Topic ID 1031
Hertford tescos have a large container in their carpark. And the most local place they could put it ..... over the parent and child spaces!!! And what makes it more annoying is people park in the few parent and child spaces when they have no children in the car [:(!]
Reply ID 11514
That'll be to keep their excess Christmas stock in. Think maybe the people who park in the parent & child spaces are those that are trying to protect their car paintwork from those around them .... invariably kiddies trying to get out of cars in standard, narrow slots! Have car doors grown or are people just less considerate all round? eg. P&C slots used by all, disabled slots used by all, paintwork bashing etc.
Reply ID 11526
I think people should lay off Tesco, at least they have parent and baby parking, and you can actually get a puschair through the front door. I am more furious at all ye olde shoppes in Hertford that have unnecessary steps etc that make it impossible to go in with a pushchair. Boots opticians have really heavy doors that are impossible to open and wheel a pushchair through at the same time, and the automatic door button doesn't work. Also, local buses - for those of us who haven't got the luxury of having a car to park in the mother and baby parking space in the first place - are often inaccessible, or their floor lowering mechanisms don't work. All in all, Hertford is a bad place to go shopping if you have a baby in tow, or if you are disabled. Going back to Tesco, although people moan that big supermarkets erode the character of local shops etc, at least they have adapted to the needs of modern society. People often need to shop at odd hours, rather than during 9-5, as people work longer hours now and commute long distances (and because of house prices there is often not a choice in this matter). If I had to rely on local small traders, me and my family would have starved by now - even Waitrose close ridiculously early. weasel
Reply ID 11533
Possum how long have you lived in Hertford? Are you one of the lucky people to have actually been born in Hertford that can actually afford to live here? If not you would realise that Hertford is a "VERY OLD HISTORIC TOWN THAT PEOPLE HAVE SHOPPED IN FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS INCLUDING ALL AND SUNDRY WHO HAVE BEEN BORN HERE. HOW WILL ALL OF THE LISTED BUILDINGS IN OUR TOWN CHANGE FOR YOU WHEN WE HAVE ALL HAVE KIDS AND SHOPPED IN HERTFORD. INCLUDING MY MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER? Note from Admin: Using all capital letters gives the impression of shouting and shouting comes across as aggressive.
Reply ID 11534
quote:Do they? I thought they closed at 5:30pm like most other shops.
Originally posted by possum
...even Waitrose close ridiculously early. weasel
quote:A private jet is "a luxury". Having a car is commonplace.
Originally posted by possum
...the luxury of having a car
Reply ID 11536
I think Possum raised several valid points: 'unnecessary steps', 'really heavy doors that are impossible to open and wheel a pushchair through at the same time' and 'Hertford is a bad place to go shopping if you have a baby in tow, or if you are disabled.' I think Shamber was being overly sensitive to criticism of our beloved Hertford and Steve insensitive to the non-car owning residents of Hertford. As for Waitrose's closing time, these hours reflect the old situation of the 1960s when one member of the family was usually able to shop for foodstuffs during the 9 to 5 working day. Now in 2005 most families cannot shop during these hours which I think justifies possoms assertion that Waitrose closes 'ridiculously early'.
Reply ID 11537
If Waitrose opened later I would shop there more often in the evenings.
Reply ID 11538
Does Waitrose shutting early have something to do with the fact its in Birchley Green as they close the gaes in the evening and on Sundays? Or does the one in WGC shut at 5.30 and not open Sandays?
Reply ID 11540
The one in Stevenage Old Town is open 'til 8pm most evenings.
Reply ID 11543
quote:Probably Victor. The ones at WGC, St Albans etc open till at least 7 each nite & open Sundays. That said Waitrose here open late/ 7 days over the Xmas season... And ther were rumours that they would consider later hours last year. Sorry Admin this probably should be a new Waitrose thread....
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
Does Waitrose shutting early have something to do with the fact its in Birchley Green as they close the gaes in the evening and on Sundays? Or does the one in WGC shut at 5.30 and not open Sandays?
