Nosey people and blue badges.

Spamfree_2

You talk of people having mental problems. Are blue badges handed out to people with mental problems? :eek:
Aren't blue badges supposed to be for people with mobility problems?

fedupconsumer wrote: »

And yet again people do not get the point.

Who are you to question someones disability whom you do not know the first thing about?

So you don't care if a person whom has a mental or cognitive problem, forgets to put their badge on the dash, or a carer who is struggling to get someone out of the car in all of the stress forgets to put the blue badge on the dash, is fair game? There is an element of human error in this can the handbook legislate for this?
Blimey, no compassion showed at all, a little understanding would not go a miss.

Again how are you going to store the persons details ? keep them on file locked away, if on your phone are you going to encrypt the data. On your PC with password and encryption? if not you are in breach of data protection act, a criminal offense.

Is it likely to result in libel action against the reporter, should your report lead to no prosecution and the person you have reported has recourse to seek compensation for defamation of character.

Are you trained in identifying people with disabilities or are medically trained? If you are not then use common sense and give people the benefit of the doubt.

Why should people worry about being checked? lets see shall we. Majority of blue badges are genuine and very ill people who could do well without the hassle of being summoned under caution to a local authority or police station.

To be effectively called liars despite being genuinely disabled.

To be harassed by people who don't know the first thing about them or their medical histories.

To wrongfully accuse BB holders of being fraudulent without firm evidence also is a deeply flawed argument.

Are these arguments so hard to understand?

RE tina

"1: it is rude to ask someone if they are disabled/need their badge/need that space etc"

Yes it is deeply rude to ask if someone is disabled, its none of our business. Its a private matter.

2: it is rude to do the above, even if no badge is shown as; they have no right to ask or see it except for officials.

Yes because you do not have a LEGAL right to ask them in the first place. That is the underpinning argument here Tina is you do not have any legal right to ask.

3: it is ok to be rude and swear at people who question your disability, because they are ignorant.

Some people have disabilities that effect their emotional state, who have outbursts of aggression, if pushed people who question their disabilities can in effect trigger "episodes."

4: the people who question your disability are 'unwashed' ie: dirty, stupid, uneducated.

Where did anyone say "unwashed or stupid" ? Some people are uneducated in terms of their views on disability or they have a one dimensional view of disability. No one is saying that people are unintelligent, people are saying that if you have no training in disability awareness, medical training or comparable training, how can you possibly make a correct diagnosis or assertion that the person you are reporting is in fact not disabled or disabled ; When you have not been sufficiently trained to identify them?

5: if you see a van without a badge, you can confront the driver, and it is unacceptable for him to be rude to you.

It is not acceptable for anyone to abuse anyone regardless of the circumstance.

Who is 'unwashed' in this situation?

Those are very strong words and highly offensive.

stefos

Spamfree wrote: »

You talk of people having mental problems. Are blue badges handed out to people with mental problems? :eek:
Aren't blue badges supposed to be for people with mobility problems?

EXACTLY !!

If that were the rule legitimate use would be apparent..

fedupconsumer

Spamfree wrote: »

You talk of people having mental problems. Are blue badges handed out to people with mental problems? :eek:
Aren't blue badges supposed to be for people with mobility problems?

I have heard cases of people qualifying for BB with mental health issues. They are extremely tough to get and you have to get overwhelming evidence to demonstrate your need for one. There were around 2000 people awarded them under mental health conditions in 2007, greatly reduced in subsequent years. Its not impossible to be awarded one for mental health problems it's just very difficult to get.

Also people do have multiple disabilities both mobility issues and mental health issues. So some may qualify for the Blue Badge scheme on mobility problems alone but have significant Mental Health issues.

sizzler1893

bigbulldog wrote: »

That's rich.!!!!!!



Where's your evidence then.????

I dont need eveidence it is my OPINION

fedupconsumer - can you tell me which page in the BB handbook allows for these transgressions? In 20 years I've never seen a chapter headed 'Rules dont apply if you forget'

Also, did I say I keep a file of details??? Errr no because after reporting someone its out of my hands. If

Why should people worry about being checked? lets see shall we. Majority of blue badges are genuine and very ill people who could do well without the hassle of being summoned under caution to a local authority or police station

Yes the BBs are genuine but not all the people using them are.


Trust me if I had my way the system would be much harder to abuse. A parking system which is supposedly there for people who (and I quote from the application form) 'Unable or virtually unable to walk' has descended into the farce we now have.

Do I have medical experience? Yes thankyou, do you?? (oops sorry shouldn't be prying should I)

As I say my opinion and thankfully we live in a society where all can express theirs, even you.

Errata

[QUOTEWhy should people worry about being checked? lets see shall we. Majority of blue badges are genuine and very ill people who could do well without the hassle of being summoned under caution to a local authority or police station

[/QUOTE]

Frankly m'dear I have enough to cope with without being accosted by complete strangers who are suffering from delusions of grandeur and paranoia.

tiamai_d

There is a huge difference between reporting someone you think is abusing a BB and demanding that person explains to you why they have one, who it is for, why they are daring to use it and exactly why you think they are lying, cheating frauds. Its perfectly acceptable to report them, unacceptable to question them if there is a BB displayed.

