A heavily pregnant woman has divided Aussies after asking for advice about ‘parents with prams’ parking spots.
Melbourne model Jess King, who is 34 weeks pregnant, ventured to the local shops on the weekend and parked her car in a standard parking bay.
When the 34-year-old returned, she was unable to get into her car because the vehicle next to her was parked so close that Ms King was unable to open her driver’s door wide enough to squeeze in.
Ms King shared her predicament in a video on TikTok seeking advice.
‘I wanted to get everyone’s opinion, do you think pregnant ladies should be able to park in the mothers with prams park?’ Ms King said.
‘I just got locked out of my car for a full hour because the parks here are so small and the person next to me parked so close to me I literally could not get in.
‘I just waited by the car and then they got into the car there was no apology, which is fine because it’s not their fault that my body is the way it is right now.’
Ms King called for concessions and assistance for other pregnant women in the same boat.
Melbourne woman Jess King, who is 34 weeks pregnant, was locked out of her car for more than an hour after parking in a regular car space
‘Can I park in those car parks? It’s getting to the point where I can hardly get through the door,’ she said.
The mum-to-be noticed ‘inconsistencies’ with the parking bays with some inclusive of pregnant woman while others are exclusively marked with pram symbols.
She does not see herself parking in the spots for the remainder of her pregnancy in the risk of upsetting or inconveniencing a stranger.
Ms King’s video divided viewers.
Many believed Ms King was entitled to park in a parents with prams spot, arguing that she needed the wider space for accessibility.
‘Bestie, you actually need the wide park, take it,’ one commented.
Another added: ‘Yes park there why is there even an argument about it, we need space too especially the further we get along.’
A third chimed in: ‘Yes definitely. I needed that spot way more as a heavily pregnant lady than I do now with bub. I was so big and in pain so couldn’t walk far but was too scared to use it.’
Ms King, asked social media users whether heavily pregnant women should be allowed to use the ‘parents with prams’ designated parking bays as she felt the space in regular spots were too tight for expectant mothers
A fourth added: ‘If a pregnant person was struggling to walk, etc then of course there should be no problems parking there. It’s when people just park in these spaces because of pure laziness. That’s what bugs me!’.
But not everyone agreed.
‘As a pregnant girl.. I’m going to say no, because I’ve watched parents with prams use those spots and even then it resembles a game of Tetris,’ one wrote.
A second added: ‘Yeah, no, sorry I don’t. 37 weeks pregnant and it’s certainly a struggle but nowhere near as bad as juggling a baby, a toddler and a pram.
‘If pregnant women take the spots then mothers have to try and fit into the spot you could get into. Imagine being stuck with a hungry baby and a screaming toddler.’
Parents with prams car parking bays are managed by the owners of the property.
The spaces are bigger than regular parking spots to give parents more room to manage prams and infants.
The spots are usually located closer to shopping centre entrances to help reduce the walking distance in high traffic areas.
Parents with prams spaces are parking spaces provided by the owners of the property and are not legally enforceable
While carpark management may ask a person without a pram or an infant to vacant the space, the parking bay is not enforceable by law, according to the NRMA.
‘Legally there is nothing to prevent a person without a pram, or infant, parking in a pram spot,’ NRMA said.
‘It is at the management’s discretion how they choose to enforce parent parking rules… these spots are provided courtesy of the owners of the property to help customers who are generally regarded as less mobile.
‘The right thing to do comes down to common courtesy. We all have a part to play in keeping roads and car parks safe and fair. It is reasonable that parents with children, as well as senior drivers, need ease of access more than regular drivers.
‘It boils down to respect for others and basic civic duty.’
