaps but it would depend on local circs.

The nearest Sainsburys (7 miles) is a piece of piss because the store is 2 miles wide and so is the car park. You can't fail to park right next to it and there are nice wide walkways.

But Waitrose (only 2 miles) car park is on a really steep hill and I, being daft enough to have 3 DCs under the age of 3, found getting them up the hill and safely through a car park, which has few paths, was challenge enough even without the shopping. Fortunately home delivery was reinvented.

pollypumpkin - my mothers boyfriend has a disabled badge because he's diabetic. They went on a fecking walking holiday in New Zealand earlier this year. .

that's shocking makes me really you should shop him.

It's the Guildford carparks that are a pain. I do have a long car - estate (3 kids and 2 dogs necessitates), but no wider than a normal car. Of course there are lots of big 4x4s around which I seem to end up parking next to. I've never been very good at parking going in forwards I have to confess, but even if I did I still often can't open the door wide enough to get DS out, so have to take him out, park him in buggy and then reverse. I work, and am not a huge fan of shopping unless there's something I need, so I just don't go now, except very occasionally if I can't avoid it.

Town centres bemoan the fact that they're losing business to internet shoppers, but when it's so awful to get in and out of shopping centres it's hardly surprising.

And yes, if I do see someone without a child in a P&C space I'll at least scowl at them, and occasionally say something. It's just a bit inconsiderate. Shops have these spaces because it is more difficult if you have a baby or toddler in tow, and they want us to spend our money - not having the spaces, or not enough of them, means parents with children in tow are less likely to spend with them, and impacts their bottom line.

I only passed my test 4 years ago, I used to push DS1 in his pushchairto Asda, put buggy in trolley, get shopping, pay, open buggy, put Ds1 back in, load up shopping and walk the half hour back home. Once I had Dd1 and Dd2 it got harder to do, so my mum would take me shopping, but I still had to walk to her house every monday.

He may have it validly (not saying he does). DS1 can run like the wind - the only activity he can do is moor walking- he still- perfectly legally - gets a disabled badge- he gets is because he has higher rate mobility- which he receieves because of 'severe mental impairment', an IQ under 55, no understanding of road safety and challenging behaviour which means that he cannot walk down the street unaided (he actually cannot be let go of at all -not even for one second- when outside). The rules aren't always as simple as tp do with walking. Diabetes doesn't automatically qualify AFAIK, but he may well fit the criteria.

no parking probs in N.Z. i hope!

yurt - yes you're right, I could trek across the carpark and back, leaving DS locked in car, hoping he doesn't set the alarm off - as there are rarely the "right" trolleys anywhere except outside the store. Our local store are bizarrely efficient at rounding up all the trolleys.

So given the hassle, and the fact that it's very difficult to get a delivery slot here, unless you're super-organised and know what you want to buy ages in advance, I tend to send DH to the supermarket instead .

I am sure some people get pregnant just so they can use P&C spaces.

Biggest load of bollocks imo.

Leaving aside all the stuff about P&C spaces (which has been "done" so often before) I'm most surprised at an RAC man telling you to "bog off". IME so far, I would have cited the RAC as one of the friendliest, most helpful bunch of people I've ever come across .... always polite, always reassuring and never condescending (even when I don't know what they're talking about "being a woman and all that").

Glad you scared him off though.

Flowery - were you in the Grafton? I needed that spot - norty

I used them more in my last few months of being PG as I had SPD and no one ever said a word. Now I can never get one and DD and I dash through the traffic like mad things.

Well done for telling him off, I don't mind elderly/diabled using them - they need them more than me, lazy RAC man would annoy me too.

Hi callme, no I was in Lion Yard or whatever they call it now, the new JL anyway. I swear there were about 2 cars in the whole car park at the time...

(And despite that I do indeed feel norty!)

our supermarket in NZ says the spaces are for 'Expectant and New MOthers' which is pointless really isn't it. how old is your baby when you stop being a new mother? Do fathers not take their babies shopping?

We haven't had one of these for at least, oooh, a week though so it was definitely time

I feel homesick hearing talk of Lion Yard and Grafton Centre..I want to move back..

om parent and child spaces..I wish they would abolish the damn things, cause more trouble than they are worth

when i go into guildford i use the park and ride, and take all 4 in on that, including ds2 in his wheelchair

car parking space size in the artington car park are great , tho only THREE disabled spots for a car park holding 440 cars

I just wish the whole of the car park was made up of P&T spaces.

Then i wouldn't have to park miles away to get away from the fuckwits who slam trollies and doors into your car.

We should just ban anyone from driving or even owning a car who isn't a Parent and Child combo. Sorted.

surr3ymummy
if you book a slot to have an internet delivery you can book a week in advance but only need confirm you completed order about a day before.
I post a delivery time and stick a few basics on but then just keep adding things on as I remember until about 12 hours before when they close your order.
piece of cake - ( and i am NOT super organized.
(But then I also live in Guildford , 2 minutes saunter from the High street . Don't cha just hate me . I have a drive big enough for several cars and suddenly on saturdays and in run up to christmas everyone suddenly wants to pop in for coffeee - oh and could they just stay there while they nip to the shops ? ) A girl of only periodic popularity

pagwatch - that's fab, I have just done my internet shop - well half of it anyway. Last time I did one (Sept 2006) they didn't have the feature to add stuff just before delivery, and then whenever I went on I couldn't get a slot anyway.

However there were plenty of delivery slots today for Saturday so obviously things have improved - hadn't realised it had been over a year since I'd done one though! So all I need now is a season parking ticket at pagwatch parking and I'll be sorted .