Reply ID 11546
Possum has a good point about Boots though.
Reply ID 11624
quote:Most of Ye Olde Shoppes in Hertford are Listed Buildings and as such cannot have their entrances altered. Listed Building status also over-ride the DDA regulations requirements for building adaptations. Good manners over-ride all government rulings so you may well find that the majority of shopkeepers in town are willing to give you assistance either voluntarily or if you ask for it. After all, we value our customers highly and only revert to ogre status when we get home [}:)]
Originally posted by possum
I am more furious at all ye olde shoppes in Hertford that have unnecessary steps etc that make it impossible to go in with a pushchair.
Reply ID 11634
If you wish to discuss accessibility to shops please start a new thread. If you wish to discuss shop opening times please start a new thread. If you wish to make a comment about parent and child parking at Tesco's please continue. Your comments are important to us! [8D]
Reply ID 11635
Parent and Child spaces are a waste of time. If a grown man is with his mother then technically she is a parent and he is her child if he has had children himself then she is somebodys child and he is a parent. There are endless permutations. Although I personally think there are far too many disabled spaces as I have never witnessed them being more that a third full. I do not know how Tesco calculate how many of each space they should have or whether an overpaid Labour consultancy decides.
Reply ID 11636
quote:That really is an idiotic statement by someone that obviously never had the hassle of trying to put his child in a baby seat when someone has parked so close you need a can opener to get into your car. For your information a child is "a young human being between birth and puberty" according to the Encarta English Dictionary.
Originally posted by OldCross
Parent and Child spaces are a waste of time. If a grown man is with his mother then technically she is a parent and he is her child if he has had children himself then she is somebodys child and he is a parent. There are endless permutations. Although I personally think there are far too many disabled spaces as I have never witnessed them being more that a third full. I do not know how Tesco calculate how many of each space they should have or whether an overpaid Labour consultancy decides.
Reply ID 11637
My point made no reference to the proximity of parking spaces or to the standard of parking in the carpark itself. Perhaps all spaces should be wider to allow for poor parking and the amount of people who need 4X4's to negotiate the wilds of Bengeo - and since we are making assumptions you are probably in that category so your problem is self made.
Reply ID 11638
quote:You're joking, right? I mean, you left off a smiley face thing. Or is this a Friday afternoon, came back from the pub, posted it before I had a chance to think about it posting?
Originally posted by OldCross
Parent and Child spaces are a waste of time. If a grown man is with his mother then technically she is a parent and he is her child if he has had children himself then she is somebodys child and he is a parent. There are endless permutations. Although I personally think there are far too many disabled spaces as I have never witnessed them being more that a third full. I do not know how Tesco calculate how many of each space they should have or whether an overpaid Labour consultancy decides.
Reply ID 11641
When my kids were very small i enjoyed the benefit of the bigger spaces, but i can never understand why they need to be nearest the entrance. Once your kiddy is out of the car and in buggy / trolley etc. it's no hassle to walk a few extra meters. Most mothers are fit enough to do that whereas quite a few older folk that are not registered disabled probably struggle to push their trolley or carry a basket the extra distance. These people are the least likely to benefit from delivery service as they don't generally need enough items to make it financially worthwhile. I think Tesco should offer "Grey Spaces" near the entrance - but being the greedy folk that they are, they probably wouldn't because the grey market is not as profitable as families.
Reply ID 11642
If Tesco redesigned the car park to have wider-than-normal sapces, losing say 10-15% of current capacity would everyone be happy? I shop there a lot but I don't think I've ever seen it completely full? I am going there tonight and will give said container a wave.[:o)]
Reply ID 11645
I agree that the parent and child spaces don't need to be close to the entrance, but just need an extra space either side to squeeze the car seat back in. It is also handy having the baby-carrying trolleys abandoned near by! The worst place to park in Hertford is the multistory in Gascoyne way- the spaces are so small I reckon someone is paid to repaint the lines a few cm closer to each other every night so that they can squeeze more spaces (and therefore more money) in without anyone noticing!
