Parking in a disabled parking bay

Maybe folk are just annoyed that this is another thing they have to defend alongside experiencing their access issues passed "being nice" about it!

i get that but when people face issues every day just trying to get out their house because people nip into these spaces for “just a few minutes” it’s hardly surprising that when someone online is so blatant in admitting to abusing the spaces it annoys people.

On this topics people’s reactions are very much a reaction to the day to battles they face

Yep. It broke my heart when my late husband had a few hours where he felt well enough to go out, but we'd get there and there'd be no space available to transfer him from his seat to his wheelchair 😥

I still think some people are being unnecessary in this thread though. It's a very different situation.

Unfortunately some people need this to realise that it's not all me me me.

It is if when people rant rather than simply making the point calmly.

You are going to get A mixed bag people might think oh its fine for a minute nobody is using it blah blah. It's the principle though but you think you are right not to be inconvenienced by parking further away, so nobody here will change your mind. Fwiw you are breaking the law and lazy but hey ho.

I never realised until a relative became disabled. But they frequently have to abandon their plans and go home because of parking issues. One time we travelled around an hour to see a church they'd wanted to see. To find a large flat bed truck parked right up next to the entrance. The driver refused to move and suggested we climb over it. It's embarrassing and spoils the day to have to argue with people. Several times we've tried to go on family days out to find we all go back home as no suitable parking available. It really does impinge on people's lives. I didn't realise before and you don't unless it affects your friends/family.

Yes all the disabled spaces could be filled within minutes. Disability swim sessions are held at our local centre. At least 20 families and individuals turn up for this. All blue badge spaces filled in a few minutes. They need those spaces for their independence, their needs. Not the need of a 10 year old who can easily walk to another space.

I DON'T USE THEM!

How many times. I'm just saying that the reactions to this on this thread are way over the top. People could make the same point without the sound and fury. It's unnecessary.

It’s not venom to tell OP the “grandmother” was right to call her out on her illegal use of a disabled bay and to not give the OP validation and sympathy. I for one will never normalise this sort of entitled behaviour.

Probably not in 40 seconds but I have.taken my Disabled son to activities for Disabled kids and you can go from no one to several kids within a few minutes so not beyond the realms of possibilities.

It's sad you think that way and also reflective of your mindset. My disabled brother might feel differently if he, and the other people who attend his swim sessions were denied a space because their lesson conflicted with the time of OP's child's session. Sometimes things aren't as straightforward as they seem.

There isn't anything laughable about this.

It doesn't matter if there are 3 spaces or ten spaces. If they are for disabled people you don't use them. What aren't you understanding here?

I was referring to the tone of many such posts. Really unnecessary.

And the 'yes, but ten disabled people night have turned up in that 40 seconds' posts are just laughable.

So it’s ok when 9 spaces are free? Ok then when does it become not ok? 7? 5? 3? 1? Where do we draw the line?

use of disabled bays should be one of the few issues in life that is black and white. Have a badge use the space don’t have a badge (or the person who the badge was issued to with you!) then don’t use the space.

I am usually a big defender of not misusing disabled bays but can’t get excited about this. You could have moved if the space was suddenly needed (ie if the others filled up). I mean, the grandmother wasn’t wrong - it IS wrong to park in them when you aren’t eligible but I’m not sure what you did actually constitutes parking

I wasn't referring to your post, but to the venom in many other people's on this thread. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

By lynch mob do you mean posters pointing out that the OP was wrong?

Such hyperbole

I don't think either of my posts have displayed any 'venom' at all. OP clearly knows she's done something that's generally frowned upon (hence her posting), the fact she hasn't returned speaks volumes.

In that incredibly unlikely event, OP was there to move her car.

I thought I was strict about the use of disabled spaces, having driven my late husband around with a blue badge and sometimes not found a space. But the sheer unpleasantness of the majority of the responses on this thread really shocks me.

Should she have stopped there? No.
Given that there were 9 empty spaces, she stood by the car and was less than a minute, does she deserve this much venom? No.

On the face of it no harm done, what does it matter.

But the principle of "what if everyone did this applies"

Also, and apologies that I didn't include this in my previous post, it's great you had the confidence to ask people standing by their vehicles to move. Many people don't have this and would rather have left the venue and missed a much needed swim/exercise session to avoid confrontation.

Hmmm. Perhaps the lack of blue badge was the giveaway

Oh nevermind a disabled swim session a 10yr old boy is getting a lesson in independence by walking from a building to a disabled space .