How should we deal with people who park in Disabled Bays and Parent/Child spaces at Supermarkets?

Question

I am entitled to use both as I have MS and a 1 year old. But I have been told that these spaces are supplied as a courtesy and nothing can be done to enforce it. It is a private car park and therefore no laws are being broken. Once I parked behind the offending car & blocked it in for 15 minutes. But I know that was actually potentially dangerous (& no I didn't have the baby with me at the time) and probably made me no better than the person who was parked there. But it did make me feel better.

There MUST be something you can do! Any ideas?

I live in the UK, so I think the laws are different to the US

I have been reliably informed that Parent/Child spaces are only for parents with children under 5 years old.

Answer 1

When I was working with Intellectually Disabled Adults and kids, obviously we needed disabled parking, and were always amazed how "normal people" could park in disabled parks and didn't give a hoot. My work colleagues and I came up with a few ideas of how to solve the problem but nothing worked, until we all sat down one day and talked. We printed out a leaflet, and left it under the wiper blades for people in disabled parks without a sticker, for all to see. "STUPIDITY ISN'T A DISABILITY"
It worked.

Answer 2

One of the reasons i think my mother is a waste of space, is that she persuaded an oldie, to let her have her disabled sticker, even tho she only saw her every other month, then she parked in all the disabled bays...

What can be done, just about nothing.

It sickens me that these healthy people are in such a rush, that they feel they have to do these things.

Perhaps, putting up signs at the cark parks, saying you agree to being videoed, for insurance purposes.. and they can do what they want with the videos afterward.. then having a tv show, or website, showing all these bas**** parking where they shouldnt..

Sometimes you have to use shame, as its the only thing that will get to them

I wish the supermarkets would just tow them away.

Answer 3

Nothing legal-wise can be done, since the supermarket car-parks are private land as you state.
What really gets me is that my wife and I get filthy looks for parking in the parent/child spaces because we don't have a child with us.
My wife is 36 weeks pregnant.
The funniest thing is that most people who tut and make a meal of it are big fat b@stards with overweight children (of 3 & 4 years old) who could really use the extra excercise of walking the additional 30 feet from the next empty space.

Answer 4

i don't know how to stop them doing it but i can sympathise completely, my mum is disabled (has a lot of pain when she walks) and i have a two year old, it is not so bad now but when my daughter was very young we use to have one of them car seats that you just clip into the base that stays in the car then take the whole carry cot section with you. and anyone who has ever tried to unclasp one of them and try and get it out of the car when there is another car just inches away,. and do it without scratching the paint of the innocent car next to you, will feel exactly the same way.

then to top it off you have to walk half a mile to the other side of the car park with the heavy car seat, only to see a flashy car pull into a recently vacated parent and child space with his little bit on the side next to him, music full blast and without any slight bit of thought or consideration that he is in a car park he should not be using makes my blood boil.
why do some people have no common dignity

but then i know that one day when all those people who are guilty of using disabled or parent and child parking spaces with out any consideration, will have babies and young children of their own, or have parents or friends with disabilities and they will be the ones on here complaining to everyone else. it makes me chuckle a little - karma is a fantastic thing, what goes around comes around.

sorry i have ranted on a bit but it does make me mad.

Answer 5

I don't see it very often, but once in a while I do. I watch the car and look unfriendly. It makes me angry. I'm able-bodied, but my Mom is 77 and she's having lots of trouble getting around. You and she are the people those spaces are intended for, and no decent person would take them, regardless of the situation. Still, I try not to judge. I don't know the people, and it's possible they truly have some temporary but difficult situation in their lives.
Meanwhile, I sure hope you're always able to find a parking spot when you go out! Best wishes to you!

Answer 6

Local councils now have new powers for illegal parking / no insurance, MOT / no disabled sticker, and it works like this:

On spot fine, if not paid, vehicle removed. It costs £112 to get the car out of the pound, and £12 extra every day it's there. Not sure on the time frame, but ultimately they crush the cars.

I like that.

Personally, I'd force them into a wheel chair and let them see what it's like to *need* a disabled parking bay.

Answer 7

Why exactly should parent with children park near to the store entrance? They should get rid of them alll....Disabled spaces fair enough, but why should you get special treatment just for popping a sprog out.....

If you block a car in anywhere, the driver can have your car towed away....

Answer 8

I suggest that people who park in disabled parking should be crippled.

People who use parent/child spaces should be made to mind other peoples' children while the parents shop.

Answer 9

Don't forget that some able-bodied drivers can legitimately park in a disabled space if they're picking up a disabled passenger. Just shows how dangerous it is to take the law into your own hands.......

Answer 10

Kind of like what they do at private parking lots for cars that do not pay...
Chain their car to a barrel and make them pay to get it unlocked. Just to get the message across, paint a big blue & white disabled logo on the barrel.