To think there is not enough disabled bays for how many badge users there are

@JubileeJuice Yes, your experience is similar to mine. I was invisibly disabled for many years before becoming visibly disabled (a wheelchair user). It used to be that there was some solid recognition that we, chair users, have specific core needs that are pretty much non negotiable, and that while it absolutely is necessary to advocate for a more inclusive understanding of disability (it's 100% true that not all disabilities are visible, and I think few if any chair users would claim they are!), that seems to have turned into "use every excuse to crap on wheelchair users and pretend our needs are unimportant".

The general public seems convinced that we are cheeky, lucky beggars who get perks that others ought to get too, when that reeeeally is not the case, as I know you know! It's not us driving the animosity, we just want our needs to be properly recognised again and not silenced under the blanket of "What About Invisible Disabilities Tho?!?!" Some people are desperate to be the most oppressed because they've swallowed the social justice world view and think it's more about box ticking than material reality. It's not like that when viewed from a chair, lol.

Same with my mum who is the badge holder. I have to go with her, with the wheelchair. I can't drop her off.

Have to disagree. We never seem to have any trouble in getting a space for DW's blue badge.

Where are you OP? I think it may be a local rather than a national problem.

We're in Berkshire.

It’s the same here. It’s beyond frustrating when you can’t find a space and all those disabled spaces are lying empty.

I have always felt there should be criminal sanctions - or enhanced sanctions - for cases where a facility provided under the Equality Act is abused.

So park a car without a BB in a BB space - criminal record.
Or (as happened locally) vandalise the wheelchair lift for a library - not just criminal damage, but treated as a hate crime. (If I had caught them also loss of bollocks).

You can tell a lot about a society by how it treats it's vulnerable and less able. In the UK that is generally like shit with a few inconsistent exceptions.

Throw oil at a painting ? Jail for you.
Correctly park in a BB space ? Have a bunch of judgemental pricks ask if you really need that space.

also in an ideal world there should always be disabled spaces free. That means the venue has got the right balance so that if a person with a disability needs to park they can.

A two tier system also doesn’t take into account how things fluctuate. Not all conditions are stable. Some days DS will be fine to park up (close to venue) and walk. Others he will need his wheelchair the whole time. Sometimes we will be carrying feeding pumps and things others we won’t need it during the trip.

People like to see disability as a constant but that’s not reality.

Well said@rubberducksarebastards . Somehow I doubt that you will get anyone rushing to take you up on your offer!

Please no to any kind of 2 tier blue badge system. I've got a badge. If you saw me tonight you wouldn't think there is anything wrong with me. Not quite the case though- my body is trying somewhat successfully to make my life as miserable as possible from the inside out. As DH puts it, I'm past my sell by date. I'm also not even 40 yet.

So many people seem to think they are the self appointed blue badge police. Because a 30 something, 2 kids mum doesn't look like she should have a badge. I've had people challenge me in car parks, tell me that BB are only for the elderly or those in wheelchairs (guess what was in my car boot that day!), be verbally abusive, demand to see my badge or on one memorable occasion actually call the Police and demand that I was arrested for using a stolen badge. I especially enjoyed giving the police officer a lesson on how to 'read' a BB (they have your DOB on the front concealed in the long number).

Any kind of tiered system is only going to increase the amount of BB surveillance. Or just reinforce the idea that some disabilities are more deserving than others. There's already enough of this thanks to the Tories and their many years of screwing over disabled people and changing the narrative to 'all disabled people are scroungers in it for the money and perks'. Besides, anyone who wants my BB to park in the always free BB spaces at their local supermarket is welcome to it. You get the broken, falling apart from the inside body to go with it as well. Just drop me a PM with your address.

This is what I find where I live too. There are endless empty disabled bays wherever I go. Work, supermarket, multistorey car park, town centre - the empty spaces are always disabled.

You have 12 hospital appointments a month ?

It doesn't sound a lot when the poster you're replying to is taking not just herself but her child and mum to appointments several conditions between them can easily be a few times a week.

Absolutely spot on.

Yes. I have specialist physio once a week (it used to be three times a week - movement medicine) for my Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. DD has multiple medical conditions, so sees Paeditrician, OT, Physio, Orthopaedics, Podiatrist, and other therapies regularly and I take my Mum for cancer related appointments. It used to be 18+ appointments a month which was why I was making my point. Thankfully, we are only 5 minutes from our hospital, but we 'joke' that we live there.

Same here. Rammed car parks but lots of empty disabled spaces.

That's not many....dad was three or four times at week during his cancer treatment...and if on diagnosis it's every other day

Might be location dependant as lots of disability spaces near us. That's never been a problem. For the person asking why you can drive with a blue badge...my parents don't drive but my sister and I take them out and use their blue badge when they getting out of the car. The worse thing I found was disabled spaces on a hill .. getting the wheelchair out, I helped mum out of the car to turn around to find said wheelchair moving away with breaks still on... luckily the number of members of public that help is amazing. And don't get me on disabled toilets which have two steps down to them ....

You have 12 hospital appointments a month ?

And I do not have a blue badge yet, just a bus pass though I could probably apply now. I’m holding off but I won’t feel one bit bad about getting one if I’m accepted.

I’m dreading the process when the time comes though.

Well, exactly. I had invisible disabilities before they became visible, and although not being able to find a BB space was inconvenient and painful, I was still able to leave my vehicle and do what I needed to do.

DH has a BB for an invisible disability and if there are no BB spaces, he just parks in a standard space, because he can. I can't.

I've found in recent years that many other disabled people who aren't wheelchair users are really scornful of those of us who need wheelchairs. It never used to be like this.

Well obviously people who use wheelchairs should be allowed a say but I don’t think an appropriate solution is to say that other disabled people don’t deserve accommodations because you think that your need is greater. You really have no idea what people are struggling with. Their disabilities can be just as complex and real even if they can’t be seen. My pain and nerve damage was just as severe when no one could see it. It’s only because a body part is being affected by a different problem that its becoming visible.

And I’m likely to have to use a wheelchair in time. I’m about to try to find an appropriate walking aid of sorts which is going to be tricky as I can’t hold objects, carry or extend my arms for any length of time due to nerve damage there too so while it’s an option I may decide to go without my aid on some days even though I’m struggling because of the severe pain that results from using a tool/aid for any length of time but I’m no less disabled on the days I choose to go without. I’m just deciding between putting up with additional leg and back pain and weakness or even more severe arm and hand pain and weakness.

@JubileeJuice but we are so lucky because our disabilities are visible!

Maybe so, but the person I was responding to was of the "they don't look disabled" mindset about people who have BB.

Gosh, aren't you all lucky to live in these miraculous places where there are always multiple empty disabled spaces? They're like rocking horse shit where I live.

I have the added bonus of being a wheelchair user, so if I can't park in a space big enough to lower my ramp, I have to leave. I've missed healthcare appointments, medication collections, gone hungry, and soiled myself, all on multiple occasions, because I can't park. It's joyous.

Pretty sure I’d be declined given I genuinely can walk 50m without being ill at least half the time and cut off for blue badge is 20m, but am pretty close to just putting the application in to check for sure if it would be a no.