Parking with a blue badge when looking "normal.."

harveybobbles

If you were registered disabled, on full DLA both rates, had a Motability car and blue badge and parked in a Disabled parking space, what would your reply be to a person who asks "Are you now going to limp" when you get out of the car?

The person who said this was an employee of the place we visited, which is a well known company.

The blue badge holder looks "normal". By this I mean they have no obvious physical impairment such as a limb missing.

The blue badge holder doesnt get out much due to disabilities. But this was a good day and she wanted to venture out of the house.

Needless to say she wont be going out for another few months after being treated to a comment like that.

gingergee

I could have written that myself!!!! Im in that exact situation!!! I would politly tell them to mind their own beeswax!!!!!!!!!!! x Something needs to be done to highlight the "unseen disabilities". So the simple minded bigots are more aware that we dont have to be limping or in a wheelchair to be disabled. There is a whole spectrum of disability!!!!! xx

harveybobbles

Just with it being a well known company.. Just wondering what the papers might say

kingfisherblue

I would contact the company's head office and suggest that they give disability awarensss training to their employees, along with a letter of apology to the lady concerned.

moose1982

I think there is a thread somewhere on here about abuse people get for daring to go outside with any disability, visible or not and use their Blue Badge. I think it'll only get worse before it gets better and lead to more 'hermits', which could then possibly lead to mental health issues to add to the problems.

gingergee

There was a support page on FB for raising awareness of unseen disabilities. When companies do there inductions, as i presume they all do, maybe when they do the "discrimination" bit, there should be a part on it?
I usually look the picture of health, nice hair, well dressed, make-up etc. Others wouldnt know i had SLE and its given me a heart infection!! Today im in my jamas, curled up on sofa with my pretty butterfly rash on my face!!! I aint going out, even when i feel ok, its not worth the judgemental attitude i get from others (mainly the older generation may i add!!) x

janninew

I have a blue badge for my baby daughter as she needs bulky medical equipment with her at all times. I've only had the badge around 2 months and I've had 4 members of the public confront me, one said she was going to report me (I was even at the hospital car park at the time and was getting my Daughter out the car for an appointment). As said above it does tend to be older folk, the lady who said she was going to report me was 60+.

Its stressful enough having a disabled child, I now worry whenever I go out that I will be confronted. I'm a quiet person and these kind of confrontations upset me. My husband on the other hand will give back as good as he gets - wish I was more like him!

anguk

harveybobbles wrote: »

If you were registered disabled, on full DLA both rates, had a Motability car and blue badge and parked in a Disabled parking space, what would your reply be to a person who asks "Are you now going to limp" when you get out of the car?

The person who said this was an employee of the place we visited, which is a well known company.

The blue badge holder looks "normal". By this I mean they have no obvious physical impairment such as a limb missing.

The blue badge holder doesnt get out much due to disabilities. But this was a good day and she wanted to venture out of the house.

Needless to say she wont be going out for another few months after being treated to a comment like that.

I would be fuming if someone said that to my husband. He's an amputee and normally wears shorts so it's obvious what his disability is but in the colder weather he wears trousers and on a good day he only has a very slight limp.

We've been lucky and never actually had anyone say anything to us but we have had a few "looks". I've always been tempted to lift my husbands trouser leg and point to his metal prosthetic leg and say "disabled enough for you?"

I would definitely write to the company to let them know that some of their staff need some training.

Brassedoff

Hmm, are you not claiming to be disabled when the person has a condition or illness? Not saying an condition or illness is less deserving at all, but to claim a disability and then using "limp" or "wheelchair" offends me! And before anyone jumps on me. Wheelchair user=disabled. Heart condition or agoraphobic = Ill or suffering from a condition.

I would do anything not to be disabled, but years ago after suffering from meningitis, which left me feeling depressed. Back then I was ill, not disabled. Next they'll be saying a slipped disc is disabled!!!!

wiccanlou

Would you consider someone who suffers an angina attack by simply doing the washing up as disabled? Or maybe someone who has Cystic fibrosis who isn't in a wheelchair but their heart and lungs obviously don't work as they should but are still able to walk on their good days as just being simply ill? Illnesses/conditions in both cases but both limiting in the persons ability to do simple things like walk anywhere for any kind of distance including going from a BB space to the shop to get a pint of milk. But because they don't use a wheelchair they should not be entitled to a BB in your eyes??

Katykat

I would agree with this. I hold a blue badge. I can walk more than 500m, but more than that causes pain. Recently I parked in BB area, walked ok into supermarket. Supermarket shopping is possibly the worst activity I do. I was in considerable pain as I pushed my trolley back to the car and it was affecting my walking gait ( incidently, I dont actually "limp") As I got to the car and struggled to co ordinate the trolley and open the car, a bright spark said to me " You wern't limping when you got out of your car". It really annoyed me, but now I find that even when I feel ok, I feel I ought to limp when I get out of my car.