New Blue Badge anti-fraud measures

mo1960

I agree with people's comments about older people being abusive to younger people who use the disabled parking bays.
I am in my 40s now but have had a badge for many years.
When I catch someone checking my badge or saying something about me, I always make a comment back and suggest they check my badge, it's surprising how quick they move away.
Some older people think age gives them priority in many things.

toblerone_2

golddustmedia wrote: »

Not sure how I feel about charging Blue badge holders in car parks.

I mean, I agree with disabled spaces to assist disabled drivers and make their lives easier, but I also feel that the assistance is a reserved space in prime position, not necessarily free parking. After all, everybody else has to pay to park. Surely the scheme is there to help disabled drivers park, not save them money?

i totally agree in why is the parking free.most people on the BB scheme are on benefits over and above those on incapacity benefit and they are ill too but have to find a normal space and pay.why is it free to park on BB scheme especially as they also get help towrds a car in some cases free tax and poss insurance!yes give them a BB but not the rest of the perks.they are totally over the top and if they got rid of free parking there would be not much benefit parking in those bays

MandyQue

toblerone wrote: »

i totally agree in why is the parking free.most people on the BB scheme are on benefits over and above those on incapacity benefit and they are ill too but have to find a normal space and pay.why is it free to park on BB scheme especially as they also get help towrds a car in some cases free tax and poss insurance!yes give them a BB but not the rest of the perks.they are totally over the top and if they got rid of free parking there would be not much benefit parking in those bays

As the parent of a disabled child I take great umbrage in your comments. The reason that people with disabilities can claim over and above those on other benefits is because the costs of living with a long term disability are that much higher. We certainly do not get free insurance or help towards a car, my daughters mobility allowance pays for our motability car. It is a contract hire scheme which means that the money we pay covers the car, its insurance and maintainance of the car. In many cases we have to pay more because the mobility allowance doesn't cover the total cost of the car that is needed, especially when vehicles have to be specially adapted for use by a disabled person.

The extra costs I have to cover while caring for my child are often well above the money I have coming in, meaning that we need to go cap in hand to charities for help, have you any idea how rotten that can make families feel, that they can't afford what their child needs? No, obviously you don't. Believe me, I would be working if I possibly could, but my daughters needs are so great, plus I have my own health issues, that I can't go to work. The government recognise this by the extra benefits they give to people like me and my daughter, but as always, the money doesn't stretch as far as it needs to. So excuse me if I breathe a sigh of relief if I don't have to pay to park, especially when I could have taken the bus or not gone at all if it wasn't for my daughters special needs. Every penny counts for us.

TOBRUK

toblerone wrote: »

i totally agree in why is the parking free.most people on the BB scheme are on benefits over and above those on incapacity benefit and they are ill too but have to find a normal space and pay.why is it free to park on BB scheme especially as they also get help towrds a car in some cases free tax and poss insurance!yes give them a BB but not the rest of the perks.they are totally over the top and if they got rid of free parking there would be not much benefit parking in those bays

I think you will find in the first place that most people who have a BB don't have it for free parking, and the benefit for parking in 'those bays' as you put it is that it is closer to shops/accesses etc they have the BB because of their mobility needs. The disability parking bays are normally wider which makes getting in and out of the car easier, especially those who have wheelchairs.

If there is in certain places free parking for BB holders, I certainly don't look at it as a perk - I would rather be without the agony and my illness any day and the struggle of getting to where I need/want to each time I go out. If you have a problem with free parking for BB holders you should contact the local authority regarding the matter (every local authority has their own rules for disabled/BB holders regarding parking and is their decision to charge or not to charge)- we didn't ask for free parking and therefore it is not the fault of BB holders :rolleyes:

Tintent

Well said TOBRUK and MandyQue. It sounds like it's time for someone to have a shot living in my shoes! I always thought it rather ironic that the mobility allowance could be used through Motability to obtain a car that's insured, maintained, taxed etc BUT there isn't any allowance left to put fuel in and take it anywhere!

Sappersmum, I'm in a similar situation with my wheelchair. I use it for longer distances but try very hard not to use it. I think I've got used to the 'looks' people give me but my boss was amazed when she came to B&Q with me the other week. Obviously most people don't think a wheelchair user can stand, let alone walk a few steps. My boss was highly amused at the looks of abject shock I got simply for standing up, putting my chair in the boot and walking round to drive the car away. The fact that I can only just manage to walk around the car obviously doesn't compute!

This was a fantastic experience to share with a very sympathetic employer. She makes every effort to 'see things from my side' and experiences in car parks are about the most difficult to discribe!

supersavershal

MandyQue wrote: »

As the parent of a disabled child I take great umbrage in your comments. The reason that people with disabilities can claim over and above those on other benefits is because the costs of living with a long term disability are that much higher. We certainly do not get free insurance or help towards a car, my daughters mobility allowance pays for our motability car. It is a contract hire scheme which means that the money we pay covers the car, its insurance and maintainance of the car. In many cases we have to pay more because the mobility allowance doesn't cover the total cost of the car that is needed, especially when vehicles have to be specially adapted for use by a disabled person.

