Disabled parking, is it fair?

Rosie51

I don't know why you've quoted Judy's post, as I read it she's against any difference of badges.

Sometimes irony is lost, when we can't see the person or hear the tone of their voice and posts can be misisunderstood.
Having worked with children on the autistic spectrum and witnessed my neighbour trying to get her teenage daughter to go anywhere, I can see why a Blue Badge would be necessary in many instances.

I am dismayed and bewildered at the predjudice shown by some postets.

Sawitch

We have a lady at our church who uses her deceased husband’s blue badge. She has no mobility issues, but gets very irate if there is no disabled parking space available when she arrives (usually late)!

Take the badge number and report her. She is committing an offence.

SheepyIzzy

Sonicbear01

When we now have people who have mental issues but are otherwise physically active, being given blue badges, it makes a mockery of the ability or otherwise to walk only a few yards. If they need a badge for mental issues, they shouldn't be driving. If they have heart issues, should they be allowed to take the wheel with the possibility of having a seizure at the wheel and endangering others?

I think the same. I also think blue badge should be mobility only. Bring on a different colour for other types. 25 years ago I worked in an office and a fellow employee insisted on parking in the disabled bay. She operated a computer, could run, fit etc, but insisted on her right to park outside the office rather than walk to the plebs car park 50 metres away. Her disability? She was deaf in both ears! Admitted she had no balance issues but because she wore hearing aids she was classed as disabled so she would use her badge!

My sister's eldest was diagnosed with aspergers long before this change came in and she used to say taking him shopping with 2 normal, was a nightmare until she thought "sod it". She got the harness and reins out, even tied him into the trolley (around 2010!) No one told her off, if anything, at least she was keeping him under control!

I know of a woman who had dementia and to be honest, you didn't want to be around her when she was parking, but unless they are caught in the act, what can you say?

There are hidden disabilities, not saying there isnt, but blue badge is not the colour for it, and not.sure if wide bay's should be either, they are wide so that those with poor mobility can have more space to get out of the car.

I should think a blue badge is a very small consolation for someone deaf in both ears, don't you. Have you ever contemplated the difficulties, frustrations and prejudice she must face in her life? Time to count your blessings me thinks.

Blue Badge abuse

This popped up on my You Tube channel. How they tackle badge abuse in Canada.

We have traffic wardens who do exactly the same thing in this country. They will even contact the badge holder and ask where they are. When the badge holder says they are at home, they confiscate the badge.
I have been asked by a traffic warden to allow him to inspect the badge and I am happy to do that.

icanhandthemback

We have traffic wardens who do exactly the same thing in this country. They will even contact the badge holder and ask where they are. When the badge holder says they are at home, they confiscate the badge.
I have been asked by a traffic warden to allow him to inspect the badge and I am happy to do that.

This is the difference isn’t it ? If a traffic warden/parking attendant or the police ask to examine your badge they are doing so because they have the authority to ensure that it’s not being misused, and you have no choice other than to comply. But even then, they are not permitted to ask any health or disability related questions. It amazes me how many members of the public seem to think that they have the right to see the badge and ask why you have it. I think the long and short of it is that if someone is parked in a disabled bay and displaying a badge, then, regardless of whether their disability is obvious or not, there is no justification for approaching them and questioning their entitlement.

Before Lockdown we had lots of traffic wardens, who enforced the scheme.
I always chatted to them, when I was parking. One kindly pointed out my badge was due to expire and asked if I had remembered to renew it.
I promptly brought out the new one.

Now the wardens are nowhere to be seen. Our town is full of people, who abuse it, especially in our local Asda, where the bays are often full of non badge users.

Pammie1, I agree. The last person who questioned me tried to deflect by saying I was "too young and pretty" to be disabled. By the time I'd finished telling him how offensive he was being, he was almost running away with his stick, back to his car with its Blue Badge!

icanhandthemback

*Pammie1*, I agree. The last person who questioned me tried to deflect by saying I was "too young and pretty" to be disabled. By the time I'd finished telling him how offensive he was being, he was almost running away with his stick, back to his car with its Blue Badge!

