So I was at the grocery store on my lunch today, and I got an awesome parking spot right next to the "Reserved for Expectant mothers and mothers of little ones" parking spot. I still don't feel like I should park there, even though I'm 5 months along. When did you start using those fancy parking spaces?
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My mom and I had this discussion when I was three months along. i figure come Christmas when I'm seven monhs along would be a good time to start. Imagine lugging all those shopping bags out of the mall.
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errr...I parked there before I was pregnant.
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I started parking there when it showed I was clearly pregnant so at about 6 months.
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@Mrs. D - yeah, I think when I'm visibly pregnant (right now I think I still just look tubby!) or it's miserable weather out I'll use them, but I just feel to normal right now to take that spot away from someone with a little one who needs to get them out of the cold quickly.
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@Pipers Mommy: You didn't! that's almost as bad as parking in a handicapped spot.
I once saw a 20 something year old guy jump into an empty car and after he drove away, I noticed it was a pink spot. Now that bugs me. -
It doesn't say "reserved for super preggo people only. " you u have a baby in your belly, you can park there. Take advantage!
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@artbee: Haha I think that's kinda going against the spirit of the idea!
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I did as soon as I found out I was pregnant. For me it wasn't that I couldn't park further away - I was just so excited that I was preggers and could park there
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@Mrs. D: Yup, I have. We only have them at one supermarket (and I think it has a total of 2 spaces with the courtesy parking spots)- aside from BRU and buy, buy baby -and I wouldn't have done it there. I've never seen them anywhere else, and didn't even know they are called 'pink spots'.
Karma got me back- there were plenty of days where I wasn't offered a seat on the subway and clearly pregnant- and stood for 45+ minute commute. Lesson Learned
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I dont mind parking further away in regular spots,, it gives me a chance to walk a little more which is good exercise for me. I think I'll only use the pink spots when I'm very heavy pregnant or once the baby arrives and I have to deal with strollers and such.
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I have never heard of pink spots before. Would a father of a little one be able to use one of these spots?
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I never used them. I just didn't feel it was necessary when they were available.
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I've never seen them before, except at BRU.
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@MrBee - I call them the pink spots because (at least around here) they are painted in Pink, they are right next to the reserved parking for people with wheelchairs/special needs that are painted blue. I've definetely seen them used by men who are trying to wrangle kids in and out of the car to get them into the mall or grocery store.
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Ours are pink in most places, and have stork painted in the middle, some are just a stork.
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The Best Buy in our town has them too - their sign says for "New and Expectant Parents" so I'm sure daddies are welcome to them too!
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I've never seen pink parking spots before!
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Never seen these before. One time when I was pregnant I was offered a seat on a train. I can't even remember if I took it now and that wasn't that long ago,
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I dont think there are any of those in San Diego, California unless youre at the parking lot of a babies r' us!
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I've never seen one!
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@JustlikeHeaven: they have some at north county mall if you're ever up in that area! near the main entrance kind of near where nordstrom used to be. I kind of think they have some at UTC also but I'm not positive. when i'm pregnant and showing i'm def gonna use those spots just cause i can!
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I usually don't use them because I prefer to walk farther, but if it's rainy or really bad weather I will totally use them!
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@mrbee: I feel like just because we're not showing a lot yet doesn't mean we're not exhausted, achey, etc. And if. I need need a close parking spot so I can run to the bathroom and puke I should have it! Reguardless of belly size.
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Wow! We need pink spots where I live! It'd be amazing not to have to lug my fat self, and a cart full of groceries across a snowy parking lot in the freezing cold this winter! That's difficult enough not pregnant! I think I've seen ONE at our Dollar Tree, maybe?
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We have them all over, but I have yet to use one, I am only 15 weeks though. The only time I might consider it is when it is really cold and slippery and I am really getting big this winter. I want people to be able to look at me and know for sure that I am not a dirty spot scammer!
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We don't have those here! Sure would be nice for moms and preggos when it's 20 below though!
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We only have one store that has those, and I don't shop there! I wouldn't use them though because I am the kind of person who just takes a parking spot and walks. A little air and walk never hurt
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I never used them because I was trying to walk a lot while pregnant, or my husband was driving me and I didn't have to lug anything out to the car. I tend to save those spots for the frazzled mommas with teeny infants or the ones trying to wrangle their young kids while pregnant. Although who knows, the pregnancy I may indulge more :0)
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Where I live, there are women's parking spots. I don't normally drive, so I never used them.
We've used family parking once at IKEA, when our son was tiny!
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I don't really see them anywhere except the supermarket and they are always occupied. I think they were free ONE time and my DH used it with the LO.
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@JustlikeHeaven: There is! At UTC, near the side entrance. I think I've seen them at a few Wal-Marts too.
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We don't have these in Japan. I didn't know they had these in the states either. I'll have to look next time I go back to visit.
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I have no idea what these are but I would probably be pretty ticked off if I saw some able-bodies, not visibly pregnant person parking there. That being said, I am a total handicapped parking nazi who looks for that hc sign every time I see a car in the hc spot.
To respond to Mr Bee - I'm not sure how I feel about men using those spots but they are supposed to be for people with young children, as well, right? So if I saw a man parking there and then he comes out toting an infant and a young toddler? I'd probably give him props for using the spot to his advantage...especially if he made himself look pitiful and frazzled. Haha!
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haha not sure where you shop, but haven't seen those signs yet.
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I had a FB convo about these spots the other day. A guy chimed in and said that they were ridiculous and offensive to women and some business about how pregnancy isn't a disability and that it's the equivalent of having "fat people" parking spaces. He said something to the effect of "if women are so hampered by their pregnancy that they can't park in a regular space, they should apply for handicapped parking approval". After I read it, my head exploded at the stupidity of his statement and I ranted to my husband for a while before deciding that it wasn't worth responding to some idiot friend of a friend
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@MegWag: wow... why is he even comparing pregancy to overweight people? I guess in his mind, pregnant women are just fat?!
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I think he thought, in some bizarre way, that he was being all open-minded and pro-woman. He was not. Grrrr.
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@MegWag: Considering pregnant women are discouraged from heavy exercise, sports, or high-impact activities, in a sense I would say we were all "handicapped"! I used it from the first trimester on (though they're "stork spaces" here, since they all have storks on them for expectant mothers) because the fatigue hit me so hard. It was tough enough to drum up the energy to go to the grocery store, I was so happy to be able to park a little closer. Of course, once I was a beheamoth, it also made it easier for the cart fellas to drive the cart to my car and unload it for me. We still have grocers in our town that do that, and I loved it! No stressing over cases of water or big bags of dog food
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@KillerB Right?! I found myself rolling my eyes and thinking that this man obviously has no idea what a woman's body goes through with pregnancy. Even just the mechanics of having more space to open the door to get that big belly out of the car is helpful!
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42 comments