Parent and Child Parking

Davidth88

Does anyone else get annoyed when they go to the local supermarket, then find all the parent/child spaces full , half the cars are obviously NOT with children ( ie no child seats which is the law ! )

I have had a couple of rows with people who think that they are more important than anyone else in this regard, the reaction is usually embarresment.

Anyway this is interesting


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7188504.stm

Lets hope it catches on here

High&Low

I'll think in Ireland there is no law concerning parent and child parking and it would be a bit harder to enforce than handicap spaces.

The idea of these spaces is for parents with babies or toddlers and who is to say that the car you see hasn't just taken their baby out of the car in their car seat?

paulksnn

Yeah, people with no kids parking in those spots really gets on my tits when I see it happening.
Unfortunately I'm also pragmatic enough to know it can never be enforced that only those with kids park there.

As for taking the kid out in the car seat, you'll more than likely have a "baby on board" sign in the back window. But you're right, High, enforcement is pretty much impossible unless you're there when they pull in.

I will however pull up anyone I see parking in a disabled spot and tell them to shift the car. Normally doesn't go down too well, but threatening to call the cops normally sorts it. The people who park in those spots are normally those with a fair bit of neck anyway, so will try and brazen it out

Davidth88

There is no law in England either , but these car parks are private land so the supermarkets can make their own rules , they could say only people with red cars can park here and clamp everyone else.

Believe me it's obvious a lot of the time when people don't have kids. If they have taken the seat in with them there would be evidence of kids in the cars, if there is no seat then as far as I am concerned the kit is old enough to get them selves in/out of the car ( which is why you need the extra space ).

It would be easyenough for this to be enforced if there was a will .

As for people who park in handicapped spaces ,grrrrrrr I can't think of a suitable punishment maybe they should be forced to try being handicapped for for a week and see how they like it.

I remember seeing a great ' candit camera ' type program where a guy pretended to be a TV person talking about peoples last holidays. He captured people getting in their cars in a supermarket car park ( in the disabled spaces ) . They had one woman who said , oh yes I went skiing , at that point the interviewer asked her about the miracle cure she underwent

littlebug

paulksnn wrote: »

Yeah, people with no kids parking in those spots really gets on my tits when I see it happening.
Unfortunately I'm also pragmatic enough to know it can never be enforced that only those with kids park there.

As for taking the kid out in the car seat, you'll more than likely have a "baby on board" sign in the back window. But you're right, High, enforcement is pretty much impossible unless you're there when they pull in.

Not everyone with kids has a baby on board sign. I know I never have. I have also seen mothers with the child in their car seat in the trolley so I wouldn't assume no car seat= no child.

That said I don't believe I have ever used the parent and child spaces as they're usually full but I do try to park where I won't have to cross in front of moving traffic if at all possible. Most people seem to say they're handiest when you've a baby in a child seat as there is more space to get in and out. I have to say I find car parks harder now that I'm trying to push a trolley and make sure that the two small people do not let go of me and run out in front of cars. When you go out the door of my local Dunnes there's a slope and keeping control of the trolley is bloody hard work at the best of times and doing so whilst also trying to control the littl'uns is harder. The least distance I have to go the better. People with 1 baby (or toddler) in the trolley don't really the space IMO. Nor do those with bigger kids who have the sense not to run. I think the people who could benefit from being closer to the door are those with kids aged say 2-5.

noby

paulksnn wrote: »

you'll more than likely have a "baby on board" sign in the back window.

Not in my car there isn't. Same for a lot of people I know (with young children). There may be a danger that people are jumping to conclusions, perhaps annoyed at the fact that there's no empty space for them.

Davidth88

I too would not have ' baby on board ' sign , I think they are silly actually.

I only have one toddler , I appriciate the extra space to get her in/out of the car. It actually annoys me slightly when people park so close to you you can't open the door wide enough, then I remember that PC ( pre-child ) I would never have thought of that.

