We get fined if we use a disabled parking space illegally, but we need the same amount of space to get a baby out of the car as a wheelchair user needs. It's about time something was done

I just had to reply to this and get this off my chest! I know the original thread was about Asda but I need a moan!

I was sat in Tesco car park in a parent and baby spot feeding my 2 week old newborn and was watching who parked in the other baby spaces around me. I was the only one with a parent and baby pass thing stuck on their windscreen. There was a disabled driver (i counted at least 7 disabled spaces that were free), a 20 something bloke, an older couple (in their 60's) and 5 cars which contained a mother and children in senior school uniforms! Not 1 car contained a hild under the age of 5, apart from mine!!!! I was exremely irritated as no one was watching and enforcing any rules! I only hope that if Asda manage to enforce strict usage of parent and baby spaces that Tesco and other shops will follow suit!!!!!

Calling anyone who gets annoyed about parking as I do. I have discovered that there is an e-petition on the Downing Street website relating to this most emotive of subjects. PLEASE PLEASE do us all a favour and sign up - then pass the link on to anyone and everyone you know who feels the same as you. It really is such a worthy cause - parents sanity!!!!!!!!

Happy petitioning! I am happy to say that I only use a space when my baby is in the car and that I use the SOS sheets on any cars who do not have baby seats - including those with boosters as this means the child is no longer in need of the same level of assistance that a normal space can't be used (sorry if you don't agree but it's sooooooo true). Today I was told by one "mother" that I approached that her child was at home, when I said that I often struggled with my 5 month baby she said her child was of the same age - yet she only had a booster seat - my reply was a little offensive about her age (something about grandparenting I think!) but I could not help myself.:evil::x Let's work together to get a solution!

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/childparking/

it really annoys me when we can't get a parent and child space. it is so difficult to get out of the car in a regular space as i have newborn who needs the door opened to full extent and i have to sit in the back between 2 baby seats and climb over my 15 month old to get out which is difficult under normal circumstances without having to worry about the door swinging open into the side of somebodies car. and listening to non-parents commenting that parents do not need these spaces as it's not like they have a disability just children. but it's not even as though the spaces are any closer it is just that we have wide cars and need the extra door room.

Quote:

i was just flicking through this post and saw this. made me lol. ive already posted my opinion on this post but what kind of an excuse was this. people these days.xx

I was doing my regular shopping trip about 2 weeks ago and I parked in a child bay as I had 2 of my children with me and there was a car parked opposite and they had a parking ticket on their windscreen cause they didn't have any children with them but were parked in a child bay. I think that everyone who has a child and after they have been rgistered should get a badge just the same as you do when you are disabled.

I have got to agree, it is nonsence that other people use the parent and child spaces. A baby car seat takes up alot of room when trying to get out of the car. Im 28wks pregnant but my sister has a little boy who is 3 months. I have signed up for tesco and i agree with tweety pie that when you registar the birth we should get a parking badge just like the disabiled do. xx

I have noticed this especially with men parking in the mom to be spaces and being disabled and pegnant and not being able to park in either spaces because they are being abused shows how bad it it
My local asda, has approx 6 MTB spaces and approx 25 disabled spaces and they are regularily filled up with car parking abusers whilst the staff do nothing, and people who need these spaces have to park quite a distance .Its their car park, if local councils are making such good pocket money from targeting people who park longer than 2 secs , then why Supermarkets fail to act on persistent abusers in private car parks is beyond belief.

ooohhh am so cross, managed to get a parent space at my local sainsbury(for a change) & when i came out what did i see-a flippin' employee loading their shopping ito the car which was parked in a parent space & must have been there all shift!!!!!!!!!!! no wonder always short of spaces if this is what goes on!

It really annoys me too,
I work at tesco and never park in the m+b spaces unless i have my 18 month old daughter with me. I agree they should put the spaces at the other end of the car park I dont mind walking a bit further to the shop it is the extra space that I need.
I have seen members of staff park in the m+b spaces and disabled spaces before the start of the shift. If i see it happening again you can be assured that their reg no will be passed onto the store manager with a few choice words

yesterday i told a woman off for using the only free parent and child space outside my local morrisons. my little boy 6months, but he weighs a tonne in his car seat, why should i trapse across the whole car park when these spaces are designed for people with babies??!! if i parked in a disabled space, people would go mad!! its the same thing!! not only that, if i park in a normal space, other peoples cars end up getting damaged as i get the car seat out of my car and bash their car doors in!! when i said to this lady "excuse me this is a parent and child space" she just replied "yeah, ive got 2 car seats in the back"!! as if that made it ok!!!!!!! when i go shopping without my son, i park in regular spaces!!! i was infuriated!!!!!!!!!

