"People with prams need those spots!" Mum posts about a local pram parking incident.

Would you say something if you saw a person without a child park their car in a pram spot? Pram spots are usually offered in car parks as a ‘suggestion’, or policy – not the law – so if someone without children parks in one, should they be confronted about the error of their ways?

This was a question that a member of Mamamia‘s parenting Facebook group Mamamia Parents asked, and was previously discussed on an episode of the This Glorious Mess Podcast.

The member wrote:

“OK, so I just parked in a pram spot at my local shopping centre. A van pulled in next to me (also a pram spot) that had a baby seat in it. However, two guys got out of the car (no baby in the car) and left.

“They obviously used the spot to park the car, and at first I was annoyed – people with prams really need those spots! But then I thought, what if they were picking up kids? Would you have said something?”

LISTEN: TGM discusses whether you should confront someone who’s parked in a pram spot without a child. Post continues after.

TGM host Andrew Daddo had a fairly direct response: “She’s answered her own question, they could have been picking up a child.” He also made the point that it’s our duty to support people who need it in our community, and not make things harder for them.

Many members of the Mamamia Parents group also agreed that they would not confront a driver.

Kylie said, “I wouldn’t have said anything. While these spots are convenient, with a pram it’s not like you really need a closer spot than anyone else. If anything, parents with toddlers or pregnant women should get priority over closer spaces, beyond the necessary disability ones.”

Claire agreed, whilst noting that pram parks often are wider spaces, which is convenient for getting kids in and out without damaging other vehicles – but are not a right.

Jodie described the consensus of the group perfectly when she observed, “We are not the moral police and there could be a billion reasons why they have parked there.”

LISTEN: Zoe Marshall and Sean Szeps talk about trying for a baby on The Baby Bubble podcast. Post continues after. 

But some members felt very strongly about saying something to drivers who disrespect the availability of the convenience of pram parks.

Fiona said, “The righteous a**holes obviously don’t get blasted enough.”

Another member agreed, saying, “I see this all the time and I ALWAYS say something! It drives me crazy! I politely ask “Do you realise this is a pram park?” Then when the inevitability say yes I reply with, “Oh so your just a sh*t person”.”

Bec suggested a different approach: “Once I was with a friend and a tradie parked in the pram spot beside us. We made a joke of it and called out to him “Oi! You forgot your baby!!!!” He gave us a laugh and we made a joke about the pram pushers coming after him.”

There’s another argument to consider: Is it worth saying anything at all, to someone who obviously isn’t too concerned with ‘the rules’?

The final word went to TGM host Holly Wainwright, who said, “In this particular instance, I would not have said anything – I would have done exactly what you did and judge them on Facebook.”

What would you do if you saw a non-parent parking in a pram spot? Tell us in the comments section below.