Parent and child space - disabled driver

peaceandfreedom

Stephb1986 wrote: »

What gets me is why is it because you've dropped a kid from between your legs you think its a god given right that you have a specific parking space for you and your darlings and don't care whether people who do have a real problem walking have somewhere to park aslong as they don't park in your precious parent and child spaces.

There may be a valid point in there somewhere but all I could concentrate on was your use of coarse and frankly offensive language. Instead of 'because you've dropped a kid from between your legs' how about 'because you have a child'?

adouglasmhor

chirpchirp wrote: »

I haven't read the full thread as the first page made me reply.

Parent and child spaces are useful when your children are very small due to the wider spaces.

In response to those who think we didn't have them 30 years ago, try thinking back 30 years to what sort of car you did have. Back then cars where either narrower or spaces where bigger. Back then my father was able to easily park his Vauxhall Viva in the drive but 30 years on had difficulty with his focus as it was so much wider.

Also 30 years ago there wasn't such an understanding of seatbelts. Many people travelled with young babies in their arms! It's the actual acrobatic/aerobic lesson of getting your child in and out of a car seat in a tight space that requires the need for a parent and child space.

There is an argument for moving these away from the store, but I would guess that supermarkets would be unwilling to do this as if a child then ran out in front of a car in the carpark the parents would unfortunately try to shift blame to the supermarket for having the spaces too far away.

With an ageing population, we are likely to see more and more blue spaces as need increases and in a caring society this is surely something to be welcomed. However, consideration needs to go both ways and unfortunately there are too many people who think the world owes them something even if it is only a right to park as near as possible to the supermarket front door.

30 years ago we had no trouble getting my Rover 3.5 65" wide and dad's Victor 65" wide or Hunter 63" wide into parking spaces and they were looked on as biggish cars. Now a Bora or Octavia is about the same size and spaces are smaller. With my V70 at 70" wide, I still manage but would hate to be manoeuvring a pushchair near my car in small spaces. I have noticed spaces are a little larger further from the shops at some car parks.

pimento

Stephb1986 wrote: »

At the end of the day we're all spending money in the supermarket whether you have kids or not. Shouldn't the supermarket just make all parking spaces the same size rather than us bit ching about disable and parent and child parking it is ridiculous.

First bit of common sense on this thread. Gramatically awkward, but sensible.

emsywoo123

pimento wrote: »

First bit of common sense on this thread. Gramatically awkward, but sensible.

But I assume this would lead to less spaces.....then people would moan about that!

peaceandfreedom

Brighton_belle wrote: »

This made me LOL as my DH always reverses into a parking space at the supermarket . However, it is just a case of brains working in different ways - he considers that safer, than backing out into the 'stream of traffic'.

I'm inclined to agree with your DH. Normally in a carpark with small spaces (most indoor ones) I will back in because it is always easier to get out of them going forwards.

But best to have the boot facing outwards in a supermarket car park. Actually, my favourite place to park is where there is just one line of cars, you drive in forwards, you drive out forwards - perfect, no reversing has to be done.

adouglasmhor

I like to reverse up to a kerb if possible.

split_second

p and c spaces are officially a marketing ploy, apparently parents spend more in the supermarket.

i personally dont get that, i thought parents were all meant to be skint?

peaceandfreedom

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

We never drive to the supermarket, ever. We always walk or cycle.

It appears to save us an extraordinary amount of grief.

There you go, OP, you and your child should have WALKED to the supermarket, that would have been soooo much easier.

(Thinking about how I might stagger 10 miles home with 4 huge bags of shopping.)

pinkladyof66

peaceandfreedom wrote: »

There you go, OP, you and your child should have WALKED to the supermarket, that would have been soooo much easier.

(Thinking about how I might stagger 10 miles home with 4 huge bags of shopping.)

Would have been hard for me to walk 7 miles on a country lane with only two lanes of traffic one going either way and no path. Surely would have been bl00dy dangerous. Also it was tipping with rain. Would have probably taken me near on 1 day to do it, if i had got there in one piece.

FatVonD

split_second wrote: »

p and c spaces are officially a marketing ploy, apparently parents spend more in the supermarket.

i personally dont get that, i thought parents were all meant to be skint?

Ha! have you ever been shopping with a child in tow, I leave mine behind as the bill increases proportionate to the number of kids we have with us :rotfl: