Blue Badge 'police'

sunnyone

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

What happens if I get back to the car before the driver? Do I use the spare set of keys, let myself in and sit down - or do I have to stand outside in pain/dizziness/the snow/whatever or get in the driving seat and move the vehicle despite not being licensed or insured to do so?

craftygranny wrote: »

I often have to do this and wondered the same . should my oh leave all the shopping in the middle of the store or on the belt at the checkout so that he can move the car to a normal bay as i've returned to sit in it as i can't stand any longer. get real.

You are leaving the car, not sitting smoking and reading the paper while your abled bodied driver/passenger pops into the shop etc. for you, justifing like the ignorant person who wants to help the driver out and dosnt want to make them walk any further than a disabled bay:mad:

sunnyone

hippygran wrote: »

So I'll put it another way then.
I drive the car to the disabled bay. My husband's disability means he cant drive.
He struggles to get out the car immediatley.
Finds out that his knee is locked, (AGAIN - it either locks or dis-locates many times a day).
He is in considerable pain, and sometimes half in and half out the car.
So, you people are SERIOUSLY suggesting that I then re-park the car, move to a SMALLER space, FURTHER away, and thereby effectively IMPRISON him in the car, and scupper all chance of him being able to get out and join me if he wishes?
GOD YOU ARE ALL HEART!
No way would I do anything that meant I removed his choice of getting out of the car, even if it was only for 2 minutes at the end of the shopping trip!
As I have already stated (several times now), if the intention was for him to stay in the car from the outset, then we wouldnt park in a disabled bay, but if he wants to get out, then I feel the if, and when of this is his personal choice (only he can judge his pain level). And so, no, I dont regard this as abuse of the badge, as I feel that he should be encouraged fully to live his life as 'normally' as he can under the circustances.
This is a matter of common sense for me.
He wants to get out and about.
He tries to get out and about.
Sometimes he thinks he can, but then finds he cant.
WHATS THE PROBLEM????

The problem is you abuse his blue badge, re read your posts in this thread if you have forgoten, your husband isnt the only one in pain so thats certainly no excuse for this abuse and he could stick his leg out of the car in a normal bay if hes staying in the car.

You can drive with one stump today, many people like me drive with hand controls because they cant use their legs but it dosnt give me any freedom because my husband cant get my wheelchair (or open the door wide enough to get out of the car in the many years I spent defiying the medics by dragging my useless legs around using crutches) out of the car or I cant get out of the car due to abuse by ignorant people like you who make sure that other disabled people "cant live life as *normally* as they can under the circumstances" just so you can feel justified in abusing disabled bays the at least fifth of the time you admit it.

lucylucky

sunnyone wrote: »

They dont get out of the car, thats clearly taking a bay up without needing it to get out of the car thus abusing disabled bays.

Try to have another attempt at answering my question rather than avoiding it.

How long do you give them before you decide they are abusing the space?

lucylucky

sunnyone wrote: »

You are ignorant and I hope you get fined for this abuse, you wife is not disabled and her using your badge is blue badge abuse, you mustnt struggle like me and other wheelchair users or you wouldnt allow this.

It is black and white in this case, you admit to abusing your badge and if I knew you I would report you without a second thought, people like you should have your badges removed for ever.

My husband has to get my powerchair out and hes very ill but I wouldnt allow him or anyone else to abuse my badge "to help the driver out in some way" and stop a disabled person who really needs the bay.

Hopefully the above is happening in a retail car park where no fine would be issued.

To whom would you report the person and what outcome would you expect?

