News

Mum wants badge scheme for parent and toddler bays

By Lucy Allen
July 21, 2009

A mum wants to see a badge scheme created to stop people without children parking in parent and toddler spaces.

Nicky Cakkalkurt, 32, says she constantly sees drivers pulling into spaces allocated for parents when they have no children in the car.

Their selfishness leaves her parking further away from her destination or struggling to get her car seat out of the car because she has to park in a narrow space.

Nicky, of Birch Hill, has a nine-month-old daughter, Amelia.

She said: “It happens everywhere.

“In Princess Square, the bays get filled up and I have to park in bays which are not wide enough to get the car seat out of, then I have to walk down the ramp with the buggy and face into the traffic to get to the shops.”

She said other places were just as bad.

“At Sainsbury’s in Bagshot Road people dump their cars and go to the cashpoint.

“I have confronted people and I’ve had various responses, some of which are unprintable!

“There are also a few spaces at Bracknell Leisure Centre and the other day I saw a woman park there, in the last parents’ space, to go to the gym.

“I confronted her but she just walked away.”

She added: “People think nothing will happen.

“They don’t park in disabled bays because they know they will get into trouble, but they think these spaces are fair game.”

Nicky would like to see a scheme similar to the Blue Badge scheme operated for disabled people.

“Maybe we could have some sort of scheme where new parents get a badge from the midwife or health visitor, which expires when the baby reaches a certain age.”

David Steeds, head of environmental health at Bracknell Forest Council, said contractor APCOA monitors the use of parent spaces.

“The contractor monitors them and checks the spaces aren’t being misused,” he said.

“People who do abuse it are given warning notices and normally that stops them doing it again.”

He said it would be difficult to introduce a badge scheme.

“The disabled parking badge scheme is an international thing,” he said.

“There are no plans to bring in a scheme nationally, and it would be difficult for us to bring in our own council scheme, as that would stop visitors from Wokingham or other places being able to use the spaces.”

He said the number of parent and toddler spaces had been increased.

“If there is a demand for more then we will introduce them.”

Do you think a badge/permit scheme is a good idea for parent and toddler bays? Email editorial@bracknellstandard.co.uk or leave your comments below.

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Hi Brad,

Yes I did sorry I did not say thank you for your Support !

Nicky

nicky cakkalkurt, bracknell
24/07/2009 at 14:48

I hope you understood that I was also backing up your argument about the size of the space not the proximity to the shop (please see my first 12 words of my previous comment) and I totally agree with how annoying it is when people park in the P&C spaces when they shouldn't be. I was only making derrogatory comments towards those who use them without the need to!! It's something which irritates me and occasionally infuriates me to my very core, i've lost count of the number of arguments i've had with people over it. It's just coincidental that about 80% of these people either have a flash expensive car they dont want damaged, or are lazy/fat (quite often fat, or shall we say 'rotund', people use these spaces as they can't get out of their cars in normal spaces due to their over indulgance at meal times...and in-between, and heaven forbid they park at the end of the car park by the garage or doctors and walk a few yards...after driving from Herondale!)

To re-itterate, they should move the P&C spaces to the other ends of the car park, then only people with the need will use them (and probably people with expensive cars, but you cant win them all can you?!)

By the way, who exactly is 'monitoring the spaces' because I have never seen a single person ever get so much as a word said to them about parking in disabled/P& C spaces by anyone other than other members of the public!

Brad From-Birch Hill, Bracknell
24/07/2009 at 14:24

Well said Nicky, people are very quick to judge without getting all the facts straight. Maybe moving mother and toddler spaces a bit further away from the stores would help alleviate the resentment they seem to stir up in some people.

Martin's Heron.
24/07/2009 at 13:50

I am totally amazed at the comments given in response to Nicky's story. Are those comments about weight,laziness etc really even relevant. For those of us who are able to show a bit of intellect the main point of the story is that the standard spaces are not wide enough to get children out of the car and if the spaces are provided for a particular purpose then this is what they should be used for. It's not about being close to shops or thinking you have a higher right than anyone else, it's simply that the spaces are allocated for parent and child hence should be used for that purpose. I am not a mother but can totally understand why this issue causes annoyance to may parents with children. I'm all up for debating an issue but only when points raised are relevant to the issue at hand.

Bdavies
24/07/2009 at 13:42

OK so I feel I need to write this email to all of you that have taken the time to post a comment about the story above. The point of the story has been missed as the problem is that normal spaces are not wide enough to get your child/baby out of the car that is why child spaces exist! This is the case if you are the smallest or largest of mum's or dad's and I fail to see what weight has to do with this issue. I neither wear nike tracksuits or go to Greg's for my lunch 'Scott of Reading' For your information I am a professional working mum and think that your comments about Bracknell mum's are both incorrect and rude! Yes There are some people as you have discribed in Bracknell as there are in every town in the world but I am not one of them! And what does this have to do with the issue anyway?? Also as to the comment that I am lazy or 'laxy' I work full time and care for my daughter if you think this is lazy then I guess you do not have any children as I no longer have a second to myself let alone time to be lazy! It is not to do with how close or far away the spaces are from the shop. I have no issue with walking from where ever the car park owners decide to put these spaces as a rule they are close to the shops.

