Misuse of disabled parking spots

Will I Am Not

I was waiting for my OH outside a dentist a few months back. It's on the main street and there are 2 disabled spaces right outside it and 3 regular parking spaces a little further back. I was parked in the one furthest away, all other spaces occupied.

I was there for 10 minutes before this car pulled up beside me and started beeping the horn and gesturing for me to clear off. It was an elderly couple and they were pointing at their disability badge with disgusted heads on them.
I wasn't in a disabled space, the disabled spaces were being used by other (I assume) disabled people.
If they weren't so rude and angry, I probably would have just moved anyway but f*ck that attitude they showed.

Icemancometh

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Seriously, it still shocks me that people are stupid enough to drive into spaces. Do it properly and reverse in to the space.

My local supermarket has angled parking spaces rather than square ones. I see people reverse into these all the time:pac:

foxatron

I'm all for the parent and child spots but only because I don't like the idea of a back door whacking off the side of my car when a parent is trying to strap in their kid!

Gerrup Outta Dat!

i know u know wrote: »

A friend of mine always says she's going to bring around paper and glue and stick it to to the Windscreen of cars parked in disabled spaces with no blue badge. I do hope shes joking but I feel shes not...... her theory is that then they'd have to explain to whoever asks about the paper stuck to the window that they illegally parked

I want to marry her I love this girl

greenttc

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Seriously, it still shocks me that people are stupid enough to drive into spaces. Do it properly and reverse in to the space.

I reverse in when I dont have a buggy to take out if the boot. But anyway reversing doesnt mean I am any less penned in by cars either side of me.

Also many spaces near.me are at an angle and not meant for reversing.

People who dont reverse are not stupid anyway!

LordSutch

Jawgap wrote: »

So what are disabled bays - a contingent necessity

Not at all - there's no ranking to be done - parent and child bays are just paint. They carry no force of law, and they are just part of a company's marketing - if they were important shops and car park operators would post warning signs and clamp people for using them without their kids but they're not going to shoot themselves in their corporate foot that's why there's no enforcement of them (at least that's my experience, ymmv).

Thing is, if you park in a parent & child bay (without child or car seat) you risk the rath of genuine child bay users like me! An unfortunate situation I've been in a few times, whereby I'm heading for a bay with my two kids in the car only to find some fella or couple getting out of a car, looks exchanged, verbals too, heated words, then usually remorse that my kids just witnessed that - not nice.

So we carry on looking for another spot further away which us a pain in the are when you have a car seat, buggy or pram!

greenttc

Jawgap wrote: »

So what are disabled bays - a contingent necessity
v).

I meant disabled spots are a necessity

Your whole set of pists are trying to rank importance whether you realise it or not

You know what, you are just one if those people who just dont care, look out for yourself and not someone else who needs a little help in their day.

Try and be less selfish in future

I wont be replying to anymore of your posts

Dtp1979

greenttc wrote: »

I reverse in when I dont have a buggy to take out if the boot. But anyway reversing doesnt mean I am any less penned in by cars either side of me.

Also many spaces near.me are at an angle and not meant for reversing.

People who dont reverse are not stupid anyway!

The majority are people who simply can’t reverse. I see endless halfwit drives driving in to spaces, usually parking over the lines and struggling to reverse out, holding up traffic. Then there’s the cases where reversing out leaves the driver completely blind to oncoming traffic putting people in the back seats, usually kids in danger of being hit first. How these people got their license in the first place is beyond me

Kenny Logins

Deleted User wrote: »

That's mainly why I bring my mum to the shops, so I can get into those parent and child spots with a clear conscience.

Does childish count? Didn't know that. :pac:

I love Sean nos

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

Nothing fills me with more rage

Sorry OP, I can't read any further than this emotional rubbish.

Jawgap

LordSutch wrote: »

Thing is, if you park in a parent & child bay (without child or car seat) you risk the rath of genuine child bay users like me! An unfortunate situation I've been in a few times, whereby I'm heading for a bay with my two kids in the car only to find some fella or couple getting out of a car, looks exchanged, verbals too, heated words, then usually remorse that my kids just witnessed that - not nice.

So we carry on looking for another spot further away which us a pain in the are when you have a car seat, buggy or pram!

Again, one of the choices we face when we have kids - how we behave in front of them.....I take it we've not crossed paths as I don't do heated words.....benign smiles and a cheery wave is more my style

Jawgap

greenttc wrote: »

I meant disabled spots are a necessity

Your whole set of pists are trying to rank importance whether you realise it or not

You know what, you are just one if those people who just dont care, look out for yourself and not someone else who needs a little help in their day.

