Mum slams 'selfish' drivers using child spaces - but critics call her hypocrite

26 July 2023 , 11:53

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The mum was getting fed up of selfish drivers (Stock Image) (Image: Getty Images)

There's nothing worse than having your children with you, only to find there aren't any parent and child parking spaces left, because other drivers without kids have taken them. A mum has branded them as "idiots", but admitted that she's not afraid to call them out when she notices they're just being lazy as the spaces are "close to the entrance" of wherever they're visiting.

But she said that calling people out for it doesn't come without "disturbing abuse", as she shared that some of the things that had been said to her had been grim. The mum said that people parking in parent and child spaces without kids are "selfish", detailing the reasons why the spaces are so necessary.

The woman took to Mumsnet to write: "I've only started truly noticing how many idiots do this since I had my baby four months ago. I can't believe how many people I've seen do it. And yes I always call them out and have had some pretty disturbing abuse thrown back.

"I have also always reported to the shop staff to be told it isn't illegal and there's nothing they can do bar having a parking attendant out constantly which isn't possible (I know this isn't the shop staff's fault).

"No disabled spaces? Fair enough, crack on. But this isn't the case 99% of the time. People use them because they are close to the entrance. I would rather the spaces be far away from the entrance with a small trolley park nearby with car seat/child seat trolleys."

She shared what she had to do to ensure that she had enough space to fit her baby's car seat into her car. The new mum continued: "Yesterday I purposefully parked straight down the middle of two normal spaces because I didn't want to risk having to reverse out just to get my baby's car seat back in. As I was walking in I witnessed three separate very able-bodied people walk back to their cars without children. Just really pees me off."

'I don't want children staying up late at weekends - I really need adult time'

Whilst others understood her frustrations, some pointed out a flaw in the argument, stating that often, you cannot tell if someone is disabled just by looking at them. Someone wrote: "How did you know they weren't disabled from looking at them?"

Another fumed: "Complaining about other peoples parking whilst parking in between two bays. Not sure which one is worse actually but yes I think the spaces should be left for people that need them generally", and someone else said: "I agree that using them without specific need (but will never know if a particular person has a specific need or not) is selfish. But I think you are wasting your energy - and potentially risking your safety - by 'always calling them out'."

Danielle Kate Wroe