This Dads Blog

I know some people that read this blog (and there's not many people reading it) are parents, in fact I'm sure that if I looked into it I'd find out that everyone who reads this blog is a parent, and this rant is not directed at parents.

In fact, scratch that, it is slightly directed at parents - all will become clear.

A typical parking spot

When I first started noticing parent and child parking spaces I had mixed feelings. Disabled spaces are a good idea as disabled people can't be expected to walk/wheel across a carpark, but could the same be said for parents with kids? I wasn't sure. As I got older and then had my own child I realised that these spaces were a great idea.

In our local shopping center and our local supermarket the spaces are designed so that you can open your doors fully without damaging the car in the next space, which is useful when you consider that our car is a three door and therefore the doors are excessively long.

The provided spaces are also close to the entrance to the shop/shops, also useful as little one doesn't need to be subjected to the wild British weather too much until she's older.

Here's the problem though. As these spaces are so close to the entrances they tend to get parked in by people that shouldn't park in them.

Disabled people for example. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that disabled people shouldn't be allowed to park close to the entrance. No, that would be wrong (though there are many many people that claim to be disabled that clearly are not, but this isn't the place to go into that!). There is probably a law that states how many disabled spaces there should be - a number that is disproportionate to the amount of disabled people driving no doubt - and the people that park in said spaces is controlled by the ownership of a blue badge. So, you know, park in a disabled space.

hkpp.org

The people that really get to me are the ones that are not disabled and have no child. Why do they feel the need to steal parking spaces meant for parents with young babies? Have they no conscience? I suspect they are the kind of people that would let pregnant women and the elderly stand on a crowded bus.

There of course are two other types of people that annoy me in this situation.

Parents who have a baby seat but no baby. Why do they feel they are entitled to use these spaces? When you don't have the baby you lose your right to park in that space.

Also, when that baby gets to about 8 years old, possibly younger, you really don't need that space either. Sometimes I see people parking in parent and child spaces with kids that are anything up to 15 or 16. That is just taking the proverbial.

So, if you have a small child or baby and you see someone using these spaces who probably shouldn't ... please say something to them so next time they reconsider.

Thanks for reading this disjointed rant, to reward you here's an image I stumbled across that I think is a good idea:

This is going to be a quick update - possibly, I do have a tendency to ramble on about irrelevant things whilst trying to get a point across.

Well, my last post on this here bloggywotsit was in August last year (a rant on some arse that didn't know how to look after his own kid!) and I was in the process of writing a review of a new dads class among other posts.

The aforementioned review for a new dads class is still going to be published, as promised, but until such time I just need to say the following:

Dads to be and Dads you really need to check out DaddyNatal if you haven't already.

Right, the munchkin is now nearly 8 months old and she is growing so fast that sometimes I struggle to keep up. She recently started standing, with a bit of help, and in just a few days the amount of help given to her has decresed massively.

The biggest change though is that Emz has gone back to work, I've started back at Uni and the Munchkin goes to nursery two days a week. More on that in the future no doubt.

Well, that's about the quickest update I can manage as the Munchkin is now waking up and needs my attention.

Happy New Year to everyone from me, Emz and the Munchkin.

As one of those new year resolution thingy wotsits I'll be updating this here blog very soon.

I'm still furious about this so thought I'd share it with you all.

Yesterday we went to mothercare to take back something that was damaged and have a quick look around with Nanny G (i.e. my mother - Hi Mum). Emz was driving with Nanny G in the passenger seat and me in the back with the munchkin in her car seat. When we got to mothercare, which is on one of those retail parks, Emz found a parent and child space virtually outside and being the good driver she is pulled slightly past it to reverse in.

The following happened in the space of about a thirty seconds.

She started backing up and then slammed the brakes on. A small girl, perhaps 6 or 7, had run out behind our reversing car with a guy, her dad I'm presuming, a few steps behind. Emz gave him the 'stare of death' but didn't say anything as he walked past, and this is the bit that still has me fuming, he turned round, saw Emz staring at him and proceded to stick his middle finger up at her.


Needless to say Nanny G got out and had a few choice words with the chap.

I was stuck in the back of the car and couldn't do anything about this turn of events so had to sit it out.

Photo by Dennis Hlynsky

Now, I often wonder what is happening to society and it is things like this that really make my blood boil. That poor girl is going to grow up thinking it is OK to run out behind moving cars and when she gets hit and seriously hurt or killed, the driver of the car that hits her will have a lifetime of torture, and no doubt will end up in prison and getting sued by the asshole parents who didn't teach their daughter right from wrong.

I think, and this is only my opinion, that it is time people were vetted when becoming parents and then schooled into how to be better parents (just think of all the employment this would create!).
After all, I go out of my way to learn how to be a better parent and give my daughter a better life, why shouldn't others?