Until having a baby, I didn’t understand why a parking space for parents and children was even necessary. For twenty years I had been unable to join the parent fraternity and then to add insult to injury, those lucky enough to have children were able to park closer to the entrance!!
However, after David’s birth, I understood. My first time parking in the supermarket was a disaster (again). There simply wasn’t space to get the baby carrier out without smashing a hole in the car door next to mine. I could have reversed, fished out David and left him on the carpark whilst I reparked but even in my state of panic, I realised that this would have been a high-risk strategy. I resolved the problem by driving home and sending my husband out later.
Our first use of the official parent & baby spaces was memorable. It was the only time we had ever seen one free. We were happy. I would even go so far as to say we were excited. As we reversed in, a car slowly drove past and a woman who looked very angry indeed mouthed at me “Where’s your child?”. I panicked. She looked scary. I almost forgot I was allowed to park there. I mouthed back “Behind me” in an apologetic manner. My husband asked what I was doing and I explained. I should say that my husband can be delightful and engaging with all manner of people but if he is insulted or feels insulted, he has a steely/murderous look in his eye that reminds me of Robert De Niro in Goodfellas. You wouldn’t want to cross him. He was all for hunting this couple down and shoving David in their face. I calmed him down and we went about our day happy that we were able to get the baby carrier out of the door.
I should also add that my husband is a performer who doesn’t seem to care what other people think of him. I am the opposite, and he loves to embarrass me. For example, early on in our relationship, he suddenly lay down in the middle of a department store and grabbed my legs as I tried to move away shouting “don’t leave me” as I dragged him across the floor. Unfortunately, the angry parking space lady gave my husband something new to wind me up about. Since then, he has tried to incite people to anger and righteous indignation by asking me to get David out slowly. I do not comply because I understand that those spaces are necessary for safe baby removal and because I don’t comply generally.
My issue now is how long do I make use of them. David is able to reach his own seat belt and I can hold the door open whilst he climbs down. Is it poor parking etiquette to use the space after your child hits this sort of development stage? This probably isn’t something normal people worry about, but I have never claimed to be normal!
I found the rules!!! Parent and child parking bays – the law and who can use them | RAC Drive