Parents with Prams Parking Spots

Paid no attention to parents with pram parking at shopping centres until I became a parent myself 9 months ago.

Just wondering what your interpretation is of these spots?.

I have seen: Adults with no kids, car seat,or pram park in these sports and I have also seen families park in these spots where the kids are of primary school age and beyond and no longer need to be in a pram.

Comments

  • +46

    I think the sign should be 'Parents with kids'. As many parents don't use the pram at the shops, especially going to supermarkets. They just pop the kid(s) into the shopping trolley. An extra wide parking spot would enable the parent put the child into the car seat and buckle him/her up easier and less chance of the car door hitting the next car.

    Also, there are parents using baby capsule to carry their bubs but no pram. It is almost impossible to take the baby capsule in and out of the car in a normal parking spot between 2 cars.

    • +19

      I think most people understand it as such…

    • +6

      Nice take the spot right in front while some poor mother with 4 kids under the age of 8 has to navigate her way from the back end of the car park making sure she doesn't lose any kids on the way.

      They might have managed before but having the ability to park out the front sure would make life easier. You only have to think about yourself, she has to think about 4 little ones!

        • +136

          He woolie. There is a positive note in your comment. It looks like you will not be having any kids. Thank god! Less people like you in the world. Cheers. I feel better now.

        • +1

          @harryzee: It's just a shame that he/she can't transfer child bearing capabilities to those who want kids but otherwise can't..

        • +6

          @airzone: nobody would even want a whiff of his genes with that attitude, so it's for the best

        • +3

          @airzone: Well, there's always adoption or becoming foster parents There's a lot more to being a parent than giving birth.

          Wiki

        • +2

          @Jar Jar Binks: That's true

        • @harryzee:

          LOL

        • +2

          I agree. Your parents were 100% selfish for having you.

        • +19

          I can see why the comment about parking in a pram spot was negged but I don't know why this one got negged. Nobody can disagree that having kids is a choice and people go into it willingly with the knowledge it'll make life harder. Don't have more kids than you can handle, don't take your kids to places you cannot manage them.

        • -2

          So that means your parents were selfish having you, and it means that you never have and never will require any services provided by anyones children (or anyone that were children at any point in their life), because they were not had in order to keep the human race going, to earn money pay tax and support the elderly.

          Idiot.

        • +2

          @TrendyTim: Yes. They were selfish in having me. What are you not fathoming about humans and over population

        • +8

          @TrendyTim: Honestly the parents that cannot trust themselves to navigate a parking lot with their kids aren't producing taxpayers they will likely raise dole bludgers. Using services provided by someone's children is irrelevant, people without kids pay taxes too so parents can have their children for free at hospitals, go to the GP, use the schooling system or get paid welfare benefits for having dependants etc. People without kids subsidise the lifestyle of parents and their children more than the other way around. The least that parents can do is have well-behaved kids and raise them to appreciate the sacrifices everyone else has had to make for them.

        • The spawn of those parents will be the ones looking after you when you're drooling and lifeless in a nursing home. Long before that they will tend to your plumbing, mechanical, electrical, shopping, health and other needs. It takes the village to raise the child. Unfortunately it also takes the village to raise people like you.

        • @syousef: It's not as if these "spawn" will be doing it for nothing.

        • +1

          You are 100% correct. Why should I be inconvenienced because others are breeding. They should have seniors parking near the door, not parents. I have 2 kids, and I don't need to inconvenience others to get them around. The neggers don't know what they're talking about.

        • -1

          @woolfenstein:
          Claiming having kids is selfish is stupid, having too many is selfish and a drain, having enough to maintain a healthy population is essential tot he survival of the human race. Perhps your one of those let the humans die out and let nature rclaim the planet wackos.

        • @mightyfes:
          Its not actually about navigating the parking lot, and most people dont get it until they have kids (i know i didnt, though i was never that vitriolic about it), even if there was a shred of realism in your first sentance its vastly more about not trusting other prople to lookout.

          There are no designated walk ways in most parking lots and there are lots of morons behind the wheel that may not see a toddler walking behind their car (hell there are too many driveway accidents involving toddlers and their parents who should already be mindful of that, and i've nearly been knocked over by the sterotypical 80 yearold reversing who wasnt looking.

          When you have a screamimg baby in the back wanting food early and your trying to find a park, it would be nice to be able to find a spot you can find quickly and feed them rather than have to go elsewhere.

