Disabled parking and parental parking

[Rapscallion]

One of the supermarkets I occasionally visit has parking spaces for the disabled clearly marked. Nice wide bays, they are, with extra borders for the amount of extra space required. It also has similar spaces marked for parents with children.

I know that in the US the law protects disabled parking spaces - park in those designated for the disabled and face towing/fines etc. Crazylegs - you may be able to impart some knowledge to us about the UK state of legal affairs in privately-owned car parks. I'm fairly sure that there are no laws requiring parking for parents with small children.

Why do I tell you this?

Well, the supermarket I occasionally visit has both, as I said, but guess which one is right next to the door and which one is further away? If you guessed that parents (with their greater need for spending large amounts of money statistically) were slap-bang by the door, you'd be right. Disabled people have to cross one of the traffic lanes to get to the door.

On a weekend away, I went with a couple of chums to another branch of the same store and parked in a 'parent' spot. One chum cheered me on, for he has yet to breed successfully. The other - a parent of at least two years - was outraged. As I said to him at the time, he's a parent (despite being without his child), and I doubt that they can do anything legally (no signs up etc), so we parked there. It's not normal behaviour for me, but I'll be damned if something as blatantly unfair as that goes without comment or action.

I'm not a parent and I'm not disabled. I see no reason, other than money, that disabled people should be considered as in lesser need than parents.

Anyone object?

Rapscallion

[tropicsgoddess]

I would object to that. A person who is on crutches/wheelchair/ an amputee being parked farther than a family with a stroller and kids?! WTF. I honestly don't see what the big deal is as to why parents with small children need closer parking spaces than those who have a disability.

[crazylegs]

I know that in the US the law protects disabled parking spaces - park in those designated for the disabled and face towing/fines etc. Crazylegs - you may be able to impart some knowledge to us about the UK state of legal affairs in privately-owned car parks. I'm fairly sure that there are no laws requiring parking for parents with small children.

Private car parks all come under civil law I'm afraid old chap. They can enforce it with clamps and towing but only if there are signs stating said towing takes place and the fee for such.

I'm not aware of any legislation requiring Parent and Child (does it count when my mother and I go to the shops and I'm 25?) however the DDA requires business to make 'reasonable changes' to accomodate those who are disabled...

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

In my area, we have a store that has disabled parking on one side of the lane and regular parking on the other. If a store wants to support bot hthe disabled and the parents of small children...perhaps make the regular spaces parent spaces.

Just my suggestion

[Slytovhand]

I'll object...Raps - go out and make some kids!!!

Ok.. yeah - that seems just silly (other than... 1 parent, 4 kids including infant and 2 year old twins, trying to cross the road together - but that's only one specific instance...).

Otherwise... that situation was ridiculous Raps..

I'd find it amusing if you got towed or fined, took it to court, and won cos of your mate being a daddy :P

[Zyanya]

Such spaces are meant to cater to those that do not comprehend the concept of the word 'parent' also being a verb.

As I oppose any concessions made to that sort of person, I support your action wholeheartedly and undertaken a similar action.

The last time someone objected, I grinned at him and said 'prove I'm not pregnant', and walked away.

[Greenday]

The last time someone objected, I grinned at him and said 'prove I'm not pregnant', and walked away.

That is definitely not the same thing in my opinion. Raps example involves special parking for those who don't need it. From what your post has, it sounds like you parked in parking for pregnant women. Towards the end of pregnancy, it's hard as hell to carry that sucker around. Forget it if you are carrying two or more at the same time. Short walks for pregnant mothers can be quite some exercise. That's a huge difference.

[Zyanya]

That is definitely not the same thing in my opinion. Raps example involves special parking for those who don't need it. From what your post has, it sounds like you parked in parking for pregnant women.

The sign said 'parking for parents'.

Towards the end of pregnancy, it's hard as hell to carry that sucker around. Forget it if you are carrying two or more at the same time. Short walks for pregnant mothers can be quite some exercise. That's a huge difference.