Try and be less selfish in future

I wont be replying to anymore of your posts

:D:D .....and if you can reverse a car as well as you reversed out of your previous argument then you should have no problem parking anywhere.....

And.....no, I'm absolutely not trying to rank them......if you choose to read them that way, that's entirely up to you.

Selfish? Moi? Sure, haven't you just read how I take my dear ol' Ma and my dear ol' Mother-in-law shopping

I love Sean nos

LordSutch wrote: »

An unfortunate situation I've been in a few times, whereby I'm heading for a bay with my two kids in the car only to find some fella or couple getting out of a car, looks exchanged, verbals too, heated words, then usually remorse that my kids just witnessed that - not nice.

Are you trying to blame another party for you losing control of yourself? :rolleyes:

Gerrup Outta Dat!

I love Sean nos wrote: »

Sorry OP, I can't read any further than this emotional rubbish.

But you cared enough to post :rolleyes:

I love Sean nos

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

But you cared enough to post :rolleyes:

Yeah, about what someone else posted, not whatever you were banging on about.

LordSutch

I love Sean nos wrote: »

Are you trying to blame another party for you losing control of yourself? :rolleyes:

Never lost control.

So what's your opinion on parking in disabled & child bays?

Delphinium

I'm fussy about my car, a large two door saloon. I sometimes have my grandchild on board.

My usual rule is never park beside a two door or a child seat, so I am careful when parking to stay at the far end of the park and try to find an end space where I can edge close and give sufficient space to the next car.

The child is now able to clamber out of the back to the front so opening the door wide is no longer an issue. But when he was smaller I often had to release him and put him on the passenger seat before slotting the few feet into a space.
When he was tiny I routinely swapped cars with his father so I could use back door to remove carrier.
So I welcome parent and child spaces but would never use them unless the child was with me.

Also had multiple rows with my brother when our mother's disabled badge was displayed on his dash and she was not with him.

Before she got the badge I frequently had to drop her at a door and hope she stayed put while I parked. Not a safe practice and empty disabled spots were very tempting but I never used one. But she wasn't able to walk any real distance and would not even use a stick or walking aid, but that is a whole other story.

I love Sean nos

LordSutch wrote: »

Never lost control.

Really?

LordSutch wrote: »

looks exchanged, verbals too, heated words, then usually remorse that my kids just witnessed that

Because that's exactly what you just described.

LordSutch wrote: »

So what's your opinion on parking in disabled & child bays?

I've never parked in either. I'm not disabled and although I have a child now, I've never used one of the parent bays either as they're at the wrong end of the carpark for me. I normally park well away from the entrance as that's where the clowns congregate.

LordSutch

I love Sean nos wrote: »

I've never parked in either. I'm not disabled and although I have a child now, I've never used one of the parent bays either as they're at the wrong end of the carpark for me. I normally park well away from the entrance as that's where the clowns congregate.

You have a child & you've never used a parent & child bay, well that's allowed, but surely you would agree that parent & child bays should be reserved for parents with children?

Same for disabled parking bays.

The J Stands for Jay

somesoldiers wrote: »

Are you a child?

Until the technology advances, each one of us is a child.

I love Sean nos

LordSutch wrote: »

You have a child & you've never used a parent & child bay, well that's allowed, but surely you would agree that parent & child bays should be reserved for parents with children?

Same for disabled parking bays.

Disabled people, absolutely.

If parent and child spaces stop clowns from banging their doors off other cars when poorly extracting little Jack and/or Emily, then I'm all for them.

fryup

padser wrote: »

I think the real issue here is that disabled people always seem to get the best spaces.

It's completely discriminatory and the able bodied folk are just fighting back in their own way.

Simple solution, reserve spots for handicapped people but put them at the far end of the car park...then they wouldn't be so god damn enticing!

is that you ricky gervais?? you're taking the michael right?

Dtp1979

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Seriously, it still shocks me that people are stupid enough to drive into spaces. Do it properly and reverse in to the space.

While I'd agree with you in 95% of parking situations, I do think it makes much more sense to drive into a parking space if you are shopping, regardless of kids or not it's far easier to load your shopping into the boot if you drive in. It's extremely awkward loading a boot tight against another car or a wall, you can't get a trolley down the side, you may not be able to even fully open the boot, you risk damaging car carting bags down between them etc etc.

