Grrr - blue badge

Babshubbie

Bumping this up tp make it easier for "justlikethat" posting on a later thread "Disabled Parking Theory" to find.

CherylthePeril

Having twice today being approached and verbally abused by what I call the gray hair mafia for having the cheek to park, using my blue badge, in a disabled bay at Tesco, I am really hacked off with those old fogeys who think it is their duty to police blue badge bays.I don't mind the police or council wardens and car park wardens checking but these old people go out of their way to seee if I am really disabled - my crime it seems is losing a leg at the age of twenty six.and also having the cheek to drive a new BMW. I had barely come to a stop in one disabled bay when grey hair/blue rinse pounced and shouted that it was a disabled space, not for the likes of myself and I should respect the signs. I got my badge out, waved it at her then put it on the dashboard only to hear her shouting that I was too young to have a badge and I ought to move the car now. When I started to get my chair out she tutted and walked off. Another grey hair mafia had a go when I got back to the car.

Why most old people get the badges beats me. After all, being slow at walking and using a stick is a natural part of the ageing process - not a disability. I read on here some councils give them out to all over a certain age, or they bully their GP's into signing a form to get one. They all ought to go through the hoops and prove disability like myself and others who get the badge with DLA had to and be assessed to the same standards.

Perhaps then disabled spaces would be free for the genuinely disabled and not old people who are ageing normally but think they have first right to be classed as disabled.

Cheryl

LittleTinker

CherylthePeril wrote: »

Having twice today being approached and verbally abused by what I call the gray hair mafia for having the cheek to park, using my blue badge, in a disabled bay at Tesco, I am really hacked off with those old fogeys who think it is their duty to police blue badge bays.I don't mind the police or council wardens and car park wardens checking but these old people go out of their way to seee if I am really disabled - my crime it seems is losing a leg at the age of twenty six.and also having the cheek to drive a new BMW. I had barely come to a stop in one disabled bay when grey hair/blue rinse pounced and shouted that it was a disabled space, not for the likes of myself and I should respect the signs. I got my badge out, waved it at her then put it on the dashboard only to hear her shouting that I was too young to have a badge and I ought to move the car now. When I started to get my chair out she tutted and walked off. Another grey hair mafia had a go when I got back to the car.

Why most old people get the badges beats me. After all, being slow at walking and using a stick is a natural part of the ageing process - not a disability. I read on here some councils give them out to all over a certain age, or they bully their GP's into signing a form to get one. They all ought to go through the hoops and prove disability like myself and others who get the badge with DLA had to and be assessed to the same standards.

Perhaps then disabled spaces would be free for the genuinely disabled and not old people who are ageing normally but think they have first right to be classed as disabled.

Cheryl

So you complain about the old folk checking out your badge (which is, incidently, what everyone keeps advising others to do on here) and moan about the fact that they question your disability......and then you go on to do the exact same thing about them???

They ought to go through the same process and prove their disability???? If they have a Blue Badge, they have! And you are judging them in a way that you complain when it happens to you!

Babshubbie

Yes. Please don't turn this into a "war" between old and others. The acquisition of a Blue Badge is not easy for anyone, in my local authority, anyway and you certainly cannot get one here just on the basis of being old. (Though others hve said that in some limited places you can).

Unpleasant people come in all ages, as do the nice ones. Let us strive to be in that latter category. :beer:

Broken_hearted

We had it at Sainsburys yesterday when an old bloke nearly wiped us out trying to get the space we were pulling into then refused to move leaving us at stalemate.He was then joined by another old couple screaming at us to move and telling him just to hit us.:eek:

mouseymousey99

Babshubbie - agree totally!!

descartesmum

Funny that you mentioned it. I read this and then on Saturday I went to Tesco at 7am with my friend and her car. Insted of being able to park close to the store we had to park, ok, a little further back.

I looked at the car windows and not one of them had a blue badge. So here comes one of the owners and I said to him that he shouldn't park there.

His excuse? It's 7am in the morning. So said I, 'I'm here and you are taking a parking place that I should have. You idiot.'

He just walked away.

purplegirluk1

I am just about to renew my DLA and am hoping to get lower rate mobility. I have a social worker helping me fill the form i this time, last time I did it myself and made a bit of a mess of it. Anyway I really need a blue badge now that we have a car but I am already getting worried about people telling me off for having it. I have M.E and so to onlookers I can look 'normal'. I get upset at the best of times, I don't know if I would rather continue to struggle or learn to ignore other peoples comments. It isn't easy is it?

LittleTinker

purplegirluk1 wrote: »

I am just about to renew my DLA and am hoping to get lower rate mobility. I have a social worker helping me fill the form i this time, last time I did it myself and made a bit of a mess of it. Anyway I really need a blue badge now that we have a car but I am already getting worried about people telling me off for having it. I have M.E and so to onlookers I can look 'normal'. I get upset at the best of times, I don't know if I would rather continue to struggle or learn to ignore other peoples comments. It isn't easy is it?

It is easy really because it isnt anyone elses business other than yours and the person who owns the space.

If anyone gives you a look or says anything to you, all you need to do is keep calm and say nothing....you know you are in the right.

Even if you park in a disabled space one day and forget to put your badge out, you are still in the right and do not have to explain yourself to anyone.

purplegirluk1

I feel like I have to explain myself all the time. Even my family find my M.E diffucult to understand. They are supportive but they don't get what I am feeling etc. I am constantly telling people why I am unable to do things, why I am slow, weak etc.