EC you got way too much spare time

I thought they were for parents with babies

Quite possibly Saint, quite possibly.

But you should read what else I do in my spare time - still considering starting up a thread.

I did, but not having a little one I thought speak with the people who have.

LOL!

 

They do now specify a maximum age for the child (think the age varies between different supermarkets)... 

 

it needed to be done..    cos I have to confess to having used them before...  with my teenage daughter (well..  she is my child! )

 

 

Tesco have it sorted...    there is a barrier into the child & parent parking area...    access is given through the use of your clubcard (who obviously have the details of how old your child is)

I think its fair enough that they are for small kids as well as babies... 

 

it must be a nightmare trying to get across a busy car park with a wayward full trolley...   and a wayward small child in tow 

I struggle with just the trolley

 

That is a good idea using the club card.

That sounds like a sensible idea.

 

TBH though I used to shop with three kids under three and a half ........everything balanced on the back of a double  buggy - it does make me  a little bit when mums with great big 4x4's and one tiny baby make a big deal if they can't park next door to the shop doors.

 

I think that in this case the child looked old enough not to have given it's parents the reason to use the P&C bays. It looked to me like they were taking advantage. I wonder how a later visitor would have coped with a much less mobile child or baby and no bay to park in as there are only a few of them.

I think they should be used only by parents who 

 

a) are alone with the child/ren

or

b) have a child/ren who needs carried around or is too small to be trusted to walk along beside you without running like a lunatic in front of all the cars.  Which means anything up to a 12 year old

 

2 parents with a 5/6 year old is taking the biscuit.

These kinds of parking spaces drive me nuts because people never use them properly.  The way it is supposed to work is that it's for people with infants, in my mind anyhow.  Because you need the extra space to swing the door open to get the baby in and out of the car seat...or to take the car seat out if thats the type of travel system you have.  It protects the car beside you and really can be such a nifty thing.

 

It's very much a 'use your discretion' type of thing.  A parent with a five year old doesn't need to use the space and they are taking the pee.  They are well able to get their child out of the car without too much hassle.  That said, as its a discretionary deal they are perfectly entitled to use it. 

 

If I have F with me by himself, I would never use one of those spaces and he's 3 (nearly 4).  He's perfectly capable of getting out of the car without needing to swing the door open.

Cranky women with fractious kids are to be avoided at all times, especially in supermarket car parks  I always avoided the mother and baby parking bays like the plague (even with 3 of my own kids in tow).

Me too  I've never used one

I always start off with good intentions when entering a supermarket.

Have you noticed how effective trollies are...? Not that people hogging up the aisles is annoying in any way at all........  

have to back  away from this thread, it makes me so  angry when these spaces are abused  ( usually asda in Boston )

In all seriousness, does that happen a lot (abuse of parking bays)..? 

Aren't there staff to monitor what's going on?

God yeah!  Well at least in my bit of west London at least. And no, staff don't give a feck! 

I'm not a frequent flyer where supermarkets are concerned these days, Xochi.  I use a butcher, greengrocer, deli and bakery - all independents - so my trolley dashing is just that, a dash.  I only use supermarkets for the bigger items (cleaning products etc, jars and bottles) and even then I tend to do an online shop for such things.  As I mentioned earlier, I don't park near the front door preferring to save my car from the kicks, door ramming and key scrapes... so I tend to be oblivious to what's going on.

 

Sounds a 'mare all round.

I've pulled into a parent and toddler space (I have no shame)

And when someone has stopped me, saying its a space for parents, i tell them I'm going IN to collect my kids!!!

LOL - shuts the buggers up

 

 . . . and IF by chance, they are still there when i come out i already have a reply.

"They decided to stay and gave me the shopping. I'm collecting them later"

 

Boom - take that yer self righteous socially correct sod

One cycles around the local shops :smug: However the Sunday shop at Morrison's chuckout often pays dividends for those who do not like to go deep in the purse. See also the miracle of Chicken Jalfrezis at forty nine pence apiece.

 

This is the inconsiderate type in supermarkets that are more annoying than aisle hoggers.

I agree with the general consensus of the thread - they should be for people with toddlers/babies as the extra space around the car makes it easier to get said child in and out. I think in some places they're called parent and baby spaces to help clarify, but then I suppose what is the cut off point for 'baby' Lazy arses who just want to be near the doors should park in a normal space and walk across the f**king car park, it's not exactly far is it?  

And when there's no where to park and i'm in a desperate rush and those spaces are standing completely empty ... i'll take my turn to annoy with pleasure 

why not just explain about their being no spaces then?  Why make up a fake child story?

Cos people become so self appointed - and angry if I'm honest.

I doubt they'll accept, "I'll be less than 3 mins and i really can't find anywhere".

So I do it for ease - normally i'm totally respectful