Knine

greenttc wrote: »

Its not a convenience!! Sometimes when parking in a normal spot you have no room whatsoever to open a door to get the child seat into the back. You are either left sitting waiting ages for the car owner beside you ro return so you can get the baby in or you have to ask and trust someone to hold your baby while you reverse out enough to give you rooom. Or just leave them on the ground. Nightmare. Hate selfish feckers who take th p and c spaces and leave me in that predicament. Also wish the parent and child spots were at the furthest point away from the front door so there is less chance of them being taken.

Ah how did I manage without these handy spaces? Well you know what? I did very easily. Now however I have a child with a severe disability and I can't manage at all without using the disabled bays. So your idea of a nightmare is a first world problem. You choose to have children. Nobody ever chooses to have a disability. Comparing misuse of the 2 is insulting. P & C parking is a convenience. Nothing more.

Optimalprimerib

peteb2 wrote: »

The benefit of the child and parent spots isn't that they are closer to the door. In most cases they aren't. It's the ample space you get to open the back doors of the car to manoeuvre a small person into a car seat.

I would never dream of using a parent and child spot if I didn't have a child. The risk of the door being dinged is too high. Even with the extra space.

Akrasia

The Fake Sheikh wrote: »

What is the point in parent and child parking? Whatever about disabled spots, nobody even bothers taking notice of parent and child spots.

Parent and child parking have extra wide spaces so parents can open their doors wide enough to strap their kids into their seats.

The next time you get a ding in your door in a car park, it could be because some arseholes took the parent and child spots that they didn't need, and some parent was trying to squeeze in to strap in a baby

Akrasia

Knine wrote: »

Ah how did I manage without these handy spaces? Well you know what? I did very easily. Now however I have a child with a severe disability and I can't manage at all without using the disabled bays. So your idea of a nightmare is a first world problem. You choose to have children. Nobody ever chooses to have a disability. Comparing misuse of the 2 is insulting. P & C parking is a convenience. Nothing more.

no need to be a dick about it.

greenttc

Knine wrote: »

Ah how did I manage without these handy spaces? Well you know what? I did very easily. Now however I have a child with a severe disability and I can't manage at all without using the disabled bays. So your idea of a nightmare is a first world problem. You choose to have children. Nobody ever chooses to have a disability. Comparing misuse of the 2 is insulting. P & C parking is a convenience. Nothing more.

Again, here i am being accused of saying p and c spots are as important, i never did. Read the posts more carefully before getting insulted. I actually said that if we had to rank, which others are doing, disabled spots are more important and i gave an example of one of the reasons i believed this.

What my argument boils down is that spots have been designated for disabled and parent and child, people are told not to park in them and the reasons for doing so are clear. It doesnt matter if you agree with it or not or if you think one is more important than the other we should respect the wishes of those who have designated the spaces and have a bit of respect for those the spaces are meant for whether that is a disabled person or a parent who has a child. We need to be more mindful of others and be kind instead of constantly thinking of ourselves and our own convenience.

My nightmare is just as real to me as your nightmare of not having a disabled spot for your child is to you. They are very similar situations, but i am lucky that my child will not always need that specially designated spot but unfortunately your child will.

I love Sean nos

Akrasia wrote: »

The next time you get a ding in your door in a car park, it could be because some arseholes took the parent and child spots that they didn't need, and some parent was trying to squeeze in to strap in a baby

No, it's because they opened the door of their car and didn't give a freshly squeezed one about banging it off the car next to them. The parent and child spaces are just deflection.

Akrasia

I love Sean nos wrote: »

No, it's because they opened the door of their car and didn't give a freshly squeezed one about banging it off the car next to them. The parent and child spaces are just deflection.

So you're telling me that in your entire life, you haven't come back to your car and discovered that drivers on both sides of you have parked too so close to you that you can't fully open your door?

Now imagine trying to put a car seat into a door that doesn't open wide enough to fit it in.

This happens all the time, and it is the reason why there are a few extra wide spaces in supermarkets designated for parents of young children who need to be able to open their car doors wide enough to fit in a child seat.

Skylinehead

Akrasia wrote: »

The next time you get a ding in your door in a car park, it could be because some arseholes took the parent and child spots that they didn't need, and some parent was trying to squeeze in to strap in a baby

Nope, it would be because some arsehole smacked their door into my car.

Akrasia

Skylinehead wrote: »

Nope, it would be because some arsehole smacked their door into my car.

It's both. That arsehole wouldn't have been there if a different arsehole hadn't parked needlessly in the parent and child spot

Skylinehead

Akrasia wrote: »

It's both. That arsehole wouldn't have been there if a different arsehole hadn't parked needlessly in the parent and child spot

Regardless of circumstance, a tight space doesn't mean a ding. I can get out of a tight space without causing damage. Flinging your door open without care (i.e. being an arsehole) does that.