          Since the first sentance is BS, rest of your post moot but still stupid and extremely uneducated.

          Anyone who thinks it is selfish to have any children and can follow your 'logic' should sign up for a vasectomy or tubal ligation. Im sure my 2 kids wont mind contributing if the government will start a program to prevent people like you from reproducing (even unintentionally).

        • @TrendyTim: Wow, I did not intend to make you so salty. I see that I hit a nerve. I'm sorry you were not able to follow my logic but I really appreciate your well thought out response. :)

        • -1

          Selfish??? Having kids means sacrificing a lot of your own life and putting your children first instead of yourself. That's the opposite of selfish. People who are selfish will generally not have kids, because they want to be able to do whatever they want, whenever they want… like taking parking spots that they shouldn't be parking in for instance.

        • +3

          @TrendyTim: Realistically, we are not ever going to die out. Not even if the birth rate drops dramatically. Factually, we are already overpopulated/using/destroying more than can be replenished.

        • @Coconutdog:

          Yeah 'cause it's all about money yeah? Nurses and doctors treat the elderly well because they get a bonus right?

          Clueless. Selfish.

      • +44

        some poor mother with 4 kids under the age of 8

        ohh please. they should have thought about how their life would change before make these lifestyle choices.

        i expect a drove of negs by parents.

        • +67

          @airzone: Because I'm sick of having screaming children and their parents who do nothing and do not remove themselves ruin my time/enjoyment/peace? There are movies and times designated for kids. McDonald's and many other family restaurant franchises have coffee and play areas. The problem is wenky hipster parents who want trendy organic frothed milk for their kiddy to drink whilst they take selfies.

          When I went out to dinner as a young child we sat at the table and ate. Maybe played cards. We didn't dare run screaming around the restaurant, approaching other tables, making a mess and endangering ourselves and the poor wait staff. If we did, we were dealt with swiftly. If you are willing to actually parent your children and have them behave/be quiet (none of this he's 5, how can you expect him not to tantrum and scream?!) feel free to have them accompany you wherever.

        • +41

          @airzone: How did you even come to this conclusion? I have not spoken about my life personally.

          All I have said is this:

          1. I do not give special consideration/privileges to parents.

          2. I do not want your screaming children inconveniencing me; at my movie, or while I visit an art gallery, or while I am enjoying coffee or dinner with friends.

          3. I worked as a waitress as a teen and unsupervised children were a constant OHS hazard.

        • +12

          @NancyCat: You're not my mother.

        • +16

          @woolfenstein: Phew…thank goodness!

        • -1

          Yawn.

        • +6

          I assume that mothers on their own, tackling a few toddlers to go on a shopping trip, are unprepared for the the negative attitudes of some others. They expect lifestyle changes but some things like lack of sufficient sleep, a teething baby with another little one with the great explorer genes testing his/her vocals, cannot be imagined, rather only experienced. Ha reality is often different than expectations. It can take military precision planning to go on a shopping trip with some little ones, and not all disabilities are obvious. I say give the mums a break; a sympathetic smile is not too hard for you to muster is it?

        • +31

          @airzone: I am interested to know why you think people choosing not to have kids is selfish. Are you jealous of their lifestyles where they can do what they want, when they want, all for themselves? We live on a planet that is ridiculously overpopulated with humans where there is almost no hope for salvation. Couldn't it be considered more selfish to bring a child into that environment just so that you can feel the self importance of spawning offspring?

        • +1

          @JediJan: Apparently it is these days.

        • +1

          @dogboy: Isn't the act of doing something solely for yourself… selfish? And no, I'm not jealous.. I wasn't born with kids - and so I've had my opportunity to travel the world, engage in frivolous activities, drink myself silly every weekend, and play video games until sunrise. And now I share those experiences with people with no comprehension about the variety in the world… Teach them to read, play music, and play video games. Show them how things grow and where food comes from. Drop what I'm doing when one of them gets hurt or is sad.. All without expectation of compensation. That's not selfish.

          Anyway, I've got to get back to practicing "my little pony: equestria girls" songs.. Because this is what I really want to spend my evening doing..

          Besides which, I don't crap on people who don't want kids (much).. But I really lol'd at ms. wolfenstein's reasoning.. That's like "I don't like airzone playing pony songs, so I'm going to show the world my disgust and cut off my hands".. lol.

