disabled and parents parking

sarahg1969

gregg1 wrote: »

Actually the ones at my local shopping mall do issue fines for people parking in the disabled spaces. They have parking attendants doing constant rounds to check that badges are displayed but you are right - that is the only place I have seen this happening - nowhere else seems to do anything about it.

Whoever they are, they have no authority to issue fines. If they are from the local authority or police, they may issue penalty notice. If it's a private car park, they may issue a speculative invoice, which can be ignored. Only the courts can issue fines.

trisontana

Our local Sainsbury's has the best idea. By their disabled parking area there is a notice which reads:-

If you are disabled, these spaces are here if your need them.

If you are not disabled, please leave these spaces clear.

So no mention of "blue badges", "penalties" or "fines". This is because this car-park is not looked after by a money-grabbing private parking company.

Hannah_10

Because I can't get out of the door of my (small) car unless I can get the door at least 2/3 of the way to it's fullest opening point, how about that for an answer.

When I wasn't disabled and I was a fit young mother however I could generally be relied upon to cope with my own child in any car parking space I could have used without her present.

You may not LIKE crossing the road with your baby, but I can not actually DO getting out of a car unless I can stand straight up from my seat without twisting.

EDIT: To add I am not overweight, not even slightly, nor am I old (thirty), nor do I need a blue-badge- just enough room to get the door open.

Indie_Kid

ukjoel wrote: »

I think the forms have now been tightened up and GPs are being asked simply if the person can walk 100 yards.
If the answer is yes then its an automatic rejection.
Which I think is right.

There are many crteria for a blue badge which doesn't affect someones' ability to walk.

cherub1965

trisontana wrote: »

If it's a private car-park (i.e. not owned by the council) then they are not "fines", they are unenforceable invoices and can be ignored. And once again they are breaking the DDA by limiting those spaces just to blue-badge holders.

but surely a bit of respect for disability would be expected?i have a badge myself and when am having an ok day i will park away from them to let somebody worse than me use it as i know how frustrating it is not to be able to park close enought o get to some shops etc.

trisontana

cherub1965 wrote: »

but surely a bit of respect for disability would be expected?i have a badge myself and when am having an ok day i will park away from them to let somebody worse than me use it as i know how frustrating it is not to be able to park close enought o get to some shops etc.

I quite agree, disabled parking spaces should always be respected. What some of us are pointing out here is that a private parking company has no right to demand money off a motorist who breaks their "rules". They send out paperwork that looks official, threaten people with debt collectors and such like, when they have no right to do that. They are just private citizens, and the basis of civil law in this country is that one private citizen is not allowed to punish another private citizen in such a way as they try to do.

cherub1965

i know that,the majority of people are ok,as always you just get the few idiots who will read they can park anywhere and will deliberately park in disabled bays so they can get a ticket and ignore it:o.some just love confrontation no matter who it is with.get a lot of it were i live unfortunately.

poppy_f1

both our local tescos and morrisons have said to my mum that she can park in the P&C spaces if there are no disabled spaces left - she asked and that was the reply she got

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

gregg1 wrote: »

how the hell do you know that. I know of people with disabilities who have a weight issue as a result of their disability not the other way round!

Nice to know that the world isn't completely filled with people assuming that my weight gain is solely due to extreme burger consumption, rather than the steroids I have to take for an autoimmune disease, plus the sudden change in mobility (and calorific requirement) from being an ex-dancer/ competing kick boxer/rock climber/diver/surfer/biker/fitness competitor in training for triathlon (to provide a new challenge), to being unable to tie my own shoelaces without falling over due to dizziness/nerve damage from a neck fracture.

cherub1965

poppy_f1 wrote: »

both our local tescos and morrisons have said to my mum that she can park in the P&C spaces if there are no disabled spaces left - she asked and that was the reply she got[/QUOT

you can park in them anyway with a badge,i do if they are available and there are no bays empty.same as disabled bays,its just a matter of courtesy people are asked not to park in them,nobody can enforce it.