I am registered disabled and have a blue badge.

I tried to park in one of the 8 disabled bays at the gym but they were all full. None of the cars had a blue badge displayed.

I parked instead in one of the Parent and Child bays displaying my badge. One of the few benefits of being disabled is that I am allowed to do this.

As I was walking away from the car a yummy mummy complained loudly to the whole car park that I was stealing her spaces (there were 3 other free). I explained about the blue badge and she said it was immaterial and marched up to reception to file a formal complaint.

Interesting to see what the Gym will do.

It is all private land so who parks where and what colour the bays are is largely irrelevant (I think)

had she taken her children to the gym?

The local Tescos – all the children spaces fill up asap with people with no children or empty childseat in car (is that a symbolic badge?).

This annoys me on one level. The stressed parent will then turn up- park next to my car and open her door against mine to try and get her kids in or out.

The lazy **** who park at the front don’t care.

I’ve never really understood why “parent & child” spaces need to be in premium parking spots anyway. Totally get why they’re needed – frankly, every space should be a foot wider than it is, we’re not all driving Ka’s and Fiat 500s – but quite why the Q5 parking can’t be at the back of the car park is beyond me. Is there something genetic in reproducing that stops your legs from working?

She can go take a flying **** to herself.

I’m not disabled but it really hacks me off how priority parking closest to the entrance of supermarkets is nearly always given to parents whilst disabled bays are somewhere beyond. Myself being the latter who appreciates a decent amount of room to get child into seat.

And her ‘spaces’? Does she have an entire orphanariums worth of bingo busses to park there?

If I were WCA I’d be tempted to just park across the back of a couple of the cars in the disabled bay and wait to be challenged for blocking them in.

I thought they were all specially designated for white faux by fours?

As a new dad it really is a ball ache trying to get a child seat in and out of the car without the extra space of a designated bay but i certainly wouldn’t object to someone with a blue badge using the space.

EDIT

Like others have said, I’m not really fussed about the space being next to the supermarket, I just like the extra room so I can open the car door properly

If I were WCA I’d be tempted to just park across the back of a couple of the cars in the disabled bay and wait to be challenged for blocking them in.

+1

faux by fours?

Phrase of the day, I’m having that.

hoof her in the slats

I’ve never really understood why “parent & child” spaces need to be in premium parking spots anyway.

This always comes up and the answer is that (bizarrely) most car parks don’t have sensible safe places for people to walk after they have parked their car – so crossing the length of a busy car park with three kids would be a recipe for disaster.

The parent+child spaces don’t need to be at the front – but they do need to be somewhere that you can safely walk to the entrance from on a protected path.

I’m not disabled but it really hacks me off how priority parking closest to the entrance of supermarkets is nearly always given to parents whilst disabled bays are somewhere beyond

That doesn’t seem right. IME disabled bays are closest and parent/child ones next further out.

To WCA, she’s being a, well you know what.

If I were WCA I’d be tempted to just park across the back of a couple of the cars in the disabled bay and wait to be challenged for blocking them in.

I’ve thought this before- what will happen is someone will manoeuvre out then key your car to ‘punish’ you.

Graham S is right. I suspect that a supermarket carpark on a busy weekend or in run up to xmas is by far the most dangerous environment many children will ever be exposed too.

“I’ve never really understood why “parent & child” spaces need to be in premium parking spots anyway. Totally get why they’re needed – frankly, every space should be a foot wider than it is, we’re not all driving Ka’s and Fiat 500s – but quite why the Q5 parking can’t be at the back of the car park is beyond me. Is there something genetic in reproducing that stops your legs from working?”

Maybe safety? None of the supermarkets near me have walkways through the car park.
Parents parking in a parent bay but staying in the car while the other half goes in to the shop particularly get on my nerves. As do those with 12 year old kids.

I can see that it’s safer if kids aren’t having to walk long distances through busy car parks.

I wouldn’t have given her my attention. ..but just walked off with a smug grin knowing I was in the right …..

I am thinking of printing a series of these to put under the windscreen wipers of cars in disabled spots without badges

Disabled Badge Holders Only
If you are not eligible please don’t park here
Or
See Kneecap McGinty to be made eligible

Graham S is right.

getting kids across car parks is not a fun experience, might be easier if people drove at sensible speeds around car parks and they actually took note of the black n white crossing points and let people cross.

Shirley if the gym take her complaint seriously you can just counter claim the disabled bays were full. I get a bit narked when P&C slots are full of suspiciously child free cars but if there was a disabled badge holder in them I wouldn’t mind.

<edit>

Parents parking in a parent bay but staying in the car while the other half goes in to the shop particularly get on my nerves.

ooh ooh me too. As for the elder children, aslong as they aren’t actually over 18 I’ll let it pass (ie not get worked up about it, I’m english even if they were in the wrong I’m not actually going to challenge anyone about their behaviour, I’ll just mutter under my breath and raise my BP a couple of mmHg)

They are about a safe route to the shop for parents and kids, not being closer. That is for those with disabilities.

We stopped using them when the kids were about 4, as we thought car parks were a good place for them to learn about avoiding cars and hazards. Others need to be guided into this.

My mum had some great stickers (on uber sticky backing I add) that she whacked on windscreens of non-blue badge cars asking ‘You have the parking space, perhaps you would like my disability?’

I can see that it’s safer if kids aren’t having to walk long distances through busy car parks.

