Asked someone to move from the disabled bay

[AllThingsServeTheBeam]

No real point to the thread really. But today instead of us driving off and trying to find somewhere else to park in our town, dp stopped and told someone who was just sat in a disabled bay with the engine idling with no badge to move (nicely). The guy did move and pulled up further along. We were able to park up with a much shorter walk!

Why do people think it's ok to park in disabled bays when they don't need them? We would have normally just driven off and I would have possibly had to have stopped in the car if it was too far for me to walk. People don't seem to care their actions have concequences.

So what conditions would be second tier and mean you shouldn’t get a badge? What does the blue badge assessor know more than the pip assessor? What should the process be?

I’m unclear why there needs to be 2 levels of blue badge?

[quote AllThingsServeTheBeam]@Innocenta ok then what conditions do you think shouldn't be considered for a BB?[/quote]
I think we're not fully understanding each other; there isn't any specific condition that I think precludes having a BB by definition. What I'm saying is that I think when the BB population is broadened (but there are still, of course, limited spaces - and abled people abusing them), within that population there will be differing degrees of need. It then becomes harder for the most disabled and restricted.

As I said, I don't have a solution for this, because it's not as if the 'least' disabled who qualify for a BB somehow don't need any priority at all. They clearly do. But each widening of a scheme like this has a knock-on effect.

@Theremoresefulday

So what conditions would be second tier and mean you shouldn’t get a badge? What does the blue badge assessor know more than the pip assessor? What should the process be?

I’m unclear why there needs to be 2 levels of blue badge?

I don't think there would ever actually be two levels; sorry if that came across as a serious, concrete suggestion! I was just thinking aloud there. I meant it more as 'how, purely theoretically, could this work for the most severely disabled people who may be crowded out by widened rules?'.

The answer shouldn’t be restricting who can get a badge more but places being forced to provide more blue badge parking.

I'm sorry if this has already been said but it really gets my goat...

My local Halfords (retail park) have permanently commandeered both of the disabled spaces at the front of their store to create two additional "WeFit" bays. (They have 1 assigned bay for this purpose but they clearly need more).

I'm not a blue badge holder but it's definitely a piss take, and I wish someone would have them over it.

Then there needs to be more disabled facilities. Not tightening who may need them. Having a 2 tier system is like playing disability bingo. I'm more disabled than you... Etc

@Sirzy

The answer shouldn’t be restricting who can get a badge more but places being forced to provide more blue badge parking.

This.

@Innocenta your suggestion is poorly conceived and unworkable. The idea that it is easy to get a blue badge is a fallacy.

@AllThingsServeTheBeam

Then there needs to be more disabled facilities. Not tightening who may need them. Having a 2 tier system is like playing disability bingo. I'm more disabled than you... Etc

Yes, there definitely should be more! No argument there. But it's also true that some people are more restricted, more impaired, etc, than others. It's simply not a factual reality that all disabled people function at the same level - we aren't doing ourselves any favours by pretending that's the case.

@Theremoresefulday I probably shouldn't have mentioned two levels of badge without being more clear that it wasn't a serious suggestion; sorry! I was thinking aloud, and forgot how concrete MN can be.

@Innocentra but it shouldn't matter. There should be enough facilities for all that need them. I shouldn't feel guilty for taking up a space because I can still hobble about if a wheelchair user also needs it. It's not on me.

I also don't know where you have got the idea it's easy to get a BB

But in order to get a blue badge you have been through an assessment process allied to pip that says you need one. Once you have the restriction on function sufficient to be awarded pip at the required level, why does there need to be another process?

And why are there deserving and less deserving disabled people?

@AllThingsServeTheBeam I'm not talking about feeling guilty, though. I literally could not agree with you more about how there should be enough spaces! We agree 100% on that. And I'm not saying you (or anyone) should feel guilty.

[quote AllThingsServeTheBeam]@Innocentra but it shouldn't matter. There should be enough facilities for all that need them. I shouldn't feel guilty for taking up a space because I can still hobble about if a wheelchair user also needs it. It's not on me.[/quote]
Exactly.

So if I’m on crutches and a wheelchair user wants the space, would I be expected to vacate the space?

@Innocenta it’s not a matter of being concrete. You made a suggestion that is not workable.

@AllThingsServeTheBeam

I also don't know where you have got the idea it's easy to get a BB

I'm just referring to the widening of the criteria. It used to be more restrictive than it is.

@Theremoresefulday No. I am talking about a real problem, but I mentioned a purely theoretical solution. I agree with you - a two tier system would not actually be workable in the real world. But I wasn't seriously saying it would. I thought that came across in my posts, but evidently it didn't!

@Innocenta what are you basing this on though? It is so much harder now to get a BB and PIP. And most councils require you to have PIP to even be considered

@Innocenta

If anything they're given out a bit too easily

This is what you said. There’s no ambiguity in that statement.

It is really hard to get a BB. you have to have pip at least 8 points for mobility where I am or you don’t get it.

[quote Theremoresefulday]@Innocenta

If anything they're given out a bit too easily

This is what you said. There’s no ambiguity in that statement.[/quote]
Yes, but I thought it was the two levels of badge that you were objecting to. That is, I agree, unworkable. You said my suggestion was unworkable - the bit you quote here is not a suggestion.

[quote AllThingsServeTheBeam]@Innocenta what are you basing this on though? It is so much harder now to get a BB and PIP. And most councils require you to have PIP to even be considered[/quote]
The 2019 changes.

That was what you said. You said they’re given out too easily.

@Innocenta how could you think I was objecting to your two tier system?

This is a copy of your post and mine straight after it.

Innocenta

AllThingsServeTheBeam
@daisypond you need a BB to park in a diasbled bay.

If anything they're given out a bit too easily, since there's a lot of pressure on BB spaces, and the criteria have been expanded. Some people have literally no choice other than a BB space, while for others it's more of a benefit - not easy to resolve in a fair way.
Bookmark

Today 10:29 Theremoresefulday

If anything they're given out a bit too easily,

Not my experience at all.

@Theremoresefulday

That was what you said. You said they’re given out too easily.

Oh, for heaven's sake, I'm not arguing with you that that's what I said! I know that's what I said - that is my opinion! But you said what I was suggesting was unworkable (ie a response aimed at the solution-y bit).

See my OST above. No. I didn’t.