Parent and Child parking spaces in major supermarket chains.

[kurvaface]

I'm not even going to justify that statement.

 

My main reason for parking in them is that I feel it is discriminatory. I appreciate the arguments for having to walk through car parks with children etc, I'm a father myself, I just fail to see why, just because you have children with you, or a child seat in your car, that you should get special priviledges for parking.

 

If you are a blue badge holder, then there's usually a good reason why you have the blue badge.

 

Having children is a lifestyle choice. Getting old or being disabled isn't, therefore I do believe that I am being discriminated against by the major chains for this.

 

But my question wasn't on the morals of parking in these allocated bays, my question was the legallity of enforcing them.

 

I have read some comments on this forum from some proper thickies, but bless them they are in need of genuine help. An idiot could argue that you become disabled by the lifestyle choices you make. As a father, you should know that your child is valued by society (until you turn it into a monster) and that some companies recognise that it is dangerous for kids to be running around carparks etc so by providing the spaces we keep them safer.

 

I on the other hand use the spaces with my kids, because if I don't, I know one of the little b*ggers will place a great big scratch down the side of the next car, or whack the car door into another car etc....

[stuggling]

i read this like i was arguing with a a'se today who thought just because he had a brand new 61 plate car he can as he didn't want it dented etc so i suggested that if he can afford a new car he can afford the dents that will happen, he still didn't move so i made sure i parked right on his drivers door so he wouldn't be able to get in but i had plenty of room to get my two children out of the back and the pram, did a nice long weekly shop (taking my time) to see him struggling to claim through the passenger side as a van had parked the other side of him not giving enough space i couldn't stop laughing when i came out.

 

I took my time in putting everything in the car then taking the trolley back and then walking nicely with the children, and then i drove off nicely but he sped off later to be seen on way back pulled by police!!

[patdavies]

As for those without children who park in them I reserve the right to block you in when you are taking the space from me and my small children.

 

Then I sincerely hope that you have an SIA frontline licence.

 

Blocking in (aka obstructing) is still immobilisation of the vehicle - like camping.

[Dotty50]

I wonder how many of the parents that have posted on this thread are as concerned about their children's safety when dropping them off or collecting them from school every day?

 

I live close to a school and the parking some days is atrocious!

 

They park both sides of the road which is quite narrow, one particular large car can be parked right on the corner of one road, making visibility if you are trying to drive out of the road, impossible!

 

A lot more dangerous than a supermarket car park IMO!l

[Kitten1]

I personally walk to school for that reason. I live less than 5mins walk away so its actually quicker to walk!

[Cardiff Devil]

Morality aside, I usually park in the P&C spaces. It's fairly obvious that the spaces in most supermarket car parks are too small. They make them as small as they can get away with so that they can fit more spaces into the car park. More spaces = more customers = more £££'s. I don't drive a massively oversized car (just a sensible 3dr hatchback), but some people who choose to drive massive 4x4 urban tanks seem to have trouble fitting them in, and I'm fed up of coming back to my car and finding someone has allowed their child to hurl the door open and put a massive dent in my rear quarter panel. It's happened several times over the last few years and I'm sick of it. The store won't do jack-all to compensate me for it so the parent and child spaces will do nicely, thanks. If the store don't like it, they can ruddy well sod off. If they want to keep my business it's in their interests to allow me to keep my car safe.

[ScarletPimpernel]

Having just visited my local Tesco, I note that many of the drivers using the p&c spaces appeared be under the impression that having spawned at some time in the past is sufficient justification for using the space; actually being in possession of a child not being necessary if there is a child seat in the car. I also noticed that many of these individuals looked as if they could do with the exercise that walking further to the shop would entail, and that their dress standard was often inversely proportional to the size/value of their vehicle.

 

Living in an area which has a high proportion of elderly people, I am surprised that no effort is made for them - no spaces marked 'Micra driven everywhere in second gear', for example, and nowhere for them to park near the shop entrance. I can only suppose that this is because fat chavs with 4x4s spend more on processed crap than pensioners.

[kurvaface]

and that their dress standard was often inversely proportional to the size/value of their vehicle.

 

 

 

Is there a fashion section on CAG?

[kregrs]

Round these parts, in the local supermarket car parks, it seems it's the norm for the disabled drivers to park in the parent and child spaces when the disabled spaces are all taken. But as others have said, as nothing seems enforceable in these car parks, I have no qualms about taking a disabled bay when the parent and child bays are taken by the disabled brigade, only when I have my 2yr old son in the car. Failing that, parking across 2 bays is another option.

[Andrew-P]

I have been tempted to do this but never have.

 

What I don't understand is why there are not so many P&C, so many disabled and the rest are able to be used by either.

 

One of the biggest issues here is that cars are so much bigger with every generation. The big cars from my childhood are no longer big and even modern cars are relatively small e.g. The Fiesta is about the same size as the first Focus, the current Focus is as big as the first Mondeo. I challenge anyone to get a modern large family car into a single garage and be able to open the doors!

[Jamberson]

I agree. People think it's a good idea to get a gas-guzzling "car" the size of a small van, and then park it in disabled or parent bays because it won't fit in a regular parking space.

[crem]

I agree. People think it's a good idea to get a gas-guzzling "car" the size of a small van, and then park it in disabled or parent bays because it won't fit in a regular parking space.

 

Nothing t do with buying a gas-guzzling car (although where the fuel economy comes into a size discussion I'm not sure). Have you seen something like the original mini parked next to the current generation mini lately? This general increase in size is true of all types of cars.

[sailor sam]

Nothing t do with buying a gas-guzzling car (although where the fuel economy comes into a size discussion I'm not sure). Have you seen something like the original mini parked next to the current generation mini lately? This general increase in size is true of all types of cars.

 

Yeah but a competent/considerate driver does not need to use a C & P or BB bay to be able to park correctly.

[kurvaface]

What they need, are bays for "The selfish" and "The Stupid" and "Fatties"....

[sailor sam]

What they need, are bays for "The selfish" and "The Stupid" and "Fatties"....

 

I think someone suggested this earler on in the thread but as was pointed out, the bays would most likely be left empty!