Fed up with motorists who nab all the parent/baby parking spots? Add a message to this thread to show your support of the Babyexpert S.O.S. save Our Spaces campaign.
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I think its disgraceful that people park in the parent/toddler spaces. I would never think to park in a disabled space, neither do I use the parent/toddler spaces if I am on my own.

Nothing makes me more irrate than see perfectly able-bodied young people parking in spaces desgined for parents with children. I always try to tackle people and shame them into moving but sadly it rarely works. Equally infuriating though are people who park in these spaces with their teenage children and think that this counts. I notice that our local Tesco has now made clear on its signs that the spaces are for people with babies and toddlers not teenagers - whether this does anything to stop these ignorant, arrogant and lazy people only time will tell.

Beware of the Bull Ring car park in Birmingham - I once had to ask a complete stranger to reverse my car out of its space because I had been hemmed in on both sides and, with bump and toddler, couldn't climb in or get my son in. I knew that I was risking allowing someone to just drive away with my car but, since we live about 20 miles from Birmingham, I would never have got home otherwise!

I personally think it is pathetic that people feel the needt oaprk in these spaces I have a six month old and a 2 year old and need the space to get my children out. Where I shop the spaces are not near the door so people dont need to park in them to be lazy as its closer to the door, but its mainly people with big 4x4s that park in them to get their precious cars in but dont have no children! (no offence to 4x4 drivers with children). I feel that if they are going to buy these big cars they should learn how to park them in regular spaces and not think they are superior for having them. I would never drem of parking in the spaces when I havnt got my children with me.

This really winds me up!!! I ALWAYS ask them if they realise they are parked in a parent and child space, only one woman has refused to move and I admit that I called her a fat selfish cow before walking off!! We also once challenged a guy at IKEA who claimed he was waiting for his wife and child (no child seat though) we took about 10 minutes setting up the buggy because we knew he would have to wait untill we had gone before he could walk off Tehehe.

people who use these spaces who dont have children are selfish, mums and dads need the extra room to get the car seats etc in and out. It really winds me up when parents with teenagers use these spaces too. I have started saying nice pram to these idiots when I catch them at it! Jo x

I am so glad that this topic is being addressed!! This has been something that has really bugged me since I was pregnant with my daughter 11 years ago!! Here I am pregnant with my third child and it really irritates me when able bodied people with no kids park in these spaces! My husband will actually approach people who park in these spaces and they can get really abusive! When my local Tesco store expanded, they got rid of a majority of their parent & child spaces ( I think there are only about 7 or 8) and added alot more disabled spaces!! Don't get me wrong, my mum is registered disabled and she has a blue badge and I don't begrudge her the spaces, but it annoys me when there are plenty of disabled spaces empty and people are fighting over the parent and child spaces! maybe there could be a scheme where some of the wider spaces could be used by blue badge holders and parents should be issued a badge so they can park in these spaces too. I'm not sure how this would work, maybe something in connection with the child benefit?? You could be issued with a badge thats valid until the childs 5th birthday?? I don't know, its just an idea :\?
All i know is something has to be done

I cant understand why none of the shop's i go to do anything about the people without children parking in parent & child. I shop in either Tesco's, Marks & Spencer or Asda and all have told me when i went in and complained about people parking in p&c spaces with no children, they wouldnt/couldnt do anything about it. I am a memeber of the tesco baby club & have a badge that allows me to park in a p&c space in tesco up untill my child is 5. I think this is a good idea and i just wish that the spaces would be monitered so only people with the badges could use it. I constantly challege people who park in p&c space without children and normally it ends up in a fight, I'm sick and tired of it. One man last week told me he would "knock me on my ass" after i said to him that the spaces are for Parents with Toddlers not a van full of workies.. Lovely way to speak to a 21 weeks pregnant woman & her 9 month old son.

Thank god someone has taken this on. There is nothing more irritating than having to carry your 1 month old baby right across a car park of snow (as i had to do over winter) while some lazy so and so who is more than capable of walking parks close to the supermarket doors. I have often encountered these people at my local sainsburys and find that my death glare and good condescending "TUT" normally works to make them move.
My point of view is that if the car does not contain a car seat, then the person should not be parked there. Most kids are in car seats now until about 10 years old under the new regulations, therefore, you can normally see which cars should or shouldnt be there as the majority should have car seats in them. I would be happy to stop using these spaces when my son reaches 6 ish or even younger and i think most mums would do the same out of consideration for fellow mummys with younger babies.
The supermarkets should do more to patrol this, especially for working mums who are busy when the supermarkets are quiet and rely on going at peak or busy times when these lazy people nick all the spots.
For my part, I will continue to TUT for us all!:evil:

I will admit to being one of those selfish people who occasionally use the baby and toddler spaces at Tesco's... Why? Because at 27 weeks I got hemmed in while using a regular space and the Tesco staff refused to move my car or put out an announcement to ask the offending vehicles to move. I complained and told them that as far as I was concerned a baby 'in utero' was still a baby that needed to be got in and out of the car. I also pointed out that, being disabled, I could, technically, use a disabled space though I try not to when possible, and park even closer!!! What really annoyed me was the attitude of the staff member I spoke to! And disabled people seem to think that it's OK to park in the P&C spaces even if there are disabled spaces available - and how do they react if someone who doesn't appear disabled parks in one of theirs. I have a friend with a false leg, I've been with him when he's been accosted for parking in a disabled space.