If you have a valid medical reason, such as a pregnancy problem, you can get a temporary handicapped parking pass. I did when I was pregnant.

[Jules Of All Trades]

Let's see, I'm going to weigh in on the tri-fold angle here.

1 - Have a disabled parking pass
2 - Am a parent
3 - Am a reasonable person with common sense (most of the time )

I'm lucky in the fact that my "disability" (twice replaced hips that still aren't quite up to par) doesn't force me to use a disabled parking spot often. I rarely have days bad enough that I need the shorter walk or assistance with walking at all. However, I'd be fired up if I needed the spot and saw they were all taken but there were open or closer "parent" spots instead.

I have 3 kids, I know the struggles of dealing with a baby, stroller, toddlers(s), and all of the things that go with them. I've only seen a few of the "parent" spots in my area, and the ones I've seen were at stores specifically geared toward selling kid/baby items. I've never parked in one of those spots, no matter how many kids or how much stuff I was toting. It just didn't seem right to me, people have survived this long by parking two spots out, what makes me special enough to deserve parking right up front? You just bust out the stroller, lasso in the others and make the best of it. If you can't do that you shouldn't be out in public with your brood. Suck it up and walk like the rest of us.

As for the "pregnancy" spots, I've only seen those once. I wasn't able to carry my children, so I don't know what it's like to be far into a pregnancy and how difficult it is or isn't. But I'm with Zyanya on this, if your pregnancy is so difficult that you can't walk far enough to get into a store then you should have a temporary parking permit, just to get through the rough times.

We're setting up the "entitled" ones more and more...what's next? "Pet parents" parking? "Full backpack" parking? "High heels" parking?

[smileyeagle1021]

Well Raps, I can't speak to your side of the pond, but on this side of the pond those spaces are useless. Nothing bothered me more than when I worked for a private parking enforcement agency (we managed and patrolled roughly 30 lots in and around downtown) and management told us we could not issue tickets to people who were parked in handicap spaces without the proper permit unless the property owner complained (we didn't own any of the lots, just managed them)... it like the owners don't give a crap, most of them don't even live in the city.
My other pet peeve was (while we're on the topic of handicap spaces) the people who said I would go to hell for *gasp* issuing tickets for non payment on handicap spaces... I'm sorry, the sign says "reserved for persons with disabilities" no where on it does it say "free"... besides 99% of the time you just have to make up some sob story about why you couldn't pay and the company would settle the ticket for whatever the normal charge of parking would be (and saying I'm in a wheelchair, going to the fare box would be difficult the company wouldn't hesitate to say, ok minimum charge on that lot is $3, you may or may not have been there longer than that, but we'll call it even for $3.)

[Greenday]

The sign said 'parking for parents'.

Were you actually pregnant?

[Boozy]

Common courtesy says that if you feel healthy and able to walk, you should park towards the back of the lot and leave those spots closest to the front for those who may struggle - whether due to pregnancy, children, disability, whatever.

These laws wouldn't be necessary at all if people weren't so self-centred. Everyone's so concerned about someone getting something they're not.

[DesignFox]

These laws wouldn't be necessary at all if people weren't so self-centred. Everyone's so concerned about someone getting something they're not.

Like a bunch of children? *snicker*

[Zyanya]

Were you actually pregnant?

Not at that time.

Common courtesy says that if you feel healthy and able to walk, you should park towards the back of the lot and leave those spots closest to the front for those who may struggle - whether due to pregnancy, children, disability, whatever.

Got a kid. Doesn't hurt me any to walk a bit. That is why strollers were invented. Spend 5 bucks on one, problem solved. I actually prefer to park further out, there tends to be more room to maneuver the stroller and there is rarely anyone getting impatient with me when it takes a few moments to buckle him into his car seat.

Sometimes, my feet hurting trumps someone having to walk with a kid. Sorry, but that's life.

[Rapscallion]

I'll object...Raps - go out and make some kids!!!

You going to help?

Rapscallion