I was actually using the child seat as a possible identifing feature , if the seat is removed ( would only be for 1-6 months old ) there would be other evidence I expect , ie toys/ baby stuff laying around.

Don't get too hung up on the seat thing, just think if they used the wardens that go around checking for long-term parkers to clamp non-child cars , the message would soon get around. Also in this example they are giving the money to a charity , I don't expect the horrible people that usually run the clamping companies would agree to that.

Oryx

No baby on board sign for me either. You dont need car seats, you can tell I have kids in the car by the empty packets, bits of toys, chocolate stains and feet marks on the seats.

I hardly ever get to use those kiddie spaces in the supermarket, theyre always full. I doubt all the cars have kids in either. I manage mostly though, as its a new modern centre with good parking and layout anyway. I simply stopped going to the supermarkets with poor parking where you had difficulty with a trolley and two kids under four. Ive nearly given myself a hernia trying to grab a small child who is running in front of a car, while also trying to stop my trolley (with baby in) hitting a parked car. Nightmare.

Wishbone Ash

Davidth88 wrote: »

I have had a couple of rows with people who think that they are more important than anyone else

paulksnn wrote: »

I will however pull up anyone I see parking in a disabled spot and tell them to shift the car

It seems to me that it is not the possible infringers who think they are more important than anyone else!

Davidth88

It seems to me that it is not the possible infringers who think they are more important than anyone else

I assume that is finger pointing .

If so , I am pretty shocked . If there are space allocated for the convenience of people who need more room , then those are the people tht should use them. What would you do if you saw someone with no disabled sticker , obviously perfectly ablebodied park in a disabled spot ? I suppose you would just look the other way ! ( someone else will do something )

I suppose you also feel that queue jumping is ok !

I am not self important , I just hate it when people do selfish things like park in disabled/child space.

Wishbone Ash

I would bring my concerns to the attention of the relevant people, i.e if it's in a public area - the Gardai, if in private - the relevant tenant/occupier/owner.

I don't think that I have any authority to decide whom should park in spaces reserved for people with special needs. Whether they are displaying a badge or not isn't really relevant. They may have applied for one or they may be temporarily disabled or they may be transporting a disabled person.

Most spaces for persons with special needs or parent and child spaces are in private property. The Road Traffic Acts and relevant Statutory Instruments have no legal basis on private property.

That rubbish from ASDA is just a publicity stunt as is most of this "caring" rubbish from supermarkets. They are only interested in the bottom line, not whether their customers, who are parents, are happy with parking arrangements. I am a parent of young children but I don'y assume that I have more right to park nearer the door than anyone else. Why should I?

I feel sorry for the children of these Dirty Harry/Travis Bickle types out there who go out of their way to pick rows with strangers. There are many selfish people out there but getting their backs up by accosting them in public is not the correct approach. It's also potentially dangerous.

Be more philosophical about it. Be thankful for you health (if applicable) and assume that they are in more need than you.

noby

Last thing I want is a warden sticking his face up against the window of my car, looking for 'evidence' of children. These spaces are courtesy spaces, and it's up to the public to use them appropriately.

kelle

I find it frustrating to see parent& baby spaces taken up by drivers who don't have children with them (unless they're elderly), but nowhere near as nasty as somebody who would park in a disabled space when they have no disability whatsoever.
I am pleased to see my former employees are clamping down on those people (I worked in the deli counter of Asda in Park Royal for 2 years when I was a student)

di11on

KtK wrote: »

You dont need car seats...

How come you don't need car seats? If your child is under 12, it's the law.

http://www.rsa.ie/childsafetyincars/procontent/Home/Home_Page/index.html

noby

I read that as: "you don't need to see car seats in my car to know I have kids - the mess gives it away"

di11on

noby wrote: »

I read that as: "you don't need to see car seats in my car to know I have kids - the mess gives it away"

Fair enough, but my point is, if someone has kids under 12, they are legally obliged to have car seats - so it's a pretty decent indicator. You probaly don't need the extra space for kids over 12 anyway.

