UKH

strangely , sort of On the back of the ev thread . There are three disabled spaces near to  the entrance to Aldi . As I was packing my shopping I watched a woman in a large Merc drive in  bit too quickly , swing into  and park across two of the spaces , jump out and jog into the shop . I’m guessing her disabilities were of the non visible kind .  Either that or she s a selfish £&@t.  During the summer one of the spaces at the local diy shed was taken up by the bently suv of a well know local rich person ( I know it was his as he has a distinctive number plate . He’s a bit over weight . That presumably counts ?  
I have thought of making some official looking signs and fixing  them to the wall “ if you park in this space and are not disabled or accompanied by somebody who is , you will be shot “ 

In reply to mike123:

Round here the purpose of the disabled spaces is so that scrotes can park up next to the doors and pop in to get their tabs without bother. 

And that a deliveroo drivers can do their pickups

In reply to mike123:

A few weeks ago I was amazed to see a guy in a uniform issuing a parking ticket to someone parked in a disabled space (without a disabled label) at TESCO. I didn't know that was possible/ happening. I had no sympathy for the guy who chanced it

In reply to profitofdoom:

All Tesco (and Asda) stores around me have had contracts with private parking companies for many years. Civil enforcement rules based on signage. Still does not stop quite a lot of folk using them with out a blue badge overall as I guess the chances of being caught is quite small.

In reply to mike123:

People without blue badges parking in disabled bays and people who bag their dogs sh*te and then throw the bag in the hedge are pretty high up on my list of bugbears.

Bastards the lot of them.

In reply to duchessofmalfi:

In the car park for a couple of carry out places locally, the only two disabled bays are always occupied by the cars of the owners (no blue badges on display) of the carry out places when they are open. I guess the bays had to be included for planning reasons (?) but as it is a private car park they just exercise a right to use their own parking bays rather than enforce!!

In reply to mike123:

I used to let things like this bother me, I don't anymore for 2 reasons.

1. Whenever I challenged anyone about their behaviour all I got was a mouthful of abuse back.

2. I tend to dislike direct confrontation as it puts me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

Power to the individuals that do get involved and  take these people to task, but for me its just not worth it,

One thing that made me feel better was to put a fake parking ticket on their car (you can get these on ebay) with the message "please don't park like a tw@t" inside.

Outside in Hathersage have a very enlightened take on things, the sign by the disabled space in their carpark reads something like "Disabled space, unless all other spaces are full"

In reply to mike123:

It's something that annoys the hell out of me. Disabled spaces should be for disabled only. I would employ the same snipers that I said should be used for littering in a thread on here a few weeks ago. Actually there are lots of society problems that could be solved with snipers.

To me even if you are disabled you shouldn't use the space unless you need it. An ex of mine had a disabled kid and a blue badge that she used regardless of the kid being with her or not (one of the reasons she is an ex) (and far from the worse reason too).  Myself and the Mrs used to take a disabled friend shopping and managed just fine without using disabled spaces. It made zero difference to me if I had to push her wheel chair an extra 20 yards in the carpark when I would be pushing it round whatever market town we were visiting at the time so why block a space that someone may genuinely need.

In reply to mike123:

And of course, not all blue badge holders are legit!!!

In reply to mike123:

I'll quite frequently speak to people as they leave their cars - "Excuse me, you seem to have forgotten to display you blue badge."  Sometimes it's genuinely a mistake, and much of the rest of the time they hop straight back in and leave.

Some, of course, are belligerent about it.  "What am I going to do about it?  Oh, nothing.  Nothing at all.  Say, that's really nice paintwork you have there..." 

In reply to J101:

Next time you see a Blue Badge abuser, stick a hawthorn branch under their wiper blades and hope for the best  

In reply to mike123:

It is all too easy to go Judge Dredd on these things.

Nobody but the driver knows the back story. It could be what constitutes an emergency to them or equally the could just be a nob.

Never stopped on a double yellow, in a bus stop, in a passing place "just for a minute while I..."? 

In reply to mike123:

The odd thing is that it's fairly common for many of the disabled spaces to be further away from the building they serve than many of the other spaces. It's like the person who designed it thought it was more important to keep them all neat in one strip extending away from the shop than reserving the closest ones.

My experience is that although there are folks who take the mick, there are also a lot of people with less obvious disabilities who get no end of hassle and evil looks when they use the spaces they are entitled to by those too quick to judge. Disabilities are not always a simple case of whether you can or you can't do something (besides most things are variable). It can be a case of how much pain/discomfort need be tolerated or how much energy ration can be saved and be put towards other important aspects of a persons life.

There's also an aspect where people might not necessarily want to share private details about their health conditions with the random strangers that are challenging them in carparks. 

In reply to Holdtickler:

A friend with MS is more obviously disabled now but previously you'd never know. However she didn't have stamina so needed easy access to places.

