disabled parking fine

melancholly

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Coner, why do you verbally attack just about every newcomer to this site? Perhaps you could give me a civil answer as I've been around a few weeks now?

actually, there was a post by someone else that was worse - just plain insults. thankfully it's been removed so i'll go back and edit my posts accordingly!

cacti

For what it is worth, I live in Teignbridge District Council area and recently my partner took a neighbour to the doctors. To do this one has to park in a council car park. The neighbour has a disabled badge for his car but said that in this car park all the spaces were fee paying. I had not noticed this before and next time I was in the car park I had a good look at the notice and it did indeed state that. But I have to say it was not particularly noticeable. I suppose it should really have been nearer the entrance to the doctors instead of at the car park entrance. Disabled peole are not likely to be at the car park entrance which is quite a walk to the doctors' surgery. I think that a lot of ill feeling is created not by the disabled parking scheme itself but the ease with which some people get their hands on a badge. It infuriates me when I see a driver slap a badge on their dashboard and swan off into the shops without any difficulty whatsoever. It makes life more difficult for genuine users of the badge.

lisyloo

It infuriates me when I see a driver slap a badge on their dashboard and swan off into the shops without any difficulty whatsoever. It makes life more difficult for genuine users of the badge.

One thing I've learnt over time is not to judge on scant facts.

This person may (for example) have a terrible bladder complaint and have to move everywhere quite quickly for that very reason.
They could also be quite able bodied but fetching a disabled person (I understand this is valid use of the blue badge).

It's not right that the blue badge is abused.
But it's also not right that genuine users are verbally abused (or judged) simply because they aren't visibly in a wheelchair.

I've learned to my cost that it's best not to judge on scant facts.
If you do feel motivated to take up the issue then I suggest politely establishing the facts first but even that can be difficult.

noonesperfect

If you ever go to Scarborough in North Yorkshire you will still have to pay full parking fees even as a blue badge holder - unless they've changed the rules in the last 4 years that is.......
You can't just park anywhere on a blue badge in York. Apparently there are different classifications of disablement with regard to where you can drive and park in the city centre.
Someone may correct me if I'm wrong, but unless you're severely disabled you'll be pretty much restricted to park in the blue badge spaces in the council car parks (in York that is).

cyclonebri1

It's very much unclear I'm afraid. You will find that lots of main town on street parking areas have just a few disabled parking spots. The common assumption is that it is these alone that offer free or unlimited parking for disabled drivers. Truth is that these are the only ones actually reserved ie not to be used by others. Disabled folks can park in any other time limited spaces.
Someone mentioned Yorks? Bridlington sea front near the harbour is a prime example of this.

mickog

i think that most people agree that there should be better signs to let everyone know where they stand. it seems like the whole county has got different rules.but i do think that £80 fine is a little high for a disabled driver not able to work & who has been told he connot do much about it a bit on the high side. would be nice to think that they had a heart.

noonesperfect

It's a bit off subject here, but still about an unfair fine.

A few years ago my parents went to Helmsley. My Dad bought a ticket, stuck it to the windscreen of his car and they had a nice afternoon sauntering round this quaint market town.
About three months later a letter arrived addressed to Dad saying he owed money (I forget the amount, but I think it was £50) for unpaid parking.

Of course he turned out his pockets and searched the car to try and find his parking ticket to prove that he'd paid to park - but with such a long time between being in Helmsley and the fine arriving it had been thrown away. He could only assume the ticket had fallen off the windscreen and was out of sight when the traffic warden walked his "rounds", but Dad had no option but to pay up. He's a pensioner.

Conor_3

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

It's very much unclear I'm afraid. You will find that lots of main town on street parking areas have just a few disabled parking spots. The common assumption is that it is these alone that offer free or unlimited parking for disabled drivers. Truth is that these are the only ones actually reserved ie not to be used by others. Disabled folks can park in any other time limited spaces.
Someone mentioned Yorks? Bridlington sea front near the harbour is a prime example of this.

Exactly. Disabled parking spaces are ones that are located with the best access for the local amenity they cover. For example in a car park, they're likely to be nearest the pay meters and/or the exits. It does not imply they are free.

Conor_3

mickog wrote: »

i think that most people agree that there should be better signs to let everyone know where they stand. it seems like the whole county has got different rules.but i do think that £80 fine is a little high for a disabled driver not able to work & who has been told he connot do much about it a bit on the high side. would be nice to think that they had a heart.

What do you mean "better signs"? Like the big white ones in the car parks which display the terms and conditions for all to see? OR the restrictions which are clearly laid out in the Highway Code?
In both instances, the problem isn't the signage but that the person cannot be bothered to read it.

£80 is not high for someone who is probably getting more in benefits than most working people in their town and who has a free car where they only pay for petrol. If they think £80 is too high then perhaps they should stop being so bone idle and read the signs.

Conor_3

cacti wrote: »

For what it is worth, I live in Teignbridge District Council area and recently my partner took a neighbour to the doctors. To do this one has to park in a council car park. The neighbour has a disabled badge for his car but said that in this car park all the spaces were fee paying. I had not noticed this before and next time I was in the car park I had a good look at the notice and it did indeed state that. But I have to say it was not particularly noticeable. I suppose it should really have been nearer the entrance to the doctors instead of at the car park entrance. /quote]

What the hell? A car park which is for use by everyone no matter what should have the signs by the doctors? What if you're not going to the doctors? Surely at the car park entrance where everyone who is intending to use the parking has to pass is a better place?

I give up at the stupidity of some people.