How does the saying go… “Hell hath no fury like… a TWIN PARENT SCORNED!”
This is the story of why my husband is a hero…
Jonny and I, get severely angered by the arrogant idiots who park in parent and child spaces in car parks, and don’t have children with them.
None-so more than the other week, when an off duty police officer, thought it his right to abuse his position of authority, and park his panda in a parent child space at our local ASDA. Unfortunately Fortunately I was not there at the time as I would have laid into the police officer far less politely than my husband did.
My husband however was NOT going to let the police officer get off lightly. On approaching the store security, he asked, “Is the officer here on offical duty?”
To which the security guard answered, “No”.
So my awesome man strolled up to the police officer and asked him if there were a reason he had parked in the parent and child space outside. He also explained about the poor lady he had seen outside, struggling out of a normal parking space with her three children.
After some stuttering, the officer replied that there was not, he was just popping in for something to eat!
So then, that fantastic husband of mine, said this:
“I’m afraid I am going to have to report this misuse of authority to your senior officer… unless of course, you would be willing to apologise to all customers over the tannoy system for your inappropriate parking?”.
To the sheer delight and disbelief of my husband, and the by now highly-amused security guard whom was eavesdropping, the police officer obliged.
He asked customer services, for the microphone, switched on the tannoy and announced a full and formal apology to all customers in the store for inconsiderately parking in a parent and child space. He began with an introduction, so all customers knew who he was, and shamefacedly turned a beetroot colour, whilst apologising profusely for any inconvenience he may have caused, and promising not to do it again!
My husband and the security guard were standing nearby giggling like school children and crossing their legs, so as not to wet themselves with laughter. It makes me giggle even just thinking about it. But let’s be honest – it was the right thing to do. Having authority doesn’t mean a police officer can abuse his position, especially not at the detriment to the needs of the community.
Now I know there will be some backlash to this post, so I have pre-prepared my defence…
I’m sure that most parents of infant or toddler twins (or triplets) or indeed parents of two (or more) children under the age of four, will truly appreciate the worth of the parent & child parking spaces in car parks. With twins… they are ESSENTIAL!
They are essential for the following reasons:
1) Whether unloading to buggy or trolley – you need to be able to open the doors WIDE to get the baby out. Especially if you are also getting out the car seats to put onto a travel system (like us!).
2) We need that little safety strip to put the trolley or buggy whilst we load and unload said babies.
3) If we do not have this little extra safety space, you can guarantee that some ignoranus will park so close to our car, that we need a tin opener to get it out.
4) These spaces usually have a safe pathway and a zebra crossing, so that we can safely get all our sprogs from car to shop, without any imitations of why the hedgehog crossed the road!
People argue that we don’t need these parent spaces because:
1) We can just park further away
– Well more often that not, the car park is just as busy in the spaces furthest from the shop. Aside from this, the parent and child spaces aren’t often closest to the store anyway – they are just easier to park a large car (full of offspring).
– If we did find a space further away, you can guarantee some dickhead who wants to “walk the scenic route to the shop”, will barricade the car in.
2) Park in a bigger space…
Okay so what happens when the car next to us, pulls away and some asshole pulls in close enough for our wing mirrors to kiss, whilst we are shopping?
Do we:
a) Abandon the kids in the dangerous chaos of the carpark, whilst we pull the car out and hold up all the traffic, whilst we get the kids back in the car.
b) Smash the shit out of said inconsiderate knobhead’s car, in order to get our doors open wide enough
c) Sit in the doorway to the shop, like homeless people, with our children screaming of boredom, whilst we wait for Mr I-can’t-park-for-shit to finish his shopping?
I would also like to add that I don’t just think parent and child parking is for parents of multiples – I think all parents of children under 5 have a right to use these spaces. I am still baffled as to why children between 5 and 12 need assistance getting out of the car. My issue is with people who:
a) say we don’t need these spaces
b) park in these spaces when they don’t have young children with them!
If you have two or more children under 4 and still have an arguement to counter mine on this… fire away… but be ready to have your head bitten off my an army of scorned twin parents… (I refer you back to my quote at the beginning)!
