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Original poster

Blue badge parking

61 replies

AndSoFinally · 30/05/2022 16:46

Just taken my mum to the pharmacy to collect my dads end of life care medications. We parked in the disabled bay (she has a blue badge) but in the end she couldn't face going in to collect them so I did, and left her in the car. It didn't occur to me to move since she wasn't getting out.

Came out to find a random man taking photos of my car (and presumably my mum!). I'm assuming he's going to report me for parking in the disabled space.

I don't know if this a thing? Who will he report me to? Are they accepting photos from random members of the public as proof of parking infractions, with no other evidence? He definitely wasn't a traffic warden and there wasn't a ticket on the car.

If he reports me, what do I do? Just send a photo of my mums blue badge? Could really do without this at the moment 😢

OP posts:
EmilyBolton · 30/05/2022 18:31

AndSoFinally · 30/05/2022 17:26

Hopefully the photos won't have been clear enough to be sure who was still in the car. I will know for next time though. She definitely intended to get out, just couldn't face it at the last minute.

I’m confused.
How would he have even known that you aren’t the disabled person with hidden disability? Or even someone with an obvious disability that was inside the shop…it’s not illegal to have a disabled person as the driver, or even 2 disabled people in the car
how would he even have known?
If he didn’t then he is just being a very very silly man who you can completely ignore as a random busybody.

riesenrad · 30/05/2022 18:33

Don't worry OP. You could have been the blue badge holder even though you appeared to be able-bodied - these busy bodies always forget about invisible disabilities. Don't give it any headspace.

Floralnomad · 30/05/2022 18:39

If they do try to fine you all you need to say is that you both got out and your mum got back to the car before you .

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Driving & parking
LargeLegoHaul · 30/05/2022 18:41

DiscoBadgers · 30/05/2022 18:04

The photo ID is on the underside of the badge so there’s no way for him to know based on the badge whose it is.

ignore him!

ours is for DS, who has SEN, and I asked the council parking dept if there are circumstances where I can use it without him eg if I’m driving somewhere to pick him up so I don’t have him in the car with me but will need the car accessible for when we return as then I’ll have DS, and they said that I’m best placed to know my child and his disability and it’s supposed to make life easier for disabled people and their carers. So I would apply that to your mum in this case too.

If he looked closely he would have been able to tell whether the badge belonged to OP or OP’s DM as part of the badge serial number which is shown on the front is the DOB of the badge holder.

Daffodilsdance · 30/05/2022 18:44

How does he know that she didn’t leave the car 10 mins later or arrived back before you . Ignore the idiot .

Roselilly36 · 30/05/2022 19:01

As a PP said in the badge number is Month and year of birth and also x or y to indicate male or female. People get very jobsworth about BB, without knowing the circumstances, as sadly some do abuse the BB. I expect this person will report it, if your mum is contacted, explain the circumstances I doubt any further action will happen, in these circumstances, if you explain BB holder was upset and decided to stay in the car, her intention was to go into the chemist etc, you didn’t know, otherwise you would have moved the car and it won’t happen again. DO not lie as a PP suggested that your mum left the car, as cctv will show otherwise. So sorry about your dad Flowers

SlatsandFlaps · 30/05/2022 19:03

He PRESUMED that it was her that was disabled which is infuriating. If I had my elderly mother in my car and left her whilst parked in disabled, it would be MY blue badge! I'd be giving him a piece of my mind. Why do so many people presume it's only elderly people who have badges?!?!
Really sore point for me, sorry

SlatsandFlaps · 30/05/2022 19:04

SO fed up of getting a tap on the shoulder or an "Oi!!! These spaces are meant for disabled people!!!!" every single time I park

emuloc · 30/05/2022 19:34

Spikeyball · 30/05/2022 17:35

He would have had no way of knowing who owns the blue badge without looking closely at it. Badges are not linked to cars. Photos of the car mean nothing. I doubt anyone official would be interested.

This. The badge could have belonged to the driver of the car, This is so strange. Who has time to go to the trouble of all this. Bizarre.

Mrsjayy · 30/05/2022 19:38

He will try and report you to the council or the police maybe even upload it to Facebook nothing will happen though, your poor mum being harrased like that.

BeforeGodAndAllTheFish · 30/05/2022 19:49

He was wrong. it just isnt OK to intimidate people like that, although totally legal to take photos of you and your car in a public place.

You were also wrong. If the blue badge holder isnt getting out of the car or getting collected, then you cant park in a blue badge space. There are very few were I am and it would mean someone with a blue badge who actually needed to get out their car, wouldnt be able to park close to the pharmacy or doctor's surgery.

