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

DaisyMoo

In any case it's a tricky one, because even if you ask nicely, the person is likely soon going to grow sick of having to explain and justify themselves to every car park attendant in every private car park, and then deal with blank stares and responses like "What's CRPS?" or "What's Fibromyalgia" or "Oh, yeah I saw that on House, you mean Lupus actually exists I thought that was just a running joke?"[/QUOTE]

Too true, I get some very funny looks when I try to explain Ankylosing spondylitis!
If I'm not limping or hunched over getting out of the car, it's a good day for me, I hate the judgemental stares from others - leave me alone and let me enjoy the pain free few hours.
If you want to see my disability, look at my face - that will tell you all you need to know, if it twisted and contorted, I'd say, probably not a good time to challenge me, my crutches are never far away and I've become quite good at using them as weapons :rotfl:

bigbulldog

It's nobody's business what your disability is and if I or the wife was ever asked they'd get an answer perhaps one they don't want to hear,but an answer nether the less.!

Horace

I have friends who are amputees who park their motorbikes in disabled bays - they do display their blue badges. One was told off by a parking attendant for daring to park in such a bay so my mate sat on his bike, rolled up his trouser leg and removed his below knee prosthesis - apparently the parking attendant's face was a picture:D Before anyone says anything you can ride an adapted motorbike if you are an amputee, have bracial plexus or even if you are in a wheelchair.

Lum

bigbulldog wrote: »

It's nobody's business what your disability is and if I or the wife was ever asked they'd get an answer perhaps one they don't want to hear,but an answer nether the less.!

Soapn wrote: »

so basically people want the perk, because that is what it it, a perk/courtesy, but oh my god, don't anybody DARE ask why!!!!!!!!!!!

And these two sum up the problem I was trying to bring up.

How do you balance the need to try and reduce abuse of the disabled facilities by able bodied people who don't need them, with the need to not constantly harass those with invisible disabilities?

It's a tricky one, particularly in those first few months after becoming disabled, where you're still waiting for your blue badge. Is it reasonable for a car park attendant to challenge someone using a disabled bay who does not appear to be disabled and does not (yet) have a blue badge?

mazza111

Lum wrote: »

The government's own research, as quoted by Boris Johnson and reported in the Daily Mail of all places shows that the level of fraud for DLA claims is around 0.5%.

That is a much much lower fraud rate than for most other benefits out there. Anyone who has ever seen a DLA form will understand why.

Ah but I didn't say DLA fraud dear, I said abuse of the system. Which could be anything from Mr Smith getting his disabled mother's tax disc and never taking her anywhere in the car, or using her badge where and when he needs it. This used to happen loads in Brighton at the American Express building. Used to watch people do it, rushing into their work. They could have been ill, but most of them I think were just taking advantage as the parking in that area is atrocious. That's what I meant by abuse of the system. And you've just reminded me that I've left BB on display when I shouldn't have :mad: Must dash out to car.

Soapn - It's none of your business why. That would be up to people with the authority to check the BB. Which is listen in the handbook. Definitely doesn't say Soapn.

As for the shop assistant asking that question. I would have got his name and reported it too. There is no need for the way he asked the question.

Lum

^^^ Is your problem with him asking the question, or the way he asked the question?

The query I have is, if blue badge abuse is rampant, and very easy to do; and there are lots of people with genuine disabilities who don't (yet) have blue badges; and we all (hopefully) know that plenty of disabilities are invisible and don't involve obvious mobility equipment and van-derived-cars with ramps on the back.

So how do shops and the like reduce abuse of the limited number of disabled parking spaces?

I don't have an answer to this, but I think it's a good question.

samtoby

Blue badge fraud will be very hard soon as the system for producing these has changed significantly (I used to work in this area in Local Governement)

bigbulldog

Lum wrote: »

And these two sum up the problem I was trying to bring up.

You would get fed up to with peoples attitude when parking the car.

Lum wrote: »

It's a tricky one, particularly in those first few months after becoming disabled, where you're still waiting for your blue badge. Is it reasonable for a car park attendant to challenge someone using a disabled bay who does not appear to be disabled and does not (yet) have a blue badge?

I think it's reasonable to be asked and probably 9 out of 10 would ask you to find another space to park .

Tbh we get fed up with people giving remarks,coming over to the car to check if we have a BB (WE DO )all because we drive a nice coupe and the wife at times shows no sign of her disability.

Stephen_Leak

Lum wrote: »

<snip> So how do shops and the like reduce abuse of the limited number of disabled parking spaces?

I don't have an answer to this, but I think it's a good question.

They can't.

All they have to do, under the terms of The Equality Act 2010 is to provide the disabled parking bays.

The Equality Act doesn't say that able-bodied drivers can't also use disabled parking bays. OK, they shouldn't, but they can.

Assuming that the signs are clear enough to create a fair and legally binding contract with someone driving past in a car (see the Peel Centre case judgement), this probably contravenes the contract terms & conditions for the car park.

But, the contract terms & conditions for the car park usually state that you shouldn't park in a disabled bay without displaying a badge. This contravenes The Equality Act.

Lum

samtoby wrote: »

Blue badge fraud will be very hard soon as the system for producing these has changed significantly (I used to work in this area in Local Governement)

How will this stop able-bodied people from borrowing their grandparent's blue badge and abusing it?

bigbulldog wrote: »

You would get fed up to with peoples attitude when parking the car.

Yes, I totally get that, have dealt with invisible illness for long enough. The wheelchair is a very recent addition to our lives.

Tbh we get fed up with people giving remarks,coming over to the car to check if we have a BB (WE DO )all because we drive a nice coupe and the wife at times shows no sign of her disability.

Got pretty much this problem with my partner's 200SX, though the wheelchair then makes an appearance alongside the drivers door and the people disappear suddenly. I can well see how much abuse you'd get in that situation.

What we sometimes used to do on low spoons days is I'd drop her off at the drop off point and then go park normally, and if she was on her own it would literally be come straight home and get me to do the shopping or whatever.

I agree that the general public have no right to ask, which I was specifically asking about car park attendants and vehicles with no BB.

Stephen_Leak wrote: »

They can't.

All they have to do, under the terms of The Equality Act 2010 is to provide the disabled parking bays.

The Equality Act doesn't say that able-bodied drivers can't also use disabled parking bays. OK, they shouldn't, but they can.

This seems to be the default mode of operation for supermarkets and the like, yes. I'm not saying that they are required to police their own bays, just that it may be (or may not be) a good thing to do.

Assuming that the signs are clear enough to create a fair and legally binding contract with someone driving past in a car (see the Peel Centre case judgement), this probably contravenes the contract terms & conditions for the car park.
But, the contract terms & conditions for the car park usually state that you shouldn't park in a disabled bay without displaying a badge. This contravenes The Equality Act.

The contracts are pretty much unenforcible anyway, as seen on any thread in the parking tickets forum. Punative penalty clauses are not allowed, they can only reclaim actual losses incurred, so for a free car park that would be zero, unless they can provide proof that a disabled person showed up, couldn't park, left without buying anything and didn't come back later for another attempt.