Disabled Parking Bays

withabix

And what about the infuriating disabled drivers who persistently park in the "Parent & Child" spaces then!

Same abuse as people parking in disabled spaces.

trafalgar_2

Don't get me started on old people  :o  Why are so many rude to children.  They let doors go in their face, they never say thank you when a child holds a door for them, they push in front of them in queues.  I know it's easy to "miss" people when they are below your eyeline but even so!  Where are all the nice cuddly, friendly grandparents in City Centres ???

It works both ways doesn't it .........some kids have no respect for the elderly these days and some elderly have no respect for kids either :-/

crana9

And what about the infuriating disabled drivers who persistently park in the "Parent & Child" spaces then!

Same abuse as people parking in disabled spaces.

I don't think that's as bad, if the disabled bays are full.

I mean like say in a town centre, they don't have special P&C bays near the shops but they do have disabled bays. Why? Because disabled people are considered a higher priority for parking spaces.

I take your point that it is violating the "name" of the bay but I reckon a blue badge holder should be allowed to use a P&C space if the disabled ones are full.

They might need things like the wider bays more than a parent would - for example - you can get a folded pushchair out of teh car and carry it a short distance to unfold it in front of the car where there is more room if you are in a narrow space, but if you have to transfer into a wheelchair from a car you don't have that option.

Pat__3

It works both ways doesn't it .........some kids have no respect for the elderly these days and some elderly have no respect for kids either :-/

I agree with this Traf.

I mean like say in a town centre, they don't have special P&C bays near the shops but they do have disabled bays. Why? Because disabled people are considered a higher priority for parking spaces.

Why,because disabled people have difficuly normally with walking (not all). But it is extremely helpful when you do have a lot of difficulty walking that there is hopefully somewhere closer to park to where you are going, especially when you are in a lot of pain at that time too.
I don't think we are classed as a higher priority, it certainly doesn't feel like it and to be able to park closer to where are going is a little priority I suppose, but I would much rather be able to walk the full length of any shopping precinct without any difficulty or pain if I could swap.We don't choose to be disabled again we would rather be totally independant and fully able bodied.
As for children going into to town, younger children surely are accompanied by adult's and have someone to rely on for support as children should be able to rely on a parent, adult person to help them after all they have no trouble walking if their not disabled and if very young are in buggie's which parent's tend to use as a shopping trolley as well as accomodating the child, I know I have seen this.
Unless a disabled person has someone with them when they go out it is very difficult using a walking stick and carrying any shopping as you can't carry that much anyway, it's difficult with one hand, especially when we get knocked about when walking having a walking stick doesn't mean everyone is courteus to you some people are just so busy get to where they want to get too they don't care who they bump into or knock on there way.
And yes I have parked in P/C bay's when there hasn't been any disabled bay's but I display my badge as I feel guilty but at the same time I know that I just can't walk that far as well as get round the shop as well.
A lot of us struggle as we don't want to stay trapped in our house's and never go out, it can for some of us be the high light of our week just to go out shopping.
A lot of us would like to keep our independance for as long as we can, I wish I could walk properly and not rely on anyone as I get sick of all this rubbish about parking, as for able bodied people you really don't know how lucky you are.

culpepper

what gets me is people who have a disabled badge because a relative is disabled and use it when they dont have the relative with them.
A collegue at work used to do this and thought it was something to boast about.
Ive also seen somebody local who does it despite the person the badge was for being deceased now.
These are the people who spoil it for the non obvious disabled person too.

16011996

you are allowed to use it if you are doing errands for the disabled person, which is so wrong i think.

peterbaker

I think the problem is that there are obviously far too many disabled parking bays in some places. I live in an apartment complex where no less than 30% of the parking bays are marked for disabled use. I hasten to add that the average age of the occupants of these apartments has never been a day over 40!

Immediately outside my particular block and the one opposite, there are a total of 10 bays of which no less than four are marked for disabled use.

Now then, if you lived here, what would you do if the only spaces free when you were looking for a space were marked for disabled use?

I was at Asda at Charlton yesterday afternoon. There are rows upon rows of empty parking bays marked for the disabled. They don't in many cases seem to be any nearer to the door than normal bays.

My point is that careless thinking by car park planners and local authorities alike has caused the whole message about caring for the disabled to be diluted into disrepair. I think the developers just think "Sod it, mark a load of bays for disabled use" just to keep the local authority quiet. I don't suppose they bother getting into any negotiation let alone protracted negotiation about it, and what you end up with is this mess.

16011996

i wonder if they have to have so many as a law.

Poppy9

What we really need are decent size parking spaces for all users. You don't need to be registered disabled to require room to get in and out of your car. Supermarket and multistory car parks give the minimum room for average size family car. Trouble is so many people now have big off roaders or some people park right upto the line on their passenger side so they hav lots of room to get out of their drivers door they leave you no room to open your door.

Interesting point about Disabled drivers using P&C places. Would they be so tolerant of P&C using the disabled spaces? I really appreciated the P&C spaces when I had a baby. You can pull the shopping trolley next to the side of the car to safely unload child. You can fully extend car door to reach in to strap child into car seat.

I know many say that their parents managed young children on busses etc. but times have changed. My mother shopped locally almost daily so not having a car and using a pushchair all the time was easy. Now you have to drive miles to a supermarket, buy all your shopping in one go and try and keep a bored/tired child amused for almost 2 hours. If you go anywhere by bus there are no conductors to help you on or off with pushchair and shopping, many drivers don't wait until you are sitting down. Nightmare.

What really annoys me in car parks - especially pay & display is people who sit in the car for an hour or so taking up a parking space without paying while you drive around looking for a space.

crana9

Erm, Pat, no offence, but you really do seem to have missed the point of my post. Try reading it again, eh?