For people living with disabilities, mobility problems, or phobias, doing a task as simple as grocery shopping can be daunting.

That’s why it’s all the more important that public spaces, such as shopping centres, supermarkets and restaurants, have designated parking spaces in convenient locations.

Not only should these spaces allow ample room for disabled people to get around their vehicles safely, but they need to also give them enough space to take out and prepare any mobility equipment they need to use.

These spaces should also be a lot closer to the entrance of the building to give the disabled person a shorter distance to travel from their vehicle to their destination.

Thankfully, most major supermarkets in Australia already have these designated parking spaces, making it easier for all Aussies to do their weekly shops.

However, it seems like these spaces are not always put to good use.

The designated parking spaces for people with disabilities are filled with trolleys. Credit: Facebook.​

Sharing on Facebook, one Coles customer aired out her frustrations over a years-long problem at her local supermarket.

“This has been happening for over five years and nothing has changed,” said the woman, revealing that the staffers at her local Coles have been consistently using the disability parking spots outside the store as a dumping ground for trolleys.

The woman has a disability parking permit but is obviously unable to park in the allocated spots, which means she has to opt for a farther and more inconvenient parking space just to get to the store.

She shared several photos on social media, showing a string of more than twenty Coles trolleys stretching over two parking bays reserved for shoppers with a disability.

“I am so sick and tired of being disrespected,” she cried out, saying that she’s worn out from being in a “constant battle” with the store management just to get a disability parking spot.

“Every time I complain, the manager promises it will never happen again. What a joke.”

Even though the woman was extremely annoyed at how the management at Coles South Hedland was organising their trolleys, she did not blame fellow shoppers who left their trolleys in disability bays.

She reasoned that they only leave their trolleys there because “that’s where the trolley guys stack them”.

“Yesterday they blocked off two of the parking bays, which is what set me off. I was with friends, all three of us have disability permits,” she added.

“The areas with yellow lines are there so people with disabilities have room to exit their cars, to use their wheelchairs if they have one. They’re not for trolleys.”

“It’s just disrespectful, and I want to see the situation changed.”

According to a recently released statement from a Coles spokesperson, the parking issue has since been resolved.

The higher-ups have already spoken to the trolley collectors at South Hedland and they are now making sure the correct procedures are followed moving forward.

Have you ever experienced something like this, members?

 

[JayKay]

I have a mobility disability, and require 2 elbow crutches to be able to walk around.
To be able to get into and out of a car, the door needs to be open fully. I require a wide parking bay, thus the necessity for a blue Parking Permit.
Unfortunately, some people assume they can park their trolleys in those designated spots, not considering the folk who really need them to carry out the arduous tasks of daily living.
I would like to think that people would be considerate, but NO.....so many, too many, are not.

 

[DrChip]

Shopper with disability calls out Coles over “disrespectful” trolley act​

For people living with disabilities, mobility problems, or phobias, doing a task as simple as grocery shopping can be daunting.

That’s why it’s all the more important that public spaces, such as shopping centres, supermarkets and restaurants, have designated parking spaces in convenient locations.

Not only should these spaces allow ample room for disabled people to get around their vehicles safely, but they need to also give them enough space to take out and prepare any mobility equipment they need to use.

​

These spaces should also be a lot closer to the entrance of the building to give the disabled person a shorter distance to travel from their vehicle to their destination.

Thankfully, most major supermarkets in Australia already have these designated parking spaces, making it easier for all Aussies to do their weekly shops.

However, it seems like these spaces are not always put to good use.

The designated parking spaces for people with disabilities are filled with trolleys. Credit: Facebook.​

Sharing on Facebook, one Coles customer aired out her frustrations over a years-long problem at her local supermarket.

“This has been happening for over five years and nothing has changed,” said the woman, revealing that the staffers at her local Coles have been consistently using the disability parking spots outside the store as a dumping ground for trolleys.

The woman has a disability parking permit but is obviously unable to park in the allocated spots, which means she has to opt for a farther and more inconvenient parking space just to get to the store.

She shared several photos on social media, showing a string of more than twenty Coles trolleys stretching over two parking bays reserved for shoppers with a disability.

“I am so sick and tired of being disrespected,” she cried out, saying that she’s worn out from being in a “constant battle” with the store management just to get a disability parking spot.

“Every time I complain, the manager promises it will never happen again. What a joke.”

​

Even though the woman was extremely annoyed at how the management at Coles South Hedland was organising their trolleys, she did not blame fellow shoppers who left their trolleys in disability bays.

She reasoned that they only leave their trolleys there because “that’s where the trolley guys stack them”.

“Yesterday they blocked off two of the parking bays, which is what set me off. I was with friends, all three of us have disability permits,” she added.

“The areas with yellow lines are there so people with disabilities have room to exit their cars, to use their wheelchairs if they have one. They’re not for trolleys.”

“It’s just disrespectful, and I want to see the situation changed.”

​

According to a recently released statement from a Coles spokesperson, the parking issue has since been resolved.

The higher-ups have already spoken to the trolley collectors at South Hedland and they are now making sure the correct procedures are followed moving forward.

Have you ever experienced something like this, members?

Sorry but this should not have happen in the first place, I ride a bike every morning and find cars parked over night on the foot path blocking anyone in a wheelchair or gopher. What is the matter with these people they honestly can't be that ignorant ?

