parent UNfriendly wick

[BRIE]

i find taking my 5 month old son shopping in Wick a stressful experience!Firstly I go to Somerfield car park & find all 4 parent & child parking spaces full! none of the cars parked in them are owned by a parent with a child! [mad] why do people do this are they so lazy that they cant manage to walk the extra 50 yards!! next i go to Woolworths which is impossible to walk round with a pram then onto D R Simpsons that has vases on the floor which i manage to knock over :eek: into Mackays where the childrens department is of course upstairs,surely it would make sense to put this downstairs! I attempt Toymaster were you have to leave your pram outside because of space(I dont like leaving my baby unattended).Last stop is my shopping in somerfield but only if I manage to get 1 of the 2 trolleys they have that you can sit a baby in but at least they have such trolleys Co-op & Lidl dont! I resort to changing nappies in the car as finding somewhere warm,clean & easy to get to isnt easy. Finally i go home stressed!! am i the only person that has this trouble? surely I cant be??

[chaz]

Hi,
No your not the only one, i found ALL the problems you had when mine was smaller, and yes went home every time stressed:(
The only thing i can say it gets a bit easier as they get older:D BUT not much.

[henry20]

I don't have any kids, but I do find it really annoying when I see people parking in a disabled bay if the don't have a disability - its so inconsiderate. (same with parent & child spaces)

[Buttercup]

This happens in Thurso too. It's particularly bad at Somerfield's disabled spaces. Pity the shop doesn't try to clamp down on it. [disgust]

[rfr10]

i find taking my 5 month old son shopping in Wick a stressful experience!Firstly I go to Somerfield car park & find all 4 parent & child parking spaces full! none of the cars parked in them are owned by a parent with a child! [mad] why do people do this are they so lazy that they cant manage to walk the extra 50 yards!! next i go to Woolworths which is impossible to walk round with a pram then onto D R Simpsons that has vases on the floor which i manage to knock over :eek: into Mackays where the childrens department is of course upstairs,surely it would make sense to put this downstairs! I attempt Toymaster were you have to leave your pram outside because of space(I dont like leaving my baby unattended).Last stop is my shopping in somerfield but only if I manage to get 1 of the 2 trolleys they have that you can sit a baby in but at least they have such trolleys Co-op & Lidl dont! I resort to changing nappies in the car as finding somewhere warm,clean & easy to get to isnt easy. Finally i go home stressed!! am i the only person that has this trouble? surely I cant be??

It's the same wherever you go. Aren't there people who check to make sure that the designated parking spaces are being used by the right people. So much for the fines they are supposed to be giving for things like this

[BRIE]

If you park in a disabled parking space without being a badge holder you can get a parking ticket i think it should be the same for parent & toddler spaces

[rfr10]

If you park in a disabled parking space without being a badge holder you can get a parking ticket i think it should be the same for parent & toddler spaces

Whos job is it to check to make sure they have a badge?

[loo-b-loo]

If it is any help things should get easier for Parents when Tesco comes.
They have a club that you join to park in for Parents with todlers and generally have an excellent baby changing area. Lets hope it makes the other shops review the facilities that they have.

[Naefearjustbeer]

It is difficult with young children in a lot of places. The best I have seen is the new part of the eastgate centre. At least they have baby change facillities for the dads as well as the mums. Quite often all the facillities (if there are any) are in the womans toilet. There has been a few times that I have had the kids by myself and struggle to find anywhere other than going back to the car to give the baby a bottle or a change of bum.

[Kaishowing]

Perhaps a CCTV camera pointing onto the parking area on Sommerfields which could easily see car numbers...and a fine posted for anyone without a child in the car??
Only recently became a father, but it's really opened my eyes about how little people think of people with babies and small children.
If Tesco do prove to be better in that respect, that's where my money will go.

[BRIE]

have to admit I did end up shouting at a man today who parked in the parent & child space didnt make any difference he didnt move!!

[Woolie]

Whos job is it to check to make sure they have a badge?Its the traffic wardens and he does check often

[Kaishowing]

Its the traffic wardens and he does check often

Perhaps if people were more aware that it was a finable offence, and that he DID check up, it would make a difference!
Until them people will just keep doing it because they think there are no consequences.

