to get really annoyed with non-disabled people parking in disabled spaces?

[LauraKB]

and the same for parent and child spaces.

Also the same for disabled toilets (not the parking in bit), especially when parents take their same sex children into them when they would be perfectly capable of using the normal toilets. I do however understand Fathers taking their daughters to a disabled toilet cos you wouldn't want them to go into the gents and they are too small to go into the ladies alone.

Justabout, I agree that the owners should take responsibility. I know the badges have photos attached (my mum has one) but these photos don't need to be displayed. Hence, parents park, drop off child/ren and hop back in. If the photo was on display it would be clear the badge holder wasn't in the car or being picked up. However, I can see that being rather time consuming for traffic wardens as they try to establish who is who and where they are etc.

Police and traffic wardens can inspect the badge (and ask you to move).

Snowmash, yes I am aware of that but that doesn't appear to happen outside the school as the abuse continues. I wonder how often badge holders are actually challenged to show i.d/photo.

I don't get this hierarchy stuff. Surely it's according to need? Well, apart from disabled parking spaces-non blue badgers should never use them.

I have a blue badge and when I'm ok, we'll park somewhere else so a space is free. Otherwise I'll use it. However, I have 2 small children and it makes such a difference being close to the shop and not having to worry about negotiating the car park. That's why I'm amazed people are so begrudging about P&T parking, particularly other women. What miserable people you are, it should be according to need and I think little children do need to be exiled to the back of the car park.

Do NOT need to be exiled that should read! And what's with the nastiness about being pregnant? It's not a disability, but when I was 3rd trimester with spd, it bloody felt like it. I could hardly walk and was in constant pain.There's fuck all empathy here on occasion and it's quite enlightening how unsisterly some of you lot are.

Anyway, I have found the quickest way to get non blue badgers out of parking is to tell them they've forgotten to put their badge out and the warden's patrolling. Alternatively, phone the parking provider or tell the shop management and show them so it doesn't get left.

FSD: the only way of stopping the abuse is to report that it's going on. I'm sure you could do so anonymously.

As far as being challenged, I certainly have been (probably due to age and who I use the badge with, as my gender matches the one on the serial number, and my disability is obvious).

One time was because I pulled it off the fascia to put away as we were driving off (not before, but the traffic warden clearly saw this as suspicious).

parent and child, I can live with
disabled, BANG out of order

Agree with you on parking but disagree on the toilets as different justifications for those apply. The reason there is disabled toilets is because regular toilets are too small for someone with a wheelchair. It is not because they need exclusive use of them (like with the carpark). Thus if all the other toilets are full I have no issue with people using the disabled toilet. And if a disabled person is waiting outside in their wheelchair so be it. True equality means they have to wait like the rest of us.

I believe that disabled parking bays in public car parks are legally enforceable - I've certainly seen people being ticketed for using them inappropriately.

Regardless of the issues in implementation, they are a good thing and should be respected.

P&T spaces are a marketing gimmick. Personally I treat them as any other space - i.e. if it's the closest available space I take it.

justaboutblowingbubbles and all- sorry- I meant just the disabled loos- I wouldn't use the spaces--even though we are applying for the badge at the moment xxx

Actually Riven there are plenty of disabled toilets about - not just one. Now, if you are taking about adult changing rooms rather than just disabled access toilets, that's a different matter

And - has anyone ever seen a queue at the disabled toilet??? I think this is a bit of a non-issue

Actually my Mum is disabled, and she never has any problems finding a toilet (in fact she finds it easier to find a disabled toilet free than a non-disabled one) - so I do have experience of this issue. Through my work I've been heavily involved in disabled issues, including adaptations and toiletting facilities - so I do have some knowledge.

On the parking you are definitely NBU. If they don't have a blue badge they should't be using them. My dad had a blue badge and I remember being verbally abused by an elderly gentleman for leaving him in the car. I know you can't use the disabled badge if the disabled person isn't getting out of the car but I had only let him sit in the car while I lifted his wheelchair out of the car. Where was I supposed to sit him while I did that? On the wet ground?

Disabled toilets a bit more difficult because they may have a disability that is not immediately obvious so a bit more difficult to police.

lal123 , whether there is difficulty getting at the disabled toilets seems to depend upon where they are.

I take profuse apologies, a red face, and/or children's (honest) comments as a proxy for lack of disability as people leave the sole disabled toilet.

I would have to say that a lot of the users (including those who magically move into the ladies or baby change when I sit behind them) in my local town centre just want somewhere they can take the buggy in (several of the stores do have baby change facilities not in the disabled toilet, but generally in a smaller room). Changing places is obviously a different matter, and I wish there were more of them.

It is very unusual to have more than one disabled toilet (and in some there is no ladies provision) - the larger stalls in main toilets are usually inaccessible if you have a wheelchair (I sometimes wonder if they are meant for family use).

xstitch: I agree with you re: parking - it is unfortunate that it can get so fraught (I've had similar experiences).