General Chat

Yesterday I sat in our car in the disabled parking area for about 30 minutes whilst OH visited Axxa. I had already been in one store and was tired. Within my view was a row of six cars and I could see one to my right and two to my left.

One large 6-8 seater pulled in, badge put on window whilst a man of about 30 got out and belted it to main entrance, (no one else in car).
Two teenagers got out of another whilst their driver (possibly mother) got out and they all moved very quickly towards the entrance. Another car drew in and lady got out and ran to entrance - again no passenger in car. Another couple of cars - much the same and then a car came in (I could see a trolley sticking up in the window) and they had to reverse as no space free.

Sad thing is that if you report it to whatever store it is happening they will say that they cannot do anything.

The holders of Blue Badges are being tightened up on and a good job too. Their use is being abused and apparently the going rate for one is £1500. Yes we do have to pay parking - very few car parks these days do not have a barrier - if there is a barrier we have to pay - otherwise we could not get out!

I wonder how many of the cars I see parked on double yellow lines in town (showing blue badges) are actually legitimate cars of disabled people (with them in the car), They can park right near to our main post office.

No cars other than blue badges or Gloucester City taxis (on the rank) are allowed to either park or drop off in this road. Other private hire taxis which often are used by the elderly, who are not bad enough for a disabled badge but who still may have trouble walking, have to drop people off (usually pensioners drawing their pension,for whom this is the only post office they can hope to get to) at the top of the street. A short walk for the able bodied and fit, but a long walk for those who have trouble walking.

I will be very pleased if they can tighten up the use of these badges.

And, yes we often see the disabled (and child under five) spaces misused.

one of the big shoping complex were i live are now tightening up on disabled and mother and baby space thay have ticket men out looking for the offenders

at christmas there was a lady that did have a baby sticker on her back window and a car chiar but no child with her she thought this was ok to park in a baby bay

the ticket man did say were is the child and as there was not one with her he still gave her a ticket

iv got baby sticker in my car pluss booter seat and a baby chair and most of the time i dont even bother to find a baby bay as nomaly they are taken up by people that dont have children with them

EDIT...... for got to say most of the time i do have 18month old granson with me his baby chiar is alway in my car as his mum dont drive

There are so many duff disabled badges around that they need re-issuing, but with the photograph on the front so that it can be seen if the holder is actually with the vehicle.

I cut my mother-in-law's badge up the other day: did myself out of £1,500.

If the number of badges, valid, invalid and forged, is to be believed, it seems that ten percent of the UK population must be disabled.

Rita
can I just point out a couple of things? From a disabled blue badge holders point of view.

Grandaughter on crutches, fair enough she needs to be dropped off near to where she needs to be - maybe that did need the use of a blue badge place - why did the car, with a perfectly abled bodied driver need to remain there?
What stopped him moving to an ordinary sapce after dropping her?

Likewise outside the chemist, why did a perfectly able person that wanted to used the chemists shop need to park in a blue badge bay? no need at all , the disabled person didnt even get out of the car!

Even a legitimate blue badge holder isnt allowed to do that! If I took someone with me to get out of the car to save me time & effort I could NOT park in a blue badge spot.

Anyone want to understand the rules & regs?
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@disabled/documents/digitalasset/dg_186198.pdf

Rita,

Some very good points there. I see this sort of thing all the time - quite often the disabled person isn't anywhere to be seen.

A few years back I used to stay at a hotel on business where the disabled spaces near reception were always being misused. One evening I was walking from the car park with a colleague when someone pulled into one of the spaces. My friend rushed over, opened the door and asked how he could assist, carry her bags perhaps.

The driver then said, somewhat annoyed, no thank you - I am perfectly able bodied and can manage....! So why have you just parked in a disabled bay then? we asked her. At which point she went rather quiet.

Interesting thread - I do think badges are given out and used too liberally - I don't see why they're not just given to people who have a physical disability that greatly reduces their capacity to walk - I thought that was the whole point, not for the use of relatives who have broken a leg or for people with mental disabilities?

Mother and baby spaces are a completely different thing and I'd like to see them wiped out totally.

My OH has a blue badge ( needs a wheelchair when out ) and often when we go to supermarkets we cannot park in a disabled spot as other inconsiderate people park in them and when you go and complain to customer services they won't do anything about it as they donot want to lose customers. pfttt. .............rant over ,lol.

