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Original poster

Disabled parking angst

114 replies

ProbablyNotMad · 08/08/2023 12:04

My aunt is disabled and has a blue badge. The council recently put a disabled space on the road in front of her house. Lame drawing attached as per rules. Aunt was really pleased as parking can be busy and she often has to park a few houses down, which is tiring when she has shopping to unload. Unfortunately, Aunt's neighbour is also disabled and he is telling her that she is not allowed to use the disabled space. He had requested it from the council and it is for him to use not her. She is continuing to use it when she needs to but the neighbour is leaving horrible notes on her car and shouts at her when he sees her. Yesterday, someone further up the road had a disabled visitor who parked in the disabled space. They got a nasty note too.

I have spoken to the council and they have said that anyone with a blue badge can use the space and they won't create another disabled space on that road.

I think aunt should call the police and report him for harassment but she is reluctant to do this as she doesn't want to bother the police and this might make the neighbour angrier.

What would you do? Would we be unreasonable to call the police over this?

Disabled parking angst
OP posts:
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Londonrach1 · 22/05/2024 18:17

Anyone with a blue badge can park there. Adj council to put a second one in the road

ROSAMUMMA3 · 22/05/2024 18:15

They can be, if the disability is severe.

ROSAMUMMA3 · 22/05/2024 18:13

I used to look after a disabled gentleman and he applied for and was awarded the provision of his own numbered disabled space right outside his house as his disability was severe enough he would not have been able to walk from his car to his house if he hadn't been able to park in the space outside his house, and had to park elsewhere. The number registered to his blue badge was printed on a sign on a metal post next to the disabled space.
Is this the case with the man you say is causing problems with the space?

InspectorGidget · 11/09/2023 09:55

How did the police visit go?

Flopsythebunny · 14/08/2023 11:18

RudsyFarmer · 11/08/2023 12:54

It’s a legal argument over a moral argument isn’t it? He legally has no right to stop other disabled badge holders use the space however morally, if he is more in need of it than your aunt, one might argue he has the right to feel frustrated. Particularly if he went to the effort of requesting it.

He isn't in greater need though. He has a driveway

Original poster
ProbablyNotMad · 12/08/2023 23:50

Update:

The disabled parking space has been empty all day and there has been no sign of neighbour.

Aunt has been given an appointment on Monday for a police officer to visit her and find out what is going on.

OP posts:
Original poster
ProbablyNotMad · 12/08/2023 23:45

h3ll0o · 12/08/2023 20:36

Get your aunt to put in a subject access request for the data that is held about her. That will reveal any written notes the council have regarding her application

That's a good idea. It will take a while to get a reply so not going to help now but could be useful info. Aunt would feel better about using the space if she knew that it was put in fro her request.

OP posts:
h3ll0o · 12/08/2023 20:36

Get your aunt to put in a subject access request for the data that is held about her. That will reveal any written notes the council have regarding her application

Jitterybugs · 12/08/2023 19:18

Anyone who is in possession of a valid blue badge is entitled to park in any disabled space. Even if the householder applied for a blue badge parking space and it was made outside their house. A relative of mine was granted a space outside their home but they were informed it wasn’t their personal space and could be used by any blue badge holder.

Do you mean they are taking up 2 disabled spaces but only have one badge? If so, you could report them to the council and ask for a warden to give them a parking ticket.

FloweryName · 12/08/2023 19:16

@sparkleshin it may well be worth starting a thread to ask your question as I’m sure someone will know the definitive answer, but my guess would that it’s public land and it wouldn’t be fair for the council to take a piece of public land and allocate it for the sole use of one person.

sparkleshin · 12/08/2023 18:54

I dont know if its worth making my own thread but I have a question about this. Why can disabled parking spaces outside a disabled persons home not be designated to them only? There's a couple of people who use the disabled space outside of my house. They live over the road and have their "own" space on their side. They each have their own car so use "my" space as well. It will be a problem because i cant use public transport and will be getting a mobility car and shouldnt have to park away from my house. I dont want to be getting into arguments with anyone.

RudsyFarmer · 11/08/2023 18:23

Instead of getting upset why not assume these threads move very fast. It’s not to intentionally enrage you I promise.

Howlingmoor · 11/08/2023 18:00

RudsyFarmer · 11/08/2023 12:54

It’s a legal argument over a moral argument isn’t it? He legally has no right to stop other disabled badge holders use the space however morally, if he is more in need of it than your aunt, one might argue he has the right to feel frustrated. Particularly if he went to the effort of requesting it.

Ffs why can’t people rtft 🤦‍♀️

pikkumyy77 · 11/08/2023 13:28

He doesn’t have the right to harrass his disabled neighbor no matter how disappointed he is. And why do people keep acting as though asking for the bay was a huge battle that he undertook. He wrote a letter. He didn’t go to court or pay money. And no one knows whether it was his letter or hers which is another piece of information that indicates very little effort went into the request so his anger is not justified by some absurd notion of expended effort.