 

[Glo72]

I have never had workers park trolleys in disabled parking spaces but I have seen able bodied people leave their trolley there.

 

[Ricci]

I have a disabled sticker on my car and a mobility scooter in the boot. I need plenty of space to be able to maneuver. I try to go to the shops outside of the busy times so that I'm not inconveniencing others. The disabled bays are often filled (there are never enough of them) and the dirty looks I've had for using the parents with prams bays, (the only other alternative with larger bays). The last resort is to park way out in the boondocks and hope another car doesn't park next to me. Going to the shops can be a logistical nightmare and is the reason I don't go often.

 

[Kimrus]

I hate the fact that there is never enough of these parking bays. Seniors should also have bays designated closer to the entrance of shops, drivers with babies should have their parking bays further away and how about those persons who have vehicles suv and 4wd’s be designated parking bays further away. These persons couldn’t care less whether you have a small vehicle and can’t see what is coming when you reverse, thus causing lots of car park accidents. Come on guys use rational when designing these car parks please

 

[JustPat]

Yes I too have an ACROD but I usually find it is customers who have left the trolleys in the bays not the collectors. Another consideration needed is if the collection of trolleys is done by the supermarket (or supermarkets if there is more than one within the shopping centre - the one I go to has Coles, Woolworths and Aldi's), or the shopping centre management (part of the supermarkets lease normally) or if a company is hired to specifically collect the trolleys and they could be hired by the shopping centre or the supermarket therefore sometimes it all gets lost in the chain of command but unfortunately it makes it no less frustrating for the disabled.

 

[DrChip]

I have a disabled sticker on my car and a mobility scooter in the boot. I need plenty of space to be able to maneuver. I try to go to the shops outside of the busy times so that I'm not inconveniencing others. The disabled bays are often filled (there are never enough of them) and the dirty looks I've had for using the parents with prams bays, (the only other alternative with larger bays). The last resort is to park way out in the boondocks and hope another car doesn't park next to me. Going to the shops can be a logistical nightmare and is the reason I don't go often.

I would not worry Ricci, I was a widower, totally on my own with two little boys under two, never had the convenience of "pram bays" and survived. Now if one is available I use it, I don't ever use a disabled bay, but now being I'm 74 damned if I am going to walk half way across the car parking lot when the pram bays are sitting empty, they can do what I had to do and park a little further away. There is no law regarding pram bays, so if the car park is full and they are empty use it.

 

[JayKay]

When I became a Grandma, I asked for a sticker to park in the pram bays at the local Westfield shopping centre.
I was told they don't have stickers, that parking in the pram bays is on an honour system.
I've never used one, but would if I couldn't get a disabled park.

 

[Defiant540]

I have a disabled sticker on my car and a mobility scooter in the boot. I need plenty of space to be able to maneuver. I try to go to the shops outside of the busy times so that I'm not inconveniencing others. The disabled bays are often filled (there are never enough of them) and the dirty looks I've had for using the parents with prams bays, (the only other alternative with larger bays). The last resort is to park way out in the boondocks and hope another car doesn't park next to me. Going to the shops can be a logistical nightmare and is the reason I don't go often.

shop online maybe?

 

[Ricci]

shop online maybe?

I do do almost all of my shopping online but sometimes it's good to just browse or shop at places where there is not an online presence eg. Aldi

 

[DrChip]

shop online maybe?

That doesn't repair the problem, it just goes around it and allows these idiots to continue their bad behaviour.

 

[Julie1]

The supermarket company in South Hedland should be fined like an individual would be but a higher dollar amount. Then things might change.

 

[harmonymatters]

I have a disabled sticker on my car and a mobility scooter in the boot. I need plenty of space to be able to maneuver. I try to go to the shops outside of the busy times so that I'm not inconveniencing others. The disabled bays are often filled (there are never enough of them) and the dirty looks I've had for using the parents with prams bays, (the only other alternative with larger bays). The last resort is to park way out in the boondocks and hope another car doesn't park next to me. Going to the shops can be a logistical nightmare and is the reason I don't go often.

I agree, I used a pram space on Bribie the other day as the disabled spaces (minimal) were full. It was actually good as they were closer to the door for me. Me thunks these parking spaces should be reversed so we don’t have to walk as far. And they have more of them to ours! Go figure.

 

[Tamaya]

I fully respect people with special needs and there should be spaces for them (or their carer with them) to park the car. These spaces should be without any obstruction. People with physical disabilities who find it hard to move about deserve our full cooperation. These car parking spaces are specially created for them, period. Not for any trolleys like in the picture, or like I saw the other day, being used by a mother because she was carrying her baby with her. This is not an excuse.

 

[Sloopy]

shop online maybe?

Great attitude, thanks! In case you're not aware, not everyone has that option. No such thing as delivery in many rural areas, and when you have driven 35km to the nearest supermarket and cannot get appropriate parking it is extremely frustrating. I need to be able to open my door fully to exit/enter my vehicle, which is not possible in regular parking bays.

 

[Defiant540]

Great attitude, thanks! In case you're not aware, not everyone has that option. No such thing as delivery in many rural areas, and when you have driven 35km to the nearest supermarket and cannot get appropriate parking it is extremely frustrating. I need to be able to open my door fully to exit/enter my vehicle, which is not possible in regular parking bays.

it was just a suggestion, no need to get hot under the collar about it