To be annoyed that I get glared at for having a blue badge

I find the same, I’m 43 but look younger (some days 🤣), and I get judgy looks when parking in a disabled spot and feel like I’m then watched so that I can ‘do a disabled’ for the onlookers.

Cheeky fucker! How DARE he?! I would have told him I am calling the police on him for harassing me! The cheek of him!

The people I know who get hounded just ignore the idiots hounding them. People hate being ignored. Especially attention seeking entitled fuckers who think they have some kind of authority.

IGNORE THEM! And if they persist, call the police. They are harassing and goading a disabled person. It's fucking disgusting.

Sparklebelle1024 If you haven't reached the stage where you're confident to give them both barrels and to hell with what they do to you, then I suggest you figure out what you would like to say, polite or otherwise and print a few hand outs up to keep in your vehicle..

Something along the lines of "Not so dear concerned citizen/ ablest arsehole/ To whom it may concern: If you have any concerns about my use of the blue badge issued to me for my disability, please feel free to report my badge number and registration to X/any council who will investigate it. If you approach me directly again you are likely to be reported to the police for harassment."
Shove it into their hands, lock your car and make as quick a getaway as your disability allows without otherwise responding.

Be aware another few decades and you too will be an older person as well as disabled. So don't take crap from people who stereotype you, but be careful not to stereotype others, unless they actively deserve it.

There will always be people like that unfortunately.

When I had unexplained seizures I was quite young and had a disability bus pass. This one time I used it on a train (not free but discounted fare on rail) and a woman next to me told me I am using a disability pass and she went to go find the train conductor to argue I am not disabled. 😆 I couldn't believe it, she didn't come back.
I was quite distressed about my condition at the time so I never engaged with people as I didn't like to talk about it.

I get it too
I'm 30 and it's always the older generations - they have rants in their cars next to me to their passengers and then other people "glare" at me then scan my dashboard for my badge.
I just tell them to fuck off they don't need to know why I have my blue badge
If they can get into a confrontation with me when I'm minding my business I have no qualms with telling them to fuck off just because they are older and "deserve" respect.

We recently went through the process to get a blue badge for my mum, and it's a lot of work! I know it's easier said than done, but just smile back at them, and remember you wouldn't have got the badge if you weren't entitled x

Why on earth should people have to explain their r private medical history to random strangers?

Lots of conditions that cause disability are invisible. People just need to educate themselves

My condition is not just mainly invisible (to the untrained eye, my neurologist can see the visible signs) but incredibly rare. Why should I have to explain it to people. I don't mind discussing it with friends and family, but I fail to see why I need to explain it to anyone who sees me using a disabled loo or disabled space.

Two options
1- tell them politely but firmly it's none of their business and you don't answer to them
2- or simply tell them to piss off and not to be so sodding nosey

In general people are idiots, I mean what would they actually do if you said “I haven’t got a blue badge and I’m going to park there anyway”? Absolutely nothing! Next time call them out on it, “who do you think you are? Who gave you authority to police my blue badge? Do you know how constantly being questioned by strangers about my disability makes me feel?”

I remember during Covid I got called for a flu jab and we all had to line up outside the doctors and go through like a conveyor belt and the man in front of me said to me “you shouldn’t be here, you’re not old enough for a flu jab” and I said I’m not old, but I am 9 months pregnant and he said “are you!?” and I had to turn to the side and point at my (massive) belly.

Genuine question.

How would your mum feel if she got 'badge checked' by a random stranger everytime she got out of her car?

I don't have a blue badge as don't drive, but I avoid using the loos and seats on buses for people with mobility issues, as I've had too many ignorant older people lay into me, as apparently I don't look disabled enough.
I get it, as some people do take the piss and, when seated, I don't 'look' disabled, but it's oddly satisfying to move for stroppy, ignorant wankers, as my physical disabilities become apparent in the struggle to manoeuvre myself to standing and in my mobility (or, lack thereof).
Pricks.

Because as disabled people we are not required to spend our lives having to constantly justify ourselves as deserving or not, genuine or not, or have to play performative gratitude to people with too much time on their hands and God complexes who think they have a right to police those they perceive as easy targets.

