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Blue badge parking

(85 Posts)
felice Fri 02-Sept-16 11:18:24

The expiry date on my badge is 9999, my health problems are degenerative so I do not get assesments, only if I ask for them.
The letters which came with the badge were in French and Dutch, we had a laugh at the French one as translated it states that the car owner using the badge must show the 'head' of the badge holder.
You can imagine the comments and suggestions that came from that.

tiggypiro Fri 02-Sept-16 11:07:29

Why are Blue Badges seemingly given for life ? I know of someone who did need one a few years ago but still has one now she is reasonably fit (quite capable of taking her large dog for longish walks). People also do not seem to realise that even if a person in the car has a Blue Badge then that person must be getting out of the car to do shopping etc and not just left in it.
I do not have one but my mother did when she was still with us and we returned it when she died. I agree with anno that temporary badges would be very welcome - just try getting out of an ordinary parking place and into a wheelchair with a plaster cast on a leg !!

annodomini Fri 02-Sept-16 10:26:56

In the year when I was waiting - in a lot of pain - for a hip replacement, I researched the possibility of a temporary blue badge and found that these were available in Scotland but not here, in England.

Charleygirl Fri 02-Sept-16 10:15:55

A few years ago my local upmarket supermarket decided to display shrubs etc outside and took up a disabled bay the first day they did it. There was a manager outside when I drove up looking for a disabled bay and after a few words by the next day everything was back to normal.

I drove into a disabled bay on its own beside a loading bay in my town centre. White van man drove up behind, started to shout- I got out of my car waving my blue badge- there was little he could do about that.

I stand my ground and have been known to remind somebody that they have forgotten to display their blue badge, knowing that they did not possess one having seen them run into the store.

Daphne it will make life so much easier for you.

felice Fri 02-Sept-16 10:10:33

I have a blue badge and a friend made up little cards for myself and his Mother who also has one which say in 3 languages;
'You can take my parking space if you take my disability and pain too.'
Probably do not make much difference but it saves a confrontation.
What makes my SIL very angry is when we are parking in a space and other drivers get angry as they want to park there without badges.
I carry the cards in my bag and put them on any cars parked in disabled spaces without badges.

f77ms Fri 02-Sept-16 10:02:13

It is VERY difficult to get a blue badge , in certain cases you can have a temporary one, for instance if you are having surgery or have a broken bone . Maybe the lawn mowing lady has a temporary one ? I wouldn`t tackle anybody unless I knew their circumstances and even then I would have to be in a very grumpy mood , maybe the disabled bays were full of taxi drivers grin

Anya Fri 02-Sept-16 09:48:54

Better just to report the local taxi firm to their licensing authority.

I'm awful about this parking business and often tackle people parking in Children and Parents bays grin .... although a fair few of these have disability passes I have to say.

harrigran Fri 02-Sept-16 09:44:04

Daphne ignore the morons on FB, you are entitled to say what you think. I would have liked to park near the supermarket door while I am poorly but I would not do it. Despite my health problems people keep telling me how well I look so I continue to struggle on.

Granarchist Fri 02-Sept-16 09:42:46

A woman in our village has acquired a blue badge and a sign outside her house saying a disabled person lives there - please leave the space free. She is not disabled. She has a garage behind her house which she is fully able to use. She does not like others parking in the road outside her window but as she bought the house next to the village shop she should expect that. I know how hard it is to get a blue badge as I took ages to get one for my wheelchair bound elderly mother so how she got it I cannot imagine. She was temporarily in difficulties (about 6 weeks) while waiting for a joint replacement but is now fully fit. My daughter was especially angry to see her mowing her lawn with a heavy mower the other day. What would you do?

DaphneBroon Fri 02-Sept-16 09:33:05

Having at last got a blue badge parking permit for DH. I am increasingly aware of the vehicles which abuse this facility.
A recent comment I made on FB about a local taxi firm doing just that has occasioned so many hostile comments back (Get a life sad person, being an example) I am feeling quite battered and defensive . One person asks why I didn't challenge the driver, but given the response I have read this morning, I would think twice about confronting anybody any more!