Specialty Parking Spots

[73JPS]

Okay this is my pet peeve, for which I doubt I will find many supporters; nevertheless, hope springs eternal.

Over here we are seeing more and more shopping centers/grocery stores/malls/etc. providing specialty courtesy parking, such as: "Space Reserved for Expectant Mothers", "Space reserved for Families With Children", "Space Reserved for Parents With Small Children", and, no word of a lie, "Space Reserved for Hybrid Vehicle". The sanctity of these spots is enforced through no law: they are simply "courtesy" spots, with honour being the expected motivation for adherence.

Why is it that there is such popular support for us becoming a lazy, soft, pandering society? I carry my 3 year old through slushy parking lots from the farthest reaches, and I don't expect the rest of society to bend over backward just because I happen to have a child or am a single Father. And what of expectant mothers? Since when did they become so fragile that they need a special space right beside the handicapped spot? If it is a difficult or high risk pregnancy, they can receive a legitmate handicapped tag and park in the real and proper handicapped spot for the duration of their pregnancy. Otherwise: walk like the rest of us! I have actually had women agree with me on this, my mother among them, but they are few and far between. I could stomach the idea better were there not so many women working well into their third trimester (the mother of my child among them, and she with a high risk preganancy to boot: she did it for the money!) and trudging through their work parking lots with no problem.

Would I give up my seat for an elderly person on a bus or train? In a heartbeat. I am a courteous person. I hold open doors for people. I rarely put myself ahead of the people around me. But this parking space thing really bugs the crap out of me.

I guess it comes down to being "expected" to provide courtesy. Or maybe even more the sense of "entitlement" people get just because they have kids, are about to have them, are "uncomfortable while pregnant", or own a Hybrid vehicle for cryng out loud!

Bring on the specialty courtesy parking spots! "Space Reserved for Person With Hangnail", "Space Reserved for Persons Whose Parents Made Them Eat Spinach When They Were Five"... well, you get the idea.

So who wants to join me behind the couch?

P.S. I attempted to use the search function to see if this topic had appeared before. Since I didn't find a reference, I am assuming this is fresh. If not, just shoot me.

[Loose Cannon]

I don't habitually abuse them, but I reckon that if you can't walk for fifty yards you should not be in charge of an unadapted vehicle. Rarely do I see anyone get out of a blue badge vehicle who looks really in need of one.

[mayevora]

Can't remember if I read it on LEF or on another forum about specialist parking spots for fat people!

My similar pet gripe is the school pick up brigade who think it is ok to park the car anywhere - on corners, blocking driveways, on double yellows, on zig zags lines, all with the justification of 'Im only here to pick up little Jonny and will only be 5 minutes'

Too bone idle to park 200 Metres up the road and walk.

[matk]

I'm with you on this one, but I must say I always respect the disabled spaces. I agree there's a lot of misuse of the blue badge system, but equally don't forget many people with mental disabilities qualify, even though physically they appear normal.

Additionally an undisabled person is allowed to use the badge, as long as they are carrying the named disabled person with them, at all times that they are using the badge.

[mangel]

The only thing I would say is this, In Canada and america the size of the average parking space is a lot bigger than they are in the UK. when my wife was 7/8 months pregnanat with our youngest it was al but impossible for her to get out of our mini cooper and then reach back in to get the eldest out of her car seat in a standard UK parking space. My wife is not big 5'2" 9 stone normally and bump was not massively over sized.

Whilst I would agree that once kids hit toddler age they can and should walk just fine I think the Mother and BABY spaces are actually a good idea.

One thing that does irritate me is people in supercars with an over inflated opinion of themselves thinking they can park where they like. An R8 was parked across two disabled space at Oxford services the other day and was making it impossible for one wheel chair user to actually get into the services (unable to get their vehicle into a soace big enough to disembark without being at the back of the carpark with speed bums to negotiate).

And while we're on the subject the type of parking and driving which goes on by cretins on the school run is unbelievable. My daughters school is at the bottom of my road and is only just wide enough to get a car prked on either side and one down the middle driving. its two way and the total lack of concern at jsut stopping and getting out there is unreal. I have had numerous rows with people who blockit up and cause it to be dangerous and they are always telling me they are in a hurry blah blah blah............some of these peolple only live 300yards away so ther are no excuses.

[molemot]

I've noticed that a large percentage of these "privileged" parking slots are ALWAYS empty...makes me think there are too many of them? Also, when I was working, I used the staff car park at Terminal 4 which had a free bus service to the Terminal. They had to re-equip the buses with ones suitable for wheelchair access. I have yet to see any staff member in the whole terminal in a wheelchair; and if there was, they would get a car park pass for the multistorey park adjacent to it. All this stuff is another manifestation of Things that are Daft but you Can't Realistically Object To.