I'm very visibly disabled and in a wheelchair and it doesn't stop these sorts of people from trying to claim they have some inherent right to interfere with me. No I'm not bloody grateful, I'm bloody furious about it, leave me alone, leave my family alone, dam you, I'm busy trying to earn my living, raise my family, and pay my taxes, and I don't need to justify my existence to anyone, let alone any twat that expects gratitude from me!

You think there's something wrong then take my badge number and my registration plate and report it to be investigated, but don't you dare try harassing me.

This country is 99% full of people who don't like anyone getting something they themselves are not entitled to. The rest of us who make up the 1% are really nice and wouldn't dream of sticking our oars into a situation that was none of our business.

My DH was challenged on his BB by a youngish woman who was fighting the good fight on behalf of her brother, who had one because he was entitled to one!

I don’t qualify for a badge - because they’re wankers. But I have a wheelchair and crutches and a hidden disability that changes by the hour. Some days I’m okay, other days I’m great, then I’m horrendous.

People are absolute twats when it comes to hidden disabilities, especially when you’re younger. I’m 31 and the judgement is awful.

it’s bloody hard but try and ignore the haters.

I'd never challenge anyone over parking, not worth it!

I work with a young man with a disabilities including a medical condition that entitles him to a blue badge. To look at he appears like any other late teen/early 20 year old. While I have never had anyone ask to see the badge I have had a lot of funny looks when they see him and I get out of the car and I am expecting to have a row with someone about it any day now!
Actually though I don't particularly find it's elderly people- mostly middle aged women I find and not normally those who are using blue badge spaces themselves.

Happened a LOT when DS was younger. I remember one time he was about 10 and using his wheelchair. In the next space a family pulled in, woman about 30 ish, also a wheelchair user. Bloke and his wife, both over retirement age, started having a go that we shouldnt be parking there. Both explained that we had blue badges, the younger woman is getting into her chair and I get my sons chair out. Its very obvious why we have the badges. No he is not happy, they need it more as "We are much older than you!"

The younger husband gets out and was MASSIVE, it was really funny as the older bloke couldnt move fast enough then, even though the younger husband didnt say a word! They park up not far away and get out and stroll away. Now I am not saying that they couldnt have invisible disabilities but in a game of top trumps I would say that a younger wheelchair user WHO GOT THERE FIRST wins over older people who can walk unaided and were not struggling with mobility at all.

There was also a neighbour of my parents who was furious that he couldnt get a blue badge as he didnt meet the (by then much tighter) requirements because "Well I am 70, I should get one". He went hiking and hill walking as his hobby!

I was talking to a poster who responded to the OP, but her post was deleted as she implied she couldn't wait for older uneducated people to die.

I'm 30 and have had a blue badge for around 5 years now due to my own disability. It's not one you can see all the times, I walk with a limp but on a 'good' day it's not that prominent. The amount of times I have parked in a disabled space then got my two children out of the car and people have said to me that I can't park there or that badge mustn't be mine is ridiculous.

Not that long ago I had a old man walk up to my car whilst I was putting my children in the trolley, look at the badge, look at me and demanded I show him the other side...

I used to have a young client with a blue badge. The constant looks and comments were very tiring when we used it.
I have to agree that for whatever reason it was usually older people getting themselves involved.

I feel for you OP.

YABU.
OP I don't see your issue. My elderly mother has a blue badge and gets frustrated when the disabled space she uses is occupied by someone not entitled to it. Then when challenged she gets the usual "I was only 5 minutes" "I was in a rush" "Didn't know it was a disabled space" etc etc.

People care that these spaces are only used by those deserving of them, they have your interest at heart. Why not just show them you are justified to use the space and be grateful some people care?

I think absolute grey rock is your best bet here. As though you don’t speak the language.

She said that the ones who comment/look at her badge etc tend to be older. At no point did she say ‘all old people…’ bit bloody rude to call her uneducated!!

Fuck em.
I have fluctuating illness....whereas one day i can be in wheelchair and next day not...i heard someone say "nowt up with her she was walking other day"...i said mind your own business...also would you say that to someone who had cancer (which is an invisible illness sometimes)...she said fuck all after that. Rude ..and yes she was older women...65-70