Grrr - blue badge

I went to morrisons this afternoon, and saw some people getting out of a car parked in a disabled bay without a badge. So I wound down my window and said 'excuse me but you've forgotten to put your badge out'. The woman said 'I'm with my 92 year old father, I've got to catch him up, that's why we're parking here'. Hmm, if he needs catching up to then surely his mobility isn't that bad? Besides, there were spaces as near, if not nearer, to the door that weren't marked that she could have parked in (I needed the disabled bay because of the extra room). Then I got into the store and she was pointing me out as if I were the wicked witch! And had a go as I was leaving, saying 'this is my father, it's clear we had a genuine reason for parking there'.

I'd be quite interested to hear other people's views on this, whether age entitles you to park in a disabled bay? I have to say that I think if you don't have a badge you don't use it, I mean she wouldn't have got away with that excuse with a traffic warden in town, so why should a supermarket be any different?

And was I right to challenge her in the first place? I mean, her dad was nowhere in sight and I'm not a mind reader...
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Comments

  • I think if you don't have a badge don't park there, if you need a badge apply . These days I don't say much anyone as you hear people being abused etc so you did the brave thing speaking up, its up to the shops to police these bays to make sure they are being used properly.
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  • I don't think age entitles you but circumstances do.

    My Nana is 92 and not in the health she once was. (Frail, her legs are bad and her mind not as sharp as it was.)

    On the occasions I have taken her to Asda's I park as near as to the door as possible, even if this means parking in a disable bay. She may not have an offical blue badge but then again some people that do have them are/appear a lot fitter & able than my nana.

    I will retreat now and wait to be shot down for parking in disable bay.

    My other nana is 87 and we can park where ever with her as she is fit & well.

    However if her health was to fail and I felt it was called for, I would also use the disable bay in the supermarket for her.
  • Ames
    Ames Posts: 18,459 Forumite
    Be careful parking the disabled bays at asda, they're now issuing fines if you don't have a blue badge (although I've heard they're not legally enforceable).
    Unless I say otherwise 'you' means the general you not you specifically.
  • LameWolf
    LameWolf Posts: 11,234
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    The other side of the coin is that I'd be grateful if someone politely pointed out that I'd forgotten to put my Blue Badge out.

    I'm so foggy-minded at times that one of these days I am going to forget.
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  • PinkJenn
    PinkJenn Posts: 122 Forumite
    I have to admit to sometimes parking in a Blue Badge bay even though I don't have one. I have very limited mobility and my DLA claim is going through at the moment. I've looked at the Council website to see what I have to do to claim one and it seems very strict. If you apply for a badge and you get turned down you cannot appeal.

    I don't use them all the time and only at quiet times where there are many bays free.

    I use a walking stick and I move very slowly, I've never been challenged.....but I know I shouldn't really use them.

    I'm feeling guilty now.
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  • I don't think age entitles you but circumstances do.

    My Nana is 92 and not in the health she once was. (Frail, her legs are bad and her mind not as sharp as it was.)

    On the occasions I have taken her to Asda's I park as near as to the door as possible, even if this means parking in a disable bay. She may not have an offical blue badge but then again some people that do have them are/appear a lot fitter & able than my nana.

    I will retreat now and wait to be shot down for parking in disable bay.

    My other nana is 87 and we can park where ever with her as she is fit & well.

    However if her health was to fail and I felt it was called for, I would also use the disable bay in the supermarket for her.

    So why don't you apply for a blue badge for her?
  • So why don't you apply for a blue badge for her?

    I don't think it necessary to, as food shopping on a saturday afternoon is the only place she goes (apart from church & other peoples homes).
  • I don't think it necessary to, as food shopping on a saturday afternoon is the only place she goes (apart from church & other peoples homes).
    Perhaps if she got a blue badge, she'd discover other places she might like to go.

    I found being able to park closer to my destination made it a bit easier for me to go out.

    Oh, and in case you didn't know - your gran doesn't have to have a car in order to have a blue badge.
    s/e
  • foxxymynx
    foxxymynx Posts: 1,270 Forumite
    I don't think it necessary to, as food shopping on a saturday afternoon is the only place she goes (apart from church & other peoples homes).
    If you're happy to pay any fine that occurs from it, fair enough :confused: I personally am entitled to a blue badge but I haven't renewed it. However, I don't go anywhere in a car. I'm not having a go at you, just saying that if you're happy to pay whatever fine instead of downloading the form from your council website and filling it in, should you ever get caught and fined, as unfortunately you wouldn't have grounds to appeal the fine on the pretenses of "food shopping on a saturday afternoon is the only place she goes (apart from church & other peoples homes)"
    If my typing is pants or I seem partcuarly blunt, please excuse me, it physically hurts to type. :wall: If I seem a bit random and don't make a lot of sense, it may have something to do with the voice recognition software that I'm using!
  • playing devils advocate, if the gentleman in question has a blue badge but was carrying it with him (as I do) I think it would be reasonable to park there to collect him.

    Having said that blue badge rules do not apply to carparks, only the owners own policy (which is normally to accept them).
    If he has mobility problems but no badge then it is up to the supermarket to decide whether to let him park.

    I cant see a family store like this wanting bad publicity like 'store makes 92 year old gentleman walk miles across carpark' stories in the paper.

    People get really wound up about this issue but I think that in general vigelanteism is undesirable.
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