Are the spaces really shrinking?

[Dieselman]

I personally never get bothered by the number of disabled spaces and never park in them as they are there for a reason, however the Mother and child spaces really get on my nerves because they are all near the shop entrances and are actually quite unneccessary.
If the parents taught their children to alight into and out of the vehicle with a bit more care they wouldn't need to throw the doors so wide they hit other cars.
Also these spaces should be on the far side of the car park to limit damage to other cars and to give the children some much needed excercise.

And before anyone says about the dangers of children crossing the car park I think that's another area where modern parents fail to educate their children.

We were taught from an early age how to cross roads and behave when there are cars, this apears to have been abandoned now.

Oh I feel the flames....

 

[stats007]

Children should be kept in the boot so they only have one way out.

 

[television]

My SL is bigger and heavier than my V70R estate, using the SL on new years day on a trip into Watford to a shoping complex there was no where to park the SL. Had I managed to get it into a space,I could not get out of the car, so a long walk and no damage.

On the sea front on Xmas day I watched a lady get her old 240 between a new Lexus and Jag. There were 300 empty places in the park, her man had the door jammed hard against the Lexus as he stuggled to get out. I had the camara,wish that I had taken some pics.

Malcolm

 

[SG CL500]

Dieselman - the benefits of p&c parking are two fold - the extra space needed to easily get young children out and the fact that the special trolleys (particularly infant ones) automatically congregate in that area making them easy to find.

On the space - my children have never thrown open the doors not hit any other cars even when parked in normal spaces. However, it is much easier to get infants in/out with the extra space. We went shopping today and couldn't find any of the p&c spaces free so parked away from the shops where there was plenty of space. When we came back we had cars parked either side, both close to 'my side' of their spaces. Getting my 4yo in was easy, door ajar, my hand between other car and door, child climbs in etc. but it was impossbile on the other side to get our 11 month in (similar gap). We had to reverse out and park up to allow my wife to get the younger one in - as the 'driving routes' of the car park are also narrow this would have stopped traffic (as it happened nobody came by). As I've said before, I agree they should be further away from the shops to deter arrogant idiots parking in them anyway. I also think they should only be for young children - i think Tesco's permit up to the 6th birthday (not sure) - I would have said my oldest has been able to clamber in/out OK since about 2, certainly 3 - thereby not needing the extra space.

I agree that there is a fundamental lack of education around re caring for other peoples property and roadsense - and I don't just mean children!

Incidentally - at the shopping centre we went to there must have been 30 disabled spaces (almost all empty) - there were 3 P&C spaces, all full, and plenty of people parking outside normal spaces out of laziness (the car park was busy and they would have to park a way away).

No flames

 

[DieselE]

My biggest gripe about mother and child spaces is not the space itself. It's the fact that the users of these spaces seem to think there is no obligation on them to return their trolleys to a trolley point. Instead they leave them in the centre of the pathway (or in the adjacent parking space) causing inconvenience to all other shoppers.

 

[PJH]

Although the 'foot-print' of MPV/4x4/SUV may be the same as a large estate car, the fact that they are taller means visibility is affected.
IMO, People can't park taller vehicles as easily as lower vehicles.

 

[benny]

Spaces are way too small, more car park dents anyone? carelessness within small spaces! Love the spaces when in florida... park side be side doors fully open LOADS OF ROOM!!! ( bigger country i know)

 

[Dieselman]

Spaces are way too small, more car park dents anyone? carelessness within small spaces! Love the spaces when in florida... park side be side doors fully open LOADS OF ROOM!!! ( bigger country i know)

So if you go to Tesco and all the spaces are now wider but only 250 of them instead of 500, will that be Ok if you can't park?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I personally never get bothered by the number of disabled spaces and never park in them as they are there for a reason, however the Mother and child spaces really get on my nerves because they are all near the shop entrances and are actually quite unneccessary.
If the parents taught their children to alight into and out of the vehicle with a bit more care they wouldn't need to throw the doors so wide they hit other cars.
Also these spaces should be on the far side of the car park to limit damage to other cars and to give the children some much needed excercise.

And before anyone says about the dangers of children crossing the car park I think that's another area where modern parents fail to educate their children.

We were taught from an early age how to cross roads and behave when there are cars, this apears to have been abandoned now.

Oh I feel the flames....

No flames from here.

The need for baby/toddler spaces isn't to allow for children who are able to unbuckle themselves, so that they can fling the door open without damaging the car beside them.

The real need for the extra wide bay is for the same reasons as why disabled spaces are also wider - access. There often isn't enough space to open the door sufficiently wide for the parent to reach in and unbuckle their baby or young child, ie those at the age where they can't do it for themselves.

I for one don't mind where the child/friendly spaces are - other side of the car park would be fine for me, as long as I can get into the car to get my daughter out!!

Despite the ML being wider than the C, believe it of not we have the most trouble with narrow spaces in the C. Reason being door opening isn't as wide on the C, and so I must open the door wider to reach my daughter. Compounded by the fact I must bend too. Of course 3 doors and Coupes make it even more difficult to get a child out!!

 

[glojo]

I see there are assorted observations being made about car parks so here is my two penarth.

Why aren't our car parking spaces diagonal?

Why do a large proption of drivers 'drive' into a parking space?

My old sergeant always used to say, "Good drivers reverse into a parking bay, and drive out, bad, or lazy drivers do the opposite."

Nothing has changed, how often do we witness cars reversing out of a space into oncoming vehicles or even worse, pedestrians?

I accept there is the oppurtunity for less skilled drivers to drive into a bay and park in the adjoining one which will then allow the owner to drive straight out of this bay, this is a much better option than reversing out into the flow of traffic.

