If you’re rushing home to your kids and need to pass by the supermarket to buy them dinner for the night, are you, morally speaking, entitled to leave your car in the pram bay even though you don’t have your kids with you?

This was the start of a long-rounded debate on one popular parenting Facebook group that solicited different responses from the community ranging from complete outrage to absolute indifference towards the act. Is anyone in the wrong?

According to one survey conducted by NRMA Insurance of about 1,500 people, one in five parents with children from ages 0-7 admitted to parking in pram spots despite the absence of their children.

The data suggests that about two-thirds of the respondents believed that parents whose children are no longer in prams no longer deserve the right to park in these spots but 16% of them did it anyway.

However, the research also showed that 9 out of 10 people who witnessed others parking in pram spots without children made no attempt whatsoever to confront these people.

Source: Shutterstock.net​

“The way I see it, if you're in a rush and need to get home to your kids, then yes, it's ok, because your kids are the reason you're in a rush.” one mum commented.

Others brought up the legality of the matter, saying that there was no law in existence that could be used against those practicing this behavior, but commenters retaliated by saying that pram parkings were more of a courtesy than a legality.

“I mean, it's not illegal, but it's a bit of a d**k move.” one chimed in.

“You are allowed but it makes you an inconsiderate a**,” said another.

Some of the commenters were writing in a complete rage, accusing those who parked in these spots of being unfair and inconsiderate.

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“The pram parks should only be for people with young children for many reasons. We need extra door space, we need closer spots. We also struggle to get the kids in the car with a trolley full of stuff,” one mum said.

“You shouldn’t in case someone with a carload of children comes along and could really use it. I’d rather the children be close to the shop entrance than walking through a car park where you always get idiots speeding through trying to make their car as loud as they can,” one dad wrote.

NRMA Road Safety Expert Dimitra Vlahomitros supported this idea, stating that children are more prone to car accidents especially while their parents are busy loading or unloading things from their vehicles.

Just a normal parking space. Source: Shutterstock.net​

“Children are more at risk of being involved in a crash due to their unpredictability around cars and they can also be hard for other drivers to see so ensuring convenient parking close to entrances is available for parents with young children is really important.” Vlahomitros said.

What do you think? Do you think we should start integrating the use of pram bays into our legal system? Or is it okay for parents to use them as long as they do it to get back to their kids in a hurry? Tell us what you think by commenting below!

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Check out this youtube video from pediatrician Dr Gülnihal Sarman, explaining why our little ones are more prone to accidents than anyone else:

Video Credit: Pediatrician to Parents​

 

[DrChip]

Pram bays are designed for use by people with prams. If you don't have a pram don't park there. No excuse.So they sit there empty, while older peoe

 

[DrChip]

Great, the bays sit there empty, making older people having to walk further so that an able-bodied privileged person can't work out how to unload the pram and kids safely as I had to. Horse feathers!

 

[Ezzy]

I must admit that I am an oldie and when my children were young there was no such thing as pram parking.

I must admit I am an oldie and we had no such thing as pram parking. You parked the car, got the kids out one by one making sure they stood still and did as they were told, then into the supermarket. On the way back, kids were first into the car strapped in and then the shopping went in. With a little discipline this can be achieved quite easily. I also admit that I will park in the pram bays every time they are available. It is a courtesy only, there is no legislation on it. Get over yourselves

I am an oldie too & l remember shopping centre car parks were smaller areas & therefore less cars & less traffic on the road in general. These were easier to navigate & we didn't need these special bays & l felt people were more considerate of each other. As able bodied shoppers now go around these areas looking for a bay as close to the store as possible because they don't want to walk too far their concentration can be off the driving & may not see danger. Many drivers do not adhere to the low speed limits here & any child who appears to be under an adult's care, in an excited situation may bolt between parked cars &.......! Courtesy bays or not & whether they were available when we were younger or not, they are provided for a purpose & for a certain group of people so let us leave them for those groups. Folks, times are a-changing whether we like this or not.

 

[DrChip]

I am an oldie too & l remember shopping centre car parks were smaller areas & therefore less cars & less traffic on the road in general. These were easier to navigate & we didn't need these special bays & l felt people were more considerate of each other. As able bodied shoppers now go around these areas looking for a bay as close to the store as possible because they don't want to walk too far their concentration can be off the driving & may not see danger. Many drivers do not adhere to the low speed limits here & any child who appears to be under an adult's care, in an excited situation may bolt between parked cars &.......! Courtesy bays or not & whether they were available when we were younger or not, they are provided for a purpose & for a certain group of people so let us leave them for those groups. Folks, times are a-changing whether we like this or not.

As already said, get over it, as you said they are a courtesy bay, Not the rule, nothing saying others can't use them

 

[Ezzy]

As already said, get over it, as you said they are a courtesy bay, Not the rule, nothing saying others can't use them

No less than l expected to hear!,

Comes down to being considerate to those who need these bays more than those who can't be bothered walking a few more metres. I have 2 legs & a heartbeat & don't mind walking a bit further to get to a shop entrance!

 

[Defiant540]

I feel the action of people using these bays when they are obviously not entitled to do so is contemptuous.
To say this practice is acceptable is like saying people without an Acrod Permit can use an Acrod Bay at the exclusion of someone who does have a Permit & needs that bay themselves. Shopping centres normally don't allow enough of either of these types of bays. Is this because they are wider than the norm & mean less parking bays overall?
To use these bays when one is not entitled to is also laziness.
How old are the children at home? Are they unattended? Isn't there a law which states that children under a certain age are not to be left at home alone? Don't use children at home as an excuse & don't say everybody does it.

what is Acrod please?

 

[Ricci]

what is Acrod please?

Disabled parking permit

 

[Defiant540]

Disabled parking permit

ok but what does it MEAN???

 

[Ricci]

ok but what does it MEAN???

Australian Council for Rehabilitation Of Disabled