Do you use parent and child spaces without children?

Do you use parent and child spaces without children?

Author
Discussion

marctwo

3,666 posts

266 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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I always use them when I have the kids in the car. Never without. I see many people using them without kids and think it's rather inconsiderate.

OwenK

3,472 posts

201 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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It's a bit like rocking up at the "basket only" queue with a full trolley. No it's not the law, but it's a bit of a tt thing to do.

The Vambo

7,016 posts

147 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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Why would anyone with the slightest interest in cars park anywhere near the front of a supermarket car park?

Anyway, P&C and disabled parking should be at the back of a car-park, wheelchairs have wheels, prams have wheels, wheels are more efficient than feet. Get to the back.

Mr2Mike

20,143 posts

261 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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I never use them, irrespective of whether I have kids in the car or not. Instead I prefer to park at the other end of the car park. Reasons are:

1) I have have a perfectly functional set of legs
2) I'm not a lazy tt
3) The parent and child area seems to attract the worst type of lazy, inconsiderate tts that like to abandon their shopping trolleys within the car park, rather than waddle the 20 yards to the nearest trolley bay. Stabbing is too good for these people.

nickofh

603 posts

124 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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Once used one without children. Did get called a couple of names but politely explained that I was taking my 83 y/o gran shopping who could not walk too far. So I think that was fair reason to.

Motorrad

6,811 posts

193 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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Have we come to the conclusion that people who use parent and child spaces without children are probably anti-social and that people with children seem to have no sense of balance when it comes to their entitlement by dint of having some beloved nappy fillers yet?

'Cos that's the way it always ends up from an outsiders point of view. Don't want kids, don't park in spaces provided for those that do. Laugh at all the drongos that get worked up about it on these threads though. biggrin

EggsBenedict

1,787 posts

180 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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DE15 CAT said:
Just reading through these comments, a few questions for debate.

1) People who think they are above others ? Does this not equally apply to parents who think they should get pref. treatment because they chose to breed. or deprive more 'needy' parents just because they still have 'children' with them.
Not sure what your point is. The P&C bays are not about preferential treatment, it's a clear message from car park that if you don't have kids in the car, you shouldn't park there. In cases where there are no P&C bays, I don't just park across 2 because I think having kids gives me that right.

DE15 CAT said:
2) Supermarkets rights to restrict on their property. But as this is for financial advantage not genuine parent consideration. Do you think people without livestock A)boycott these places. B)write complaint letters. Do both. C)use anyway.
2a should supermarkets be compelled to make all bays larger thereby giving all parkers enough room (obviously less spaces, but also less arguments).
Well, they don't restrict, do they? As people have pointed out, it's not against the law to park in a P&C space with no kids, it just makes you a dick. TBH, this is capitalism at work. If supermarkets had spaces that were too small so much that they'd lose business, they'd make them bigger. It's a British disease to think legislation is the answer to all problems. No wonder we have a nanny state.

DE15 CAT said:
3) In these arguments why do posters always spout 'would you park in a disabled bay' clearly one is choice other is unchosen.
3a) moral compass would you not park in disabled bay because of permanent 'problems' & park in parent bays because of chosen 'problems'.
Well, the fact that someone makes the choice between needing more space through having kids, or has that choice made for them, that doesn't make it right to deny them that space when you yourself don't need it. Basically it was those who 'chose' to have kids who campaigned for those spaces anyway. In terms of the 'legality', disabled spaces in supermarket carparks are the same as P&C. It's up to the supermarket to enforce, but decency says that you don't use if you don't apply.

DE15 CAT said:
4) What would you think of a disabled person parking in parent bay because all disabled bays are in use. confusedscratchchin
Fine by me. You need the space, I need the space. You need it more.

DE15 CAT said:
Me personally don't agree with parent bays but wouldn't use because of increased risk of damage, I mostly shop on line to avoid driving around car parks looking for space, & avoiding whistlers (don't know why but cannot stand the bloody windy warbling) also helps to avoid weirdo nutters you find in public places (to para phrase Jimmy Carr if you think there aren't any about - ITS YOU).
Odd.



Edited by EggsBenedict on Friday 11th July 15:24

MattStorey

3,041 posts

161 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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jbsportstech said:
I remember I have that when I have returned to my car without the kids as they are still in with the other half.

I remember a documentary on parking a few years ago and they would confront people parked in disabled bays without a badge. The reaction by most was to try and escape or make up a silly excuses like my audi tt doors are big and heavy and i have dinged other cars in normal size bays before.

Like someone said if you don't want to be on tv doing it and don't want a confrontation why bother.

It suggest you are better than other people and that's what gets people going. There is an habitual user of p&c with a blue bad in 3 series coupe. I once saw a very large scratch down the side of his car he got from parking in that bay. When I saw the disabled girl with him I did feel a little sorry for him.


I stopped parking in the wrong bay the day I got a scratch down the side of my car in harvester car new years day this year. I had parked in disable as the carpark was full and I had my 4 kids in mpv. Came out to find someone had taken exception and done and I needed a full side respray on my company car.
I bet that was not fun telling HR/company car people what bay you were parked in when you achieved said scratch. :-)

Camoradi

4,381 posts

262 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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have I logged on to mumsnet by mistake?