The last run in I had was with an older lady who was insisting on examining the badge and asking what it was for, as I ‘didn’t look very disabled’. The look on her face as my wheelchair descended from the top box on the car while we were talking was priceless - no further words needed !!

I may be lucky (not usually), look poorly (I don’t think I do) or too scary (maybe!) to approach but no one has questioned my used of a Blue Badge.

Many years ago I was aggressively challenged when taking my Mum to a supermarket. Strangely the person backed off when a wheelchair bearing a very cross woman waving a stick was rapidly propelled towards them.

I once had an elderly lady and gentleman, walk away from the front door of Lidl, back down to my car to see if I had a badge. They hadn't realised I was watching them.
I approached them and politely and innocently asked if there was a problem with my car (which was displaying a blue badge).
The scuttled off shamefaced.

My problem is I look so well and certainly not disabled, until you see me struggling to walk and hear my breathlessness.

Just remind her to take and display her badge in future, so she doesn't get fined.
If she has one, then there's no issue.
If she doesn't have one, well, it's up to you if you take it further and lodge any complaints!!

You ASKED what her disability was?

Mind your own business. Read a book. Do some volunteering. Go for a walk.

I agree. We have a friend who is disabled and needs the extra space to open his door and get his wheelchair out of the car and get in it. He couldn't do this in a regular space.

I have no issue in not parking in a disabled spot, what annoys me is the amount of always empty disabled bays. Apparently the councils have to provide a certain amount by law, despite them not being needed. So people have to fight to use the rapidly disappearing non disabled places because they cannot used the plentiful disabled one

A friend of mine has had a disability sticker for several years. She doesn’t look disabled but she is actually very ill and gets sick to the back teeth of people making nasty comments about her use of the disabled spaces. Things aren’t always what they seem.

People with mental problems such as agrophobia are classed as disabled, and entitled to park in disabled bays. They have problems walking in public so need to park near to the entrances of buildings.

Sallywally1

I have no issue in not parking in a disabled spot, what annoys me is the amount of always empty disabled bays. Apparently the councils have to provide a certain amount by law, despite them not being needed. So people have to fight to use the rapidly disappearing non disabled places because they cannot used the plentiful disabled one

My experience is the opposite. Disabled spaces are at a premium in my town. Usually when I find one it is occupied by white van men.

The disabled bays in the supermarkets are usually almost full to capacity here. Often they are being used by non badge holders.

Same here marydoll. The latest challenge is a huge locker for parcel pickups alongside blue badge spaces. Always delivery vans parked there, often across several spaces, or drivers who will be ‘just a minute I’m picking up my parcel’.

My ability to walk fluctuates. One day I can wander happily from an ‘ordinary’ space, the next if I can’t park close to a store entrance and open the car door to its full extent I can’t shop. Unfortunately the latter greatly outnumber the former. Thank goodness for grocery delivery and on line shopping.

Sea front spaces are a huge bugbear too. The ‘walks’ I love are from bench to bench. That’s easily achieved on one part of our nearest sea front as long as I can park close by. Blue badge spaces are simply insufficient for need. The flat sea front attracts many mobility impaired people who value the seating as much as I do. If I can’t park I can’t access the sea front. There are many aborted trips.

Those supermarket disabled spaces make it so much easier to shop and maintain a vestige of independence.
My ability to walk varies from day to today and pushing a trolley any distance can be problematic.
Of course I can shop online for groceries, but going out means I have some quality of life and am not stuck at home.

I would swap my Blue Badge in an instant,if it meant I got my health back.

None of your business. Folk don't owe you an explanation to appease your curiosity.

#notalldisabilitiesarevisible

Even in private car parks with cameras enforcing disabled spaces you can park in a parent/child space without charge with a blue badge if all the disabled spaces are further away or all full