Blue Badge parking bays.

[Haliotis]

My wife was recently issued with a blue Badge, although she does not drive, but I can park in a bay when my wife is with me, and we are very grateful for the privilege.  But, on visiting our local Tesco today, I saw the most inconsiderate behaviour of another blue Badge holder. He, or she, had parked at an angle, with their front offside wheel positioned a good halfway over the hatched surface between them and the next car.  If occupants of that other vehicle returned first, and the disabled person needed to get into the front passenger seat, then they would find it difficult-to-impossible, depending on their degree of immobility. You would think that a blue Badge driver would be cognisant of other blue badge users, and park correctly - the bay designs give no excuse for not doing so.   The careless parker is probably one of those types who would quickly condemn another driver for this sort of behaviour.  

[Big_D]

It also amazes me how many drivers, who are fully able, use disabled bays at the superstores.

[flash22]

It's sad, but it's on private land no one but the landowner can enforce any rules then it's just an unenforceable civil fine, some are just entitled prats but do remember not all disabilities are visible

Arrogance/entitlement isn't a disability, it's always that 1% that make life harder for those how require the services

 

Not going into details

[Rhymes with Paris]

Unfortunately inconsideration, stupidity and downright wilful ignorance affect some disabled people too.

As for fit people using them, maybe the USA has the right solution,tow the offender's car and a huge fine on top of recovery and impound fees.

[Rhymes with Paris]

Just seen your post flash, I know not all disabilities are visible, but I am thinking of the ones with no blue Badge who are fit and just don't care.

[Cyker]

Might not even have been a real blue Badge holder - Theft of them is rife down here because of the dizzying array of parking restrictions; A woman at one of the sites I go to has had her windows smashed and her blue Badge stolen a couple times.

Now she has this hilariously big chain and a metal holder to anchor it to the steering wheel - As a deterrent it's worked so far  

[flash22]

It gets even more screwed up when you get the owners marking the bays For mother and child, and for disabled use

[Big_D]

2 hours ago, flash22 said:

some are just entitled prats but do remember not all disabilities are visible

I totally agree.

1 hour ago, Rhymes with Paris said:

I know not all disabilities are visible, but I am thinking of the ones with no blue badge who are fit and just don't care.

My point exactly

[Haliotis]

1 hour ago, Rhymes with Paris said:

Just seen your post flash, I know not all disabilities are visible, but I am thinking of the ones with no blue badge who are fit and just don't care.

I had vascular surgery on my right leg about two-and-a-half years ago- cut open from groin for over 50cms.  I still haven’t got all my cut nerves working - have been told some may not heal.  Had to walk with a stick, but eventually forced myself not to.  I am limited as to how far I can walk without severe aching - doctor told me that if I applied for blue Badge she would support me.  But I never have - the spaces are always full  (hopefully with genuine holders), and there are those who need them even more than I.     Wife does now have a blue Badge, which allows me to use the parking bays when she is with me - and, unfortunately, she really does need that Badge.  We carry a rollator permanently in the boot, but she uses a shopping trolley for support when in the supermarket, which aids her from car to store and back. I also use a trolley to give me some respite from aching legs.  We do load items into both trolleys.

[Big_D]

well said @Haliotis.

My daughter has a disability and uses a collapsible walking stick to get around. She occasionally had to use the bus and would sit in the disabled seat. The number of people who would get on the bus and give her a filthy look because she was taking up a disabled seat was amazing. It was funny to see how their attitude changed when she got her collapsible walking stick out of her bag and hobbled off. They would always look away as though they hadn't noticed. 

As many members have said, not all disabilities are (always) visible 

[Cyker]

BTW, and I don't know if it depends on the local council, but at least here blue badges seem to entitle you to park anywhere that isn't a red route or double yellows, not just disabled bays - I frequently see a blue badge-possessing Yaris Mk3 parking on single yellows if there's no spaces in the immediate area, and the woman I mentioned above just parks in the residential bays outside the site.

[Rhymes with Paris]

Of course, I realise that blue Badge parking is a contentious issue.

And not all people who struggle to walk anywhere have one, when I was on crutches a few years ago I didn't have one then.

I asked at the time if it was ok to park in a disabled space at Sainsbury's, the customer service told me that the city council had control of the car park, and would issue tickets for cars in disabled spaces without a a blue Badge on display.

Absolute nonsense, like most supermarkets the car park is administered by a PPC, private parking company as flash says.

The scourge of modern life, these bloodsucking ex clampers.

And as Haliotis says sometimes you can just manage by using a shopping trolley as a walking support, easier than walking with a stick for sure for some, including me.

But I reckon the false use of blue badges by the fit needs to be taken seriously, aswell as the filling of disabled spaces in supermarkets by non Badge holders, which ok are not enforceable by law,as the supermarkets usually abdicate all responsibility to PPCs.

Just an example of entitlement,at my local pharmacy the switch button for auto door opening is set low down, presumably to make it easier for wheelchair users.

I have yet to see anyone walking with a stick or crutches who would struggle to bend down use it.

The young and fit looking however press it every time, especially the ones who cause mayhem when attending for the green syrup.

My greatest empathy for the people who struggle to walk and move.

As the man in India said, I felt sorry that I had no shoes, until I met the man with no feet.

 

 

[flash22]

You can park on single and double yellow lines as long as you're not causing an obstruction and there are a no curb markings (loading restrictions) for up to 3 hours on a single and double

[Haliotis]

Some blue Badge drivers take liberties in using their Badge.  Even when wife is with me  - allowing use of the Badge - I am still reluctant to park on otherwise restricted roads if I can avoid it.

[Cyker]

Just in case, I wasn't criticising - If I had a blue Badge I'd totally park anywhere I was allowed to, so I don't begrudge anyone who does   More power to them!

(Well, except those who are actually taking the utter proverbial...! But not seen too many examples of that.)

When I was working for a local council, our boss managed to convince Parking Services we were an essential service and we all got issued essential service permits, which basically meant you could park in controlled residential bays - Best years of my life that was  I miss that dearly!! (But I suppose it has given me more exercise, having to walk so far with my gear! )

 

[Big_D]

18 hours ago, Cyker said:

Well, except those who are actually taking the utter proverbial...! But not seen too many examples of that

We get loads of this down our way.