Parent and child parking spaces

Larry: went on the website you mentioned in a moment of boredom. Tried to add a comment by clicking on the "Add Comments" button, but the site just took you back to the home page. Plus they have spelt "buffoonary" wrong !

Unlike parking in a disabled spot, my personal opinion is that parents have no moral right to have their own special parking spots. If at all possible I do avoid parking in the parents with children parking bays outside Waitrose, but if the rest of the car park is chokker with no apparent sign of anyone leaving, then I do. I have never been able to understand why young parents deserve their own parking spaces. I will always assist a young mum struggling with a buggy, a pram, young kids, whatever, but do I think she deserves her own parking space? No, I do not, if she needs help, it is when getting in and out of her car, NOT in parking and walking to the shop from wherever that may be.

Somehow I managed, with a bad back, at the age of 33 when I gave birth to manoeuvre baby, push chair and shopping without the luxury of my own parking space ... don't know how I survived!

Rally against these idiots, take photos with your phone then upload them too http://www.parking-idiots.com - name and shame them!

Think you lot obviously are unable to read, I said all spaces should be wider! I never asked anyone to bow down to parents just wished you would stop being so rude about us, I am not rude about you!
And finally you really should not class everyone the same, the 40% of parents which are not obese is a massive percentage of the population and you would do well to remember that fact!
Also I think you'll find reading back over post that there are an awful lot of people moaning about Mother and Baby spaces existing not the other way round.
And finally some people cannot achieve a baby just by 'a bit of grunting and rolling around' and its very insenstive to people who have struggled to concieve. It can be a very emotionally upsetting thing for some people.

I've had a good laugh, Bored, at your posts! Although a little extreme, I do agree with you certainly in principle. A long way back on this thread, I remember saying that I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. Having a baby is a privilege, not some sort of onerous chore that requires a Medal. It also usually means that the mother is going to be quite young and fit, and therefore more than capable of walking a few yards and manoeuvering buggies, babies, children etc. safely in and out of a car, without the need of her own extra wide parking space !! I don't qualify for a Disabled badge, therefore cannot use the disabled parking, nor would I even if I did, but I have to struggle in and out of a normal width parking space, causing myself a lot of pain and discomfort in the process. But I certainly don't expect a special parking space !

Well done for speaking your mind.

A few more comments... "Mother and Baby spaces are not about the face they are close to the door they are about having enough space to get the door open wide enough..." Agreed, I’d like to be able to get in and out without being a contortionist as well.
"Why to you people automatically presume thats its about being close to the shop door..." Errr, coz they always are?
"Its the law that we have the correct car seats so therefore we should be provided with spaces that are wide enough to get the cars doors open to get the kids in and out." It’s the law that I have to carry my dog securely as well but I don't get any special treatment, do you see me demanding that I should?
"I am forever seeing people struggle getting in and out of cars as the spaces are not wide enough to open a car door... that is because we have so many cars." Parents still don’t deserve any special treatment.
Also why is that the childless people are forever moaning about this issue... Check the trail, its parents moaning about the rights that THEY should have. I’m balancing things
"you all seem to presume that all parents are lazy" Not a presumption just a fact based generalisation. Today in England ~40% of kids and ~60% of parents are clinically obese, not my figures!
My derogatory terms are merely driven by the somewhat crazy view that having a baby is an accomplishment that should be admired, and that those of us who have not should bow down. What rubbish, its been going on for a million years, nothing anyone else with some grunting and rolling about at the right time of the month can't also achieve. It’s not a great feat, just nature.

I am quite capable of walking and do so very often. Mother and Baby spaces are not about the face they are close to the door they are about having enough space to get the door open wide enough to get a baby carrier in and out or for fixed child seats to enable you to lift your child into the seat. Why to you people automatically presume thats its about being close to the shop door. I am fed up of repeating myself about this issue. Its the law that we have the correct car seats so therefore we should be provided with spaces that are wide enough to get the cars doors open to get the kids in and out. I wouldn't care if the spaces were the furthest away, I just think all spaces should be wider in general. I am forever seeing people struggle getting in and out of cars as the spaces are not wide enough to open a car door, unless your like a size 0 or something.
If I could carry the shopping home the I would be unfortunately cannot quite manage a weekly shop and a puchchair. If I could leave my child at home with someone then I would but do not have that option either.
Also why is that the childless people are forever moaning about this issue, you all seem to presume that all parents are lazy and for some reason keep saying we got ourselves 'knocked up', just what is all that about. Having a child is an amazing experience and using such derogatory terms is both rude and ignorant. If you choose not to have children then that is your choice or if you can't have them then that is gods choice or fate whichever you believe. Just stop being so rude about those that do.
I personally do not ask for any special favours by being a mother. I think all spaces should be wider to make everyone's life easier.