[girnigoe]

Its the traffic wardens and he does check often

Yes I know he checks the disabled spaces but is there any way he can check the Parent and Toddler spaces?

That is sooooo annoying trying to fight with your wriggling toddler half way down the busy car park because all the spaces are full with the cars of lazy people who cant be bothered walking a few extra metres - or even worse (which I see often) work vans!

Tescos do have the right idea. You get a permit to park in their Parent and Toddler spaces up until your childs 5th birthday.

[henry20]

Well, with the new law about booster seats, this should be relatively easy - unless you are lazy enough and fork out ££'s to buy a booster seat to fool them.

Failing that, all parent & toddler spaces would have to be under cctv and drivers should get prosecuted if they don't have children with them.

just realised I'm almost word for word with kaishowing, but at least we agree!

[Kaishowing]

LOL ;)

It is annoying though. I've never parked in a disabled space...never in a parent & child space either (pre baby!) and it still amazes me that people are that petty that they can't consider others.
To be honest, I would have expected it further south, but up here in Wick I thought folks were less selfish.

And while we're on the subject....where are the Co-op parent & child parking spaces?? It's bad enough taking the risk of some old dearie scoring the side of your car in a geriatric attempt at parking thanks to the poorley designed layout there.

[rockchick]

If you park in a disabled parking space without being a badge holder you can get a parking ticket i think it should be the same for parent & toddler spaces

Could just check for the spit-up on the back seat...or the small toys littered around!

[Naefearjustbeer]

In the co-op car park in Thurso one of the members of staff can be regulary seen having a fag break in a car parked in the Child spaces. It is bad enough that plenty of joe public are ignorant but even more annoying when the staff are too damm lazy to be considerate enough to the customers. [evil]

[mccaugm]

i find taking my 5 month old son shopping in Wick a stressful experience!Firstly I go to Somerfield car park & find all 4 parent & child parking spaces full! none of the cars parked in them are owned by a parent with a child! [mad] why do people do this are they so lazy that they cant manage to walk the extra 50 yards!! next i go to Woolworths which is impossible to walk round with a pram then onto D R Simpsons that has vases on the floor which i manage to knock over :eek: into Mackays where the childrens department is of course upstairs,surely it would make sense to put this downstairs! I attempt Toymaster were you have to leave your pram outside because of space(I dont like leaving my baby unattended).Last stop is my shopping in somerfield but only if I manage to get 1 of the 2 trolleys they have that you can sit a baby in but at least they have such trolleys Co-op & Lidl dont! I resort to changing nappies in the car as finding somewhere warm,clean & easy to get to isnt easy. Finally i go home stressed!! am i the only person that has this trouble? surely I cant be??

I know what your talking about but a pleasant place to change your baby is in Wetherspoons. Although the last time I went in I was settled in a seat and was then moved on because I was too close to the bar. It would have been prudent to ask me to change seats before I had put my food and drink on the table. Not sure if that regulation has been changed since the smoking ban.

[bigpete]

Wonder if it will ever come up here?
Supermarkets including Sainsbury, Waitrose, Tesco, Asda and Lidl are using private vehicle information to charge motorists up to £150 for staying too long in car parks. The retail giants are employing security companies to photograph motorists’ numberplates and send bills to their homes. Threats of legal proceedings follow if they don’t pay. Many motorists believe data such as their home address is confidentially held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), but in fact it is being sold to security companies for £2.50 per address. Bills are sent to motorists who exceed car park time limits of typically one or two hours. The charges can be two or three times higher than fines handed out by local authority traffic wardens The practice has become widespread because supermarkets perceive clamping as “customer unfriendly”. Critics say the move breaches privacy codes. It is increasing in spite of a government review of the DVLA’s practice of selling motorists’ records to commercial organisations. Supermarkets claim they need access to the records so they can prevent unscrupulous drivers abusing free parking or disabled bays. The charges range from £25 at some Waitrose car parks to £40 at about a third of Asda stores to £70 at many Tesco stores. The highest supermarket charges uncovered were £150 at some branches of Lidl.

