Parking in Disabled Bay without Blue Badge

I shop at our local ASDA, there are 5 disabled spaces, which are constantly being taken by non disabled people. I have complained to the store, who told me they don't own the car park even though it is only used for their store. It belongs to the council is their cry and they cannot do anything about it.

Quite true happyjo

Actually I am not narrow minded, just stating a fact that there is more people today being diagnosed with Autism & ADHD.

Mt61

With every man & his dog now having autism, or AD, & can have a blue badge, there’s not a hope in hells chance of getting to park near the doors if you have a physical disability.

Not only are you extremely narrow minded and rude but also completely wrong!

It could be argued that, with every man and his dog now having a physical disability, & can have a blue badge, there’s not a hope in hells chance of getting to park near the doors if you have autism or AD.

Faxgran

👏👏👏 I wish more people did this!

So do I but there’s not much point if no-one acts on it. The trouble is, these people know this, so they park where they like,
I find myself almost wishing they would get a disability. too so they can see what it’s like. Bad of me, I know but I hate injustice.

👏👏👏 I wish more people did this!

62Granny

We are in the same position as OP, DH is a full time a wheelchair user , another bug bear of mine is people who park in a disabled bay, ( usually a supermarket)but the disabled person stays in the car and the able body person jumps out to go shopping 😤 we also live near the seafront and get people parking up then reading a book while looking at the view, the spaces are all free for a few hours, so parking in a normal bay to read and admire the view is just as easy. I did report a Tesco whoosh delivery driver at our local branch for parking in the disabled bays too.

According to the guy I spoke to yesterday that example you gave of the disabled person waiting in the car is definitely a BB misuse. It says it clearly on the info booklet that came with the badge too.

Another example he gave me was a disabled person who works near a blue badge on-street bay. He parks there all day while he is at work but walks past two large public car parks to get to his work. He said several people have reported this because the car is there Mon-Fri 9-5pm.

We are in the same position as OP, DH is a full time a wheelchair user , another bug bear of mine is people who park in a disabled bay, ( usually a supermarket)but the disabled person stays in the car and the able body person jumps out to go shopping 😤 we also live near the seafront and get people parking up then reading a book while looking at the view, the spaces are all free for a few hours, so parking in a normal bay to read and admire the view is just as easy. I did report a Tesco whoosh delivery driver at our local branch for parking in the disabled bays too.

It sounds like you were put in an incredibly frustrating position — not only having to manoeuvre your husband and wheelchair in an unsuitable space, but then seeing someone blatantly misuse a bay meant for people who genuinely need it.

Regardless of her claims, if she didn’t have a Blue Badge on display, she wasn’t entitled to park there, and you were well within your rights to report it. Those bays are often the only way wheelchair users can get in and out of vehicles safely, so misuse has a real impact. Even if nothing comes of it, you’ve done your bit to stand up for fairness — and for others who might face the same problem.

In our town disabled parking spots are always taken by taxi drivers who are very aggressive if you ask about a blue badge. The whole system is a farce . When I consulted both the shops and the local council, I got the same reply 'Nothing to do with us'.

I have since had a lengthy chat to the person in charge of BB misuse at the Council.

He says what happened was a parking violation not a BB misuse. So she would have received a PCN AT THE TIME if a traffic warden caught her.

He is in charge of BB Misuse - eg lending someone else your BB or using an out of date one and a few other reasons. They are nothing to do with supermarket or private car parks.

I asked him to clarify what I should do if it happens on street again. I have to ring the Council who deal with parking offences and who the traffic wardens work for. He knows as well as I do that the chances of them sending a TW out AT THE TIME are virtually nil. They can do nothing retrospectively even if you send timed/dated photos as I did.

Rosie51

Mt61

With every man & his dog now having autism, or AD, & can have a blue badge, there’s not a hope in hells chance of getting to park near the doors if you have a physical disability.

Apart from being totally inaccurate what a thoroughly unpleasant post.

My thoughts too, Rosie51. You'd think they were handing out blue badges like sweeties the way some people go on. I worked at a charity which supported many children with autism, and while some did have blue badges (which were most definitely needed in their cases), others did not. It is a spectrum, after all.

Mt61

With every man & his dog now having autism, or AD, & can have a blue badge, there’s not a hope in hells chance of getting to park near the doors if you have a physical disability.

Apart from being totally inaccurate what a thoroughly unpleasant post.

