Can I park in the ‘parents’ spot? Mum sparks heated debate over confusing parking etiquette

Of all the spaces in a car park, some are very clearly for a select few users — and those who bend or break the rules of carpark etiquette are the menaces to society.

Some more than others, like the brave drivers who think they can fit an SUV into a spot marked for “SMALL CAR ONLY” are nuisances. Or those who park their petrol-powered car in an EV charging spot? Deranged.

Worst of all are those who needlessly take spaces designated for drivers and passengers with disabilities (straight to jail). Or completely disregard the marked parking spaces at all.

But what about spaces for “parents”?

A mum has sparked a spirited debate after taking her concerns around parents’ parking spaces to social media this week.

Katie, a doctor and mum from the UK posed the question “what is the etiquette with this parking space”, showing a carpark with a red and white symbol of a pram painted on the spot.

“So clearly, these parking spots are for people with prams,” she said.

“But, what if you have a child that is definitely still young enough to still need a pram, but you don’t always use a pram?

“For example, you would really benefit from having the extra space to open your car doors to get a baby or a very small toddler into their car seat without whacking into the car next to you, but you’re technically not using a pram.

“Can you park in those spots, or do you have to just go and find a normal spot?”

Katie asked whether there were any hard and fast rules around who can park in the spots, given she had seen almost every kind of driver —even those with ”with no prams, no children, no car seats” — parking there.

Her questions sparked a flurry of comments from commenters around the world.

The general consensus, however, was that the parking spots were free for any parent who needs them — including pregnant women and parents of older children who may benefit from the extra space for other reasons.

One commenter said they thought the pram was “juut a symbol for ‘people with little kids’” like the blue wheelchair symbol to signify a parking space for people with disabilities.

“Like the wheelchair symbol is for various disabilities, not just specifically in a wheelchair,” they wrote.

Some said it didn’t matter if a driver didn’t use a pram: “I call it parents parking.”

“If you have a child with you then you’re totally entitled to use it!”

“Personally I only use the pram parks if I’m getting the pram out,” another wrote.

“I get needing the extra space to open doors... but the person missing out on that park who is using a pram that day is (in) a harder situation.”

Others said the car parks were “for anyone” especially given “there is no law against anybody parking there”.

This much is true. While the spots are demarcated as being for parents (or, even more specifically, parents with prams), the rule is not enforced by law.

As one commenter put it, “But they’re just courtesy parking so really anyone can park there.”

Whether or not you park there, it gave this mum pause to use the spots.

“I honestly felt guilty using these spots when I didn’t actually use my pram,” Katie replied.

“I will definitely be using them more now.”