Parking in Disabled Bay without Blue Badge

The new drop-off area at Bristol Airport has about three spaces for Blue Badge holders - all taken each time by drivers without blue badges or by taxis. I suppose a taxi driver could argue they were picking up a disabled passenger but 🤔

You need to be in actual possession of a Blue Badge before parking in a designated Disabled space. 'In the pipeline' means nothing. She may well be turned down for one and then what?
I am borderline for Blue Badge criteria and try to park as near to my destination as possible but would not use a disabled bay as I have no Blue Badge at present.
However, I have, on the rare occasion, parked in a Mother & Child bay so I have space to get my walker out of the car. With so many large vehicles these days I often struggle to get the door fully open without hitting the vehicle next to me. Also I think most Mums & children can walk further than me.

Sarnia

You need to be in actual possession of a Blue Badge before parking in a designated Disabled space. 'In the pipeline' means nothing. She may well be turned down for one and then what?
I am borderline for Blue Badge criteria and try to park as near to my destination as possible but would not use a disabled bay as I have no Blue Badge at present.
However, I have, on the rare occasion, parked in a Mother & Child bay so I have space to get my walker out of the car. With so many large vehicles these days I often struggle to get the door fully open without hitting the vehicle next to me. Also I think most Mums & children can walk further than me.

Apparently, a Blue Badge holder can be fined for parking in a Parent and Child bay if all the Disabled spaces are full!

I can understand that wider Parent and Child spaces are a good idea if a parent is trying to get a baby or toddler out of a seat in the back of the car then into a pushchair but we've seen parents with young teenagers using them. And why are they nearer the door to the supermarket than the disabled spaces?

Totally Agree..... we often taken my small grandchildren out as we do Child care twice a week (youngest 15 months) the Mother and Child spaces are often full. We have frequently seen Older folk driving in and parking not a Child or even a Child seat in the car (I've looked)
Getting a baby out of the car isn't easy in a normal size parking bay.
I reckon this is the easier option than parking in a Blue badge space.

I share the frustrations. Our local bugbear is a retail park with a fast food chain. The badge bays are close to the exit from the drive through and are often filled with families happily eating lunch.

When parking at a Holiday Inn recently I was delighted to see signs inviting guests to report to reception any vehicle not displaying a badge. As guests must register their car on arrival the driver would be tracked down and told firmly to move, wih a staff member ensuring they did. The receptionist said the most frequent abusers were non resident attendees at meetings.

Surely supermarkets could do a similar thing. If a car is reported to customer services a call could go out for the driver. Our Waitrose car park is patrolled, anyone not displaying a badge is issued a fine. It’s rare to see the spaces abused.

I do sympathise with everything that has been said here but would like to make a couple of points: I do object to people using other people’s blue badge. Someone local had one for “mother” but said mother was never to be seen in the car. There can be abuse on both sides.
Secondly, our local Tesco and Morrisons. have far too many disabled spaces- far more than necessary which means considerably further to walk for those of us who now and again find walking difficult.

Greenfinch

I do sympathise with everything that has been said here but would like to make a couple of points: I do object to people using other people’s blue badge. Someone local had one for “mother” but said mother was never to be seen in the car. There can be abuse on both sides.
Secondly, our local Tesco and Morrisons. have far too many disabled spaces- far more than necessary which means considerably further to walk for those of us who now and again find walking difficult.

I knew someone who used her deceased mother's blue badge for some time after she died. She gave me a lift to the theatre and used it to park near the entrance. I was disgusted to say the least. Glad to say she is no longer my friend. Some people have no morals.

Also annoys me when blue badge holders park on double yellows too!

Actually keepingquiet Blue Badge holders are permitted to park on double yellow lines for up to 3 hours. There are some restrictions and of course, it shouldn’t cause any obstruction, or be on a dangerous bend, etc.

ViceVersa

Primrose53

ViceVersa

I completely agree that it's not on to park in a disabled space unless you have a blue badge, but it is always worth bearing in mind that not all disabilities are visible. My friend constantly gets challenged about parking in disabled spaces - her daughter is visually impaired, although you wouldn't know it to look at her.

I do know that all disabilities are not visible but the point is you have to display a blue badge whatever. That is the point of them!

I would never challenge a person displaying a BB.

I wasn't suggesting that for a moment. I'm just pointing out that sometimes people who are genuinely disabled and do have a blue badge on display still get challenged by people who think they know better.

Sorry, I wasn’t suggesting you were.

ExDancer

Who do you report them to?

If on a street then your local council.

Bit difficult in supermarkets although I would still do it. I reported a woman with about 4 kids and no BB at a Tesco store a few years ago.

I had my 90+ year old Mum with me who did have a BB and there were no spare disabled spaces. A member of staff told me even though they had signs up the staff couldn’t do anything as often the occupants are not in their store anyway.

I put sarcastic notices on cars of people that do this in my road and make a point that they have been photographed and reported to the local enforcement warden.