[Newts]

I reckon there should be parking spots for cars with big doors !

But what really hacks me off is when I've parked at the far end of tesco's car park, on my own, 1/4 of a mile from the nearest can and you come back to it and there's a bloody builders van parked next to you, what that all about ?

I have a pad of leaflets I bought which says

Thanks for parking so close to me, parhaps next time you could leave me a F*****g tin opener (uncensored)

[cjtpb13]

...and do not forget those lazy people that cannot be troubled to place their shopping cart back to the collection spot because it is two spaces down...only to leave it at your drivers door with a ding or chip...

[Paul C]

All the housing areas in my town are walking distance from both the local town shops

(butchers, bakers etc) and two large supermarkets. I walk to the supermarkets as to

be honest i'll have a pint on the way back so it's nicer still not to drive.

The single biggest difference between the folk you see carrying sainsburys bags home

on foot, and the folk that drive from their house to the same supermarket is this:

The folk that drive are predominantly FAT B***ARDS.

Now these lard arses may well blubber on about "It's a week shop and too much to carry".

I say, f*** off to that, walk down three time in the week then. Rather than spend that time

stuffing your face on the sofa watching shit american soaps.

The local somerfield does not have a carpark, but the delivery bay always has about a

half dozen of customer cars in there. Without fail the person going to the car is some whale,

smoking away, chucking everything (mainly crisps and biscuits and pop i'll wager) into the

back, then driving off leaving the trolley when it is. Real class acts.

Should be pay and display, with the revenue going to the local Gym or weight watchers.

It's so disgusting, that sometimes after seeing them i come out with just a bag of salad.

And a Mars Bar.

[Boots]

I am a mother and used mother and baby parking spaces. These are really useful as you can put the pram next to the car instead of behind it where it is in the path of traffic.

But I do agree that there are too many lazy people who think the rules dont apply to them. Some are so intent on getting into a space close to the shop that I have seen them will drive twice round the car park untill another car leaves and they can nick the spot.

I have also seen in America 'a person of increased proportion' come out of one shop, get into her car, drive to another part of the car park, get out and go into another shop! Now thats lazy!

[Jonathan]

Surely poeple with hybrid vehicles SHOULD be made to park further away - afterall they have no objection to walking I take it if they are on the green trail ?

I love walking - I park as far away as I can so I can streatch my legs.

It's all people making a name for themselves by saying "I introduced the parking space for xxxx"

The end of the day all they do is make huge spaces at the front of the shop becuse very few people actually park there - we had disabled bays at our place, never ever seen a car in them but BOY are you in the doo doo if you park in one....

[red vtec]

Can't remember if I read it on LEF or on another forum about specialist parking spots for fat people!

My similar pet gripe is the school pick up brigade who think it is ok to park the car anywhere - on corners, blocking driveways, on double yellows, on zig zags lines, all with the justification of 'Im only here to pick up little Jonny and will only be 5 minutes'

Too bone idle to park 200 Metres up the road and walk.

The ones who get me, are the people who park on double yellows, on corners etc like above. But think its ok because they put there hazards on, F&*k me thats ok then!!

I love the arrogant sods who park over the line in car parks, if I'm in the land rover I park up nice and close as its built like a tank and wont dent

[Paul C]

I think of the Hazard lights on my van as a 'cloaking device', making me invisible.

Mind you, a LOT of university properties in Oxford have no parking. I have to unload everything,

tools, materials etc, then park sometimes up to a mile away and walk back. The hazards are used

for the unloading, or for short jobs.

Forgetting to unload something carries a heavy penalty, i have had to walk a good mile through

the city centre with a 110v drill transformer before, and they are pretty heavy...

[Iconic Ride]

But what really hacks me off is when I've parked at the far end of tesco's car park, on my own, 1/4 of a mile from the nearest can and you come back to it and there's a bloody builders van parked next to you, what that all about ?

And here I thought this only happened in the US, Colin.

Like Johnathan, I park as far from the madding crowd as I can, the "exercise" bit being a beneficial byproduct of vehicular preservation techniques. As I once posted previously, there seems to be some sort of "herd instinct" involved in the practice of others tending to follow your lead, and park right next to you, even though that area of the lot might be several light years away from their intended errand. Baa-a-a-a-a-a-a-a...