So, you were both in the wrong. I totally understand that your mum is going through someone very difficult, as are you, but the rules are there in black and white and they dont have exceptions for someone changing their mind and staying in the car.

ENoeuf · 30/05/2022 20:28

We've been lucky no-one has ever queried or looked at us when I park with ds. I wouldn't park in a BB space if he wasn't getting out though (eg if dh was with us) so I think op you should check with your dm she definitely wants to stay seated and then move if there's a next time.
Otoh I have used a space to collect him, I don't think that's cheeky at all @DiscoBadgers x

bcc89 · 30/05/2022 21:36

He was horrible for taking photos, but you should have moved your car once you knew you would be the only one getting out.

You used a space which should have been used by someone else with a blue badge, who was getting out and into the car again. Those are the rules that come with the blue badge, for obvious reasons.

I doubt he will do anything with the pictures, or that anything would come of it anyway, as the badge isn't linked to your car, only the person who's name it is in.

Learn from this and move your car next time to free up the space for someone else who needs it. You would be annoyed if you couldn't use a space when you needed it and someone else was using it illegally.

Very sorry about your dad and hope your mum is doing okay in the circumstances. And you as well x

Original poster
AndSoFinally · 30/05/2022 21:46

Thank you all for your kind wishes.

I hadn't known about the rules re getting out of the car, but I will definitely note these for next time.

Will wait and see if anything comes of it, and deal with it when/if it does.

OP posts:
Dbank · 30/05/2022 21:53

Unfortunately the blue badge system is very hard to police and is massively abused, I can understand the resentment.

Can anyone suggest a better system?

toastedbagiel · 30/05/2022 21:58

How would he know the badge belonged tou your mum?

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 30/05/2022 22:17

Dbank · 30/05/2022 21:53

Unfortunately the blue badge system is very hard to police and is massively abused, I can understand the resentment.

Can anyone suggest a better system?

Resentment over a car space, seriously? Anyone who resents someone using a BB needs to have a word with themselves.

Dbank · 31/05/2022 07:59

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 30/05/2022 22:17

Resentment over a car space, seriously? Anyone who resents someone using a BB needs to have a word with themselves.

Show quote history

Resentment over the abuse, not the legitimate use of BBs.

Spikeyball · 31/05/2022 10:22

"Unfortunately the blue badge system is very hard to police and is massively abused, I can understand the resentment."

The main abuses are people parking in spaces with no blue badge in the car and people borrowing others blue badges ( to get free parking) with the owner not being in the vehicle at any point.

I cannot get worked up about the situation where someone intends to get out and at the last minute cannot.

bcc89 · 31/05/2022 13:29

Spikeyball · 31/05/2022 10:22

"Unfortunately the blue badge system is very hard to police and is massively abused, I can understand the resentment."

The main abuses are people parking in spaces with no blue badge in the car and people borrowing others blue badges ( to get free parking) with the owner not being in the vehicle at any point.

I cannot get worked up about the situation where someone intends to get out and at the last minute cannot.

You wouldn't be able to know what situation it is, so I understand the resentment, yes.

Sugarplumfairy65 · 31/05/2022 16:13

forlornlorna1 · 30/05/2022 16:52

What a knob he was. As long as your mom was in the car it's fine. Honestly some people have nothing better to do

My dd is autistic and sometimes won't get out the car, so if I park in the disabled bay close to the shop I can run in and she can still see me and feel safe and vice versa.

How did the nosey bastard not know your mom was going to get out and join you?

Honestly I wouldn't let it worry you x

No, it isnt fine for the blue badge holder to not leave the vehicle. Its classed as abuse of the blue badge. The law is quite clear.
However, it is unreasonable for someone to take pictures of the car unless in an official capacity. So council employee, representative of landowner etc

bestbefore · 31/05/2022 16:22

I had something like this today - parents in back of car - both have a blue badge and my dd aged 19 in the front. We park at a garden centre in disabled area and chap parking next to us says to my dd - what's you're disability? Have you got a blue badge? We quickly point out the 80 year old parents with sticks getting out the back and he said "oh sorry it's just you don't look disabled" AngryAngry
We then spent about an hour thinking of all the things we should have said to him. How rude!! Completely nosey and unnecessary!

Saracenia · 31/05/2022 16:33

Unless they looked at the picture on the back of the card how would they know it's not you who is disabled? What a complete twat.

LargeLegoHaul · 31/05/2022 16:58

Saracenia · 31/05/2022 16:33

Unless they looked at the picture on the back of the card how would they know it's not you who is disabled? What a complete twat.

Read the thread, if they looked at the badge number they would know it wasn’t OP’s badge.

toastedbagiel · 31/05/2022 17:02

@LargeLegoHaul

I wouldn't know so what makes you think some other random person would?