Do you confront people who park in a parent & child space without kids?

Question

I went to the supermarket yesterday and all the parent & child spaces were full so I had to park a long way from the shop. I don't normally mind this as I know it's first come first served with those spaces but this time I am sooo mad! I had to carry my daughter and my bag right up to the entrance to find a trolley and I noticed that in one of the spaces a man and his children were just sitting in the car waiting! After a couple of minutes, the mother came out with a bag, got in the car and they drove off. At no point did those children get out of the car. Why were they taking up a parent & child space? Also, as they drove off, another car pulled into their vacant space. A very glam woman got out, locked the car and walked into the shop. No kids in the car at all - in fact not even a kids car seat! By this time I was steaming so I went after her and asked her to explain why she was parking in that space with no children. Of course she told me to f***k off and mind my own business but I'm still glad I said something. I don't think a fine is enough to deter these people - from now whenever I see this happen I will ask them why they are parking in a space they have no right to. It just might shame some of them into stopping. Does this blatant selfishness also make you angry and have you ever confronted someone in this situation? I am interested to hear opinions!

Answer 1

Not really. I am more concerned about those who take the Disability Parking spots without needing to.

Kids isn't a illness. I walk with 5 boys from the far end of the car park, with no hassles. Put those who are on crutches, or really need the Disability spots can never get a parking spot, because people take them.

I say change the parenting spots for the elderly, and Disabled, because being a Parent, isn't a disability.

Due Dec 3rd with a boy

- I was pregnant with twins, suffered from placenta previa, had 2 toddlers, was on crutches and still didn't use the Parenting parks. I am a parent, doing what woman have done since the beginning of time.

I guess I must have been built tough, because I could never complain about something like a parking space.

Built tough = Not Petty enough to cry over a parking spot.

More important things in life to worry about.

Haha, whatever you need to tell yourself. I am not missing the point. The point is, I don't think it's important to cry a river over a stupid parking spot. Like I said I'd rather someone who really needed it to have the spot, than a parent. Having children isn't a disability. I find myself better wars to fight. Having children, doesn't make you better, or more needy than others.

There aren't enough car parks for parents, what happens when they are full. Do you honestly wait till people move?

Me, I'd rather get a spot, walk to the shop. Shop then go home. Not rocket science.

Answer 2

NO, but it disgusts me just like when they park in a disabled bay.

NEXT TIME GO IN AND REPORT THEM. TAKE THE REG NUMBER DOWN.

Answer 3

Yes it makes my blood boil. In fact once, an actual employee of the supermarket parked in the last parking bay and proceeded to pip her horn at me because I hesitated. (I knew she was going to come flying out of the side road even though it was MY right of way, that is why I hesitated) I know employees are not permited to park in the parent and child spaces so I went in and did my shopping, bought a note book and pen and left her a message on her windscreen. Basically I said that I had reported her to a manager for parking in said spaces and that I was aware that they were not supposed to do this.

For me its not the fact that the spaces are close to the store, it's that you have more space to get the car seat in and out. Thats why I think it's important for people to leave the spaces for those who need them.

Answer 4

GOOD FOR YOU!!! I it pisses me off, but i don't have the guts to say anything. If they are outside of the car either getting in or out and have no children, i will say something outloud to whoever i'm with and nod my head and just kind of glance at them in hopes they see me.  But thats how far as i will go.

But i'm glad you said something to that woman.

But unfortanatly, the mom and child spots are not like the handicapped spots where you can get fined (atleast where i live) so pple just don't care. But they should be fines and just as heavy as the handicapped ones too. (it also pisses me off when i see a capable younger person parking in a handicapped spot, and i have seen it happen)

Answer 5

Yes it does make me angry when people park in the parent and child and my husband and I have confronted people in the past, we didn't receive any abuse perhaps because my husband was with me!  They did look pretty embarresed though and so they should be!  I've lost count of the amount of times I've had sqeeze the baby out or put baby back in the car seat from a tight space because no parent and child parking was available!

Lets face it these people park in the parent and child because they are too LAZY to walk from one end of car park to the supermarket entrance and the parent & child parking is always close to the entrance.  You can give their name and registration number to the customer services desk in the supermarket and they will name and shame them over the tannoy and insist that they do, this will also stop other people in the store who abuse the system to not do it to avoid embarresment.  

Answer 6

I wouldn't waste my time, energy or emotions by confronting someone in this situation.  Sure, it's rude, but it's not illegal.  Those spaces are marked as a courtesy to parents with children, but they aren't like the handicapped spots where you can actually get fined for parking in them.  There are so much bigger things in this world to be concerned about.  Don't teach your daughter to act on angry impulses.

