Using parent and child spaces when heavily pregnant

Ginger_Poodle

Agree with all posters saying that they are a courtesy provision, one that is observed by some but not all.

On a personal level I used one a few times when 9 months pregnant. Looking back, there is no comparison between my level of need as a heavily pregnant healthy person and my need now as the parent of a 4 year old. I needed it more when I was pregnant, much more!

fluffnutter

Person_one wrote: »

The problem with specifically designating them as being for pregnant women is firstly that there's no way to stop any woman using them unless you start asking them for urine samples on the way into Tesco.

Secondly, there are lots of conditions/injuries/little hardships that might mean a person would appreciate a close to the shop and roomy parking space just as much as a heavily pregnant woman for pretty similar reasons, why extend the courtesy only to one limited group?

All valid points which is why I said it's no big deal (for me personally).

I think P&C parking is merely a supermarket gimmick and I couldn't really care less who uses them. I have been doing so recently simply because I'm fat and I waddle and they're closer to the door and I think it's rude to park in a disabled bay.

But in terms of who should have these 'rights', pretty much no one IMO. It's different if you're disabled. One assumes it wasn't by choice, but it's a woman's choice to get knocked up and have kids and if I couldn't park in a P&C bay, heavily pregnant or surrounded by 3 toddlers, I'd just shrug and park somewhere else. It's not my 'right' to have preferential treatment, I'm just finding it rather useful at the moment

lilymay1

I wouldn't say anything, but I don't really see why somebody who is pregnant (bearing in mind, almost half the population go through this at some stage) should be using a parent and child space.

The spaces have room either side to make it easier (and possible) to get car seats and/or small children in and out of the car. I understand women have pregnant bellies, but they are rarely as big and cumbersome as a rear-facing car seat. As someone else mentioned, the path towards the shop from these spaces in supposed to be directed away from traffic flow to make it safer for those with small children.

That said, a lot of people abuse these facilities. I saw a young (childless) couple park in one earlier today whilst doing my weekly shop. *sigh*

lostinrates

Person_one wrote: »

The problem with specifically designating them as being for pregnant women is firstly that there's no way to stop any woman using them unless you start asking them for urine samples on the way into Tesco.

Secondly, there are lots of conditions/injuries/little hardships that might mean a person would appreciate a close to the shop and roomy parking space just as much as a heavily pregnant woman for pretty similar reasons, why extend the courtesy only to one limited group?

This.

I choose not to have a blue badge 99% of time i do not need it and i think could make things worse for me, taking a lazy option. Once in a blue moon though when. Am very sore i regret that position, i would like to park closer. Also, people wit temporary issues and no blue badge...but people cannot be trusted so it cannot be provided.

Air_Cooled_75

I said I wouldn't be bothered by a heavily pregnant lady parking in one. I had to stop driving by about 8 months, I have an old beetle with a huge steering wheel (and I have short legs!) i couldn't physically sit in the driver's seat safely, my bump was big and the two met more than comfortably. Person one has a point, any woman could claim to be pregnant. I see 'parking bay abuse' all the time. Perhaps the worst was a grandfather parked in a c&p space, little one in the car seat in the back, no windows open smoking away. I really regret not saying anything, had my LO with me, just think I was too furious. Made a point of giving him major evils as I stopped by his car though.

Tigsteroonie

Tesco's issued me with a parking sticker for their P&C spaces when I joined their Baby Club as a pregnant mother. So as they had issued the sticker, I started using those spaces (but never taking the last one!)

Our Asda has a plethora of P&C spaces but has four spaces specifically labelled as "Mum & Bump" spaces with an appropriate sign.

jellyhead

Person_one wrote: »

The problem with specifically designating them as being for pregnant women is firstly that there's no way to stop any woman using them unless you start asking them for urine samples on the way into Tesco.

Secondly, there are lots of conditions/injuries/little hardships that might mean a person would appreciate a close to the shop and roomy parking space just as much as a heavily pregnant woman for pretty similar reasons, why extend the courtesy only to one limited group?

Where I live the parent parking spaces are not closer to the shop - they just have roomier bays and a safe path. Unless a person had a particular reason for wanting more space when getting in and out of the car I don't think they'd want to use one.

A pregnant woman with a huge bump or SPD might be more likely to bump their car door into the car next door, so for that reason they should probably be allowed to park there if they feel the need. I never felt the need while pregnant, but I never had SPD or any other problem with movement.

Person_one

jellyhead wrote: »

Where I live the parent parking spaces are not closer to the shop - they just have roomier bays and a safe path. Unless a person had a particular reason for wanting more space when getting in and out of the car I don't think they'd want to use one.

A pregnant woman with a huge bump or SPD might be more likely to bump their car door into the car next door, so for that reason they should probably be allowed to park there if they feel the need. I never felt the need while pregnant, but I never had SPD or any other problem with movement.

Obese people need more room too.

Nicki

I did have SPD in all 3 pregnancies but never parked in a P and C for any, though with my last did have the experience of not being able to get in and out of the car due to a combination of having a wide car ourselves, a huge bump and other drivers parking badly. Fortunately on the two occasions this happened I was with OH who was able to reverse the car out of the space to let me get in and out

Like Tiggsteronie when I signed up to Tesco baby club they sent me a pass which could be used from late pregnancy until toddlerhood, so they at least don't mind pregnant women using those spaces. I don't very often drive to the supermarket with the baby anyway though as I do one big Internet shop a week and then just top up on foot at the local metros taking baby in pushchair in between, and when I do go at weekends sometimes there is rarely a free P and C slot anyway. Can't see me berating a pregnant woman for using one though, even though I didn't see the need myself.

Janepig

moneypuddle wrote: »

I'm five and a half months pregnant and have never thought of using them, but a friend of mine is overdue (nine months and four days) and parked in one yesterday whilst nipping into Asda, and came back to find a staff attendant by the car, and he 'told her off' for using it, and warned her not to do it again.

I would be interested to know if this little Hitler jobsworth would have had a go at your friend if she'd had her husband/partner with her! Far too many men feel it's okay to have a go at lone women motorists when they wouldn't open their gobs at a fella.

Jx