EggsBenedict

1,787 posts

180 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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^ No, because nobody has told the OP that they deserve to be left by their OH or to leave their OH.


Howard-

4,958 posts

208 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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jdw1234 said:
No legal reason not to use them.
Whilst this may be the case, IMHO it's a bit of a dick move.



Think about it this way: If they didn't exist, there would only be more parents parking in the "gen pop" parking, opening their doors into our cars without a care in the world...

Gandahar

9,600 posts

134 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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Can I give my tuppenthworth?

I am a disabled driver after breaking my back, 7 ribs, collar bone and losing half a lung 18 years back. I can walk but I have a bad limp. Find it difficult getting out of cars.

There are always some people always worse off, so I can't complain.

I once got harangued by a mother for parking in the mother and toddlers spaces even though the blue badge spaces were filled...so given that....

So what do I do at supermarkets?

1. I park in the blue badged spots. Not the one nearest the supermarket, the one nearest the trolley park. Not only so I can grab a trolly from there for support, but one I can put back easily, everyone's a winner.

So the blue badge spots are all full, what do I do?

2. If I am in my Yaris I will park a long way away to make sure nobody blocks me in on a normal space, i will try to get an end of parking space so not to have struggle getting out if a car parks next to me.

3. I will park in the parent and childen space if in my MX5 if driving that

The point is my automatic MX5 ( stop laughing at the back ) has low seating position so I have to have space to get out by opening the door wide and levering myself out. I don't want to damage any other cars with my clumsiness or be stuck.

So I am using a child and parent space wrongly apparently.

But to be honest where else do you find children and parent spaces?

Nowhere apart from a commercial entity which is putting them in for commercial benefit. Commercial benefit rather than an actual need. Nobody actually needs that width of space to get a child out of a car. I know from experience. I managed to get my child out of a Yaris in a normal space with a broken back for 18 months so I am surprised mums cannot get their child out of the car fully fit

Perhaps cars are getting too wide?

So in summary it's just a marketing ploy for mums in SUVs to be ok. tongue out

To be honest guys I would not worry about it too much. If I worried about it too much I start thinking how too many people have blue badges and don't need them or perhaps people who park in the blue badge area have not got a blue badge.

Mother and parking is NOT a legal thing, something mums tend to forget, it's to get money, but if you can avoid that agro and park further away then at least you will get a bit more exercise. Disabled people and mums probably need more exercise to be honest to be more healthy. So it's no big shakes.

If you have a La Ferrari and park it in the disabled space or mums and children spaces to avoid you getting a scratch that is ok by me.

After all, if you can always order online nowadays to stop your Audi Q7 for the kids run getting scratched. wink







Gandahar

9,600 posts

134 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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EggsBenedict said:
Not sure what your point is. The P&C bays are not about preferential treatment,
No, it's purely commercial treatment to get a marketing ploy over their rival to make more money from a certain section of the public.

Tell me how many mother and child spaces you get at Gatwick airport or the local library?




vtecyo

2,122 posts

135 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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Only at the gym.

HereBeMonsters

14,180 posts

188 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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Gandahar said:
Tell me how many mother and child spaces you get at Gatwick airport or the local library?
1. There's a big drop-off area where you can open your doors as wide as you like. No need for extra space.

2. Lots. Probably about 12-14, but I'll count them for you tomorrow if you so wish.

uuf361

3,155 posts

228 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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I never use them out of politeness but don't see why exist (other than for marketing purposes)......always use the overflow car park as:

a) it's a lot emptier than the normal car park and most won't consider using it (as it's at least 2 min walk from the store) and

b) I need the exercise smile

ShaunTheSheep

951 posts

161 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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They're a courtesy not a right. If you can park somewhere else, then do. If it's the last space, crack on.

If you have your little one with you and there's no P&C spaces left, then that's just life, no whinging please!

Disabled spaces are a right. Don't use unless you qualify.

Gandahar

9,600 posts

134 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
HereBeMonsters said:
Gandahar said:
Tell me how many mother and child spaces you get at Gatwick airport or the local library?
1. There's a big drop-off area where you can open your doors as wide as you like. No need for extra space.

2. Lots. Probably about 12-14, but I'll count them for you tomorrow if you so wish.
Your point 1 is irrelevant to the current discussion, there is always a big drop off area for anyone at lots of places, that's not what we are talking about. I'm talking about dedicated parking spaces for parents and children.

I want to see photographic evidence of point 2.

Having visited Gatwick quite a lot of times including short term and long term and never seen such a thing I'll be interested to see it in print.

I could be wrong of course. Ball in your court.



J4CKO

42,732 posts

206 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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Camoradi said:
have I logged on to mumsnet by mistake?
Nope, nobody has mentioned anything about semen, and the mess it can cause.

J4CKO

42,732 posts

206 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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I wonder if the supermarkets set aside some "Selfish Twunt" or "Ignorant Prick" spaces, whether anyone would use them ?