Answer 7

I live in the US, and when my three children were young there was no such thing as "parent/child" parking spaces.  I don't think walking a few extra yards is with children is such a bad thing - everyone gets a little more exercise, and  you get a little extra time to talk to them about what you'll be doing in the store, whether you'll be buying them anything, etc.

It is exhausting to shop with a few little ones.   I'd have my infant in her seat on my hip, my little three-year-old by the hand, my eight-year-old nearby, groceries, etc. - but, hey, what are you going to do...   It's a wonderful time of life; and it's a time to celebrate your own youth and your children's childhood.  Again, yes - it's tiring; but, as they say, it can be a "good kind of tired".

Besides, I always wanted my kids to know that the world does not adjust to us.  We need to find a way to adjust to the world, regardless of what our challenges and fatigue level is.  I think special accommodations should be reserved for disabled and elderly people.

If it were me, I'd assume the people didn't realize they weren't supposed to park there; and forget about it.  

Answer 8

I do confront people who park in parent/child spaces and disabled spaces when it is quite obvious that they do not require them. Good for you.

The man who was waiting in the car to be fair could have been somewhere else with the kids already, or they could have all been in the supermarket and one of the kids could have been acting themselves so their dad took them back to the car. But the woman who was by herself sounds like a moron.

I feel sorry for parents with buggies who need to use these spaces when they are full of cars without children, and especially for disabled people who have wheelchairs and the spaces are filled with morons like that.

Answer 9

I have done before yes- a middle aged guy pulled up into a mother and baby space as I was getting out of my car- and looked so smug about it as he walked into the store. I couldnt help but make a comment, something like 'Er, so wheres your child'. He just gave me a look and carried on.

I hate it when people use those spaces who dont have young children with them, when they are so hard to come by anyway. There are always tonnes of disabled spaces free, but never enough mother and baby.

Edit to add: To those commenting from the states, you will find that parking spaces are MUCH much smaller here in the UK- often making it very difficult to open the side doors, hence people struggle to get thier infants in and out of the car easily. It is not so much an issue of distance to walk.

US parking spaces are huge in comparison, so you often dont face the same issues.

Answer 10

Nope. Its your choice to have children - how did they cope before the parking spaces were introduced?!

Answer 11

Where I shop it's usually men in work vans and drivers of huge 4x4s who park in the P&C spaces - I don't confront them as it would be pointless - people in general who use these spaces when they are not entitled are ignorant of the needs of other people and therefore won't respond to reason.

I'd like to see the onus placed on the shops themselves to 'police' these spaces - like ASDA have done - with a fine system if abuse takes place. Higher staff costs, to be sure, but more contented customers!! Perhaps we need to contact our local shops 'en masse' to create some momentum and raise awareness of how difficult life can be with two children under 6 to get in and out of the car (in my circumstances) without the extra room these spaces provide.

Answer 12

I have never confronted anyone but it does annoy me, and I think you are right - some may be embarrassed into stopping.

It isn't like disabled spaces where it is illegal to park there without a disabled badge (which really annoys me) but still its common courtesy to acknowledge parents with young kids may need these spaces to save them carrying kids across the car park and to give them more room to get prams and kids in and out of the car.

Here's to you for standing up to them!

Answer 13

You go girl!!! I haven't caught anyone out but I don't think I'd say anything - I'm not terribly ballsy.

I WOULD however have a go at an able bodied person parking in a disabled spot. My stupid uncle does that - he says 'oh it's the arthritis'. Well I know he hasn't got a bloody thing wrong with him - his wife is a doctor and told me so herself.

It seems anyone with a learning disability is able to park there.

Answer 14

i think what you did was right and it does annoy me too. when you have a little baby that you have to carry into the shop the parent and toddler parking spaces are a dream come true! and later on when you child is walking it's greatbecause  it's quick to get into the shop where your child can't be run over by a car.

i wish i had the guts to stand up for myself like that but i don't. i usually tell my partner and he'll go over and sort it for me. i think in the future though if i do see it i'll tell the management of the shop and hopefully they'll be able to sort it out.

Answer 15

My disabled friend has the same problem.  The other day a young woman jumped into a disabled space, put a blue badge on the windscreen, jumped out of the car and ran (yes ran) to the shops, whilst my friend who uses a wheelchair, had to wait for another space to become available.