Clymene · 11/08/2023 13:11

RudsyFarmer · 11/08/2023 12:54

It’s a legal argument over a moral argument isn’t it? He legally has no right to stop other disabled badge holders use the space however morally, if he is more in need of it than your aunt, one might argue he has the right to feel frustrated. Particularly if he went to the effort of requesting it.

He isn't. He has off street parking.

trulyunruly01 · 11/08/2023 13:10

On street disabled bays are never for the exclusive use of one resident.
I had the same issue with a neighbour at our previous house, who believed the bay was there for her use only and sent her sons to deal with me when I parked there (with a valid blue badge).
Funnily enough, she had a driveway too, she didn't like to park there as the birds in (her) tree would shit on her car.

RudsyFarmer · 11/08/2023 12:54

It’s a legal argument over a moral argument isn’t it? He legally has no right to stop other disabled badge holders use the space however morally, if he is more in need of it than your aunt, one might argue he has the right to feel frustrated. Particularly if he went to the effort of requesting it.

Mummyoflittledragon · 11/08/2023 12:47

I see you’ve contacted 101. They should hopefully send a PCSO out. They may be able to get to the bottom of it. However, your aunt is legally entitled to park there and the PCSO will tell your neighbour to stop bullying her. If it continues, you need to keep complaining. This is the sort of thing people get ASBOs for if it gets too bad.

Original poster
ProbablyNotMad · 11/08/2023 12:34

Update:

I have just been to Aunt's house as she is upset. She hasn't parked in the disabled bay since the weekend but other people have been parking there. Last night/this morning Neighbour put a nasty letter in her letterbox this morning ranting about how Aunt has told people to park in 'his' space and threatening to report her to all and sundry for all sorts of random things - he says her rubbish bin is the wrong colour (it isn't), she is faking her disabilities (🙄), she hoovers too late at night (her cleaner is there only 10am-11am twice a week), she takes drugs (only her normal prescription meds), and loads more absurd accusations.

I have called 101 and am waiting for someone to call back. I am hoping a visit from the police will make Nasty Neighbour leave Aunt alone.

Ps I did check with the council again and they said that they do not usually put in disabled bays for people that have off street parking but it could happen. The person I spoke to was still non committal about who requested this disabled space but I think it must have been because of Aunt's request. I'm not sure what to do now to prove it. Maybe we can put in another request and if they say that they approved a request before and she cannot have two then we will know. She is too worried to use the space but I want her to as she would really benefit from it. She is in her 70s and I can't see things getting easier for her.

OP posts:
skyeisthelimit · 10/08/2023 08:29

@Howlingmoor when I posted there was no mention of neighbour having a driveway. That puts a totally different light on it.

AutumnCrow · 09/08/2023 16:38

MinnieGirl · 09/08/2023 11:58

We used to have that, and phoned the council. They send out a traffic warden who gives them a ticket. Could you do that?

Show quote history

My Council would also issue a Penalty Charge Notice for that kind of flagrant violation. The phone number to call is in its website.

boboshmobo · 09/08/2023 16:34

I'm sure I'm not the only one who replies to the Op which states the neighbour said it was for him. My answer was based on that information

Obvs if it's for the aunt or for everyone she isn't in the wrong at all

MinnieGirl · 09/08/2023 11:58

OldTinHat · 09/08/2023 09:26

At the end of the day, if the bay is marked in white, then it's fair game, and anyone can park in it, BB holder or not. That's the law.

My neighbour a few doors up also has a BB and marked bay and we have an unspoken agreement that if we're both out, return to find 'our' bay taken but the other's is free, we won't park in each other's out of courtesy. But every time the bays are taken, they are by non BB holders. Every single time.

I came back yesterday afternoon after one of several weekly medical appointments to find a huge 4x4 with no BB outside. It's still there now. I'm back in the public car park three roads away with the pleasure of paying £250 for a permit there.

It's infuriating, anxiety inducing and can cause irrational rage, but it doesn't matter who requested it. It's a courtesy bay that can be used by any Tom, Dick or Harry. Mine is mostly used by Dicks.

We used to have that, and phoned the council. They send out a traffic warden who gives them a ticket. Could you do that?

Howlingmoor · 09/08/2023 11:18

@TakenRoot @boboshmobo read the thread! The aunt also applied for a space- the neighbour has a dropped curb and a drive! The space was put outside the aunts house, not the neighbours!

councils don’t give disability bays for people who already have their own drive!

boboshmobo · 09/08/2023 10:37

@Blackbyrd the OP said the neighbour applied for it himself . I presumed that is true , obvs if it isn't then it's a free for all and anyone with. A blue badge can you on a first come first serve basis but I would be cross if I'd done all the work and someone else used the space .

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