Another blue badge one, sorry!

[Mulledwine1]

A relative of mine has a blue badge, very legitimately. I saw her a couple of weeks ago and we had a disagreement over a couple of aspects of blue badges and I thought I'd ask the MNiverse their views.

She says that it is not ok for me to sit in the car while she goes off and gets something, if she is in a blue badge space (or using the blue badge to park somewhere other people could not). I can't understand this, I think if she's the disabled one, and she is going off to a shop, it does not matter whether someone else is in the car.

The other thing, which surprised me even more, was that she said that it would be ok for me to use her blue badge if I was doing something on her behalf. Not dropping her off or collecting her, which seems fair enough, I could park in a blue badge bay if say I was collecting her from the railway station - but to go on "business" for her. I said I thought that was wrong but she said that if for example she needed medication and could not leave the house, it would be ok for her to give her blue badge to someone so they could go the pharmacy for her, as otherwise there might not be anywhere else to park.

What do we think? I think she's wrong on both counts, but am prepared to be educated. However, having read this, I think she is wrong: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/help-for-disabled-travellers1/blue-badge-scheme/using-your-blue-badge/

[TheMonkeyandthePlywoodViolin]

She is wrong on first count.

I think second may be OK but not sure

[honeysucklejasmine]

I think she's wrong on both counts.

[EggysMom]

I think she is wrong on both counts. But I'm too lazy to pull up the BB guidelines to quote ...

[Welshmaenad]

Nah, she's wrong on both counts.

As the mother of a blue badge holder, I'd not be best pleased at being unable to park because the last disabled space was taken up by a perfectly able bodied person. Whether you're running an errand or not, you can still walk.

[WonkoTheSane42]

On the second count she's getting blue badges confused with motability cars.

[WayfaringStranger]

She's wrong on both accounts. I'm a blue badge holder.

[goodnessidontknow]

She is confused on both counts. The guidelines are very clear about the second point so you are right to question it.

[Bringmesunshite]

Wrong on both. Badge is hers. If you happen to be with her, so what. You can convey her somewhere and park for her . But you can't go on an errand for her and use her blue badge when she's not going to be in the car.

[Redglitter]

She's totally wrong on both counts. If she lends her badge to friends regardless of the reason she could find herself minus her badge permanently

[Akire]

She is wrong, she is one parked closer as needs space and badge so nothing stopping you sitting waiting. It applies the other way around when if you take granny out with a badge who stays in the car and you get park and do what you like!

The rules state you must have holder with you, or be directly collecting them. So parking in hospital space while you go In Then bring them out is fine. Parking to visit them is not, as nothing stopping you walking further.

As OTher poster said mobility car can be used by others on direct buisnesss for BB holder and to benefit them you are not supposed to lend it out to whoever when you don't need it.

[Chloe84]

She's wrong on both counts.

It's OK to sit in the car with a blue badge waiting for the blue badge holder to come back, but it's not ok to use someone's blue badge to run an errand for them.

The second point would open up the badge to a lot of misuse, as anyone can claim they are running errands for the blue badge holder.

[Moanyoldcow]

The guidelines in the download are very clear - she is wrong on on both counts.

[Scribblegirl]

As long as you remember that the aim of the Blue badge is to limit the walking distance of the disabled person, it's quite easy.

She's wrong on both!

[bigbluebus]

Sh'es definitely wrong on both counts. She is getting confused. It is fine for you to sit in the car even though it is in a BB space as long as the BB user has gone somewhere. What would not be allowed is if you took her out in your car with her BB and then you left her in the car whilst you went shopping. I know someone who used to take Granny on a ride out to the nearest town to visit M & S as there were disabled parking spaces right outside. They then used to leave Granny in the car - that is not allowed.

You cannot use the badge because you are running errands for the BB holder. You are not entitled to use a BB so you have the same parking rights as everyone else. You can, however, as you point out, park in a disabled space if you are picking up the BB holder.

[RedDogsBeg]

This is straight out of the leaflet that Blue Badges come with:

Do not allow other people to use the badge
to do something on your behalf, such as
shopping or collecting something for you.

I think your relative needs to re-read the leaflet.

[TheMonkeyandthePlywoodViolin]

I also need to reread it clearly.

Have never used ours for errands though.