        • +1

          @woolfenstein: geez not only designated parking spaces, but you also hogged all my negs. Frankly, you could learn to share more woolie.

        • +3

          @woolfenstein: Wiggles concerts aren't that bad.. Probably just as expensive as a trip to europe though.

        • +5

          @airzone:

          There's plenty of "selfish" reasons to have children too. I'm emphasizing that word because you saying that and using that word would actually imply that those who are childless are concerned with only themselves at the expensive of others, which is not true at all. It cannot be at the expense of an unborn child who does not yet exist.

          The following are some reasons i've found and thought of. Not to say people don't have "selfish" reasons for not having kids too, but as a whole I believe most people are inherently quite selfish. Here are reasons/situations where having kids can be just as selfish.

          to advance in status
          wanting to feel needed/like they have a purpose/have an impact on the world
          ensure they have caretakers when they're older
          to fulfill dreams and have experiences that they never could
          in order to please their own parents (because pleasing their parents makes them happy)
          to fulfill their own maternal or paternal desires, especially when they don't have the means to do so
          to fulfill a duty to god
          Your direct involvement in the depletion of resources and the environmental impact of bringing more people into the world
          The intense desire to want your own genetic children when there are plenty of children out there who could be adopted

        • -1

          @woolfenstein:

          Seems that made you a grumpy, selfish and self righteous.

        • -1

          @Lunawinter: I keep seeing this point raised about the place…

          Your direct involvement in the depletion of resources and the environmental impact of bringing more people into the world

          Is the suggestion that the answer to the world's problem is that nobody have kids? Not picking on you specifically, but I actually have trouble trying to understand the practicality of that statement..

        • @woolfenstein:
          I bet you were that kid!

        • +3

          @woolfenstein:

          I'm just amused at how the neg wave changes. Very hard to tell where the moral spectrum lies or if it is just cognitive dissonance.

        • +2

          @airzone:

          I think there's definitely places in the world that need to be having much less kids, yes. It's silly to say never have kids to everyone for this sole purpose, but the way the world is right now, it would probably help if people stopped having so many children. It's not really something that's going to be fixed, but I threw it in there anyway,

        • @woolfenstein: I love annoying people like you, makes life so much more enjoyable, live is for living not setting designated times! I did the same as this when I was a kid.

        • @woolfenstein: And look how you turned out.

        • +1

          @dandandan: I am so mad, bro.

        • @woolfenstein: "I worked as a waitress as a teen and unsupervised children were a constant OHS hazard."

          And yet you willfully disregard a shopping centres attempt to prevent this hazard in the carpark, because it shouldn't be your problem.

          You are a wonderful example of a human being. Have a nice day.

        • @Mik: Thank you. Enjoy this pointless notification as a show of my gratitude.

      • -1

        I park in them as well as a single male.

        Why? because i dont think the entitled generation capable of spitting a spawn out of their hairy downstairs deserves special parking. They are not a legally enforcable carpark and westfields only put them in to attract the latte sipping spawners into their clutches.

        • +1

          Your car is at risk of being "doored" by an over-eager kid, scratched by a stroller or capsule, smeared with whatever is on the hands of the crotch-spawn, and god knows what else… I've given up on my family car, but I'd never park my "daddy car" in one of those spots… too dangerous.

        • -3

          @airzone:

          The car I take into car parks is worth maybe a 6 pack I couldn't care less.

          Besides I keep a box of nails in the boot, easy enough to lace all 4 tyres with a handful of nails, also easy to knock off your side mirrors as well and pour some brake fluid over the paint in the shape of a (profanity).

        • +3
        • +1

          @airzone: That's a pretty cavalier attitude, you should be shitting yourself with all these internet hard asses on here… :P

        • +14

          @airzone: I'm startled as to how many parents don't think it's their problem/responsibility if their child "doors" or otherwise damages another person's car?!

        • @woolfenstein: I never said it wasn't.. But it's still a pain in the neck to take time out of your day to do the insurance run-around. So why put yourself at more risk? Unfortunately these days, people in general (kids or no) seem to think it's fine to "door" other people's cars and then run off… As my own car can testify to… :(

        • +1

          @StewBalls: Heh, I'll just have to swap out my "air.zon" car number plate to something else… Like "Not.azn"

        • +1

          @airzone: It's actually pretty ironic, Copie was the one who carried on like a total pork chop when I was telling a story on here once about my first wife egging cars who took her parking spot…now he's advocating outright premeditated malicious damage to property…sigh, the hypocrisy of OzB! ;)

        • This I put in "just because you legally can be a dk, does not mean that you have to be a dk"

          So I am looking up to see if I can legally piss on your car. And If I can, I will.