Reply ID 11649
I've got to admit that small spaces drive me mad. I've got 2 children under 5 and I won't use Gascoyne way for that very reason. You physically can't get them out once in the space. I'm all for moving parent spaces away from the entrance as this would probably stop "lazy shoppers" from using them.
Reply ID 11652
I also think that "Parent & Child" is not the best name for them I have seen 60 year old woman + 40 year old daughter use them. I think that they should be "adult & toddler" and then qualified as spaces for adults with children under 5
Reply ID 11658
quote:They are - you are supposed to have a "parent and toddler" badge displayed in your windscreen if you want to use these spaces. When you go to get your badge at customer services they ask how old your child is then validate it to their 5th birthday. I don't think it's policed though.
Originally posted by jez_p I think that they should be "adult & toddler" and then qualified as spaces for adults with children under 5
Reply ID 11659
Most of Ye Olde Shoppes in Hertford are Listed Buildings and as such cannot have their entrances altered. Listed Building status also over-ride the DDA regulations requirements for building adaptations. Actually, I saw Alison Lapper on GMTV (woman with no arms and legs whose statue is now in Trafalgar Square) and she has fought on this point, and has apparently had some kind of victory in forcing a listed church to comply with DDA regulations. At first even I was angry about this - and don't get me wrong, I am very grateful that Hertford has 'character' and has old buildings - but it is possible to make small modifications like ramps that don't actually massively compromise the look of a building, but do mean that people with disabilities can access them. After all, why should only able bodied people be able to access listed buildings, surely they should be there for everyone to enjoy? weasel
Reply ID 11660
quote:But some are more difficult. How would you modify the acces to Wiggingtons?
Originally posted by possum
Most of Ye Olde Shoppes in Hertford are Listed Buildings and as such cannot have their entrances altered. Listed Building status also over-ride the DDA regulations requirements for building adaptations. Actually, I saw Alison Lapper on GMTV (woman with no arms and legs whose statue is now in Trafalgar Square) and she has fought on this point, and has apparently had some kind of victory in forcing a listed church to comply with DDA regulations. At first even I was angry about this - and don't get me wrong, I am very grateful that Hertford has 'character' and has old buildings - but it is possible to make small modifications like ramps that don't actually massively compromise the look of a building, but do mean that people with disabilities can access them. After all, why should only able bodied people be able to access listed buildings, surely they should be there for everyone to enjoy? weasel
Reply ID 11665
quote:Careful - If you take this to the logical confusion all music concerts, music recordings and radio should be banned because it is not accessible to deaf people. Or pehaps all CDs should come with the sheet music so that deaf people can imagine it. I agree that shops/businesses should make every effort to accomodate as many people as possible but some times life doesn't work like that. Lots of money is being spent on low floor Bendy Busses in London but I have never seen anybody with a wheelchair using them. If all the shops in hertford converted to full disability access how many disabled people would actually use them? From a business point of view is it worth it for just one single extra customer? I am not having a go at anybody - I am just trying to look at the issue from a different angle.
Originally posted by possum
After all, why should only able bodied people be able to access listed buildings, surely they should be there for everyone to enjoy? weasel
Reply ID 11667
Waitrose has been trading on these hours for 20 years, long before the Birchley Green gates went up. Tesco work out there percentage of disabled spaced on the offical government stats. They then place those spaces nearest the front. Is anyone actually saying they are wrong to do so?
Reply ID 11668
Bircherley, not Birchley. Nothing personal Dude, a number of people have made this mistake. [:)]
Reply ID 11683
quote:Both our cars have permits but the newly re-designed car parks just have "parent and child" spaces whereas before they had spaces for baby club members
Originally posted by nora batty
They are - you are supposed to have a "parent and toddler" badge displayed in your windscreen if you want to use these spaces. When you go to get your badge at customer services they ask how old your child is then validate it to their 5th birthday. I don't think it's policed though.
