Do you use parent and child spaces without children?

Do you use parent and child spaces without children?

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Urban Sports

Original Poster:

11,321 posts

202 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
I got called an inconsiderate tw@t yesterday for parking in what seemingly was the last parent and child space at a supermarket by some bloke in a people carrier who admittedly did have kids with him.

I do have a little boy but he wasn't with me I did however have the child seat in the car which kind of gives me a bit of a ticket to park there. wink

I do use them if I see one as they're not really a right for people with children, bit harsh being called a tw@t though!


mattGT86

86 posts

186 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
I agree with his sentiment, I would have put lazy in front of that word too.

What happens if someone took the space when you had your kids with you?

Guessing disabled spaces are fair game too?

Lost soul

8,712 posts

181 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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I use them why not

Monty Python

4,812 posts

196 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
So you rather risk having your doors dented by someone trying to shoehorn their brood into the rear of their car?

Zod

35,295 posts

257 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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We've had this thread several times this year already. It quickly becomes a slanging match.

Tunku

7,703 posts

227 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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I tend to go for the disabled spaces as they are generally closer to the door and I get to demonstrate my Tourettes to anyone who complains. rolleyes

Lost soul

8,712 posts

181 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
Tunku said:
I tend to go for the disabled spaces as they are generally closer to the door and I get to demonstrate my Tourettes to anyone who complains. rolleyes
hehe

Steffan

10,362 posts

227 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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As others have said these threads arise regularly. It doses seem a thoughtless and selfish act but there are a lot of people to whom thse descriptions apply.

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
I certainly don't, and would tend to agree with the sentiment of the guy who chastised you. Exceptionally selfish thing to do, IMO.

Edited by kambites on Friday 11th July 10:50

Mcbeth

225 posts

134 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
Since you have a kid I think you should know better. It's not the crime of the century but it certainly is inconsiderate IMO.
Are pavements, loading bays and disabled spots ok too? " sure Ill only be a minute, what harm right?"

jdw1234

6,021 posts

214 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
No legal reason not to use them.

There is also no legal reason to offer your seat to a pregnant lady/elderly person.

Its up to you how you act.


Biggy Shackleton

83 posts

125 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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Even when I have my 1 year old I never use them, just park at the furthest end of the car park in the millions of empty spaces, this on the rare occasions I use a supermarket. I despise people without kids who park in them during busy times though.

surveyor

17,768 posts

183 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
Here we go again...

For the record I don't use them at all any more - not even with my daughter as she's old enough to climb out of a car (and in fact will ask for someone top open her door if she's concerned about hitting the car next to us).

When she was smaller these spaces were invaluable for getting her in and out of her car seat without damaging my car or anybody else's. Having seen the benefit it's obvious as to who would use them.

IMO the OP has been informed correctly by the people with kids of his status in life, and if he has kids should know better.

gfunk

279 posts

211 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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Upto what age child is acceptable to park in these bays?

jdw1234

6,021 posts

214 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
gfunk said:
Upto what age child is acceptable to park in these bays?
When you dont need extra space in order to help them out of the car.


tenpenceshort

32,880 posts

216 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
gfunk said:
Upto what age child is acceptable to park in these bays?
They're parent and child spaces, so if I take my mum shopping, we should be alright to use them. I'm 36 btw.

Yes, I am only joking.

Impasse

15,099 posts

240 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
gfunk said:
Upto what age child is acceptable to park in these bays?
It's not really an age thing, it's how much help they might need in getting strapped in safely and the requirement for the door to be opened fully while this is going on. From a tiny babe in arms, through to a toddler who can scramble up to their seat themselves - they all need the car door to opened fully to get them ready for a drive.
Once all the kids on board can sort out their own seat restraints, the parent/child parking spaces aren't really needed.

EggsBenedict

1,770 posts

173 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
jdw1234 said:
No legal reason not to use them.

There is also no legal reason to offer your seat to a pregnant lady/elderly person.

It's up to you how you act.
Notwithstanding that a mate and I parked a Ford Capri across 3 disabled bays in Sainsbury's car park once when we were teenagers (driving a Capri at the time, it just seemed the thing do do), I don't use those spaces unless my kids (1 and 4 yo) are in the car. They're usually in supermarket car parks, and manoevering a trolley load of shopping and 2 kids is tricky - you need that bit of extra room, so if someone who doesn't need the room takes those spaces, it is pretty f'ing selfish.

I quote you, jdw1234, because it's true, there's no legal reason not to use them. But if there had to be a law against something before you didn't do it, it would be a pretty sad place to be. After all, there's no law that says you shouldn't fart loudly in a crowded restaurant, but it would surely tell the rest of the room something about you if you did.

So, sure, it's up to you how you act, but you can expect to be judged on it. And that judgement may be made known to you quite reasonably, I think.

Lastly - get up out of your seat for pregnant ladies and the elderly unless there's a very good reason why not. It's just good manners.

HTP99

22,443 posts

139 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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I used one for the first time ever yesterday as I had my 9m old Grandson with me, I almost felt a bit naughty doing so though.

jdw1234

6,021 posts

214 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
EggsBenedict said:
jdw1234 said:
No legal reason not to use them.

There is also no legal reason to offer your seat to a pregnant lady/elderly person.

It's up to you how you act.
Notwithstanding that a mate and I parked a Ford Capri across 3 disabled bays in Sainsbury's car park once when we were teenagers (driving a Capri at the time, it just seemed the thing do do), I don't use those spaces unless my kids (1 and 4 yo) are in the car. They're usually in supermarket car parks, and manoevering a trolley load of shopping and 2 kids is tricky - you need that bit of extra room, so if someone who doesn't need the room takes those spaces, it is pretty f'ing selfish.

I quote you, jdw1234, because it's true, there's no legal reason not to use them. But if there had to be a law against something before you didn't do it, it would be a pretty sad place to be. After all, there's no law that says you shouldn't fart loudly in a crowded restaurant, but it would surely tell the rest of the room something about you if you did.

So, sure, it's up to you how you act, but you can expect to be judged on it. And that judgement may be made known to you quite reasonably, I think.

Lastly - get up out of your seat for pregnant ladies and the elderly unless there's a very good reason why not. It's just good manners.
For clarity we are in agreement.

P.S. The only way parking the Capri like that can be acceptable is if it was done using the handbrake.