        • -2

          @cameldownunder:

          You seriously underestimate just how much i do not give a flying fk about my shitbox runaround, you can piss on it for all i care, next time it rains it will get washed off.

          But keep in mind whatever you attempt to dish out, i will return back 100x fold, nails in tyres, brake fluid on the paintwork, razor blade to the windows, builders expanding foam into the exhaust, tyre bat to the side mirrors etc, all perfectly workable and totally deniable.

        • +1

          @Copie: Beautiful specimen of Brutus Australiansis Rincretinitis

      • +14

        The thing I find dirty is my local changed the disabled for pram Nd put the disabled parks 4-6 rows of cars from the door…

        Parents can and should walk 2-3 rows instead of the disabled. If you cant controll your kids that shouldnt get you special rights.. The other day I waited 10 Min at kmart to return an item and a dad walked up with 3 kids waited 30 seconds Nd walked past the 3 people in line behind me and said,

        Can I go ahead, im just returning this.

        I replied im only returning my item too.

        He got in my face saying my kids are playing up im going ahead.

        Lol I told him not to have kids if he couldnt controll them.

        Misbehaving kids dont give you more rights

        • Gold 👍

        • Agree. Maybe KMart needs to introduce a Return Line for Parents only.

      • +1

        take the spot right in front while some poor mother with 4 kids under the age of 8 has to navigate her way from the back end of the car park making sure she doesn't lose any kids on the way.

        If you cannot control your children in challenging public situations, either lobby your local MP to have parent parking spots lawfully recognised, don't take your children on an outing, or consider some easier alternatives such as catching public transport or placing your excess kids up for adoption.

        I will continue to use these parking spots because at least in Victoria, these spots have no legal protection whatsoever. In the eyes of the law they are equivalent to a spot with no such designations.

        Merry Christmas.

        • -1

          I don't have kids but thanks for the suggestions.

          I am just in support of not being a total dick.

          Happy Easter.

    • +13

      I park in them like they are normal spots, especially if it's busy/crowded (somehow parents have been managing for decades without designated parking spots).

      these parking spots are in fact "normal spots". there are no road rules that restricts the use of these parking spots.

      parents are now considered to be a privileged class of people. the ftb is no longer enough for them. now they want their special parking spots right next to the entrance. give it time and they may find a way to add penalty notices and demerit points.

      • +2

        I don't care where the parking spots are I just appreciate the extra width as kids are a little less concerned with opening doors onto nearby objects like other people's cars.

      • Lol penalty points. They will just find a way to force you to take one kid.

    • +9

      somehow parents have been managing for decades without designated parking spots

      True. But a lot has changed in the recent years:
      - More parents using baby capsules.
      - Kids' car seats/booster seats are much bulkier, it's much harder to get the kid in and out.
      - 'Normal' parking spots are getting smaller/narrower.
      - More SUVs/4WDs on the road. More hazards in carparks.

      These are the facts. I know, because I was a new mum 15 years ago, and a 'new' mum again recently. Parking wasn't much of a problem then, but it's a problem now.

      • +2

        Spot on; cars are getting wider and the parking bays much smaller. An average sized car parking between a 4WD and mum's commuter bus leaves the barest of space to park in let alone exit the vehicle.

      • Also add disrespectful driver, that think a car-park is a law-less place where they can enjoy the echo of their car revving up.
        Those "Special" parking are needed because to many stupid people, who give F-All about anything, road hooligans are free to run down anyone.

    • -3

      You must be the guy whose car got scratched yesterday. Next time maybe it's missing a mirror…

      Seriously people like u need to be educated. Signs and rules are meant to be followed not ignored, regardless if there's a fine attached or not.

