Disability Discrimination

Savvy_Sue

ANNOYED1 said:

Ive had private ticket wardens pounce on my car for not displaying a blue badge when ive just parked up and gone to shop mobility to get a scooter and to get the parking permit to display in the car. This was before i had a blue badge. As you can use a shop mobility permit to display in the car. This car parked is free to use but they once pounce on disabled cars.

This is no use for you now, as you have your BB, but for anyone else in this situation, we have customer parking permits at work which people have to collect from the office. I have given our regulars a notice to put in the car which says "I am either collecting or returning a permit to ..." - so in your situation I'd have typed up a note saying "I have gone to Shop Mobility to collect a scooter and a permit" and left that on show. 

hb2

I also had a situation with a local shop recently. They have created a -zig-zag' queuing facility (it takes up a lot of the disabled parking spaces, but I understand it would have been difficult for them to do otherwise) that means walking quite a bit before getting into the store. My OH did the queuing and I asked if they would let me through to join him once he got to the front, as walking is difficult for me (I walk with 1 crutch). The people 'controlling' the queue flatly refused to let me do this, even though they were not stopping able-bodied people from ducking under the tape separating the lines. We turned round, got back into the car and went elsewhere.

I eventually decided against contacting head office as I expect I would just have got meaningless platitudes in return. However, I used to shop there quite a lot, as they have a wide variety of goods, but have gone elsewhere since then.

ANNOYED1

hb2 said:

I also had a situation with a local shop recently. They have created a -zig-zag' queuing facility (it takes up a lot of the disabled parking spaces, but I understand it would have been difficult for them to do otherwise) that means walking quite a bit before getting into the store. My OH did the queuing and I asked if they would let me through to join him once he got to the front, as walking is difficult for me (I walk with 1 crutch). The people 'controlling' the queue flatly refused to let me do this, even though they were not stopping able-bodied people from ducking under the tape separating the lines. We turned round, got back into the car and went elsewhere.

I eventually decided against contacting head office as I expect I would just have got meaningless platitudes in return. However, I used to shop there quite a lot, as they have a wide variety of goods, but have gone elsewhere since then.

This would come under reasonable adjustment under the equality act and the shop has acted unlawfully.
I have found out that there is a class action lawsuit happening against retailers that have failed to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled people due to the coronavirus.  

The bit about reasonable adjustments is that would if cause you a significant disadvantage against someone who is not disabled.
For example making you queue when you cant stand in the queue due to disability would be a case where reasonable adjustments have to be made. As if the queuing policy makes it impossible for you to shop there than the retailer has to make reasonable adjustments.
I cant stand in the queue for a long time and therefore i ask to be let in. 
You have a witness for what happened to you so you should complain to head office.

sheramber

Most supermarkets supermarkets have made the adjustment of providing a special hour for disabled people to shop.

By your argument if twenty disabled people turned up and expected to go to front of the queue I could have to long wait To get in.

theoretica

 By asking for proof, the employee was making it clear they considered some people would lie about being disabled in order to skip the queue.  I very much fear they were right.  I have no idea if such dishonesty would be great enough to need combatting or accept as letting anyone who wants to get to the front that badly do so.

Pok3mon

TBF nobody like to queue and this is here to stay. Shops near to me have stopped the jumping of queues at it was so many doing it. They now make a mental note of the person you was behind and let you wait in the car until that place. Seems like a very fair system.

Barny1979

ANNOYED1 said:

Ive had private ticket wardens pounce on my car for not displaying a blue badge when ive just parked up and gone to shop mobility to get a scooter and to get the parking permit to display in the car. This was before i had a blue badge. As you can use a shop mobility permit to display in the car. This car parked is free to use but they once pounce on disabled cars.

They are trying to protect the bays for legitimate BB holders//disabled drivers, so are trying to help you, would you prefer they not check or challenge any drivers or vehicles not displaying a permit?

jrspigot

As part of green initiatives, an employer charges staff for car parking - fair enough you might say. The employer still charges disabled staff to use disabled spaces. Is this still fair - everyone is treated the same ? Or is it discrimination due to disability since the disabled person has no option other than to drive to work. And what if the car is now electric ? DDA legislation seems a bit loose in its definitions

Spoonie_Turtle

jrspigot said:

As part of green initiatives, an employer charges staff for car parking - fair enough you might say. The employer still charges disabled staff to use disabled spaces. Is this still fair - everyone is treated the same ? Or is it discrimination due to disability since the disabled person has no option other than to drive to work. And what if the car is now electric ? DDA legislation seems a bit loose in its definitions

Equality is not the same as fairness (equity).  Equality is treating everyone the same, regardless of their circumstances, whereas equity/fairness is giving people what they need to level the playing field in order to give them equal opportunities/access. 

'Equality' in treating everyone the same can be unintentionally discriminatory because it doesn't account for different inherent needs.  In terms of the parking charges, truly equitable (fair) policy would evaluate it on a case-by-case basis.  If someone's disability means they need to drive, then it could be argued that it's discriminatory to make them pay.  Electric cars are a separate issue; it space is limited then a charge maybe still makes sense but if it's purely for an eco scheme then charging a fully electric car to park doesn't.

[By the way, the DDA was superceded by the Equality Act in 2010.  But as with most legislation there is indeed room for interpretation - if it were clear-cut we wouldn't have any need for legal cases and disability rights specialists.]

MalMonroe

This thread hasn't been posted on since June 2020 - still relevant?