The supermarket? And what would they do?

lucylucky

sunnyone wrote: »

You are leaving the car, not sitting smoking and reading the paper while your abled bodied driver/passenger pops into the shop etc. for you, justifing like the ignorant person who wants to help the driver out and dosnt want to make them walk any further than a disabled bay:mad:

Have a go at answering the questions asked by the posters you quoted, rather than once again avoiding them.:D

Madz

stefos wrote: »

I have been following this thread with interest.My wife must make a considerable effort to get me in and out of the car and wheelchair anyway, so for instance,if it's raining or I'm feeling more defeated than normal and stay in the car I certainly would not expect my OH to expend more extra energy than necessary walking to and from the other side of the car park as she needs all the energy she can muster assisting me.
Therefore I feel not one shred of guilt 'using' my blue badge to help my wife. Perhaps others in the same boat as me are trying to help their driver in some small way.
The sanctimonious amongst you should consider that not everything is black or white

Your wife probably has considerably more energy than someone who has to struggle to get a wheelchair out of the car and their disabled companion into it. If your wife can't walk the 25 yds from the normal parking bays maybe she should apply for a blue badge for herself. I can guarantee that she has more energy than me and while she's using the parking space to stop herself getting a little bit tired she's denying it to someone like me whose day can be made or broken depending on hoe much energy I've had to expend. You should really reassess your actions.

Madz

lucylucky wrote: »

Try to have another attempt at answering my question rather than avoiding it.

How long do you give them before you decide they are abusing the space?

This is disingenuous. We've already established that this can only ever be self policed. No-one knows the circumstances of anyone with a blue badge but it's already apparent on this thread that there are people who believe they are entitled to bend the rules. It's people behaving like that who make other people suspicious. I have mobility issues, seriously so on occasion but every time I park I assess whether I really need the space or whether a trolley might hold me up for a bit. I couldn't live with myself knowing that I'd denied a space to a person who needs a heavy wheelchair or other complicated assistance that simply can't happen in a normal parking bay.

sunnyone

lucylucky wrote: »

Hopefully the above is happening in a retail car park where no fine would be issued.

To whom would you report the person and what outcome would you expect?

The supermarket? And what would they do?

I answered your question above but dont let that stop you from defending blue badge abuse.

I hope its on street or a council car park and then maybe the abuse would stop and a sixty pound fine will make people remember that they cannot park in a disabled bay unless the disabled person is leaving the car , I would report them to the issueing office for the blue badge (as it tells you to do in the literature you recieve with the badge) and the local council so that the enforcement officers have the details to look out for the car.


As long as disabled people allow their badges to be abused other able bodied people will use that to justify abusing disabled bays and disabled people will (in one example Im familiar with many times only) continue to have to wait an hour to get parked at my local hospital and/or miss appointments because they cant get out of the car because visitors visiting a disabled person thinks it ok to use the badge to visit them in hospital:mad:

lucylucky

Madz wrote: »

This is disingenuous. We've already established that this can only ever be self policed. No-one knows the circumstances of anyone with a blue badge but it's already apparent on this thread that there are people who believe they are entitled to bend the rules. It's people behaving like that who make other people suspicious. I have mobility issues, seriously so on occasion but every time I park I assess whether I really need the space or whether a trolley might hold me up for a bit. I couldn't live with myself knowing that I'd denied a space to a person who needs a heavy wheelchair or other complicated assistance that simply can't happen in a normal parking bay.

I am not sure why you think my question to be disingenuous.

I have merely asked for clarification.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

sunnyone wrote: »

You are leaving the car, not sitting smoking and reading the paper while your abled bodied driver/passenger pops into the shop etc. for you, justifing like the ignorant person who wants to help the driver out and dosnt want to make them walk any further than a disabled bay:mad:

How would you personally know this if you've just driven up? I'm not justifying any improper use of the blue badge, but I do object to the tone of your reply, as I was asking a genuine question.

I personally agree that if you know you aren't getting out of the car, you may as well sit in a normal parking space. However, it is entirely unfair to lose your rag over something that you cannot always have full knowledge over, as it is possible that the person has returned to the car early.

If I were sitting in the car, reading (wish my neck allowed me to do this more) and if I smoked, having a cigarette, waiting for the driver to get back having got back first - mainly because he does the stuff over a longer distance than I do - I would not appreciate you ripping my head off.

It's bad enough being queried whether I have my own badge or whether I deserve it, never mind having someone have a go because they haven't personally seen me collapse back into the seat five minutes previously.