I have no children and have always intentionally (yes, intentionally) parked whenever possible in the Parent & Child spaces. Trust me, this is not a laziness thing (I run 10K per day so a walk no problem), its not even a selfish thing, its merely that I'm blown away that in today’s world giving birth has become as near to making someone disabled as it can be (you even have your own spaces!). Personally I find it selfish that parents (yes you) whole heatedly believe that they earn these additional rights over the rest of us just for squeezing out a puppy or two.

Anyway, the other issue I have is fat parents and fat children, a major health issue in Britain today and getting worse. I’m amaised these days at the size of children not to mention their parents. So listen to my plan and see what you think.

Stop providing parents additional services over and above what people like me are entitled to receive. Let parents (now bare with me, I know this is very controversial) walk occasionally, do you remember walking? Just think, even after having giving birth, Mums and Dads with enough effort could walk a good what 500 meters??? Imagine taking this further and getting some exercise every day, yes every day! Wow, crazy idea.

Ask yourself whether you are or you are not over weight and then decide whether you are also one of these whining parents who demands that we all park elsewhere so you don’t have to walk too far (oh poor poor you)

Grow up, take responsibility for yourselves, it’s a perverse society that (now legally) tells me that I cannot park somewhere because you got knocked up and therefore have more rights than I do. People complain about Muslims and their irrational demands (you’re probably doing that right now). Let me enlighten you, for those of us without children, your demands that we treat you as special are just as irrational.

Oh to have the luxury of a Nanny, not everyone is loaded. Sorry you can't have children but I hardly think that people who use mother and baby spaces have the intention of showing off their child bearing skills!
You sound very bitter against people who do have children yet is not our fault that you cannot? I think you seriously need to re-think you opinions of people.
I myself tried for a long time to get pregnant, it did not just happen for me but in all that time I certainly did not resent those that did as that would be resenting the very person I wanted to be. Somewhat hypocritical don't you think?

Well said. I still can't accept the need for special parking spaces for mums and tots. Having a baby isn't a crippling disease, it is a privilege which you and your partner have not been fortunate enough to enjoy, I am so sorry for you both, I was nearly such myself. Had a terrible struggle to get pregnant, the only advice I can give you is to tell yourselves what I told myself after 3 long years of trying to get pregnant naturally. And that was to throw away the thermometer, stop thinking about babies, forget everything and anything to do with trying to get pregnant, and what will be will be. Within three months, I was indeed pregnant. Obviously, I don't know your circumstances, and it may be by now in the past for you and over and done with, but if it is still an on-going issue, my overriding advice is to relax and forget all about pregnancy.

Sorry gone off the subject of special spaces for parents and children !

Leave your children at home with the nanny. Supermarkets are not play areas and there should definitely not be parking bays for people with children. This is very unfair on couples who are unable to have children. Or perhaps you like the bays so you can show off your child-bearing abilities and be spiteful and cruel to those who less fortunate than yourself.

With the majority of families having parents which work it is not always possible to find time to shop and have the luxury of leaving the children at home at the same time. Nice theory but not always pratical.
As for modern Parents whinging about parking I think this is a bit unfair. Back in the day you did not have these ridiulous car seats which are now a lawful requirement. A lot of people seem to forget this rather major fact. It is simply not possible to get your child in and out of the car in a regular space 99% of the time. The spaces are simply not wide enough to enable you to open the door and get yourself in and lean over the child to unstrap them and then lift them out. When are people going to start to realise this fact!
I most certainly do not begrudge disabled people using mother and baby spaces at all. I have never come across any disabled person using a mother and baby space as they generally have enough free spaces of their own. However I do come across a lot of people with new posh cars using the spaces as they don't want to damage their car doors or risk getting hit by a car door when getting in and out. Can I just point out that if people park in mother spaces for this reason alone then surely it is obvious that regular spaces are simply not big enough??
Bit of a generalisation about everyones attitude being 'me, me, me' I am certainly not this way minded at all. I feel that if we all give and take a bit more and have some respect for each other the world would be a much nicer place to live.

Here is a radical idea, If there are two parents in a family, why doesn't one look after the kids at home, whilst one does the shopping?? Parking Problem solved!!
I have two grown up children, and Mother & Child parking spaces were not around when they were small, so we had to make do with the parking spaces available. But we did not find it a problem taking our children to a Supermarket if we had to, and I think modern Parents whinge too much if every little convenience is available for them and their over indulged, spoiled kids.
As for begrudging Disabled People the use of these Mother and Child places, I think is disgusting, but only to be expected it this day and age when the attitude is " ME, Me, me, me!!