Your husband is brilliant! Hands down that is the BEST thing I have read in a long time! Just for the record my 5 year old still needs the extra space in the parent & child spaces, yes he can undo his own seatbelt and open the door but that is where the problem lies – he slams open his door into neighbouring cars or if you put the kiddy lock on, while you unplug yourself and get out to open his door the little monster will have climbed over your seat to slam open your door instead. Fabulous! I also have the worlds most uncoordinated 3 year old alive so I guess the two young children in a car thing would cover that… Great post =)
Lorna recently posted..My 9th week in photos
Fantastic! Medal to your husband and well done to the policeman for coming clean! As someone who has never had to struggle with kids and cars I can still see the need for bigger spaces, its hard enough in a normal space without kids, they’re tiny! I tend to park down the far end of the car park so I have space and get some exercise too!
Woohoo…. speaking as a mum of 4.5yr old twins… I know exactly where you’re coming from.
LisaG recently posted..Silent Sunday
1st ever time to comment on.a blog but felt compelled too… I cannot agree more as a mommy of three under 3s how much we need these spaces.. I’m constantly giving the evil eye to anyone vaguely considering parking in them .. Hands off! Well do e to you for you’d post and your hubby for his bravery:-)
Lol wish I were there, apart from the fact I am not shopping there. And yes wait until you have 5 year old twins and revisit this post lol.
Go Mr crazy with twins! Just brilliant! This really frustrated me too, I have confronted people before and just got a mouthful of abuse. It wouldn’t bother me if the spaces were put really far away from the store (as long ds a safe path was provided) I just want the big space to get my baby out!
Wow your husband deserves an award for this! It’s absolutely brilliant!
I have blogged on more than 1 occassion about parent & child parking. It’s one of my pet hates too! Well done!
Your husband is now my hero! Well done him for standing up for what drives us parents mad on a daily basis. If I’m in the car with just my 4 year old then I’m happy to park else where and we walk in but when I have my baby I do need the room to get him in and out of the car safely. It also drives me mad when people abuse disabled parking spaces as well as I have a friend with a disabled child who has often struggled to park in a mother and baby space and a disabled parking space.
These spaces are needed for very good reasons as you say so good for you for writing this post and good for you hubby xx
Sue Bagworth recently posted..When to stop a bedtime rountine?
your husband was bang on!!! that officer won’t do it again in a hurry. it annoys the hell out of me when people park in the parent and child spaces when they are clearly on their own.
Your husband is a legend and I fully agree with what he did. I don’t have twins, but mine are 13 months apart and when they were little I was very grateful to use the parents with kids car parking spaces. They are an essential, and I hope they are mostly used correctly.
Cathy recently posted..A new family sport?
Love this and feel exactly the same about disabled spaces, sometimes I check cars to see if they have their stickers and I have reported those that don’t to store security, but what your husband did was much much better 🙂
Looking for blue sky recently posted..How to cheer up a sad Mammy
This made me laugh out loud! It’s a shame you have to explain your argument (although it does make fantastic reading) as people should really be more considerate and understanding towards parents and tots. We need space to maneuver just as those with a disability do. Might just sit outside Asda and throw vegetables at anyone I see sneaking into the designated bays without tots in tow.
B. x
Ditto what everyone else said! Brilliant post and agree with everything you said!
Mum in a Hurry recently posted..Weight Watchers and Couch to 5K
I LOVE your husband. Not as much as my own, obviously but that was a fab thing to do!
Mummy Glitzer recently posted..Another Visit to the Neurosurgeon
As fellow Dad of twins I would like to shame your husband by the hand! That’s just brilliant!
I suspect that this cop was probably a nice guy who just wasn’t thinking; unfortunately there are others who wouldn’t be so contrite, even become aggressive.
It’s a real problem around here, people just don’t seem to care
You’re heroes!
JallieDaddy recently posted..The Power of Love
Oops, sorry: I meant *shake* your husband by the hand :O
JallieDaddy recently posted..The Power of Love
Your husband is amazing! I usually just report them secretly and then run off and hide while they get their registration called over the tannoy. I have to hand it to the policeman for his good humour though – so many would have just grumpily moved their car… at best!
I too get furious about lazy people using the spaces I so badly need for my two year old and four year old. I have been known to park over two spaces (central line down under the car) if I can’t get a space. *blush*
Pregnant women should get special spaces too. I’ve been parked in several times when I’ve had an enormous bump, and had to enter my car in a rather undignified manner via the boot!
Eleanor Mum/Me recently posted..MORE great childcare?
I completely agree with everything you have said and I absolutely agree that your husband is a hero ! Well done him !
@8TOZERS X
Great post, would have loved to see your husband (and the policeman!) in action! I have no argument with you whatsoever about the parking spaces, I can’t imagine why anyone would. As a parent of three kids aged 5-12, I too am baffled as to why we would need these parking spaces too!
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