Woman shouted at me for parking in a disabled spot

We’re talking about a disabled person specifically sitting in the car displaying the badge and parked in a disabled spot, to facilitate someone else getting out of the car and going about their business. That’s misuse of the badge. My own disabled badge was issued partly out of the need to find a toilet quickly because I have a stoma. That entitles me to park in a disabled bay to access a toilet quickly when I need to, not to park there and allow others to benefit from the badge while I sit in the car just in case I need the loo at some point. It’s misuse.

And they may well need to get out of the car as a result of their condition which is why it’s fine to park there. It is not abusing a badge.

No they can't.
The BB holder can only park in a BB space if they are getting in/out of the car. They can't sit there just in case. You will be basically using the BB holder and their badge to take advantage of the space. How would you prove otherwise?

If they have a badge, then what is the issue? They can park there.

Yes this is an entirely differently situation and not just illegal but shitty behaviour all round

Like I’ve said - a disabled person can park in the case they MAY need to leave the car for example go to the toilet quickly. My son is 8 and so doesn’t stay in the car ever but his badge was among other reasons largely given to access a toilet quickly. If he were an adult he’d need to be near a toilet.

Nobody is gonna park miles away when they don’t have to knowing they may get caught short nor should they

I’m glad you responded back to her!

Too many people think they’re the disabled parking bay police.

Yes it is !! If you display the badge and park in a disabled bay and you are not getting out of the car yourself, then you are allowing whoever is getting out of the car to benefit from a concession personal to you. People who have a motability car who don’t drive themselves usually have a designated driver. That driver is only allowed to use the car for the benefit of the disabled person, When they are running an errand for the disabled person and they are not in the car, they are not allowed to use the badge even though they are using the car. Blue badges are for the use and benefit of disabled people, not whoever else is in or getting out of the car. All of this information is available online. Suggest you look it up.

You absolutely cannot use someone else’s’ blue badge even if you’re running an errand for them. My neighbour had a blue badge and a motability car and her friend was the designated driver. The friend ran an errand for my neighbour using the car, and unknown to her, parked in a disabled bay on street and displayed the badge. She got back to the car to find a traffic warden waiting for her - a no win situation because the neighbour was at home. Unfortunately it was my neighbour who paid the price. She was prosecuted for misuse and got a hefty fine, the badge was withdrawn and it very nearly cost her the motability car - she was near the end of the lease period but wasn’t allowed to take out another as a result. I think the problem is that a lot of badge holders don’t read the accompanying rules and regulations, and unfortunately they’re there in black and white, so ignorance isn’t an excuse.

But staying in the car isn’t misusing a badge for reasons I’ve already explained. Not everyone has the same disability or needs.

If they may need to use the toilet and have a blue badge to be close to toilets they can. That’s just one example

There are plenty of times where a badge holder driver or passenger will be in the car whilst a non badge holder goes out, but the badge holder will still need the benefit of the space. Most likely to access a toilet or facilities should the sudden need suddenly arise. Thats using it for their benefit. Hence why it isn’t illegal it’s a vague “not for the benefit of others”

If that was me the word fuck would definitely have come out of my mouth somehow, so I think your ok.

You actually shouldn’t be using the badge or parking in a disabled space if you’re picking up or dropping off someone able bodied, or even someone disabled who doesn’t have their own blue badge. The concession is personal to you.

Yes it is. £1k fine and withdrawal of the badge, as well as triggering a review of any connected disability benefit. It can also, in certain circumstances affect an application for a motability car or impact an existing lease. All of this is detailed in the accompanying leaflets issued with the badge. Maybe you should dig it out and read it before you get yourself into trouble.

If you are the badge holder and return to the car and sit in it while your able bodied companions continue to shop or whatever they were doing, you are allowing them to benefit from your badge. If you’re the driver, you should remove the badge and park in a non disabled spot if you’re not intending to get out of the car again. Similarly, if you’re not the driver then whoever is should accompany you back to the car and move it out of the disabled bay into a standard one. Anything else is misuse of the badge. If you’re not the disabled person and you nip back to the car to wait for the disabled person to return, then you’re not doing anything wrong.

Similarly if you are out with an able bodied companion and not intending to leave the car you shouldn’t be displaying the badge or parking in a disabled bay - even if your companion is running an errand for you, they are not allowed to benefit from your disabled concession. That’s the law, misuse of the badge can lead to a £1k fine, withdrawal of the badge and a review of any connected disability benefit. This is all detailed in the rules and regulations leaflet issued with the blue badge, so ignorance is not an excuse. No amount of smiley faces can change that.

Sorry @JandamiHash but it is illegal.....

The Blue Badge and its concessions are for your use only. It is a criminal offence for you or anyone else to misuse the badge, and doing so could lead to a £1,000 fine and confiscation of the badge.

From the Gov website....

The badge is for your use and benefit only. It must only be displayed if you are travelling in the vehicle as a driver or passenger, or if someone is collecting you or dropping you off and needs to park at the place where you are being collected or dropped.

Not sitting in the car.

You should not as a blue badge holder stay in the car parked in a disabled space, while you are picking up and dropping off an able bodied person.
Anyone with a blue badge who thinks you can, needs to read the conditions that come with it.

It’s not illegal. You shouldn’t do it but it’s not illegal.

Yes, this!
Years ago, a friend took me to Tesco in her car so I could get my meds. She parked in the BB bay, using her husband's BB. So wrong from the get go (he was not with us).
She asked me to pick up something for him. And said because I was getting something for him, then her parking using his BB badge was justified, as it was "running an errand" for him.
I am pretty sure that is wrong, but I have seen people on MN say if you are running an errand for a BB holder, then you can use their BB. I don't believe it tbh.

Not wrong. A quick goggle will tell you blue badge holders can stay in their car. As long as the badge holder is present

Appreciate the humour, but wrong. The disabled badge holder is misusing the badge if they allow someone else to benefit from it. It’s intended for the use of the disabled person themselves, so if they’re not actually getting out of the car the badge shouldn’t be on display and they shouldn’t be in a disabled space.

Yep, this. The latter is misuse of the badge and it can be withdrawn if you’re caught.

Yes you can 🤣🤣🤣

Do they HAVE to be doing errands?

What if they’re doing cartwheels?