This headline is a lie. It’s not fine.
Signs in the supermarket car parks usually state spaces are for families with children under five or sometimes 12.
However, here are a few reasons why people think it’s okay to use these spaces when they don’t have a young child.
1. I was only buying a sandwich.
Sorry, are these spaces labeled “fast track?”
2. I park there with my mum.
Does she still wipe your bum, too?
3. Don’t shop at supermarkets.
Thanks but I don’t live in the 50s and shop to a budget.
4. We didn’t have them in my day.
See answer three. You probably didn’t use seatbelts, or child seats. Your high street probably had a butcher, baker, green grocer etc. did you have a freezer?
5. Shop online.
This may sound strange but I find doing the weekly shop pleasurable. It’s another thing to get us out of the house and doesn’t involve singing The Wheels in the Bus.
6. Leave your sleeping baby in the car so then you don’t have to carry it to the trolley park.
Hello social services. Yes I do realise it is irresponsible to leave a child in a locked car where they might overheat/be burnt alive if it catches fire.
7. Walking further is good exercise.
My child can’t walk and I’m recovering from an emergency caesarean. That’s major abdominal surgery.
Be kind and think about where you park
There are perfectly good reasons why supermarkets and out-of-town stores have parent and child parking.
Businesses want to encourage families to spend money, so dedicated spaces are helpful.
Space to open doors and bring out the baby seat mean you’re not bashing other cars.
Nearer the store entrance means you don’t have to carry your child too far or risk a walking toddler running out into oncoming traffic.
At my last visit to Asda I saw a lone man with a sandwich in his hand get into his sporty BMW parked in a parent and child space.
I’ve had trades people in vans give me filthy looks for parking in a parent and child space with my baby.
When I saw an elderly couple loading their shopping it made me wonder if people would abuse spaces for the over 70s in the same way.
Then again plenty of people use disabled spaces with fake badges or none at all.
I wonder if there is a point as supermarkets say people face a fine for parking there when they quite obviously don’t take any action.
Mummy powers 