In reply to elsewhere:

WhyTF have you got a downvote for that!!!

I am completely bemused, I just can't see what point of view would lead to that.

In reply to Holdtickler:

The supermarkets I can think of which are laid out like this would have the disabled spaces all along a path with zebra crossings. Where are other spaces which are closer than the furthest disabled spaces, you have to walk in the road to get to the shop. I wonder if safety is a consideration and not just distance. 

In reply to Michael Hood:

Because there is a d*ckh**d in our midst?

In reply to Holdtickler:

I am currently recovering from long covid and find walking (and especially standing) incredibly fatiguing. Supermarkets are killers and I have to rely on the benches at the end of tills to recover before heading back to the car. 

Do I use disabled bays? No

Have I considered using them to help avoid a relapse and make my shopping experience easier (possible)? Yes, very much so

In reply to Bottom Clinger:

Half Man Half Biscuit's excellent ditty Blue Badge Abuser always comes to mind. Fetch my stick, Margaret!

b

In reply to Presley Whippet:

Sorry, but I have basically carried my mother (multiple sclerosis) past wankers in BMWs in the disabled spaces just a few times too often to have much sympathy with this.

In reply to Holdtickler:

Thankfully, there's this little blue badge that prevents such challenges.

In reply to ben b:

It's a lytic from Dennis Leary's "Asshole" for me.

In reply to Jamie Wakeham:

Yes unless someone is breaking the rules by 'borrowing' a friends badge (which is why they now have photos) there is no need to justify your reason for entitlement.

As above though there are those with a legitimate need who unfortunately do not qualify for a badge, so the system isn't perfect. For example if your condition is temporary (eg. wheelchair with broken leg), you would not qualify for a blue badge despite clearly being in a position to hugely benefit.

In reply to mike123:

Can we also add people who park in the parent and child spaces to this, too, please?

In reply to Jenny C:

For example if your condition is temporary (eg. wheelchair with broken leg), you would not qualify for a blue badge despite clearly being in a position to hugely benefit.

I got issued a ticket a few years ago when I'd bust my leg. Got the person who was driving for me to park in a disabled bay at the supermarket since I figured a broken leg was reasonably valid an excuse for parking there. I came back to the car on my crutches with my bright pink cast just as the parking guy was issuing my ticket. Obviously challenged him, but nothing he could do as he'd already issued the ticket so advised I appeal it - local authority as opposed to private parking coy.

I appealed but they refused as apparently a busted leg doesn't qualify. I looked into a temp Blue Badge but didn't qualify for that either. At the time a bit annoying, but my crutching fitness improved and wasn't really a problem going forward. I think I was just more surprised that a genuine reason (I thought) for parking there was rejected on appeal.

Parking in a disabled bay when you are fit and well is a big bugbear of mine, along with the parent and child spaces. It does always seam to be the same culprits though, big cars with entitled morons that seam to think they are far too important to walk an extra 50m to the door. I agree with Dax H's sniper solution

In reply to KeithWakeley:

Yes I've looked into it and your condition has to be "reasonably expected to last for three years or more" before they will consider an application.

(Very frustrating for the long covid community, given the virus has been around less than two years)

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Even after I had children I failed to understand why parent & child spaces were needed and in particular why they need to be nearer the entrance to whatever shop it is. Why should people with children have priority over people in a rush / people who are ill / essential workers / whatever?

If you need more space to get your children's car seat out of your door, park next to an empty space. Or at least shops could put the parent & child spaces away from the entrance so other people aren't tempted to use them. They can always put them next to trolley parks.

In reply to stubbed:

Totally agree. I get that wider spaces are easier when battling with child seats and that parents don't want to negotiate busy carparks with kids in tow. But why not locate these spaces away from the entrance with a "safe" walkway for access?

Personally I generally park as far from the entrance as possible as it's usually quicker to walk than fight into a space closer to the door. (Well I did before I got ill)

In reply to stubbed:

Well, my point was supposed to be about people parking where they clearly didn't meet the criteria for using the space, not about the existance of child spaces per se.

But while we're on it, I think the logic is that if the space is close to the entrance, you're less exposed to rain to get wet children/pushchairs into the car and less risk from herding children across an active car park.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

As you mention it's not just about children in pushchairs or whatever. It's also about small children on foot not having to walk across car parks.

Also, if you park between two cars in regular size spaces, and have to help your children in and out of their seats, who's car doors get bashed?

In reply to mike123:

If only we lived in a less robotic jobsworthy society, where people who clearly would benefit from services could have access to them with out all the red tape (like the broken leg e.g. above). I guess we'd also need a world without the urine extractors taking advantage to make that work though. I'll keep dreaming...