Answer 16

yes i have had this problem and it is annoying . i will say though i have only said something wen i need the space u dont want 2 end up being 1 of these sad people that go looking for people like this u will get yourself in trouble as well as making yourself a nervous wreck . in most situations i believe that if what someone is doing isnt affecting your life then keep quiet. but this woman u confronted just shows what they r like the sort of people that do park in these spaces dont care about anybody else they r selfish . what u should do is ring the store and tell them u shop there quite a bit and u r getting fed up with not being able 2 get a mother and child space and u have 2 park quite far away , also tell them u r not the only one that is having this problem and they might do something about it  

Answer 17

It really annoys me as well, if I see anyone doing it I always says "Oops i think you've left your child in the supermarket", Ive even told the car park bloke at Morrisons but he didn't care.

People there do it as the kids slots are near the mini bank, its just laziness.

Every time you see it then tell the shop and if they don't do something about it then e mail the head office.

I'm quite lucky that I'm a big bloke so most people are a bit intimidated by me having a go at them, as a traffic officer I go into the supermarkets for my lunch and if I see anyone doing it I tell them off.

Think the supermarkets should dish out more tickets, or some at least cos the ones I go to are too scared.

If ever I go with my 2 yr old I always park in the normal bays as I can manage her and think that the slot would benefit someone more needy than me, I'm afraid that a lot of people are too ignorant and inconsiderate.

Answer 18

This really gets to me to and its not just the fact the car park spaces are close to the store its the extra space you get to help get children in and out of the car! because in a standard car parking space trying to get a car seat out or a wriggly toddler is a total nightmare as u nearly always bang the door on the car door next to u or when you get back from shopping someone has parked so close to your car you just cant get a car seat in! sorry if i'm going on but this really annoys me as that's why there are parent and child parking spaces!!!!!

Answer 19

Unfortunately as the supermarkets do not enforce their rules of parking in parent and toddler spaces it is sometimes left to the customer to make the point.

However, this is tricky partly because of the verbal abuse you may get, or the couldn't give a s**t attitude of those you are confronting, because they know they are not going to have any problems for parking in these spaces, and some never feel shame, so your on a looser there also.

The disabled spaces get more attention from the supermarkets because firstly you need to leave a badge in and secondly disability parking spaces are seen as more of a requirement than parent and child.  I have even seen disabled parking in parent and child spaces, yet these same people do their fruit if a parent with children were to park in their disabled spaces.

There are also many parents with children that are perfectly able to walk if they parked further away taking the spaces so parents with babies or toddlers have to struggle, and these are people who were once in your shoes!  Of course parent with children doesn't specify ages of children, and I think even if it says toddlers and they are obviously older, supermarkets etc have difficulty taking any action.

You need to try and ignore it best you can, as you are only stressing yourself out, pumping yourself full of adrenalin which leaves you feeling uptight for hours after and does you no good whatsoever, and you can bet the person you had a go at has forgotten it within a few minutes.

You could try sending an e-mail to the customer services of the supermarket in question, which may help a little.  

Answer 20

totally agree with you! it pisses me right off! and some people said it doesn't hurt to walk a bit further but its not the walking that bothers me...its trying not to hit and scratch other peoples cars while im struggling to get the pram out of the back seat...we dont get fines here for the parents with prams parking spaces..it sucks! i dont have the guts to say anything but i always make loud comments!

I know alot of people have said about how all special parks should be for the disabled and elderly but uno something that kinda ticked me off is in our shopping center we have a car park that is full of disabled and parents with pram parks only.....theres about 60 disabled and old people parks and about 25 parent parks around the outside...we were waiting for someone to pull out of the car space so we could have it as there was no other parent parks left....then..an old couple with a disability sticker on there car came and took the park before we could get in when all except 2 disabled spaces were vacant...i would never ever take a disabled park but i just thought that was unfair especially seen as those old people could have parked heaps closer to the doors if they took one of the disabled parks that are ment for them! if it was the only park left all together i wouldnt have cared but like i said..all the disability parks were open and they took our 1 parent with prams park!

Answer 21

I was in a shopping centre with my godson, He was only a baby, and i took him in in his car seat. I have no other children type things (toys etc) in my car. Just the seat.

I parked in parent and kid space, and i came back later on with a note left on my car about how i shouldnt have parked there because i dont have kids etc etc. It really pissed me off.

Answer 22

Next time go back to your car and park directly behind the offending glam woman. Then she will be stuck in the space and she can't complain as she's parking illegally.