You’ll find them at grocery stores, pharmacies and malls-parking spots designated for expectant mothers and women with small children. But unlike handicap spots, police can’t ticket motorists who park there.
Part-time nanny Charissa Mosora says kids come with extra baggage and the extra space between the special spots at Marsh is a big help.
“Just getting into and out of car seats sometimes can be a hassle,” Mosora said.
“Plus, he’s got little legs. He doesn’t move very fast. It’d be convenient just to be closer essentially.”
Parking spots close to the store are prime real estate and Marsh manager Rick Kemp says he sometimes catches people stealing the spots designated for moms.
“Usually a customer will come in and say they’ve seen someone get out of the car that’s obviously not a young mother and will come in and say something to us,” said Kemp.
We only saw young mothers taking advantage of the specialty spots at Marsh. But we did catch about ten people in a one-hour period parking illegally in the fire lane, and that’s been a recurring problem at Marsh.
Bloomington Police Cpt. Joe Qualters says parking enforcement in private lots is typically left to store management, but they do respond to specific complaints.
Police can issue citations for cars parked illegally in fire lanes and handicap spots, but they can’t punish motorists who park in spaces designated for mothers.
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