I get dirty looks most of the time when I use a disabled space (with my son in the car since it's his BB), I ignore them. If someone did ask they would get told to !!!! off because frankly I don't see why I should have to explain my sons whole life story to them, its nothing to do with them. The DLA people decided based upon evidence that he was entitled to high rate mobility and then the council decided that he was entitled to a blue badge (for a £20 fee).

But then I wouldn't ask anyone else to explain either, I don't really get particulary wound up about folk parking in the spaces with no badge, that might well change the first time I can't get a space because of those parking in spaces without a badge, but right now I have other things to get stressed out about.

splodger_seedswapper

gosh - there is a lot of twaddle on this particular thread

i really don't like to get involved in " agro posts" like there are on here - and i really don't like to discuss my perasonal circumstances - but i feel as if i ought to add a penny or two to this "discussion"

i have a bb
i am reg disabled with the dvla
my tax disc states my vehicle is classed as tax exempt disabled

and i drive a van

i have not (yet) been approached by a "by stander" or "nosey parker" (excuse pun) about the validitity of my bb or about my disability - but i do live in a nice area - so maybe people are more civilised in my neck of the woods - or maybe they have more important things to think about

if a parking attendant, police officer or one of those part time pc thingies (can't think of their correct title) asks me for more details - then i would be more than happy to furnish them with the info needed - as my van is reg with dvla as disabled class - a quick pnc check would confirm vehicle status

if anybody else (non official) asked about my disabled status - then i would probably be as polite in my answer as they were with their question

and i drive a van because of my disability

so lay off van drivers - why can't a van driver be disabled - for goodness sake - :think:

Isis_Black

Splodger think your looking for PCSO's :-)

fedupconsumer

Last post from me on this topic.

"Can you tell me which page in the BB handbook allows for these transgressions? In 20 years I've never seen a chapter headed 'Rules dont apply if you forget"

I am not suggesting that there are different rules for one person over another but merely stating your approach to people who forget to display their badges are fair game, as disproportional.
To say a person who has a mental, cognitive or other disability that inhibits their day to day life and are prone to forget things ( i,e displaying their BB) is fair game and deserves to be reported without making the distinction between able bodied people illegally using disabled provision and disabled people who forget things occasionally is a concern.

"Also, did I say I keep a file of details??? Errr no because after reporting someone its out of my hands."

You don't seem to get the point do you, by not collecting the data in a fair and appropriate way, by very virtue of the Data Protection Act you are committing a criminal offense. By not protecting that data you are breaching the conditions of the Data Protection Act. If you take people's details for whatever reason you have to demonstrate you acquired the data in a fair way and for legitimate purposes and have taken steps to securely store this information.
It is not good enough to say its out of your hands because it is not. If people wrongly report someone that does not lead to a conviction, don't find it surprising when the person you have reported wants your details to sue that person for compensation for emotional distress and defamation of character. Its not out of your hands one bit, you have to justify your actions in all of this as well. Not only that I would imagine the Local Authority or Police Force will take a very dim view of people wasting their time, it will come back on you. People are under the misguided notion that they can anonymously report without reproach its simply not the case.

"Yes the BBs are genuine but not all the people using them are."

Whilst I agree not all blue badge holders are genuine and there will be an element of fraud. People are very wary in this climate, but saying genuine people should not fear people reporting them is way off the mark. All I was highlighting is that by reporting people who are genuine, you do not realize the distress you are causing them, to be effectively called disingenuous about your disability. Sometimes you just have to think about your actions and how they would effect a person who is a genuinely disabled. Its hard enough these days without people challenging you all the time on your disability.

"Trust me if I had my way the system would be much harder to abuse. A parking system which is supposedly there for people who (and I quote from the application form) 'Unable or virtually unable to walk' has descended into the farce we now have. "

The system is changing with a new applications process making people justify why they need one. The form is a lengthy one and my Local Authority is now charging £20 for the privilege. That's the problem with the form, people may not have mobility problems but it does not legislate for people with other conditions that just as much effect their ability to get out and lead independent lives.

Thank you all for a rip roaring debate.

bigbulldog

sizzler1893 wrote: »

Trust me if I had my way the system would be much harder to abuse. A parking system which is supposedly there for people who (and I quote from the application form) 'Unable or virtually unable to walk' has descended into the farce we now have.

One can only imagine.

sizzler1893 wrote: »

Do I have medical experience? Yes thankyou, do you?? (oops sorry shouldn't be prying should I)

Sorry, but boasting about medical experience has nothing to do with this thread unless of coarse with your expert medical experience your under the illusion that gives you the right to question a BB holder as you would know whether someone was disabled or not.