      • +4

        Don't forget, you're most likely dealing with your typical OzBargain internet tough guy here…these guys talk big behind a keyboard, but you can pretty much guarantee they're total pussies IRL! ;)

        • @StewBalls, I highly doubt it. I bet @woolfenstein is a woman; a woman with balls who doesn't have any problem standing up for herself in IRL:)

          -Wiki ( mother of two mini JJBs)

        • +5

          @Jar Jar Binks: sigh as we all know, all "women" on the internet are really men pretending to be women. ;)

        • +1

          @airzone: LOL! I used to have my own account, wicket1120, but I've disabled it. I use hubby's account to comment whenever I feel like it now.
          So much more fun: I get to play devil's advocate and he's the one who gets negged :)

        • +1

          @Jar Jar Binks: Allegedly. Pics or it never happened. :p

        • +2

          @airzone: I could post pics or I could point you to this comment where hubby is complaining about how I nagged him to join ozbargain :b

        • @Jar Jar Binks: I suppose we will never know, but thank you Wiki. Yo tengo cojones muy grande.

          Here is a parking anecdote for all: One time (at band camp) a small group of large middle aged dudes threatened to smash my car with their ute… in a parking lot in the middle of the day, ha. This is because they didn't like where I had parked (them parking across 3.5 spaces horizontally and I parking in the 4th, if you can imagine). I proceeded to take out my phone, press record and say loudly "go ahead". The largest, middliest one who started this all proceeded to drive out with much unnecessary reversing, and I felt like letting him know "You're still right mate." but instead I just stood there, filming, because he is an askhole.

        • +2

          @Jar Jar Binks:

          I used to have my own account, wicket1120, but I've disabled it. I use hubby's account to comment whenever I feel like it now.

          You should have your own account, otherwise you're saying that you're both nothing but sock puppets or trolls, unwilling to accept individual responsibility for your own attention seeking comments.

          So much for strong women standing up for themselves, eh…you evidently won't even do it here with the benefit of internet anonymity.

          @woolfenstein: I hope somebody is there taking video footage of you as well the next time you decide to take your pathetic gutless little antisocial stand against parents. The funny part is, you're coming across as exactly the kind of weak-ass trouble-making bint that would run squealing to the cops if someone chipped you for it too.

        • +1

          @StewBalls: I'm leaving the country in a little less than 3 weeks. I won't need an ozbargain account where I'm going :)

        • @Jar Jar Binks: Somehow I don't think we'll be getting rid of you that easily…

        • @StewBalls: Actually, it's the other way around. Something tells me he might follow us to Mauritius. I give him 3 months max ;)

          Wiki

        • @StewBalls: Taking footage of me parking in a parking space? Or taking footage of me taking footage of someone threatening to damage my property?

          Either way you are silly; shopping centres cannot give fines, and these spots are not in anyway enforceable. Or am I meant to be afraid that ACA will get hold of the footage and slander me to the over 65's?!

        • +1

          @Jar Jar Binks: I give it three weeks. That's how long it took me to realise that it was a dumb idea for MrPolyglot to go to London first. Unfortunately, it was my dumb idea.

      • it's Wolfenstein
      • His jenerashen din need 2 pay no atenshun in skule…day had teknologee 2 do da finking 4 um!

      • Alas, little Katie, it is, in fact Woolfenstein. This is because it is not in reference to the popular game.

    • You're a selfish person. You have no idea of the stress you cause parents out of your sheer laziness. I've seen cars keyed for this stuff.

      • -1

        Parking in a parent parking spot is legal.

        Keying someone's car isn't.

        And if I catch somebody keying my car, I'll use the powers I and other Victorians have under Section 462A of the Crimes Act and make sure that they are appropriately dealt with for vandalism.

        • That's the point. You don't often catch them drawing a long, deep line across the side of your car…

        • @imurgod: Car parks in shopping malls often have security cameras.

        • +1

          @woolfenstein:

          They arent everywhere and blind freddy can easily work out where they are and their sweeping points, provided they are even in operation.

        • I can guarantee you that you can invoke anything you like and you'll find it near impossible to get anywhere. The law is terrible at this type of thing and you'll simply end up claiming on your insurance and copping it sweet. I see this happen a lot. Best you just try to be considerate of others and not give them an excuse to scratch your car or worse.

        • Legal positivism makes a poor personal ethical paradigm if you ask me.

    • +13

      I also park in those "parent" spots, especially since it is not a fine-able offence for doing so.
      Parents already get bonuses from the government, whereas SINKS & DINKS never receive anything; so I don't see why parents should get priority parking, disabled parking spots are a completely different matter which I have no problem with, and will not park in.
      Every decision has consequences, "they" decided to have the kids, so "they" can also deal with the consequence of having to struggle through the carpark with said kids.

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