Mental disabilities can be relevant:
A relative is Downs syndrome with a chronological age of 45 but a mental age of 5 or 6 and whilst he can now walk reasonably well, a blue badge means that he can be got out of the car near to a shop entrance without having to hold his hand through traffic or on narrow pavements for his own safety.

When I applied to County Council - they then sent a form to my GP it was only after presumably his verification that I was unable to walk far I was issued with a badge. That was 4 years ago, my condition has since worsened. The badge has to be renewed every 3 years with an updated photograph. Last time I ooked at the new photo and thought that is dreadful and then dawned on me I was not supposed to look beautiful and healthy!!!!!

Penny, kind of you to put that site on for people to read.However,when the badge is issued there is a book issued with it telling you what you can and cannot do. all that is needed is the will to read it.In one place where I park the Marked spaces are duel,i/eDisabled and parents with children (Same Place)you see young people parking there with youngsters who are quite capable of walking and disabled people having to walk long distances to the shops,time it was stopped.**M**.

We keep the book in the glove compartment so it is handy if we wish to check or if someone challenges where we have parked and can show them the relevant info.

Uggers - I disagree with you completely re mother/baby spaces. It is not always easy to get a child out of a child seat and even more of a struggle with a baby or toddler - the extra wide space is needed so the door can be opened full width and not damage the car next to it.

Reminds me some years ago when OH parked new and I mean new car, I told him to move it, he began to argue and I pointed out there was a child seat in the back of the car adjacent and if he wanted to risk his new car being chipped - fine! He moved it and watched for child seats from then on!!

Over parent and child spaces I half agree with you Uggers. I would not like to see them done away with. I don't think the parent and child spaces need to be in close proximity to the shop doorway. I think they could quite well be at a distance providing they are near the safe walkway. the main reason for them is to have them wide enough for the parent to get a small child out of its car seat and into a buggy. they are not meant for children over the age of five who are perfectly able to get out of the car themselves with a little help. If the spaces are not wide enough there would presumably be the risk of damaging the car next door. Having had experience of getting toddlers out of cars in safety I wouldn't want parents to have to park out in the car park with some of the mad drivers who seem to think they can drive at the same limit as on a main road.

I don't have a problem with Mother and Toddler spaces, again as long as they are not misused. We use them, if available when we have our grandson with us as it is impossible to get the child safely fastened or out in most narrow spaces.

However, it is not uncommon to see cars, albeit with child seats in them, parked there then to see an adult return with their shopping but surprise surprise, no child.....!

I think supermarkets and car park managers should get tougher, make a fuss and shame those who misuse might be a good start.

Our step grandson has a chromosome deficiency that gives him autistic type behavior and at aged almost 10 he still soils himself and has speech problems too ,He has only just started to talk and is difficult to understand. He also walks on tippy toes and rather like a toddler . They have a disabled badge for him but my daughter only uses it when he is in the car .
He is a big boy physically altho not that tall but tires easily and does throw tantrums, anyone seeing him would wonder why they have the disabled badge.You have to watch him 24/7 as he will just go.his behaviour is very unpredictable

I have been entitled to a blue badge for the last two years, my mobility is really bad but I hav'nt yet got around to getting one. If I go out it is always with someone and I use a scooter or wheelchair so really a disabled space is not needed, only for getting in and out of the passanger door sometimes.
I would never use a disabled space without a blue badge...but could always argue my tax disc says disabled???

jax

I think there are a lot of people, especially the older person who will quickly have a go at a younger person because they feel there is nothing wrong with them because they are young they must be fit ???

jax

Thanks Brian and Shirley - although I have close family with autism and Downs, I have no idea whether they use a blue badge or not - perhaps I should :) I'm too ignorant on that to have a proper opinion really - I suppose I feel there are a shortage of spaces often and compared to someone who struggles to walk a few spaces, who has more need?

Chris, I have no problem with the width but like Ann I don't see why they need to be in close proximity to the shop. I am getting increasingly irritated with people treating parenthood as a burden and a children as a disability when they are a choice and a blessing.

Surely, if the blue badge has to be renewed every 3 years with an updated photograph, then there should not be an issue.

If the person named and photoed on the badge is not visiting the premises concerned, then the car has no right to be parked in a disabled space.

Just wondering how many times that the people who have " blue badges " have been asked by a traffic warden or parking warden to see the photo on their badge to make sure they are intitled to use it............my OH has never been asked.