5 thoughts on “Doubly unimpressed

  1. I really, really hate those bays. Apart from the blatant sexism, there is actually absolutely no reason to have them at all. Parents used to cope just fine back in the bad old days of parking along with everyone else. And what happens after they park? They unfold their mammoth Jeep pram and they walk for miles around a bloody mall anyway.

    But really, what happens when a dad parks in one? I’ve always wondered if there’s someone who throws a fit about that.

  2. I use them. Sod it. Let them clamp my car. I’ve got a 3 year old, and a 1 year old. If they clamp my car they had also be bloody sure to have their traffic officer licences handy, otherwise they’re going to get a lawsuit for potentially damaging my car (according to the law, ONLY licensed traffic officials may clamp a car).

    I think the reason for the existence of these bays is probably one of safety. There’s a lower risk of the mall being sued by an angry parent of a kid hit by a car in a car park if the kid doesn’t have to walk three quarters of the way across the car park to reach the mall.

    Oh, and not all parents have massive “Jeep” prams (or any other make for that matter). My kids either walk, get carried (which they are getting a tad heavy for) or ride in a trolley. Come to think of it, according to T’s logic (of they’re about to walk miles around a shopping mall anyway), why have pensioner bays (some malls have those too) or even, yes, even, disabled bays? Surely if they’re fit enough to “walk” around a mall for hours, they can make their way across a car park…

  3. T > I once parked in one and got tasered by an over-zealous parking guard.

    Gary > Does your wheelclamp rule even apply on private ground? I’m not sure about that.
    There is some logic in both T’s and your points. But I think that if we can make things easier for those who may have difficulty, then we should. No?

  4. Gary that is an excellent point, why do we have disabled bays when they come loaded with wheelchairs and what not anyway? I mean gosh yes, having children willingly and then expecting the world to cater for you is the same as being inconvenienced in a bodily fashion by some kind of horrid disability.

    I don’t recall many incidents of parents suing malls for their child being run over before these existed, but then, that was during a time when people didn’t sue for anything and everything including, possible, a stubbed toe.

    (I really do aim for popularity don’t I?)

    Rant aside…you guys should get together and start a little campaign for Dads and Toddlers bays…see how many seconds it takes for someone to moan about it being sexist.

  5. P.S. One thing I forgot: Move the handicapped bays to the far end of the parking lot if you want to stick to my argument of walking around for hours…but my thinking has always been that their main purpose is that they’re extra wide and what not to allow for the easier removal of walking aids…which you know, are rather necessary for some people.

    Since most people with disabled stickers seem to be able to walk quite well though (my personal observation as of late), perhaps we should just scrap those too 😉

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