Blue Badge

SingleSue

skcollobcat10 wrote: »

And when in my post did I mention that it was relevant whether their disability was "visible" or not?

The fact that they are able to walk several hundred yards around a supermarket and load shopping into their car (as I have actually seen some of them do) is objective evidence as far as I am concerned of a level of capability at odds with requiring a blue badge.

I load my own shopping into the car (no other begger around to do it for me) but boy do I pay for it for days afterwards.

And this is the problem, people are only seeing a snapshot, they are not seeing what happens afterwards or what has happened before. The person who may have managed to get around the shop and then load things into the back of the car, may have spent days or weeks building up the strength to do so, going no-where else in the interim or may have to spend the next fortnight in bed because of doing so.

They might even be having a better day, something which can be common in a fluctuating illness which can leave a person incapacitated for weeks on end with a few better days thrown in.

The above is one of the reasons I have not applied for a badge or for DLA...I just don't want the accusations of not deserving it on one of my few better days when I am able to take the rubbish out to the bin or go shopping. So, as I have no badge and no DLA, I don't feel as if I have to justify every little activity to all and sundry or be judged negatively because of those few and far between activities.

Francesanne

We have a neighbour who despite two knee replacements & other health issues was refused a blue badge.

Oopsadaisy

Francesanne wrote: »

We have a neighbour who despite two knee replacements & other health issues was refused a blue badge.

Well they should consider themselves very lucky.

Would you want to be so ill/disabled/insert PC term that you WOULD get a badge??

Mojisola

Oopsadaisy wrote: »

Well they should consider themselves very lucky.

Would you want to be so ill/disabled/insert PC term that you WOULD get a badge??

Being refused a Blue Badge doesn't magically make the problems you have disappear! You still have the illness or disability that prompted you to apply for a badge. You just don't have the little bit of help that a Blue Badge would give you.

starchild1972

skcollobcat10 wrote: »

And when in my post did I mention that it was relevant whether their disability was "visible" or not?

The fact that they are able to walk several hundred yards around a supermarket and load shopping into their car (as I have actually seen some of them do) is objective evidence as far as I am concerned of a level of capability at odds with requiring a blue badge.

The fact that you have no idea of their pain levels, or the amount of medication that person may be taking, or whether the blue badge has been given for a leg problem/back problem/severe epilepsy/heart condition/chronic asthma/may have a condition that means having the door open at it's widest makes it easier to get in and out of car and they have no one else to do the shopping for them.

Take me as an example. I have hypermobility (?EDS), fibromyalgia, Degenerative disc disease AND M.E. (add to that a non alocoholic liver problem) I also suffer with something called POTS.
I also now, due to an abrupt illness have a wheelchair bound husband and as I am now the fittest(!) in the household I have to get his wheelchair in and out of the car. (I can't drive)

If we were to park in a car park near you, you would say...She doesn't need a blue badge.
I could go as far as the trolleys sometimes with sometimes without a walking stick depending on pain levels for that day. I still need the door open at it's fullest to get in and out of my car.
I then use the trolley as a walking frame round the supermarket.
I then take the trolley back to the car, unload the shopping and have to take the trolley back to the trolley park. (though this rarely happens as someone else will do it for me). If you only saw me for the first 5 mins you are making a judgement on me walking to the trolley park.

What you can't see is the amount of pain medications I am taking before/after the trip, the inability of me being able to function for 2/3 days afterwards, the risk of me just passing out in the store due to POTS, the sheer exhaustion that is caused by the walking round.
I can't put my wheelchair in the car, it isn't big enough for 2 chairs + kids + shopping.

We would swap our blue badges for the ability to live without pain in a second.

The badge just makes our life a little easier.
And no, we don't park on double yellow lines!

Francesanne

Oopsadaisy wrote: »

Well they should consider themselves very lucky.

Would you want to be so ill/disabled/insert PC term that you WOULD get a badge??

Why should he consider himself lucky??? his 1st knee replacement was a complete disaster & left him in greater pain. Thankfully, his other knee op went went but has restricted his walking. He also suffers from diabetes & arthritis. It's amazing that so many people with lesser problems have no problem getting a badge but maybe some councils are more sympathic than others.

Indie_Kid

Oopsadaisy wrote: »

Well they should consider themselves very lucky.

Would you want to be so ill/disabled/insert PC term that you WOULD get a badge??

Why is he lucky? I know she's just posted; but in the post you quoted, Frances said that he has other health problems too - which may entitled him.

Oopsadaisy

sh1305 wrote: »

Why is he lucky? I know she's just posted; but in the post you quoted, Frances said that he has other health problems too - which may entitled him.

He is not disabled/whatever enough to need a Blue Badge....isn't that good news??

Would he be better off being 'more ill' so that he does qualify for a badge?? Thats a bit like hoping your cancer is bad enough to require strong chemo causing hair loss so you get those funky NHS wigs.

Mupette

I'm another with a hidden disability.

On really good days i can do the supermarket, although i wish they wouldn't make them so big. But boy do i suffer for days after.

I need a scooter, but i can't afford one, i need to sell my power chair to afford it, as it was a hasty buy to help me but is more of a hindrance.

And then i can run over all the frickin parents who ignore their children ruining riot, can't stand the fact these brats run into me and the parents give me the look as if it's my fault..

Francesanne

Oopsadaisy wrote: »

He is not disabled/whatever enough to need a Blue Badge....isn't that good news??

Would he be better off being 'more ill' so that he does qualify for a badge?? Thats a bit like hoping your cancer is bad enough to require strong chemo causing hair loss so you get those funky NHS wigs.

He believe's he is disabled enough to be granted a blue badge. I'm only a neighbour and not his wife. My husband's chemo doesn't cause hair loss, it causes plenty of other problems but hair loss is not one of them.