I love Sean nos

Akrasia wrote: »

So you're telling me that in your entire life, you haven't come back to your car and discovered that drivers on both sides of you have parked too so close to you that you can't fully open your door?

Well, I haven't told you before now, but I will do so now; that scenario you describe has never happened to me.

boardsuser1

Was granted a blue badge for my child last month.

She can walk but not very far, she’s only 5 years old.

While it’s my signature on the card with her name and photo, there’s not a hope in hell I would ever use it or hand it out to someone unless my daughter was there.

I’d gladly hand it back if she was free of her disability tomorrow morning.

As she has difficulty also climbing in and out of the car I have to get her seat adapted.

I sought a wheelchair for her for the longer distances and while I wasn’t Declined,the occupational therapist wasn’t keen on it.
The same child can’t dress herself,can’t feed herself properly,can’t climb stairs without assistance bar the odd occasion if she’s lucky.Needs parental assistance with the toilet.

In school she has a full time SNA.

Behind what looks like an able bodied person with a blue badge is a person with a host of problems.

We are still awaiting an assessment of need from COPE Foundation.

Will I Am Not

Akrasia wrote: »

Parent and child parking have extra wide spaces so parents can open their doors wide enough to strap their kids into their seats.

The next time you get a ding in your door in a car park, it could be because some arseholes took the parent and child spots that they didn't need, and some parent was trying to squeeze in to strap in a baby

I know what they are for. I'm sick of not being able to get one but they are pointless if nobody acknowledges them.

boardsuser1

The Fake Sheikh wrote: »

I know what they are for. I'm sick of not being able to get one but they are pointless if nobody acknowledges them.

The most common excuse I’ve found for cars or van’s parking in the spaces is so other vehicles wont bang off them and damage the paintwork.

I love Sean nos

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

The most common excuse I’ve found for cars or van’s parking in the spaces is so other vehicles wont bang off them and damage the paintwork.

That's a valid concern, but it's not a justification.

amcalester

I love Sean nos wrote: »

That's a valid concern, but it's not a justification.

People who park in those spaces do so because they want to and then look for a reason to justify it.

If the parent and child spaces were at the back of the car park (where there are usually empty spaces anyway, so little chance of being dinged) then people wouldn't use them.

boardsuser1

I love Sean nos wrote: »

That's a valid concern, but it's not a justification.

You're right, These drivers are very inconsiderate though.

I think the days of driving up the middle of 2 standard car park spaces are gone, it's now a case of the parent and child parking being more desirable.

Jawgap

greenttc wrote: »

Again, here i am being accused of saying p and c spots are as important, i never did. Read the posts more carefully before getting insulted. I actually said that if we had to rank, which others are doing, disabled spots are more important and i gave an example of one of the reasons i believed this.

What my argument boils down is that spots have been designated for disabled and parent and child, people are told not to park in them and the reasons for doing so are clear. It doesnt matter if you agree with it or not or if you think one is more important than the other we should respect the wishes of those who have designated the spaces and have a bit of respect for those the spaces are meant for whether that is a disabled person or a parent who has a child. We need to be more mindful of others and be kind instead of constantly thinking of ourselves and our own convenience.

My nightmare is just as real to me as your nightmare of not having a disabled spot for your child is to you. They are very similar situations, but i am lucky that my child will not always need that specially designated spot but unfortunately your child will.

Seriously? You reckon there is absolutely any comparison between trying to look after a healthy child in comparison to one with a severe disability.....

......thankfully I've never had to find out, but I'm guessing the 'nightmare' of having to manage a healthy kid, even when you are deprived of the 'essential' parent and child spot, pales into significance compared to a parent trying to look after a kid with a severe disability.

....there's no ranking - parent and child spots just even aren't on the same continuum as disabled spots......they are there to address very much a first world problem and to market a location to a demographic segment - no more, no less - they serve no social value which is why we don't legislate for them, and why those who provide them make zero effort to supervise them.

ohnonotgmail

Jawgap wrote: »

Seriously? You reckon there is absolutely any comparison between trying to look after a healthy child in comparison to one with a severe disability.....

......thankfully I've never had to find out, but I'm guessing the 'nightmare' of having to manage a healthy kid, even when you are deprived of the 'essential' parent and child spot, pales into significance compared to a parent trying to look after a kid with a severe disability.

