Today I parked in mother & child space

[LoveLetters]

I am 8 weeks pregnant with severe morning sickness. I went to Tescos to do a quick shop as I am feeling so horrendous and now I am pregnant I parked in mother AAnd baby as it is closer to the door. I had just got out of the car when a woman about 65 came storming up to me shouting where is your child to which I replied in my tummy. She kept ranting at me and I explained my morning sickness is awful and I just wanted to get in and out. After more ranting I got a bit fed up and told her in future maybe she should mind her own business and think before she attack someone. She then told me to F off and she was going to report me. So she headed off to customer service and reported me, after she had left I went and asked them what was their policy. To which they said there wasn't one and they apologised to me for her behaviour. They were then worried as I felt so ill I nearly passed out. Has anyone had this before?? I am now feeling extremely Ill and Just want to cry.

Sounds like you're having a really tough pregnancy OP, I suffered through mine, it's just awful and especially hard when you have other children to take care of.

I think anyone who is feeling very ill, pregnant or not, should be able to use P&C spaces (as useful as they are, they are basically just a marketing device). However, I do think you have to be prepared to be challenged on it. I bet if you were feeling brighter you would have handled that woman's rudeness a lot better, but of course if you were feeling better, you would have had no need for the space in the first place! Plus, I don't know about you, but I was always a bloody hormonal mess in early pregnancy, which never helps!!

Do you have much support? The reason I ask is that I feel that with you being as ill as you are it would have been a lot safer to have a partner or friend with you to do the driving, fetch the water and generally be there to look out for you. I know that, as parents, we do get used to battling on, but in this instance it sounds like you possibly shouldn't have been driving. Pregnant + dehydrated + half starved from HG = high possibility of fainting/lightheadedness which could be dangerous when driving. I very reluctantly had to give up driving for a few weeks in my first pregnancy. It was a bloody nightmare logistically, but the safe thing to do.

I really hope you feel better very soon.

I'm hugely pregnant with twins so park in the parent and toddler spaces so I have enough room to get in and out.

Sad, jumped up, people who want to challenge me on that can go right ahead.

If a dick like ginger damaged my car because of her self entitlement then she could expect a visit off the police for criminal damage, most car parks have pretty good cctv these days.

*I agree with this "Well, it's reasonable to wonder why someone is so ill that they don't want to walk across a car park and almost passed out is driving on the road with other road users."

Absolutely. Please, OP, take this onboard: if you are so unwell that you almost 'passed out' (rather than drink tap water ) and were genuinely on the verge of dehydration (though I'm assuming that you meant that you were thirsty, rather than #on the verge of' suffering a clinically diagnosed case of dehydration), then DO NOT drive! You are endangering the lives of others as well as yourself. Or would you rather 'take your chances' with a head-on collision, in preference to taking a chance on a glass of tap water?

Unless, of course, you are hugely exaggerating in order to provide a reason why you did not feel you should park in a standard parking bay

Anyone can park in a parent and child space. It really is that simple. There may be people who think that people not accompanied by external offspring shouldn't be allowed to park there, but what they think is irrelevant because you can and that's that really. No explanations or justification as to why you were shopping, driving or what water you want to fucking drink are necessary. Fuck all to do with parking in a space you're perfectly entitled to park in.
And when did pregnancy turn into AIBU? Don't post here if you don't want to debate? WTF?

rink you seem lovely.

I agree that she has not come across well at points on this thread but there's reasons why that may be the case

Truly, I appreciate what you're saying, but I can't think of a good reason for getting in a car and driving when you're (allegedly) so ill that you're on the verge of passing out . That's a charge of Death by Dangerous Driving just waiting to happen!

Having been hospitalised twice with dehydration due to severe sickness throughout my entire pregnancy at 18 and 35 weeks I would urge you to please rethink driving when you're on the verge of passing out, it may well be that you need to buy something but your concentration will be seriously impaired and you could find yourself in the midst of or causing an accident.

X-post

I'm sorry OP, you shouldn't have parked there. ALthough the reasction was OTT, I've been known to question people who do not have toddlers with them

I have 3 children (9, 5 and 1) I will only ever use them when I'm with the 1 year old.

I don't use the disabled space when I've got a hurty knee.

Malice you can't compare somebody using a p&t space which was designed to make life easier to an able bodied person using a disabled bay which is a legal requirement as it means that person with a disability can access services.

I would love you to question me on using a p&t space.

Disabled spaces are reserved by law. Parent an child spaces are not. No one has any right to challenge anyone for parking there for whatever reason.

Rink

I wish people wouldn't liken P and C spaces with disabled bays,they really aren't comparable.

Of course they're comparable. Not the same, but comparable.

You may as well do away with the spaces (they're not enforced anyway)

I've just struggled one too many times because people have been inconsiderate. Proper size parking spaces all round would help.

But I stand by my initial comment.

Double I doubt you would I'm right 'orrible

Well I don't see being pregnant or having a "hurry" leg as comparable with being disabled.

And really there's no need to be proud of the fact you're horrible. Luckily bullies, especially ones who get involved in something that's nothing to do with them don't intimidate me.

Having seen friends struggle with their car seats I personally wouldn't park there as unfair (I'm currently heavily pregnant and need to open my door pretty wide to lodge myself out) but also I couldn't be bothered with the hassle as recently a woman was fined days away from her due date for parking in th space. It was revoked in the end I think because she had SPD but seems it can be enforced.

You can't compare something that's a convenience with something that's a necessity. I have 5 kids and a giant 4x4 so I know how irritating it is to struggle but I don't see myself as entitled to a more convenient space because I have children and a large vehicle. It's handy, but I'm not entitled to it.

I'm nearly 39 weeks pregnant and can't bring myself to park in these spaces for fear of confrontation! It would be easier though if I did, I'm bloody uncomfortable and sore now.

Hope you feel better soon OP and congratulations on your pregnancy.

double it was more of the swerving at 20mph to get in the space even though in was indicating to park that pissed me off more than the type of parking space it was

still though, I learnt that day why you need more space when attempting to remove a car seat, as did her door.

I didn't intentionally damage her car, it just happened and I didn't give a shit.

Fair enough ginger, in your original post it sounded like you damaged her door on purpose, my mistake.

LOL this thread! . LoveLetters, don't let them get to you. You were ill and clearly no one else was around who needed the space more than you. I pass by those parking spaces every time I go to the store thinking how wonderful it would be to have the extra room to open my door wider and lever my over-sized self out of my little car. But I never have the nerve. Around here (US) they are called spots for "new and expecting mothers" which makes things a little easier.

Also I drink lots of bottled water and I haven't turned green yet and at my last scan my little girl had not sprouted any extra limbs.

To clarify: I'm not saying that tap water will do strange things to anyone or their children (born or unborn). I just don't like the taste of my local tap water.

If I were you I wouldn't have added this post but then again I would have done the same as you. I've seen people with massive suv's parking there cause there cars are massive so considering you were ill and telco were fine with it and it's not a normal thing that you would do - just ignore all the other comments :-)

Hope you're feeling better.