I wonder if you are tempted to take it further Primrose? eg to write to the leader of the council. Your email should not have been dismissed. After all councils are there to provide a service to help disabled people

nanna8

I have mixed feelings. I don’t like vigilantes at all but I can see how difficult it is if you are a person with a disability unable to access a shopping area. I haven’t actually come across anyone without a sticker parking in a disabled parking spot, perhaps the people round here are better behaved. More likely, they provide more parking spots.

I don’t like the use of the term “vigilante” in this context. What would you do? The advice from councils is to politely ask whether they have a BB.

Why should those who legitimately have a BB have to either squeeze into a space not designed for wheelchairs or hold up everybody else in the street while they try to get the person in a wheelchair out before they try to drive in?

Some people are very inconsiderate and unkind.

KeepingQuiet. "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 ".
.....but not enough to report her/refuse to be dropped off there? Keeping Quiet by nature as well as by name?

I have mixed feelings. I don’t like vigilantes at all but I can see how difficult it is if you are a person with a disability unable to access a shopping area. I haven’t actually come across anyone without a sticker parking in a disabled parking spot, perhaps the people round here are better behaved. More likely, they provide more parking spots.

sparkle1234

Oh dear **Mt61!!!. I have a bluebadge which I use as a passenger In my husbands BMW !
I have arthritis in my spine , pelvis and hips . Are people who drive these car models not allowed to have mobility problems . I do agree though if they're not displaying a blue badge they shouldn't be in one and it causes endless frustration for me as I can't get in or out of the car unless I have space to push the door fully out .I just think people don't care anymore especially in supermarkets

My point is sparkle1234, when I can’t say more that’s a clue to who uses these spaces because they know nobody will say anything.

Can you report it to the Police Primrose? I once parked on double yellows put the badge up on my vehicle which had a disabled tax exemption disc, only to find an over zealous traffic warden about to write out a ticket which he insisted on completing. The reason? The blue badge was displayed on the middle of the windscreen and not kerbside. I had to appeal to the county constabulary who reluctantly rescinded it.

Have you taken it up with your local councillor or made an actual complaint to the Council?

With every man & his dog now having autism, or AD, & can have a blue badge, there’s not a hope in hells chance of getting to park near the doors if you have a physical disability.

What an absolute waste of time! I emailed the Council with full details and photos. I received a reply saying they do NOT deal with supermarket car parks only on street complaints.

I clearly told them it was on a street! I never mentioned supermarkets in my email. I replied stating this and asked them to look again. In reply I received exactly the same reply.

I give up.

Rosie51

My grandson has a blue badge. His mother forgot to display it once because he'd had a meltdown just as they were parked, and it distracted her. On her return, an angry man confronted her about her 'lazy selfish illegal' use of the space, and only slightly simmered down once she showed him the forgotten badge. Even then he questioned the genuine issue of a blue badge to 'someone like that' who can walk. (My grandson's learning difficulties are written large on his appearance, his other co-morbidities are not) Some on here would have blocked her in, stickered her windscreen or even let the tyres down! My grandson is also affected by unauthorised use of disabled spaces, but vigilantes can get it wrong. I'd urge everyone to be very sure of their facts before possibly causing a great deal more distress to an already stressed person.

I understand what you mean but the advice from councils about querying people with no BB ON DISPLAY is to ask the occupants politely if they have a BB to display it.

That is exactly what I did.

I think the Stickers are useful if the occupants are nowhere to be seen.

Here in France lots of the spaces say, "Si vous prenez ma place, prenez aussi mon handicap". It is very rare to see the use of the spaces abused.
Our badge is permanently fixed to the windscreen in a pocket. What I didn't know until we got one, is that it is a European wide agreement and they can be used without question in any country.

It is a shame when the system is abused. I have a blue badge, but respect that others with one might have more need than I - e.g. if they are in a wheelchair. If I am having a good day and am in less pain or not in AF and out of breath, I park in an ordinary space.

My grandson has a blue badge. His mother forgot to display it once because he'd had a meltdown just as they were parked, and it distracted her. On her return, an angry man confronted her about her 'lazy selfish illegal' use of the space, and only slightly simmered down once she showed him the forgotten badge. Even then he questioned the genuine issue of a blue badge to 'someone like that' who can walk. (My grandson's learning difficulties are written large on his appearance, his other co-morbidities are not) Some on here would have blocked her in, stickered her windscreen or even let the tyres down! My grandson is also affected by unauthorised use of disabled spaces, but vigilantes can get it wrong. I'd urge everyone to be very sure of their facts before possibly causing a great deal more distress to an already stressed person.