Primrose glad you did . My husband once blocked a car in . He was about to pull into the disabled spot as this man got in first . Got out the car and my husband shouted at he said he would only be a minute and run off.
So my husband blocked him in . He made sure he didn't block anyone else. Security guard came over and told my husband he couldn't park there while he was getting my wheelchair out . Then once in the chair got the children out.
We where in the mall 3 hours and when we got back the man shot out of his and my husband threatened to knock his block off. And told him hope he had learnt his lesson not to part in bays for Orange badge holders . As this was before they turned blue . Had a parking badge since 1988.

Some disabilities are hidden but if they have a blue badge and it's their picture on it then please do not be nasty to them .

I thought they were allowed to park on DY lines keepingquiet

Apparently so for three hours. I didn't know this.

I am half way through applying for a BB, but I think what’s the point as people around our town abuse it, I’d probably never get a parking space.
I did get fined last year, full empty road, no markings to say disabled, I wanted milk from M&S 3.50pm, Sunday afternoon. Apparently caught by mobile drive by.
I drove back into town week after just to have a look. Sure enough tiniest little blue badge displayed right at the end. Paid up straight away as I was in the wrong.

keepingquiet

Apparently so for three hours. I didn't know this.

My friend is disabled, she went over on a 60 min parking bay & ended up being fined, she said she wouldn’t care but she could have parked on DY lines for 3hrs 😩
I didn’t know you could park in someone else’s BB space (outside their house) for 3 hrs if you have a BB. Is that true?

I don’t think I could do that tbh.

DollyRocker

I put sarcastic notices on cars of people that do this in my road and make a point that they have been photographed and reported to the local enforcement warden.

My blue badged DD suggests if you see someone parking in Disabled spot who clearly isn't disabled, politely remind them to put their BB on the dashboard. (If they are disabled they'll say thanks!) Tell them, on the road the fine is £70 - £100. If it's a store's car park, tell them the shop banned someone recently.

I know someone who fosters & uses the foster child’s badge 😩

Just been notified that my application for a Blue Badge for DH has been accepted. The criteria are difficult to meet nowadays. He's been bravely struggling for months, if not a couple of years. It hasn't arrived yet. It is such a relief.

However a few years ago, a friend who is manager at our local Tesco told me that as their carpark is privately owned (rather than council-owned) they have no jurisdiction over people parking who don't have a blue badge. No idea if this is true.

Yes, you can park on double-yellows providing it is safe to do so.

Today 19:26Mt61

keepingquiet

Apparently so for three hours. I didn't know this.

My friend is disabled, she went over on a 60 min parking bay & ended up being fined, she said she wouldn’t care but she could have parked on DY lines for 3hrs 😩
I didn’t know you could park in someone else’s BB space (outside their house) for 3 hrs if you have a BB. Is that true?

Yes and unlimited because the marked disabled bay outside someone's house is not legally enforceable even though most, if not all, councils charge the resident for the bay. So the resident paying to have a disabled bay marked outside their property is actually relying on the goodwill of people to not park there.

Madmeg

Just been notified that my application for a Blue Badge for DH has been accepted. The criteria are difficult to meet nowadays. He's been bravely struggling for months, if not a couple of years. It hasn't arrived yet. It is such a relief.

However a few years ago, a friend who is manager at our local Tesco told me that as their carpark is privately owned (rather than council-owned) they have no jurisdiction over people parking who don't have a blue badge. No idea if this is true.

Yes, you can park on double-yellows providing it is safe to do so.

I said the same about Tesco in my earlier post Madmeg.

Chardy

DollyRocker

I put sarcastic notices on cars of people that do this in my road and make a point that they have been photographed and reported to the local enforcement warden.

My blue badged DD suggests if you see someone parking in Disabled spot who clearly isn't disabled, politely remind them to put their BB on the dashboard. (If they are disabled they'll say thanks!) Tell them, on the road the fine is £70 - £100. If it's a store's car park, tell them the shop banned someone recently.

That is the same advice as our Council gives on their website if you see a vehicle in a disabled bay NOT displaying a BB.

Didn’t work for me though, as I said in my OP. The driver was just arrogant and determined to stay where she was.

HelterSkelter1

I see your point Crosstitchfan....but then they would be blocking the spaces for even longer replacing the tyre!!!!!
It would be good if you could report it to the supermarket customer service desk and that they could make an announcement that car number xxxxxx is blocking the Blue Badge parking spaces without a relevant Badge. Please Move Immediately. And then involve security.

You’re right! So frustrating though.
Good plan, but they won’t agree to it, of course!

ClicketyClick

Today 19:26Mt61

keepingquiet

Apparently so for three hours. I didn't know this.

My friend is disabled, she went over on a 60 min parking bay & ended up being fined, she said she wouldn’t care but she could have parked on DY lines for 3hrs 😩
I didn’t know you could park in someone else’s BB space (outside their house) for 3 hrs if you have a BB. Is that true?

Yes and unlimited because the marked disabled bay outside someone's house is not legally enforceable even though most, if not all, councils charge the resident for the bay. So the resident paying to have a disabled bay marked outside their property is actually relying on the goodwill of people to not park there.

Absolutely. I would feel cheeky using someone else’s bay, what would be the point in having one if everyone else is going to use it. I think most people would think twice.
A house that has recently been sold opposite my mum’s hose has a disabled bay, nobody seems to park there- shouldn’t the council have the lines removed?