Wishbone Ash

di11on wrote: »

Fair enough, but my point is, if someone has kids under 12, they are legally obliged to have car seats

Apologies for being pedantic but the law applies when a child is in a vehicle on a public road not when the vehicle is parked on private property. A parent may have removed the child seat. They may have put it in the boot or it may form part of a buggy setup.

di11on

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Apologies for being pedantic but the law applies when a child is in a vehicle on a public road not when the vehicle is parked on private property. A parent may have removed the child seat. They may have put it in the boot or it may form part of a buggy setup.

Actually, now that you mention it - I've seen people take infant seats out and pop baby and seat into the trolley... so that's a fair point.

If there were pentalties for parking in parent and child spaces without a child, I suppose the only reliable way of policing it, it to catch the driver returning to the car sans children

MarkR

Even though it is a PR exercise, I think it's a good idea. I haven't seen any post with a good reason why people who are abusing these spaces shouldn't be fined.

prospect

I was going to SuperValu in Clane recently and saw a guy hop out of his car, after parking in a parent & child spot and jog into the shop, kinda like he was poping in for a second.

There was no parent & child places left, so I parked behind him, blocking him in.

I came out of the shop nearly 15 minutes later where he was sitting against his bonnet smoking. He approached me and started prattling on about me being an ass etc, as I loaded my daughter into her seat. When I was done, and he was standing there waiting for a response, I turned to him again and simply said, "You park there again when I'm here, and I'll block you in again".


I know two wrongs don't make a right, but I hate when people take advantage of a situation just becaus ethe Legally are entitled to. There is such thing as the spirit of the law. When a shop or company provide a Parent & Child space, people show respect the landowners intention.

noby

With all due respect you were an ass. He may have been in the wrong, but you didn't know his circumstances, so what right have you? What if he was running in for some nurofen to rush home to a sick child?

Nevyn

There are a lot of poeple who are just not tolerant fo these spaces and trot out th eline that the kids should be left at home.

There was a total spat of this subject in after hours a while back.

waring they are in ah and they are not for those with blood pressure issues.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=54613743#post54613743
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055062199

Wishbone Ash

MarkR wrote: »

I haven't seen any post with a good reason why people who are abusing these spaces shouldn't be fined.

But if it's on private property how could a fine be enforced. As I have said in a previous post, it would have no legal basis. The 'offender' could simply tell the shop to 'stick it...'.

prospect wrote: »

so I parked behind him, blocking him in....... .......... I turned to him again and simply said, "You park there again when I'm here, and I'll block you in again"

:rolleyes: That's just sad! What authority do you have to knowingly block the egress of another member of the public?

*shakes head*

Clytus

Alot of carparks are actually private property so it would be very difficult to bring in any sort of laws regarding the parent and child parking.

My wife was in Superquinn in Lucan about a week ago...without our son...and spotted a chap parking in the mother and child space. It actually annoyed her to the point that she approached the chap. The fella was so embarassed he walked back across the carpark and moved his car.

kelle

prospect wrote: »

I was going to SuperValu in Clane recently and saw a guy hop out of his car, after parking in a parent & child spot and jog into the shop, kinda like he was poping in for a second.

There was no parent & child places left, so I parked behind him, blocking him in.

I came out of the shop nearly 15 minutes later where he was sitting against his bonnet smoking. He approached me and started prattling on about me being an ass etc, as I loaded my daughter into her seat. When I was done, and he was standing there waiting for a response, I turned to him again and simply said, "You park there again when I'm here, and I'll block you in again".


I know two wrongs don't make a right, but I hate when people take advantage of a situation just becaus ethe Legally are entitled to. There is such thing as the spirit of the law. When a shop or company provide a Parent & Child space, people show respect the landowners intention.

Good on you, Prospect! That brought a smile to my face.