The extra costs I have to cover while caring for my child are often well above the money I have coming in, meaning that we need to go cap in hand to charities for help, have you any idea how rotten that can make families feel, that they can't afford what their child needs? No, obviously you don't. Believe me, I would be working if I possibly could, but my daughters needs are so great, plus I have my own health issues, that I can't go to work. The government recognise this by the extra benefits they give to people like me and my daughter, but as always, the money doesn't stretch as far as it needs to. So excuse me if I breathe a sigh of relief if I don't have to pay to park, especially when I could have taken the bus or not gone at all if it wasn't for my daughters special needs. Every penny counts for us.

Im afraid I agree with toblerone on this one, as you say you get benefits because your cost of living is higher these are meant to cover your extra costs such as car parking.I totally agree with parking bays close to entrances for the disabled who cant walk far but im afraid I cant see any reason why you shouldnt pay parking fees if you have a blue badge.
In my doctors surgery is a large notice from the police stating that having a blue badge does not entitle you to park anywhere you like and that cars (including blue badge holders) who park on the road outside with 2 yellow lines will be issued with a ticket or towed away.Some blue badge holders had parked outside (illegaly) and were causing a very dangerous situation on a busy road.
I have a ten month old baby, child mind a 1yr old and have an 8yr old.A year ago I couldnt park in a parent and child space due to it being occupied by a disabled blue badge holding adult (no child present) so we had to park on the other side of the car park my child was hit by a car.It would not had happened if I could have had the child space, I complained to the supermarket executives and found out that the BB holders have NO right to park in parent and child spaces unless they have a child with them, for the past twelve months when I go to the supermarket they very kindly clamp any BB holders parked in parent and child spaces, I mean I would never dream of using a disabled space and they should offer the same courtesy.
I also have a cousin who is quite poorly with cystic fibrosis and has a blue badge because if they walk any distance they become extremely breathless, my cousin no longer parks in disabled bays due to the verbal abuse she receives for looking like a normal teenager on the outside.
Give disabled their spaces, but they should pay and they shouldnt park in places they have not right to and disadvantage other people.

123xyz

As far as I am concerned, the biggest misuse of these blue badges is by spouses of disabled people using them when they are not with the disabled person, simply for the purpose of not having to pay car parking. :mad: Before anyone says I am talking through my ears (yes, I did say ears), :A I have heard numerous people say that they do this, and they think it is funny. Perhaps it is taking money saving to the extreme.

MandyQue

supersavershal wrote: »

Im afraid I agree with toblerone on this one, as you say you get benefits because your cost of living is higher these are meant to cover your extra costs such as car parking.I totally agree with parking bays close to entrances for the disabled who cant walk far but im afraid I cant see any reason why you shouldnt pay parking fees if you have a blue badge.

I never said that we shouldn't merely that I am thankful if I can save a pound or two once in a while, we wouldn't be on MSE if that wasn't the case!

I am angry on behalf of your cousin, she should not feel intimidated by others if she is legitimately parking in a disabled bay with a valid blue badge. I can totally empathise as my daughter also has an 'invisible' disability also and we frequently get judged on this. I make a big point of waving her blue badge to show that we are legitimately using the parking space.

I would never park dangerously but the blue badge rules do say we can park on double and single yellow lines unless there are other signs to say that we can't. I certainly wouldn't use a disabled bay, or my daughters blue badge for my own convenience.

System

JuliaH wrote: »

As far as I am concerned, the biggest misuse of these blue badges is by spouses of disabled people using them when they are not with the disabled person, simply for the purpose of not having to pay car parking. :mad: Before anyone says I am talking through my ears (yes, I did say ears), :A I have heard numerous people say that they do this, and they think it is funny. Perhaps it is taking money saving to the extreme.

I have seen this first hand. A person I worked with ALWAYS used the BB issued to her mother to park in disabled slots where we worked and also in town of a lunchtime. She believed that she had the absolute right to use it when she wanted.

jofminx

golddustmedia wrote: »

Not sure how I feel about charging Blue badge holders in car parks.

I mean, I agree with disabled spaces to assist disabled drivers and make their lives easier, but I also feel that the assistance is a reserved space in prime position, not necessarily free parking. After all, everybody else has to pay to park. Surely the scheme is there to help disabled drivers park, not save them money?

well i am a badge holder and i cannot work so the extra cost of parking really helps me, i live on £240 a month so parking costs can really eat in to my money so i think it should be free as a lot of disabled people cannot work. i really appreciate being able to park nearer because it means i can get out on my own with out extra assistance. so many places are now charging bb holders and i think they are forgetting that a lot of us only get limited money. just wanted to defend disabled people needing free parking.