This could be another 'Rule of the Week' for Silvertank.'

Regards,
John

 

[television]

I see there are assorted observations being made about car parks so here is my two penarth.

Why aren't our car parking spaces diagonal?

Why do a large proption of drivers 'drive' into a parking space?

My old sergeant always used to say, "Good drivers reverse into a parking bay, and drive out, bad, or lazy drivers do the opposite."

.



Regards,
John

You have a mind like me and alway have thought the same. all of the shunting backwards and forwards to get the car straight,go in backwards and it is straight.

Malcolm

 

[lotusmark2]

Just to play D.A what if you are doing the shop and need to get to the boot, cant get the trolley down the side because the spaces arent big enough

 

[Gollom]

You have a mind like me and alway have thought the same. all of the shunting backwards and forwards to get the car straight,go in backwards and it is straight.

Malcolm

At my place of work you are not alowed to reverse into a parking space. Reason (and this is true!!) is that the exhaust may damage the plants or mark the walls.

 

[BenzComander]

I see there are assorted observations being made about car parks so here is my two penarth.

Why aren't our car parking spaces diagonal?

Why do a large proption of drivers 'drive' into a parking space?

My old sergeant always used to say, "Good drivers reverse into a parking bay, and drive out, bad, or lazy drivers do the opposite."

Nothing has changed, how often do we witness cars reversing out of a space into oncoming vehicles or even worse, pedestrians?

I accept there is the oppurtunity for less skilled drivers to drive into a bay and park in the adjoining one which will then allow the owner to drive straight out of this bay, this is a much better option than reversing out into the flow of traffic.

This could be another 'Rule of the Week' for Silvertank.'

Regards,
John

Still is policy John!!

 

[andy_k]

Just to play D.A what if you are doing the shop and need to get to the boot, cant get the trolley down the side because the spaces arent big enough

good point which I'm sure every estate car owner will agree with.

Note to other drivers (particularly the stupid van driver at Tesco yesterday who managed to leave his front bumper actually overhanging my rear one ) who don't think before they park their car less than an inch from the back bumper of the car in the adjoining bay - How are we supposed to open our back doors to load the car?????

Anywhere except the supermarket I'll reverse into a parking space.

Andy

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The companyt I work for insists on reversing into spaces on our operational premises on safety grounds, but not at our head office ironically.

I too reverse into spaces unless I need to use the boot - or drive straight through there are spaces behind that are free.

 

[DieselE]

I see there are assorted observations being made about car parks so here is my two penarth.

Why aren't our car parking spaces diagonal?

Why do a large proption of drivers 'drive' into a parking space?

My old sergeant always used to say, "Good drivers reverse into a parking bay, and drive out, bad, or lazy drivers do the opposite."

Nothing has changed, how often do we witness cars reversing out of a space into oncoming vehicles or even worse, pedestrians?

I accept there is the oppurtunity for less skilled drivers to drive into a bay and park in the adjoining one which will then allow the owner to drive straight out of this bay, this is a much better option than reversing out into the flow of traffic.

This could be another 'Rule of the Week' for Silvertank.'

Regards,
John

Your old sergeant obviously didn't drive into a supermarket followed by a queue of other cars with the one behind about two feet off his rear bumper. If you drive passed a parking space with the intention of reversing into it, the guy behind you will drive straight in and pinch it.

 

[glojo]

Your old sergeant obviously didn't drive into a supermarket followed by a queue of other cars with the one behind about two feet off his rear bumper. If you drive passed a parking space with the intention of reversing into it, the guy behind you will drive straight in and pinch it.

Reminds me of that Malcolm in the Middle sketch where the wife has an altercation with another woman over parking spaces.

Now a more generalised argument to the 'anti' brigade.
I understand the argument about trolleys being pushed through gaps, but if lunatics are going to damage cars then they will damage them. Reversing out of a parking space without adequate vision is in the opinion of my old 'sergeant' a very reckless act. If you think you have the same amount of vision as when you drive out, then I feel folks might be deluding themselves. When we are behind the wheel of our pride and joy we assume a high degree of responsibility. Never reverse if you cannot see your path is clear.....

Regards,
John

 

[fuzzer]

I personally never get bothered by the number of disabled spaces and never park in them as they are there for a reason, however the Mother and child spaces really get on my nerves because they are all near the shop entrances and are actually quite unneccessary.
If the parents taught their children to alight into and out of the vehicle with a bit more care they wouldn't need to throw the doors so wide they hit other cars.
Also these spaces should be on the far side of the car park to limit damage to other cars and to give the children some much needed excercise.

And before anyone says about the dangers of children crossing the car park I think that's another area where modern parents fail to educate their children.

We were taught from an early age how to cross roads and behave when there are cars, this apears to have been abandoned now.

Oh I feel the flames....

I quite agree.. I cannot be bothered with the raft of P&C spaces and often park in them as has been pointed out because they are closest to the store. Parenting is getting too easy and all this gumf was never avalible when i was younger.

From what ive seen of peoples attitudes lately in retail environments , it seems to go down the path of its my god given right to be able to take my kid wherever i like , if its convienient or not.

The amount of push chairs that go into shops , get pushed around and generally make a nusiance of themselves is unreal. How about going for a walk outdoors with kids instead of in shops? Doesnt that make more sense?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

How about going for a walk outdoors with kids instead of in shops? Doesnt that make more sense?

It does, and it would be good if more families went for walks in the great outdoors - there's much to learn in the countryside. There's also much to learn in shops too - and let's not forget the shopping still has to be done.

Parents and children have as much to go to the shops as anyone and everyone else.

I'll not appologise to being 'pro' baby & toddler spaces, but only so long as their is fair provision for all car park users.