Parent/Child Parking Spaces

[Roughquest]

I never realised until today just how passionate some woman can be about dishing out verbal abuse to people parking albeit for a few moments in these designated spaces only for use by 'parent & child'. I received one such wrath today - I wasnt feeling very well and needed to pick up a prescription, so i only parked up for a moment as there was no where else to park closer so i popped my car into this space - NEVER AGAIN - the screaming banshee/fishwife from across the way hurled obscenities at me like you would not beilieve ! I was so embarrassed and annoyed at the same time - I explained that i had left my 'child' at home....and that seemed to do the trick and she never said anything else to me....sorry - yes I was wrong to park there, i hold my hands up, but there was no need for such a strong reprimand from a stranger ! I DO begrudge able-bodied people parking in disabled spaces though, now that does get me annoyed - but that is a totally different thing....why should us drivers without broods get our car doors scraped and banged as we have to park in narrow stupid spaces.

[mazie]

well for a start you dont have to unload/load buggies and maybe 1,2 or 3 children, deal with your shopping and keep the kids from getting smashed in the face by cars that are parked too close!

[mazie]

and no, it wasn't me that gave you a mouthful, I've been in my office all day, honest ;o)

[Pippa68]

..and the problem with 'able bodied' people using the disabled bays is that quite often a legit diabled badge owner doesn't 'look' disabled.

A friend of mine with chronic asthma quite often gets a strip torn off her!

[mrs_overall]

I agree with you that spaces in car parks are too narrow and it's annoying, but I also go mad when people park in designated spaces when they shouldn't. I have 3 children, one of whom is disabled. We don't have a badge to park in disabled bays so the parent/child bays are a godsend to us. Many a time people with no kids have taken the last bay and when I've politely asked them to move I've been shouted at and told to go forth and multiply. Last time this happened it was two hefty builders dishing out the verbal ,so I remained calm and asked that as they wouldn't move, could they give me a hand with my disabled child. They just laughed in my face and walked off. Most of the time I think people are too lazy to walk, and they simply look for the nearest space to the shop door.
Rant over.....I'm going to lie down in a darkened room with a stiff drink now.

[mazie]

All of the above totally unacceptable behaviour and should be reported to the supermarket. Some people haven't got a clue what a struggle it is for Mothers and especially mother that have very special children that need more love and care...thats my rant over as well.

[joko]

Well, it wasn't 'just a moment' though was it?
since when has getting a prescription only taken a 'moment'?
you would have likely been 10-15 minutes just for the wait! more for the walk to and from!

your idea of a moment is obvious different from others.

if there is nowhere closer, then you park further away!
you don't take the spaces meant for people who have buggies, carriers, kids, bags etc, who may also want to pick up a prescription....

there is a reason these spaces exist - because their need is greater than you having to walk and extra 50ft or something.

i agree she shouldn't have screamed at you, but i would imagine she has been driven mad by constantly finding spaces filled with people who are not entitled to be there for 'just for a minute'

those spaces are for people who have kids with them in the vehicle - not merely parents in general, so not sure why that placated her.

i might also add that some people have disabilities that are not visible, and though their limbs work other parts of them may not - heart, lungs, back, dizzyness, ms, even nerve illnesses, so just because they can stand up does not mean they are fine
(the badges cover these thing too, the image on the orange one is misleading)

[ummmm]

The thing is. As an adult getting out of a car in a narrow parking space you do it carefully. As a child you don't.....hit the car next to you and the parent can end up with a bill for a couple of hundred quid. Just because someone has parked in the parent/child bays.

It's very annoying and unless you have children you won't understand it. For me it's nothing to do with being nearer the door it's about having the extra space around the car to limit the damage three kids can do when they jump out of the car at the same time.

If I did have to park in the narrow bays and one of my lads opened my door into yours causing a massive dent....I don't think you would be to happy. You might then curse the people without kids for taking up our bays......!!!

[joko]

why thank you caz!

[Roughquest]

Joko - I stated I was feeling unwell - hence my very desperate need to park in the closest spot possible - hence a parent child space, and my prescription was ready as its a repeat one - so in this case for me it was a few moments in and out.....had i been able to walk further had i not been so unwell then i would have without fail parked elsewhere/furtjer away, this is the first time i have ever parked in a designated space i might add.

[Goodsoulette]

but if you were soooooo ill you couldnt walk an extra 50 feet then surely you shouldnt have been driving!

[joko]

i understand you felt your actions were justified, and 9 times out of 10, no-one would mind or even notice, but your indignance at being told off and saying 'never again' as though your nose is out of joint somewhat belies your true feelings - i,e that you think you should be allowed to park wherever you like, whenever you like.

and good point goodsoulette.
perhaps in this instance many would do the same as you, and i suppose if you are genuinely ill, you are in a sense temporarily disabled, but why lie to the woman? why make something up to 'do the trick'?
why not just say you are ill and struggling?
if you were so ill you couldn't walk properly she would have been able to tell surely?

you really should have parked up in a normal bay and had a rest of you were that bad.

also, most people take care when getting out of a car in a tight squeeze so your worry getting your door scraped and banged does not really work as its a relatively rare thing....as has been mentioned - it is kids that may not take care, and in the special bays they can fling the doors open all they like - there is room.

next time your car gets scraped, i'll bet it is because a parent is trying to squeeze a pram or a carrier out of the back seat in the 2ft space, or perhaps someone in a wheelchair trying to manouvre themselves into their chair in the tiny gap, because thoughtless people have taken their spaces.

and, if you were that bad why not park on the road outside the shop? just for a moment?

[girlygirl]

I have two points:-

1. What about the home delivery service for prescriptions that they offer to people too ill to go and pick them up themselves (as you stated, you were very ill, too ill to even park further away and if that is the honest truth, then you shouldnt have been driving as already mentioned)

2. What about Parents that were also feeling ill with Children in tow or even worse, ill Children? You were prepared to make THEM walk further but not yourself?

Very inconsiderate and selfish in my book and you're supposed to be a Parent?!?!?!
Glad you aren't mine.

[Roughquest]

Hmmmm...no road, it was a supermarket...interesting views though - well done.....i thought this question may raise a few comments ..i only wanted to get my question at the top of the page - boo hoo....walking and driving are two different things anyhow....and i have no one to get my prescription for me, ...my illness did not impair my driving....and usually i can walk, ride a horse and a bicycle....i should have cycled instad, a bike takes up far less room in a car park..lol.

[girlygirl]

You should have rode your horse to the supermarket and let the poor kiddies you deprived of their car parking space have a free ride - lol :O)

[Roughquest]

happy easter :-)

[girlygirl]

You too :O)

[havinmysay]

sorry RQ but i agree with everyone else as a parent i to get frustrated when i see people on there own parking there.
You might have been ill but still no excuse to park there my car only has 2 doors and it is a real struggle tryin to get kids and bags onto the backseat then tryin to fasten their seatbelts while your door swings back,what a nightmare!!!

still no need for the abuse....at least u'll no in future x