In reply to Holdtickler:

Yup in some extremes cases. I used to give advice work helping disabled and some cases were really taking the proverbial.

There was apparently a “paper boy” in a town who was actually an adult blue badge holder with a motability car. They had no problem getting in/out the car, doing a semi jog to and from the houses and up and down steps to the doors. Was also arrogant enough to say to the householders if queried that “they” (guess DWP, etc) would never take his benefits therefore his blue badge away. Did that for some six years. As far as I know they still have a blue badge and motability car.

In reply to elsewhere:

This.

I have MS.  On a good day, I'm happy to park anywhere in a car park.  On a bad day, the blue badge and associated parking space can be the difference between getting the shopping and returning home with enough energy to cook tea, or returning home with the shopping and only having the energy to take it out of the car and look at it.

Looking at me, you'd think there was nothing wrong.  

Please don't park in a blue badge space unless you have a blue badge holder with you or hold one yourself.  If you do, you may be depriving me of my tea.

T.

In reply to mike123:

Alright, I'll add a little balance to the debate just for fun. Here's the scenario, you know when the entire carpark is empty along with 20 empty disabled spaces, it's pouring with rain, someone desperately needs something before the shop imminently closes (lets say some calpol for their sick kid). You know what, although I wouldn't do myself without valid need, I actually don't mind that much if a none disabled person parks close to the store and runs in because they are not inconveniencing anyone. I can also see how tempting that could be and how it could easily be justified with a little common sense (if it exists ) Yeah in other busier situations it might make make blood boil as much as the next person but sometimes the gears of society are oiled with a more live and let live attitude I think. 

Similarly, If I was that guy with the broken leg, I probably wouldn't feel bad using the space (as long as there were other vacant spots) as I'd assume that any decent human being would understand the situation (although apparently not as someone mentioned up thread with the failed appeal). 

In reply to J101:

This is literally what I read the first time I read your post. And I've got to say the non-analytical half of my brain responded with "Mmyeah, they've got it coming".
And then I started wondering if you were like:  youtube.com/watch?v=Oe04M3uHddY&

In reply to Dave Ferguson: thanks Dave what a great idea , just been on eBay and ordered some . Tickets and pouches  Now , did I order 1 ? No . 5 ? No . Had to be 10 ! Wonder how long they will last  ? 

In reply to KeithWakeley:

I have sympathies with the broken leg. I broke mine in 2016 and basically moved around in a wheelchair.

I used the disabled bays in many places for 6 weeks for the simple reason that getting the wheelchair out of the boot then getting me out and into it couldn't be done easily in a normal parking space. 

I never got a ticket or a challenge for no blue badge but that was probably just luck. 

In reply to Jamie Wakeham:

Not always - my father in law when he was dying from liver cancer was issued a blue badge so that my wife could pick him up and drop him off from the hospital (he couldn't drive or walk at that point). She had to fetch a wheelchair to escort him to the unit, so would be seen walking ably to or from the car.  At least twice she was challenged about misusing the badge, despite this being exactly the reason her dad was issued it.

In reply to mike123:

When my Dad had a disabled parking badge he was of the opinion that it was ok for anyone to use a disabled bay without a badge on the understanding that, in doing so, you risked being made permanently disabled by the authorities. 

In reply to Andy Gamisou:

Friend of mine has a story where he parked in a disabled space at a supermarket, got out and went in and when he came out, he was accosted by a very upper class lady who gave him a serious dressing down about parking there, in front of a number of other shoppers.

He waited politely for her to finish, then pulled up his trousers to reveal his artificial leg and asked her just how disabled he needed to be.

In reply to Andy Gamisou:

I'm sorry to hear that.  Personally I will always assume a blue badge is genuine and being used genuinely - and quite possibly by a carer, rather than the disabled person themselves.so many disabilities are not obvious.  Or that the disability is simply not visibly obvious.  

And indeed, I will always assume a car without a badge visible is because the owner has forgotten to display it, and my initial enquiry is very polite.  

In reply to Jamie Wakeham:

Think you might have missed your calling as a traffic warden. Just to turn it around then, How would you feel if you had paid and displayed your parking ticket and then some random member of the public came and checked you had done so? It's a bit of a creepy feeling to be treated with such suspicions until proven otherwise.  Same thing goes with blue badges I think. And no unfortunately displaying badge doesn't always stop the vigilante do gooders either as you sometimes then have to satisfy their suspicions that you aren't abusing the system as they watch you, looking you up and down, hawklike as you go about your business, and as others have said even then still can get challenged. I'd rather live in a society where the odd antisocial git gets away with the odd minor thing than one where everyone is spying on each other constantly. There's a line beyond which you may be doing more harm than good.

In reply to Holdtickler:

As above, I've had to help my mum past disabled bays occupied by cars with no badges and markedly sprightly occupants too often to be terribly forgiving.