Parking in a Disabled Bay

mikey72

prowla wrote: »

I have been in a situation once where the entire car park was full except for disabled bays, so I went to park in one of them, but the parking staff told me to move on. I told them that there were no other places, but they insisted, so I did and left - I guess disabled people's money is better than mine.

After that and one other incident over parking there I stopped going to that shop.

Why did you leave?
There is absolutely nothing at all they could have done to you. You should have ignored them, or told them where they could go.

Coupon-mad

prowla wrote: »

I have been in a situation once where the entire car park was full except for disabled bays, so I went to park in one of them, but the parking staff told me to move on. I told them that there were no other places, but they insisted, so I did and left - I guess disabled people's money is better than mine.

After that and one other incident over parking there I stopped going to that shop.

They did right though.

A disabled bay is only for disabled people to use and potentially, the owner/occupier (shop) could have been sued by a disabled person if they were seen to have a policy of just waving anyone into such spaces.

They have a duty to ensure that the provision of disabled bays is working as intended and can't just let them be filled up by able-bodied people when it gets a bit busy. Having said that, there's not much they could have done to stop you if you'd just driven in.

mikey72

Coupon-mad wrote: »

They did right though.

A disabled bay is only for disabled people to use and potentially, the owner/occupier (shop) could have been sued by a disabled person if they were seen to have a policy of just waving anyone into such spaces.

They have a duty to ensure that the provision of disabled bays is working as intended and can't just let them be filled up by able-bodied people when it gets a bit busy. Having said that, there's not much they could have done to stop you if you'd just driven in.

How did they know prowla wasn't disabled. No blue badge?
Just looked ok?
.
And I agree with the last bit before your edit, as your rightly said, there is nothing they could have done anyway, they have no rights over who parks where.

Coupon-mad

Exactly, but he didn't tell them he was, so I assume he wasn't disabled.

mikey72

Coupon-mad wrote: »

Exactly, but he didn't tell them he was, so I assume he wasn't disabled.

You're not required to declare it.

And it would be interesting, if there was any case under the Equality Act.
If the car park was full, equally, it would be reasonable for the disabled spaces to be full.
Sue as much as they want to. It's completely equal.

Own_My_Own

I would not park in a disabled bay, but I do often see the disabled driver sitting in car while their able bodied partner goes and does the shopping.

I live in a town that has a large percentage of elderly occupants, which means the bays are always full.

Last year our local council made all the parking spaces in the town centre disabled use only. This is a real pain if you only need to pay cash into the bank. I understand that many disabled people would not be able to walk from the car parks on the edge of town. But as a working mother of a child with a mental disability, it does make a 5 minute job take over half an hour. Some days that is half an hour I simply do not have spare.

prowla

I guess I could have just gone in anyway, but then I would have had a big barney.

I do believe that it is a courtesy to leave disabled spaces (and parent & child ones) free for people who have a bigger need. But in the case where there is nowhere else, perhaps that becomes irrelevant.

(No, I'm not disabled.)

mikey72

Own_My_Own wrote: »

...........Last year our local council made all the parking spaces in the town centre disabled use only...........

There could well be a case to pursue against the council.

sheilavw

I would never park in a disabled or a mother and baby space. I park as far away from the store as possible, on an end, less chance of someone opening their door and marking your car

grant_uk

prowla wrote: »

I have been in a situation once where the entire car park was full except for disabled bays, so I went to park in one of them, but the parking staff told me to move on. I told them that there were no other places, but they insisted, so I did and left - I guess disabled people's money is better than mine.

After that and one other incident over parking there I stopped going to that shop.

They must be gutted to have lost the custom of someone with such high moral principles that they'll deny access to someone less fortunate just to avoid a couple of minutes walk?

I bet they can't sleep at nights...

*shrug*