And since my selection of motion cessation and shutdown ensconcement is always far from the "priviledged" slots, that debate is one I've not given too much consideration. Let the pregnant crippled whales duke it out amongst themselves!

Just kidding.

[jfitz981]

LOL

Well stated John!!! I second that!

[slewthy]

This is the logic I use..

All the lazy, careless people park as close as they can to the shop, maybe in spaces they shouldn't. All the disabled people, parents with large prams, pushchairs etc do the same legitimately.

That leaves space at the far reaches of the carpark free for people who dont want their cars scraped or dented by opening doors etc etc.

Tend to find well cared for cars out here.

In fact, I do have kids, including a baby needing a pram, and parking in the relevant area is just bliss - I can open the door wide without fear, have the pram next to the open door, I can watch the guy next to me get out with teenage kids, fully capable of walking 10+ miles..............

[Katie]

It's a real gripe of mine, people who park in disabled bays who don't have the blue badge. I am glad to see that they are now taking this problem seriously at The Oracle car park in Reading, and issuing tickets to those who abuse these spaces.

On the other note, I too have experience of parking the Esprit at the back end of a car park, where there is nothing else around, and also because I am shite at parking. You can guarantee when you get back to the car there is something parked either side of you!

[73JPS]

The ones who get me, are the people who park on double yellows, on corners etc like above. But think its ok because they put there hazards on, F&*k me thats ok then!!

Yeah I love that too! I just pray for the day when I get to watch the Beemer parked in the Fire Lane with his hazards on have the fire hose dragged over his car. Of course if that happens, it probably means the Starbuck's I am in is burning...

Don't get me wrong: I have no objection to the Handicapped spaces (are we still allowed to call them that?). Those are legitimate and enforced by law, and the people who park in them are for the most part good law abiding citizens with blue tags and an honest reason to park close. In Canada the fine for parking illegally in one of those suckers is huge, and points on your licence to boot.

But these specialty spots painted into the parking lots by the left-leaning-pandering-sucky-suck managers of an establishment just to prove their own self-enlightenment just burn my a**. I park in those spots just out of protest. (erm... but never in my Esprit lol...)

[Paul C]

I have no objection to the Handicapped spaces (are we still allowed to call them that?).

Recently, when i have fitted out Disabled toilets, the word 'Disabled' has started

to be dropped from the plans, and the room referred to as an 'Ambulant' facility.

The correct use of ambulant is for walking disabled (ie those that don't use a chair),

but now a building has to cater for all disabilties the toilet covers them all in one.

For example, i fit a disabled alarm with visual and audible alerts, and with braille text

on the control and resets. I fit a fire alarm sounder and a red fire alarm beacon too.

The 'disabled' toilet is now the 'Ambulant' toilet, covering blind, deaf, mute, and the good

old fashion wheelchair users too.

Off course this is ridiculous. I know a deaf guy and if he's in a building and needs a piss

he'll go to the same toilet as every other guy, like he'd wander round looking for a special

facility with combined wheelchair access etc!

[Tony K]

Regarding parking far away and coming out to find someone parked next to your Esprit or other special car, I once witnessed an interesting discussion on another forum that changed my perceptions a bit:

The forum is FerrariChat, which is in reality the lowest common denominator of exotic car enthusiasts (to put it nicely), but that aside, the conversation started when a poster complained about parking well out of everyone's way, only to come out and see someone with a beater/banger car parked next to him, even though there were lots of open spaces much closer to the store. He was complaining about it, and then several of the beater-driving teenagers who post or lurk on the forum chimed in with the response that when they see a nice car like that, they purposely park next to it so that no uncaring person parks there and bangs their doors. Yes, indeed, these people were parking next to the exotics to protect them.

That was/is, very thoughtful, I thought, and of course, the beater-drivers get the enjoyment of checking out the exotic car. Now I'm sure that a conscious decision like that is not the case the majority of the time, but it got me thinking: If someone is going to drive out of their way to park next to a car when there are closer spaces to be had, almost surely they must have some interest in the car they are parking next to, in which case I see it highly unlikely that they would accidentally ding it with their door.

Edited March 7, 2009 by Tony K

[Iconic Ride]

Good point, Tony. Anything is possible when it comes to human nature.

There is a "corollary" to this scenario. I once returned to my "far away" parked vehicle (not the Esprit, but an uncommon car nonetheless) to find an immaculate, next to new, Porsche parked beside me. My brief moment of consternation was broken by the other car's owner returning to his car as well. He looked at me, smiled, and said "We travel in packs, or we don't travel at all." B)