BB bays vs Parent bays

[NeedACleverNN]

First of all this is not meant to start a debate. Hence no name change

Mn have started to open my eyes to the difficulties that the disabled face on a daily basis. With that in mind, I went shopping to my local supermarket. Not my usual one but a local one either way.

We parked in the parent bays.

Directly in front of the supermarket. No roads to cross. Nice and wide. Gaps either side to allow parent accessibility each side. Perfect!

Then I looked for the BB bays.

They were further away from the entrance and each bay was connected to a footpath. They seemed to be the usual size of a car park space and there was no gaps between each space either. There was also bollards in front of each bay to stop cars from parking on the footpath. However if every bay was occupied, there would be no way a wheelchair could get on the foot path. They would have to go on the road.

How on earth could they get this so wrong?!

It would make so much sense to swap round the bays so the disabled have the parking spaces that are more accessible.

If this is what a disabled person has to go through every single day, I can see why you are angry.

For my ignorance, I openly apologise to each and every one of you. I openly applaud those who go out every day and fight for more rights when you shouldn't have to.

[BeyondTellingEveryoneRealFacts]

You dont want to know the thoughts i had on seeing the title!

[NeedACleverNN]

It was kinda deliberate. It was to make everyone who posts a disabilist post to come and see why everyone is so cross

[BeyondTellingEveryoneRealFacts]

I thought it might be :)

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

It's the same at our Aldi - loads of wide parent bays and about 4 disabled bays.

[Sirzy]

Same as beyond!

I think the problem is places see p and c spaces as a good selling point to a target audience who spend lots. Disabled facilities are sadly seen as an inconvenience they have to provide.

I would hope that the disabled at your supermarket park in the p and c spaces if they feel they are more suited to their needed

[witsender]

You are right. Our local aldis is the same, meaning my mum, quite rightly, parks in the p&c spaces. Sainsburys has it right here

[TestingTestingWonTooFree]

Maybe write to the supermarket to suggest they consult some people with disabilities with a view to making their store and parking accessible?

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Because the shops know that parents are a massive market and they only care about money, not what's right?

[LovelyBranches]

I think parent parking spaces are very useful and often abused. I saw a Tesco member of staff sitting in one eating her sandwich yesterday.

However the disabled Car parking spaces are crucial and a lifeline for people. Of course they should be in a priority place and be wide enough.

Worth noting though, the majority of disabled people don't use a wheelchair, and although they are crucial to how these parking spaces are designed, it's not the only factor that planners ought to think of.

[NeedACleverNN]

Maybe write to the supermarket to suggest they consult some people with disabilities with a view to making their store and parking accessible?

I was actually thinking of doing that. Even if it was to point out how inconvenient their bays are

[NeedACleverNN]

Worth noting though, the majority of disabled people don't use a wheelchair, and although they are crucial to how these parking spaces are designed, it's not the only factor that planners ought to think of.

I also think with regards to this, planners ought to think of the worst circumstances possible,however rare, and design everything from there. That way every single disabled person could use the facilities that are available to them

[Sirzy]

I agree need, but you only have to look at disabled toilets to realise that is far from the case. Most places the facilities are more q case of box ticking

[chunkymum1]

On a similar note, after reading some of the posts re babychanging/disabled changing I'm left wondering why in most places the disabled loo doubles as a baby changing facility. Surely the pull down baby change things could be put into the main loos if there is not space for a stand alone facility? It seems bonkers, especially since baby changing can take a while and disabled people may be more likely to need to loo urgently (or take more time getting into the loo, so again not as able to wait in a queue as others).

[RiverTam]

Name and shame? That sounds utterly ridiculous. In our local Sainsbo's the BB and P&C bays are identical, they have space on either side to open the doors wide and are connected to a walkway.

I've never seen the set-up you describe, sounds like a box-ticking exercise.

[kungfupannda]

I used to live near a London Tesco which had the parent and child spaces right outside and the BB spaces about 50 yards away in the main part of the carpark. I could never work out what the thinking behind it was.

[NeedACleverNN]

Next time I go, I'll make sure I take some photos. And it was morrisons

[AliceInUnderpants]

Our Morrisons thankfully got it right - disabled bays are laid out as practically and wide as P&C spaces, and are closer to the store than P&C spaces.
I would love supermarkets to consider issuing signs for 'accessible parking' use. Here it is almost impossible to get a blue badge unless you are in receipt of disability benefits - which I personally have not attempted to claim as yet. I really need the extra space for getting out of the car on bad days, and often the only likely spaces to leave one empty nearby are at the far end of the car park

[Samcro]

so how the heck do you get a wheelchair out of a Wheelchair vehicle

[NeedACleverNN]

Exactly my point samcro

[Samcro]

i would be in the p &c bay (well she is my child )

[NeedACleverNN]

If I was to contact the store and point out that their BB bays are inadequate what would be the best way?

Private:- I.e phone call, email, letter, face to face with manager
Public:- FB

[BackforGood]

What does BB stand for ?

[MrsHathaway]

All of the above, copying the council?

Visiting my dentist the other day, newly refurbished so the awkward building now has a long shallow ramp to get in, and widened doors throughout, and bigger rooms with manoeuvring room (good) ... and a great big sandwich board advertising tooth whitening in the middle of the ramp so you could barely walk around it.

So near and yet so far.

[MrsHathaway]

BB = blue badge

[NeedACleverNN]

You know I think I will do it.
I may not be disabled but it should be a basic human right that everyone should be able to get out and about. If enough able bodied people complained they may start taking it a bit more seriously.