[Fran]

Mackays store in Wick have a lift to go upstairs

[BRIE]

Yes theres a lift in mackays but wot a job getting in & out! its not automatic you have to try & manouvre your pram while holding the door open then once inside squeeze in with the pram & keep your finger on the button all the way up!(must be worse for wheelchairs!) but at least there is one. weatherspoons do have good changing facilities but you have to get a key to get in!

[Fran]

We should do a pushchair and wheelchair friendly survey on all shops and cafes in wick. By law they should all be accessible by wheelchairs, so the same should apply to pushchairs. Maybe we could have a seperate forum for this, name them and shame them sort of thing!

[Woolie]

Its the traffic wardens and he does check ofteni must add only if they r yellow boxes with a disabled sign on them.

[girnigoe]

i must add only if they r yellow boxes with a disabled sign on them.


I thought this was the case. So he doesnt have any control over the parent and child spaces??

So in that case it should be designated to a member of staff in Somerfield to keep a check on them :mad:

[Alice in Blunderland]

We should do a pushchair and wheelchair friendly survey on all shops and cafes in wick. By law they should all be accessible by wheelchairs, so the same should apply to pushchairs. Maybe we could have a seperate forum for this, name them and shame them sort of thing!
I have to say most shops are wheelchair/pram accessible the real problem is trying to move around them once you are in. I hated when I used to have to take the kids out in the pram I found that once you got in the shop door it wasnt worth the hassle trying to go anywhere as there were too many obstacles in your way.I would hate to be wheelchair bound as Wick is so wheelchair unfriendly.Degrading having to knock on some shop doors to ask if they can help you in.

[dunderheed]

If it is any help things should get easier for Parents when Tesco comes.
They have a club that you join to park in for Parents with todlers and generally have an excellent baby changing area. Lets hope it makes the other shops review the facilities that they have.

can i point out that somerfield in thurso has a baby changing room ,it is situated between the ladies and gents toilets and has ample free nappies and wipes (however if there isn't any there if your using it , please feel free to tell the frontend supervisor). i must also point out that the parent and child parking facilities in the thurso somerfield car park are rarely abused.

[BRIE]

can i point out that somerfield in thurso has a baby changing room ,it is situated between the ladies and gents toilets and has ample free nappies and wipes (however if there isn't any there if your using it , please feel free to tell the frontend supervisor). i must also point out that the parent and child parking facilities in the thurso somerfield car park are rarely abused.

thats good to know thanks Dunderheed I should maybe start shopping in thurso!

[Woolie]

I thought this was the case. So he doesnt have any control over the parent and child spaces??

So in that case it should be designated to a member of staff in Somerfield to keep a check on them :mad:no he has no control over them don't know how they could be controled really that could be a hard one.

[Kaishowing]

no he has no control over them don't know how they could be controled really that could be a hard one.

Identifying the offenders is quite an easy task...As said earlier, a CCTV camera recording number plates could be set up with the minimum of fuss.
It's how they would deal with that information that's the tough nut to crack.
Could they fine the offenders?
Would the DVLA or Police be willing to supply addresses of the owners of the number plates?
Perhaps a 'name & shame' section in the local paper....along with a list of the shops and cafès that are pushchair and wheelchair thoughtless as Fran suggested??

[doyle]

In the co-op car park in Thurso one of the members of staff can be regulary seen having a fag break in a car parked in the Child spaces. It is bad enough that plenty of joe public are ignorant but even more annoying when the staff are too damm lazy to be considerate enough to the customers. [evil]

Going off the beaten track a wee bit but does the max stay of 2hrs not apply in this carpark any more? If she is going out to her car for a fag break it must be parked there for the whole of her shift which I assume would be more than 2 hours if she is getting a break?

[Naefearjustbeer]

Going off the beaten track a wee bit but does the max stay of 2hrs not apply in this carpark any more? If she is going out to her car for a fag break it must be parked there for the whole of her shift which I assume would be more than 2 hours if she is getting a break?

I suspect that her husband drives to the car park at her tea time and she goes out and sits in the car with him and smokes. I have seen the 2 of them several times recently in the parent and child spaces as I have driven past with 2 youngsters in the car looking for a spot to park.

[JAWS]

Does the Traffic Warden have any authority over the disabled bays on the private car park at Somerfields in Thurso?

[dunderheed]

i dont think so , as it is a private carpark.