I wonder if you would feel differently if a toddler (short and swift as they are) slipped away from a parent and you knocked him / her over when reversing out of a parking space.
./QUOTE]
Could this not happen in town, leaving mass, in a multi-story, leaving a school or just about anywhere where there is a congragation of people?
Of course it could, but if shopping centres and supermarkets make an effort to reduce such risk, shouldn't they be praised rather than criticised for it? The point I was trying to make is that when you are leaving a shop with a child(ren) in tow, chances are that your hands will be full with either bags or pushing a trolley which would hardly ever be the case when you are leaving mass, school or are just out for a walk.
Elderly people parking in parent & Child Spaces
- Thread starter liaconn
- Start date
On the legal front, shopping centres, as private property, are fully entitled to eject or bar anyone who parks in a space that the shopping centre has set aside for another type of customer.
There are some of these spaces in my local Tesco, but, even though there are security guards on patrol, they never enforce the rules. You frequently see people without kids in these spaces. Even worse, you often see commerical vehicles i.e. mini-vans, pick-ups etc. parked in these spaces. There should be more enforcement by the shopping centres.
I've shopped with young children, and sometimes you need one of these spaces. Especially if you've a young toddler, who isnt sure on feet yet, or a baby. People who dont need these spaces shouldnt use them full stop. If I'm shopping without kids, I'd never use one of these spots.
And its not just these spaces - in my local shopping centre, unauthorised people also park in the disabled spots and the taxi set-down area. Pure ignorance.
There are some of these spaces in my local Tesco, but, even though there are security guards on patrol, they never enforce the rules. You frequently see people without kids in these spaces. Even worse, you often see commerical vehicles i.e. mini-vans, pick-ups etc. parked in these spaces. There should be more enforcement by the shopping centres.
I've shopped with young children, and sometimes you need one of these spaces. Especially if you've a young toddler, who isnt sure on feet yet, or a baby. People who dont need these spaces shouldnt use them full stop. If I'm shopping without kids, I'd never use one of these spots.
And its not just these spaces - in my local shopping centre, unauthorised people also park in the disabled spots and the taxi set-down area. Pure ignorance.
Yes, but they don't and bar elderly people from parking at the door in order to facilitate parents with children.
yachtie, as someone else suggested provide the spaces further away with a pathway to the supermarket. Or, as I suggested, don't reserve spaces for either group just request that shoppers be considerate and only take these spaces if they need to be near the door.
The spaces are actually marked for parents with children and others still park in them so why do you think unmarked spaces will be left free for those who need them. Most people don't give 2 hoots about others, especially when it comes to driving issues, which is why the spaces have to be marked in the first place. There's no chance if there is merely a sign up requesting people to be considerate.
While I appreciate that some elderly people could do with being closer to the front door, that is no excuse for taking up a space which is specifically marked for parents with children.
When I was younger, elderly people had a lot more respect for those spaces than they do nowadays.
The people who ignore p&c places will ignore signs asking you not to park in the space if you don't need it. The people who respect them willl also respect the other sign. The difference is that elderly people who find it difficult to walk too far will be as entitled to use these spaces as parents who find it difficult to manage several small children in the car park. Therefore, one group isn't being favoured over another. The spaces are left for 'people who need them'.
Its about:
access to the side door of the car to safely strap in toddler/ baby
safe route to walk to the center (not crossing traffic with toddler)
space at back to get out buggy
Old people have different needs, like level access for frames, clear marking on foot paths etc. Car parks are very badly designed in general.
They are there to draw lucrative custom from families. Old people tend to spend less so they don't get much consideration
access to the side door of the car to safely strap in toddler/ baby
safe route to walk to the center (not crossing traffic with toddler)
space at back to get out buggy
Old people have different needs, like level access for frames, clear marking on foot paths etc. Car parks are very badly designed in general.
They are there to draw lucrative custom from families. Old people tend to spend less so they don't get much consideration
As an outsider I often wondered where the irish psyche lay in relation to just good manners and the posts above have saddened me greatly. The spaces are marked for enfant and driver so tough if it is not for you. And the numbers who are not disabled that use disabled spaces is absolutely shocking. When I see a person doing so I wont tell you what I wish on them.
The same applies when driving and not indicating or using the wrong lane at roundabouts and cutting in, driving wrong way in car parks ie against the directional arrows and I have seen this behaviour in muti storey car parks as well. There is a well known car park on the flat in limerick and behaviour is so bad the exits and entrances to parking lanes have had to be blocked off.
Its sad but true a lot of irish people have no respect for others or for normal behaviours and our driving styles confirm that. It seems to be a norm to go where a sign says NO ENTRY.
And we wonder why we are in the mire.
noa-
ps I have a vested interest, I am elderly, bad hips, not very mobile but I am considerate and would not even contemplate parking in a space dedicated for someone more deserving.
The same applies when driving and not indicating or using the wrong lane at roundabouts and cutting in, driving wrong way in car parks ie against the directional arrows and I have seen this behaviour in muti storey car parks as well. There is a well known car park on the flat in limerick and behaviour is so bad the exits and entrances to parking lanes have had to be blocked off.
Its sad but true a lot of irish people have no respect for others or for normal behaviours and our driving styles confirm that. It seems to be a norm to go where a sign says NO ENTRY.
And we wonder why we are in the mire.
noa-
ps I have a vested interest, I am elderly, bad hips, not very mobile but I am considerate and would not even contemplate parking in a space dedicated for someone more deserving.
P
pixiebean22
Guest
"Its sad but true a lot of irish people have no respect for others or for normal behaviours" - You could say this about any nationality.
It seems to be a lazy criticism that gets bandied about now and again. The 'Irish phsche' and 'typical Irish' are general statements that seem to omit every other nation as somehow superior in attitude. Try driving in other countries, getting a bus in other countries etc and you might just realise that rude people exist all over the world. If you would wish terrible things on someone for parking in a disabled spot then that says more about you really, why not wish that they became more understanding? TBH whenever I'm parking it regularly seems to be the case that its only the disabled spots that are still free so at least in this part of Ireland people are obeying this particular rule.
No you couldn't. The Americans wouldn't do it, the Germans wouldn't do it. I'm sure there are some other who would but why don't we aspire to be like the best?
P
pixiebean22
Guest
So there is not a single American/German who would do this?
There are plenty of people living in Ireland who don't.
I took it that everyone posting understood that the points were made in general terms.
That's a bit of a generalisation isn't it?!!!
I hate people who generalise.
I think the fact that Americans and Germans wouldnt do it is more down to effective policing in those countries. If you parked in a disabled space in Germany would you expect to get away with it?
Both those countries have a lot of National and Civic Pride which is more to do with it IMO.
In general we don't have that in Ireland.