Reply ID 11696
quote:I was actually giving you one of the reasons they have Parent and child spaces. How have you come to the conclusion that I drive a 4x4?Because I have stated people are poor parkers? and that I live in Bengeo? In actual fact I drive a 4 door saloon and my wife a 2 door hatch, we both encompass the same parking problems. I might however purchase a 4x4 for my next car, just to annoy people. Parent and child spaces are there to help people with small children that want you use shop facilities. I you take the time to drive right he way around Tescos to near the entrance (as I do, when without child)you will notice that these spaces are as close as the Parent and child's. This however probably too much for most people to work out.
Originally posted by OldCross
My point made no reference to the proximity of parking spaces or to the standard of parking in the carpark itself. Perhaps all spaces should be wider to allow for poor parking and the amount of people who need 4X4's to negotiate the wilds of Bengeo - and since we are making assumptions you are probably in that category so your problem is self made.
Reply ID 12361
quote:Soory. My mistaike.....[;)]
Originally posted by Steve
Bircherley, not Birchley. Nothing personal Dude, a number of people have made this mistake. [:)]
Reply ID 23450
It's all about appeasing the most vocal group as far as I can see. Having parent and child bays means that all the other bays are harder to complain about. Both my broods have passed the toddler stage now, but the first two were raised 30 years ago. No special, elitist bays for me back then, no expectation of special treatment because I'd chosen to have children! The Gascoine Way car park gives us all a problem. I have a two door car (long doors) and so have to park it with the nose out in the traffic to even get out of it. Plainly if you have children, life is going to be more awkward in all sorts of ways. That's all part of the responsibility, which you, nobody else, took on.
Reply ID 23451
But why, if things can be made easier, should they not?? Its a bit like saying "I used to ride a bike up Port Hill with only one gear, why should people today have 18?" The basic point to this thread is that generally people today have less consideration. How many times have you cursed the person that parked so close to your driver door that you had to get in from the other side? Imagine how difficult that would be with a child seat? If you consider the ratio of P&C parking spaces to normal ones I dont see what all the fuss is about, Take the Tesco car park at Hatfield as an example.
Reply ID 23489
Let's also not forget that P&C parking helps avoid damage to other vehicles when trying to manoeveur a toddler/baby out of a car. Shunt you have already admitted to driving a large car,(previously described as an "American Truck" by others) if you have problems parking it in a car park then perhaps you should consider a more practical vehicle[;)]
Reply ID 23500
I was not referring to my work vehicle, but the little Nissan which I use for SDP (will you all shut up about the truck, already!). [:D]
Reply ID 23504
Actually you do have a valid point Shunt With all the Side Impact Protection, Airbags etc. etc. Modern cars are somewhat wider than their 1980s predecessors, but parking spaces are the same size.
Reply ID 23510
I'm not so sure of that. An Escort, Capri or Cortina had very long doors and a more prone driving position. A modern Ford Fiasco or even the Mundano have much shorter, taller doors by comparison as the occupants are sat bolt upright in order to make room for two yards of plastic dashboard and cupholders. My car is '91 and it's safety features rely on the screaming passengers, waking the driver. The spaces in some car parks are adequate to park it and in others, not. I've climbed out of the T-top before now to avoid using P&C slots.
Reply ID 23604
quote:What official government stats? The percentage of the public who are classed as disabled or the percentage of those who actually shop at Tescos? I'm sure the latter is a lot less that the former. Just as I suspect the opposite is true if you look at internet shopping. I haven;t got a problem with Tescos for offering disbaled spaces - quite the opposite. But the ratio just isn;t right and they don't seem to review it either. Neither do they enforce parking fines or clamping for people using these and Parent/Todler spaces without valid permits/badges. What's the point? If nobody enforces these laws/rules then whats the point in having them? Personally I feel there should be more Parent/Todler spaces - the amount of kids I see in Tescos comapred with the spaces - the ratio is just all wrong - but then again, who's to say the governemts are right???
Originally posted by Dude
Waitrose has been trading on these hours for 20 years, long before the Birchley Green gates went up. Tesco work out there percentage of disabled spaced on the offical government stats. They then place those spaces nearest the front. Is anyone actually saying they are wrong to do so?