I have to admit, it doesnt bother me tbh!!!! I dont have any children im 28+ weeks with my first but i always had children around me & even when i used to take out other ppls children b4 i fell pg it didnt bother me!!! Sorry***

I have to admit, it doesnt bother me tbh!!!! I dont have any children im 28+ weeks with my first but i always had children around me & even when i used to take out other ppls children b4 i fell pg it didnt bother me!!! Sorry***

so selfish!!! i don't think that people really care or understand why they are there in the 1st place!!! there should be a fine for those sneeky drivers!!! they will soon stop.... hopefully!!! sadly is the society we live in... is all about me, me, me.

I'm with you guy's it really winds me up. I'd feel so guilty watching a mum or dad struggle with the kids whilst I was sat in the mother and baby space child free. But with the attitudes of my boss who says "why should i get my car scratched in a normal space when I can use a mother and baby space and it not get scratched" i doubt their selfish minds will be changed easily.

Loubielou, which shops does your boss use? I could happily arrange to have an 'acident' involving my pram and his car. Daska, I think thats disgusting, pregnant women should be allowed to use p and c spaces as well, you need the extra room as much as any one.
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[Modified by: Bedhead on April 26, 2007 05:00 PM]

When I was shopping today I noticed 2 people park in the parent & child spaces - both elderly people - one of them even waited, blocking me in, to park in the space closest to the shop. There were spaces behind him - he didn't have a disabled sticker so presumed that he could park there instead. It really annoys me - I tackled someone once - again an older gentleman - he told me in no uncertain terms - 'tough, if the space is empty I'm going to park here - what are you going to do about it?' And they say youngsters have bad manners!!!

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Just wait until you have a little one, car seat and changing bag and it's tipping it down with rain and some so and so who obviously doesn't have a child nicks the last p&c spot forcing you to park further away from the shops than should be neccesary! Although to be honest, it's not really the distance from the shops that'll bug you the most - it's trying to get a car seat or sleeping baby out of a car parked in a regular space when the car next to you is a bit close.

I think the idea of a badge being issued when you apply for your maternity exemption certificate up until the child is 5 is a good idea. It could be policed in the same way as the disabled spots, by traffic wardens or members of the supermarket staff. They could be issued in a different colour every year much like the OAP's travel tokens to stop people abusing it for too long...

My OH does the food shopping because I absolutely hate it, he's a star, we save money if he goes as I'm a bit supermarket sweep when I go. We're thinking about internet shopping when baby arrives, have any of you tried it?

I have signed this petition and it was after a nasty incident in my local TESCO that prompted me to write in to the magazine about it.After trying to park in the p&c spaces but them all being snagged by lazy rude people i complained in store and was told by the guy who is in charge of the trolley collection people that 'tough! we cant stop anyone parking in them & we have no time to stop them anyway!'I was fuming!
And then last week i managed to park in the last space when a man on his own tried to ram me out of it so that he could park there,he stoppped just in time and had the chhek to swear at me,he called me a selfish f@@@in whore & i should learn to drive,all in front of my young baby and he was shouting quite loudly too.
It makes me sick,us mums seem to have no respect of anyone.

I have had a couple of run ins recently with inconsiderate parkers. I only gave birth 6 days ago, the day I went to hospital I ran out for some last minute bits. As I returned to my "parent to be" space (of which there are 2, with only 6 P&T) I saw a young boy get out of his car from a parent to be space. I asked if he was pleased at being the first pregnant male - to which he seemed a bit confused. I explained that the space was for people like me and asked him to move his car. He wasn't pleased but he did it. Then, 2 days ago, we had our first family trip to our local Sainsbury's. We had to park in the furthest P&T spaces, on returning to the car we saw a 2 door car with a man at the driver seat and his partner getting in with her dry cleaning - no wonder she was overweight as she was obviously lazy - when I asked why they were abusing a space meant for parents we were met by abuse - what a world - I just hope they didn't !!!!

I have found myself parking in these spaces over the past few weeks at my local Tesco as apart from being heavily pregnant I also have severe SPD and I need the space to get in and out of the car. I have crutches and as I said it takes me a while. The parking attendant is very nice to me and allows this as I am not allowed to use a Disabled Badge as my disability is 'only temporary'!!! It's disgusting that ignorant people still stare at me though as if to say 'where's your baby then?' but don't worry, I always put these people right!!!