....there's no ranking - parent and child spots just even aren't on the same continuum as disabled spots......they are there to address very much a first world problem and to market a location to a demographic segment - no more, no less - they serve no social value which is why we don't legislate for them, and why those who provide them make zero effort to supervise them.

If they prevent a parent from banging their door off mine while trying to take an infant out of a car seat then they do very much have a social value.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

I love Sean nos

Hector Bellend wrote: »

Have a ****

Followed by a jam sandwich.

Knine

greenttc wrote: »

My nightmare is just as real to me as your nightmare of not having a disabled spot for your child is to you. They are very similar situations, but i am lucky that my child will not always need that specially designated spot but unfortunately your child will.

You seriously got to be joking? Very similar situations? I seriously hope you never find yourself in the situation of having to apply for a Disabled Permit. You really are naive & quite ignorant. You would never think that at one stage I used to have car seats galore in my car for small children but guess what? I managed perfectly fine. In fact I am not sure that I ever used a P& C space. Is this your first child?

I love Sean nos

greenttc wrote: »

My nightmare

You have a poor imagination.

Huexotzingo

Jawgap wrote: »

Seriously? You reckon there is absolutely any comparison between trying to look after a healthy child in comparison to one with a severe disability.....

......thankfully I've never had to find out, but I'm guessing the 'nightmare' of having to manage a healthy kid, even when you are deprived of the 'essential' parent and child spot, pales into significance compared to a parent trying to look after a kid with a severe disability.

....there's no ranking - parent and child spots just even aren't on the same continuum as disabled spots......they are there to address very much a first world problem and to market a location to a demographic segment - no more, no less - they serve no social value which is why we don't legislate for them, and why those who provide them make zero effort to supervise them.

This. It's amazing how many people think parent-and-child spaces have the same legal standing as disabled spaces.:rolleyes:

greenttc

Knine wrote: »

You seriously got to be joking? Very similar situations? I seriously hope you never find yourself in the situation of having to apply for a Disabled Permit. You really are naive & quite ignorant. You would never think that at one stage I used to have car seats galore in my car for small children but guess what? I managed perfectly fine. In fact I am not sure that I ever used a P& C space. Is this your first child?

I am simply talking about the nightmare of getting ANY child in and out if a car with minimal room. This is the same for all children, it is a similar process. You too are entitled to use the parent and child spot like every other parent. There are also disabled spots available to you.

I am in no way saying and never did say that in general having a disabled child is similar to having any other child I had narrowed it down to the nightmare situation of getting children in and out of a car. And you as a parent of a disabled child deserve every assistance you can get and more.

Fair play to you being great at getting your other children in and out of a car without the assistance of a p and c spot.

Again. The basis of whst I am saying is both spots are designated for certain users and should not be used by others for non valid reasons. People need to be more respectful of that. Why are people being so inconsiderate???

greenttc

Huexotzingo wrote: »

This. It's amazing how many people think parent-and-child spaces have the same legal standing as disabled spaces.:rolleyes:

I am not talking about legal standing I am talking about common decency, not using a spot that is designated for someone other than you.
And not recognising the same thing that the providers of these spots do, that parents with babies and very young children find it a bit harder than those without. The owners of the space you are parking in have explicitly asked you not to park there if you dont have a child but you do it anyway. Ridiculous!

As previously pointed out there is no legislation for disabled spots in private car parks either and as the op pointed out they are policed jist as little as the p and c spots which is completely and utterly wrong but the fact still proves this point invalid

Jawgap

greenttc wrote: »

I am simply talking about the nightmare of getting ANY child in and out if a car with minimal room. This is the same for all children, it is a similar process. You too are entitled to use the parent and child spot like every other parent. There are also disabled spots available to you.

I am in no way saying and never did say that in general having a disabled child is similar to having any other child I had narrowed it down to the nightmare situation of getting children in and out of a car. And you as a parent of a disabled child deserve every assistance you can get and more.

Fair play to you being great at getting your other children in and out of a car without the assistance of a p and c spot.

Again. The basis of whst I am saying is both spots are designated for certain users and should not be used by others for non valid reasons. People need to be more respectful of that. Why are people being so inconsiderate???

Keep digging.......getting a healthy child out of it's 'ejector seat' style child seat can be a struggle, can be frustrating and can even be a bit a painful when you bang your elbows, but I'm guessing its nothing approaching the pre-planning, organisation and resourcefulness needed to get a child with severe physical impairments into and out of a vehicle......even if its a specially adapted one in a dedicated disabled parking bay.

Why do 'precious' parents expect everything to revolve around little Saoirse and Finbar?