temporary blue badge?

ab7167

Is it possible to get a blue badge temporarily? I am suffering from a condition related to pregnancy that makes it very painful to walk very far. Obviously once the baby is born, the condition will get better, although it can last until breastfeeding stops (which it did with my first child), so i am looking at about another 10 months of difficulty (4 months pregnant and 6 months breastfeeding)

I am already seeing a physio and a chiropractor to try and minimise the pain, but I am already having much worse problems in this pregnancy than I did in my last. I can't now walk any distance without some pain, and more that about 150 yards is either extremely slow (difficult with a 2 year old running around) or very painful if I try to speed up at all.

kingfisherblue

In most authorities, you need to be in receipt of higher rate mobility to get a blue badge. My local authority accepts applicants without HRM, but they have to have a substantial disability that is going to last for some time and they have to see a doctor appointed by the authority. Pregnancy related problems do not count as a disability in my area. I know of someone who had a pregnancy related condition and was on crutches (I can't remember the name, but it was something to do with a displaced pubis). she couldn't get a blue badge. My sister, in another authority, had the same condition and she couldn't get a badge either, despite walking being extremely painful and slow.

All authorities are different, though, so it might be worth applying. There is probably a page about blue badge applications on your council website.

ab7167

symphesis pubis disfunction - that's what I have as well. I'm only 22 weeks at the moment, entirely likely that I will end up on crutches before the end of this pregnancy. Whether I will even be allowed to drive once that happens is pretty much up to my insurance company, but they suspsended my insurance for 5 weeks at the end of my last pregnancy due to the same condition. Different insurance company, but I'm pretty much expecting the same thing this time.

Trouble is, once I can't drive - I can't work. But we'll deal with that later!

Have looked on the council website and it says that temporary conditions (which I rather hope pregnancy is!) don't qualify. Will just have to cope as best I can.

kingfisherblue

That's the condition - I just couldn't remember the name! I didn't know that it affected your insurance and driving though.

Is there anybody who can help you? can you do your shopping on the internet to save a trip to the supermarket?

As for work, can someone else pick you up in exchange for some petrol money? I can see that public transport might not be ideal. Could your O/H take you to work or pick you up - perhaps adjusting his hours if this is possible?

If you can't drive, why would you need a blue badge? I'm reading this as though there is someone who could drive you to wherever you need to go. If this is the case, could they drop you off near the door and then park up afterwards? Can your employer arrange a parking space near to the entrance?

I'm sorry I can't help further, but perhaps http://www.maternityaction.org.uk/ might be able to help with the problems that you are facing.

ab7167

I was told that it would affect my ability to do an emergency stop, and that is why my insurance was suspended.

We have already started doing shopping online - absolute godsend and it is actually saving us money as well - very MSE! I think we will keep it up, even when I am better enough to get to the supermacado.

There is no public transport between work and home at suitable times, but the main reason is that I have to drive during the day for work. However, if I can get to the office, work may be able to find other tasks for me, so I may be able to get a colleague to help out - we already help each other out when cars are in garage etc. I have already posted elsewhere about driving long distances, which has now stopped. I am limited to county boundaries at the moment, which is OK - but obviously not if my insurance is suspended!

I was hoping that if I had a blue badge I would be able to do less walking and therefore stave off the insurance suspension? Immaterial anyway, as the Oxfordshire CC website is very clear that they won't issue one for a temporary condition - I will just have to do more internet shopping (oh dear!), and plan my day better so I am arriving places when I know there will be spaces available near where I want to be.

It's not the end of the world, but it would have been a nice help. My entire Health in Pregnancy grant is going to be going on Chiropractor bills though! Mine is wonderful, and if I end this pregnancy standing it will all be down to her!

Thanks for the advice.