'Sus' I worked with disabled people for nearly 10 years and totally understand the problems with the blue badge system and find it hard to understand why able people park in these spaces. After doing this job I count my lucky stars every day.

Further more I am not ashamed of standing up for what I believe in, I do however feel some of you that replied need to re read the story and understand what is being said. The piece was to highlight the fact that your actions have an impact on others and that if we were all a little bit more considerate the world would be a better place.It does not matter that these spaces were not there ten years ago they are now and they should be used by the people they were put there for.

I find it very sad that nearly all of the comments on this story are a personal attack on myself and are not of an adult debate nature.

Nicky

nicky cakkalkurt, bracknell
24/07/2009 at 13:26

I don't agree its out of context Wannabe, most days I have problems using the disabled parking with my daughter because of other parents parking in these spots with their able children. I reiterate, why is a badge scheme going to work for new parents when the blue badge scheme is so widely abused?

BEVERLEY campbell
24/07/2009 at 10:01

Beverly,

Totally out of context. Can understand your problems but I don't think that using them as leverage in this argument is necessary.

All round it is a bad idea I think and the lady in the article is just coming across as really laxy!!

Also how would it be organised!! When do you stop giving out the badges?? 3 years old, 4 .....12/13!!!!! & are they revoked the day after a childs birthday :)

MPwannaB, Bracknell
23/07/2009 at 14:32

As a mother of a profoundly disabled 16 year old I was so annoyed to read this article, Mother and child spots get me so angry, it seems like many mothers nowadays think they have a God given right to park as close as possible to shops and supermarkets and if they are all taken then think nothing of using disabled spots. Supermarkets don't help by placing the mother and child spots closer than the disabled spots in many areas. Why does Nicky think that having a badge scheme will work when the blue badge scheme is abused ? My daughter cannot walk, talk, crawl, eat or even play ,is registered blind and needs 24 hour care, she has a blue badge and a wheelchair accessible car and on many occasions I have been unable to park in a disabled spot because they are taken by non badge holders and on the few occasions I have parked in a mother and child spot with her I have faced a barrage of abuse from mums, nothing like going for an easy target. Please Nicky, just be grateful that you have a healthy baby , if you think its difficult pushing your daughter in a little buggy down ramps, please feel free to push my daughter around for half an hour , in her big wheelchair with seating system that is twice my body weight and you won't complain again, I promise.

BEVERLEY campbell
22/07/2009 at 17:20

You mums buy the Nike trainers and walk round in the sweat pants like you've been to the gym all morning whilst you snaffle your Greggs lunches so hows about you have a little walk?

Scott Reading (Where the people are slightly thinner and are able to park in the spaces allocated)...

Scott, Reading
22/07/2009 at 12:09

It's not about where the spaces are, it's how wide they are. I would happily park right at the end of the car park if the P&C spaces were there. Most parents abuse the spaces out of laziness, parking there even without their kids with them as if it's their god given right as parents to park right next to the shops thinking they wont get in trouble because people will see the car seat in the back and if someone says anything they just say "I'm just picking up my kids" as if Sainsbury's is now a creche! This wouldnt happen if the spaces were moved away from the shop. 90% of parents get annoyed when there aren't any spaces because of the width, not the proximity to the shop, it's due to getting car seats in/out or like me having to get two 2 year olds into their car seats, i have to have my doors open as far as possible to do this, which i cant do if i'm in a smaller space because there's not enough room, and I don't drive a big people carrier or anything stupid like that, just a small 4 door saloon, perfectly acceptable family car. People with 'flashy' cars always park in these spaces because they wide too, thinking no-one will scrath/dent their car by wacking their doors into it when they open them, it's got nothing to do with where they are in relation to the shop for a lot of people, obviously there are some fatties who are just lazy. At the end of the day, the only way to stop the argument is to move the parent and child spaces further away to discourage people from using them when they dont need to, and any parents who would complain about having to walk a few extra metres should be embarrassed for themselves as it is only a sign of laziness. Which in my life-long experience of living in Bracknell, is an accurate description of the vast majority of parents!

Brad Garland
22/07/2009 at 11:20

Couldn't agree more.......... What reasons are there for there being child & parent parking? I have never understood the logic except Parents being exploited by Supermarkets to try and gain there custom by using there children!!! There is no logic to this policy. Disabled parking makes complete sence but if you have a child with you it is irrelevent if you are 20 yeards or 200 yards for the shops. If anyone can come up with a good reason I would like to hear it.

MPwannaB, Bracknell
21/07/2009 at 17:07

Frankly Nicky just why do you feel that mothers with babies and toddlers deserve to be able to park any closer to a supermarket than someone who is childless? I was amazed to see the practice start. I have a teenage son and, when he was little, the baby & toddler bays did not exist. I was always glad of the extra steps I had to take - it helped burn of the post-baby pounds! If the car you drive is too big for some spaces, then park further away in spaces that are large enough. I think bays currently available for those with children should be for the elderly and those who, whilst not holding a disabled badge, do have mobility issues. You are a young fit mum and should be ashamed of yourself thinking you have the right to any special treatment. Good grief you gave birth, you didn't lose the use of your legs.