TO the people without children who continually park in parent-and-child spaces, let me to explain a few things. We do not require these spaces because we are lazy and cannot be bothered to walk very far to the shop (although you clearly are).

We require these spaces for the following reasons: 1. To stop our toddlers damaging the car next to ours when they accidentally push the car door open while climbing into their car seat; 2. So we have enough room at the side of the car to be able to do our children’s seat belts up as dictated by law and to prevent them from flying around in the back of the car when we start driving; 3. So that we can open the car door wide enough to take out or put in a baby in a car seat, again mandated by law. And again, we would like to do this without damaging the car next to us; 4. So that we are located near trolley bays, pavements and walkways that lead us to our desired venue, rather than having to navigate toddlers who are yet to learn road sense across a busy and therefore dangerous car park.

We do not care if these wider spaces are at the back of the car park. We do not care if we have to walk an extra few yards — even in the rain.

It is all about the space around our car so that we can get our children in and out of the car safely and without damaging the vehicles around us.

Please take this on board next time you casually park in a space that you should not be in.

Name and address supplied