I also confronted a woman parked in Asda's parent and baby section with her son who was about 18! I politely asked her was she aware this area was meant for parents and children. Her reply? "He is my child".
Yes and what a shining example she's setting him for when he gets his own car!
Now I either state rather loudly to my children "Oh look, another car with no children in it" or huff and puff when getting them both out of the car with my large 33 week pregnant belly! It's surprising how many people have no conscience...

I support the Save our Spaces, I shop at Asda in Watford and they have many Parent and Baby parking spaces, but the amount of people I see getting out of the cars and there is no Baby or Child with them and no car seat or sticker on the car to say they have a child.
I also don't park in these spaces if I haven't got my little Boy with me.
Keep up the good work Prima Baby & Pregnancy.
Regards
Marie Stout and Baby George:roll:

i'm a mom2b and i'm signing the petition as i think there should be more wasdening for these spaces i've never parked in them and my friend who at the time had a 2yrold a 4 yr old and a 7 yr old had to park in one of the furthest spaces away from the shop due to lots of inconsiderate drivers... my main concern is my OH is very protective and gets angry at people being abusive towards me i can see him geting into fist fights over the space. (he's very stubborn and will park so that they are either blocked or can't manoeuver very easily and then sits and waits for them to hit his car so he can prove his point!) i'd rather not have this problem with a baby as well :(

I really hope something can be done. It is so frustrating:x. I've emailed my local council about it. I think we should all keep the pressure up.

I support this campaign, must admit I have never parked in one of these spaces, or on yellow lies etc, just one of them people I guess, but when I met my other half he used to park in them, when I asked him why he said it was easier to get parked, after explaining that it may be easier for him but not for a mum with her child and he eventually paid it some thought he realised that he shouldnt be parking there. How do we educate everyone who uses them that shouldnt. I think supermarkets should fine people who use these spaces without a child

I think if they moved the spaces further away they wouldn't gte misused so much, i find that it's not the distance i'm worried about it's the fact that i can't get LO out if i'm not parked in a wider space.

mind you went to car park other day and they had lots of parent and baby spaces but all the same size and width as regular spaces, whats that all about?!

IT IS NOT FAIR THAT SOME PEOPLES PICTURES ARE ON THE VOTING SYSTEM MORE THAN ONCE. ITS HARD TO FIND MY PICTURE BECAUSE ITS ALL THE WAY AT THE END. 1 PERSON ALONE HAS LIKE 4-6 PICTURES ON THERE. ITS NOT FAIR.
<br/>
[Modified by: keshastennet on November 20, 2007 11:11 AM]

Hi,

About time somene took issue with this topic!

I use the local Sainsburys, and we are often prevented from parking in the P&C spot, by people who clearly have no small children (or courtesy).

When you challenge them, it adds nothing but stress and they tend to be defensive because know they are in the wrong.

Perhaps the government should create a law for P&C parking, with fines and tickets issued, as is with disabled parking.

I also think the carpark owners should take responsibility for these parking spaces, as they could easily monitor it.

I have thought about taking it up with sansburys head office, but from the responses I've already seen, it might not be worth it!

I think this ais a flagrant abuse of something that should be a law, just like with disbled parking spots.

i agree totally with this, i think passes should be given from a certain point in pregnancy up to five years old. Im not a mother but i know how difficult it is to go shopping with a little one and how you need to get the door open quite wide to get them in and out. Obviously these spaces are there for a reason so i never use them if i dont have a child with me.

However i have to say that a woman at work was having a rant about never being able to get in the parent and child spaces cos people without kids park in them so she often parks miles away, then she told us her daughter is 10!!!!! I think parents should also use a bit of common and if your child is of a certain age and perfectly capable of getting in and out the car unaided that they should park in a normal space. These spaces are for parents and YOUNG children.