Photo of 'malicious' pram parking act sparks heated debate
By Naomi White|
I?t's a debate that's as old as the signage itself: pram parking.
Few issues are so hotly contested as those designated car park spots near the entrance to shopping centres.
Those against claim it's a show of entitlement, of kids and parents (let's face it: mums, since they seem to bare the backlash brunt here) being 'too precious' to walk far.
Those with kids argue it's a safety issue, that pushing a pram through often rabbit warren-like car park?s is risky.
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Neither recognise one of the biggest issues: pram parks are, for the most part, larger parking spots, which if you've never had the joy of having to wrestle a child into a car seat, may not seem important.
But it only takes one time of being left with a pram, a child and no room to open the door, let alone to lift said child through the opening and into their carseat seat, for you to be seriously and forever irked by unencumbered adults nabbing these spots.?
Statistics from AAMI released last year show that from December, 2021 to November, 2022 they had more than 21,000 insurance claims from carparks across Australia.
The leading cause? Car door dings. You know, accidentally scraping the door of the car next to you. The very thing these spots help to reduce by providing more room.
Yet despite serving two important functions, many people still decry these spots. I had a former colleague once who took great delight in parking in these spots when shopping solo - just for kicks. And he's not alone in this thinking.
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A photo recently making the rounds on Reddit, shows a motorcycle brazenly taking up a spot in a Sydney car park.
The comment section was a hotbed of disdain for parents and children, or anger at the parents' request for trying to keep others' cars scratch free and their kids safer. ?
"It's a pram spot, not a wheelchair-accessible spot. The pram spots are recommendations, not legally enforceable," said one person.
"Tell me again how you're selfish and have no empathy for others," commented another.
"I hate these spots. Prams have wheels," argued a third. Or this delightful comment: "Why should you get priority parking just because you decided to raw dog your Mrs?"?
?Many parents in the comments also pointed out they would happily park further from the entrance if they were easily able to get their pram/child back in and out of the car.
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" ...these spots are meant to be slightly bigger to be able to get babies and prams out without hitting other cars," argued one.
"?I really appreciate the pram spots. I've had situations where I've parked in a regular spot and returned to someone parked right on the line so I can't get the door open enough to get my baby in his car seat. Always end up having to go back into the shops and walk around for another hour before trying to leave again," agreed another.
While others had more impassioned pleas.
"Why do so many people here care soooo much about people with babies having a safer and more accessible car spot? Why does it make you so mad? Why does having a car spot slightly further away inconvenience you so badly?," they asked.
"I don't care if someone parks in the pram spot when there's no other spots left but seems like so many of you are doing it maliciously."
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While one woman, who had a toddler and was pregnant with twins, said it was impossible for her to use standard-sized spots. ?
"We bought a van with sliding doors for the rear seats but that doesn't help me get myself in, so I usually just try to park far away from other cars because the pram spots here are always taken by midlife crisis Ferraris. I still get trapped by other cars. I've had to crawl into the car through the boot to get home," she said.
And while this debate only took in parents vs non-parents, there is also the debate about whether these are pram-specific spots.
I was once accosted by a mum while walking from a spot with my then two-year-old because I was sans pram.
Toddlers aren't easy, and not all will go in the pram. I'd argue returning with shopping bags and a tiny, highly unpredictable person with zero safety awareness should signal at least equal legitimacy.
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I can only guess she's changed her stance since her baby has reached toddler-ood in the two years since.
But according to the NRMA two thirds of people believe that parents shouldn't park in these if their child isn't using a pram. A further 16 per cent said they should cease when their child is ?no longer in a car sear, 10 per cent felt the cut-off should be primary school aged kids.
Most parents too would feel there is an age limit on their use, but can we not agree that until kids have a sense of road safety, they too deserve access to a safer option??
But to the wider issue. Kids exist. Parents exist. Can we please just take these spots as they're intended: an easier, safer way to use car parks, for both our kids, and your cars.
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