Absolutely. But if you can’t keep your kids under sufficient control then a bit of extra legwork is the least of your worries.

I’d say mobility issue trumps parenting issues would you not?

They are about a safe route to the shop for parents and kids, not being closer. That is for those with disabilities.

Theory, meet reality (you might not be impressed).

if you can’t keep your kids under sufficient control then a bit of extra legwork is the least of your worries.

Really? Have you ever seen kids? 🙂

I’d say mobility issue trumps parenting issues would you not?

Absolutely. The disabled bays should always be closest to the doors. No question there.

The local Tescos – all the children spaces fill up asap with people with no children or empty childseat in car (is that a symbolic badge?).

are you supposed to leave the children in the car while you go shopping?

I’ve never really understood why “parent & child” spaces need to be in premium parking spots anyway

Theres no ‘need’ – you only find them on commercial premises – the council won’t come and park a ‘Parent and Child’ parking space outside your house if you’re a registered breeder.

Supermarkets compete for custom and if parents can more easily bring their nagging kids to their supermarket or whatever then they can get a bigger share of that kids shut-up money. So they’re there as an enticement, however they tend to be grouped nearer to the door and any traffic free routes through the carpark

Yup, I have one. And also grew up before they became a thing, oddly enough I was never given the opportunity to mess about on the roadway.

Yup, I have one.

Keeping one child under tight control is relatively easy. Two less so.
And once you have more children than you have hands then you just have to pick your favourites 🙂

WorldClassAccident – Member
I am thinking of printing a series of these to put under the windscreen wipers of cars in disabled spots without badges
Disabled Badge Holders Only
If you are not eligible please don’t park here
Or
See Kneecap McGinty to be made eligible

Kneecap McGinty sounds like a wrongun.

In answer to cougar’s question maccruiskeen has it. Parents with kids in tow will spend more money so the supermarkets will do anything to get them in.

I can sort of see why people want to park close to the door when shopping but going to the gym is another matter. I’m going to spend 30 mins on a running machine but no way will I walk the length of the car park to get there. Anybody taking a disabled space there that doesn’t need it should be ashamed (as they should if they do it anywhere but at the gym takes it to another level).

I always wanna park in the parent & child bay when i go to the shops with my dad (i’m 40+ & he’s 70+), is this wrong?

So what you’re suggesting is that the kids of parents who aren’t good at parenting are collateral damage?

Or maybe it’s reasonable to have car park layouts in a way that reduces the interaction between cars and kids irrespective of parenting skills.

I think folk who park in disabled spaces when they aren’t disabled should be knee-capped. They are almost begging for it.

going to the gym is another matter. I’m going to spend 30 mins on a running machine but no way will I walk the length of the car park to get there.

Ahem:

Usually park miles away from the store to reduce the chance of anyone ‘dooring’ the van (has been resprayed) Children are happy to walk a few extra yards.

EDIT: ^ that is ace Graham 😆

Parent and child spaces are mostly about terrible car park design (which they almost all are by default). No or few walkways (and half the time they have cars on them), undersized spaces. If the car parks were done right, with spaces big enough for an actual car and all, there’d be very little need. We’ve created spaces that are for cars, as if they don’t have any people in them.

I think it’s a bit harsh to cripple people for taking up disabled spaces but maybe disabling their cars would be fair.

registered breeder

The word your looking for is parent 🙄

I think they should be called parent and toddler spaces rather than parent and child. Once the kids can do up their own seat belt there is not so much need for the extra width of the parking space, apart from to stop kids opening doors into other peoples cars!!

I wouldn’t mind them being further away from the store either and certainly wouldn’t be bothered if a disabled person need the space cos twunts had taken up all the blue badge spaces. Have you complained about the people taking up the disabled spaces OP? And why do you need parent and child spaces at a gym any way??

So what you’re suggesting is that the kids of parents who aren’t good at parenting are collateral damage?

Absolutely, I also kick them (the children) in the face when I spot them for good measure just to be sure.

Absolutely, I also kick them (the children) in the face when I spot them for good measure just to be sure.

All good character building stuff I guess, however it maybe embarrassing when my 2 year old tank of a son punches you in the cock 😯 😉

I always wanna park in the parent & child bay when i go to the shops with my dad

one of those “technically you’re in the right but morally you’re taking the piss” things I think 🙂

Is there something genetic in reproducing that stops your legs from working?

Depends how much ‘fun’ she had getting preggers 😉

People wrongly parking in disabled spaces gets my goat. Especially some chavved up car because the owner is worried about his/her abomination of a car.

I think there should be dedicated disabled spaces and then shared parent and child/disabled spaces.

I also don’t see why parents who leave their kids in the car need to take up a parent and child space resulting in someone who needs to the benefit of it not getting it? I thought they were originally “parent and toddler” spaces anyway? Anyone with a kid under 18 in the car seems to be using them these days.

And why do you need parent and child spaces at a gym any way??

Maybe the gym is at a leisure center.

I think a big part of the benefit of parent and toddler spaces is for other people not to have their cars dinged.

I tend to park down the far end of the car park, to make it easier to open the doors to get the kids (8 and 1) in an out and to lessen the chance of my car/van being dinged by someone else*. Unless it’s raining then I’ll use the blue bays near the store as the parent and child spaces are alwsys full.

* but still come back to find the space next to me in the half empty car park occupied. Why do people do that?