Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

regarding disabled neighbour

190 replies

tinyfishbigpond · 12/02/2011 11:13

I have just moved into an area where parking is very scarce. I have a parking port in my house (think garage without a door for those who aren't familiar with one).

There are 2 parking spaces opposite my house. These are angled so that the cars run parallel with the front of my house. The council has only put in spaces because any more would stop me from being about to get into and out of my parking space.

The past 2 nights I have had a car parked on double yellow lines opposite my house in a 'third' space. This means I am really struggling to get my car in and out. I went out yesterday because I saw the car arrive and explained this to my neighbour.

The neighbour point blankly refused to move stating she has a disabled badge and can park wherever she likes. And apparently for as long as she wants. Her husband came out and was really aggressive, mocking me for renting the house when he owns his and telling me he was going to complain to my landlord.

Are they allowed to leave their car overnight on double yellow lines and cause an obstruction? I thought the max time was 3 hours. They also have no clock displayed next to the badge.

AIBU or are they? I was hoping to sort it between ourselves but they were very aggressive and told me to get the council involved.

OP posts:
GreenAmy · 12/02/2011 12:25

Obviously not as thick as you OhForBoonessSake

The blue badge scheme is for and I quote

The Blue Badge Scheme provides a national arrangement of parking concessions for people with severe walking difficulties who travel either as drivers or passengers. The Scheme also applies to registered blind people, and people with very severe upper limb disabilities who regularly drive a vehicle but cannot turn a steering wheel by hand. It allows badge holders to park close to their destination. The national concessions allow badge holders to park on-street but they may not apply to car parks.

Please note the severe in the rules, now do you not think sever disabilities would be noticeable

yogididabooboo Has your dad ever walked on the moon?

valiumredhead · 12/02/2011 12:27

I agree Glitterknickaz

JarethTheGoblinKing · 12/02/2011 12:27

you know they're going to think that you are somehow responsible for the parking ticket, don't you?

GreenAmy · 12/02/2011 12:27

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

ThePosieParker · 12/02/2011 12:28

Oh dear GReenArmy.....bad bad bad thing to say on MN...be prepared.

Original poster
tinyfishbigpond · 12/02/2011 12:29

Thanks for the feedback! I'm not a bad driver I promise, there just isn't enough room at the front of my car to maouvere around to reverse in IYKWIM?

I don't doubt their disability is genuine, it's not up to me to make presumptions about that. I was just hoping a quick word would resolve it.

Have looked out of my window and they have a parking ticket. I feel sorry for them because their obviously going through a hard time, but they have parked illegally.

OP posts:
ThePosieParker · 12/02/2011 12:30

Severe...doesn't mean severed! Severe could mean tremendous pain that comes and goes....what's perfectly doable one day could be crippling the next.

TheMonster · 12/02/2011 12:30

Jareth, I wondered that, but they'd be foolish to do anything about it.

GreenAmy · 12/02/2011 12:30

Oops I miss read what Glitterknickaz wrote, sorry!

JaneS · 12/02/2011 12:30

Green, my mum had a period when she could walk only about 10-20 steps. She looked absolutely fine while she was doing that. Then as she got better she could walk for long periods on a flat surface but could not lift her leg at all - not even over a kerb. She never got a badge, partly because we hoped her disability would be temporary and partly because she felt she wasn't disabled 'enough'. That meant she really didn't leave the house for several months.

That would be the reality, day-in-day-out, for some people if you had your way. Have a little humanity, why don't you? These people have been vetted for passes and it's none of your business to second-guess why they need them.

BuzzLiteBeer · 12/02/2011 12:31

Don't be a twat GreenArmy, there are many diverse reasons why people gte bluebadges, and unless you are the doctor with the cert keep your beak out of it.

silverfrog · 12/02/2011 12:31

GreenArmy, my dd1 has severe walking difficulties, but you would probably not notice them as she scampered around.d the supermarket for half an hour.

However her severe walking difficulties stem from her severe autism. And are quite likely to get her into trouble one day.

But you keep judging away, it obviously makes you happy to do so.

altinkum · 12/02/2011 12:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MummieHunnie · 12/02/2011 12:34

It is people like Green Army that really hack me off.

I am sure that I "look" ok to some people with my walking when I first start out, it is a different matter when I get home and I can't walk for a day or so, but hey I look ok when I am out and about as I have used up all my reserves and people like Green Army think that there is nothing wrong with me! Hmm

I have not applied for a blue badge, I just may do so now though!

valiumredhead · 12/02/2011 12:39

Mummie - I am the same, if I have a good day, the next day I am flat out - having a badge really helps. Please apply, I wish I had applied sooner, in fact the GP asked me why I hadn't done so.

WelliBob · 12/02/2011 12:40

greenarmy, not sure where you took that from but I only know one woman with a blue badge. She had a 10yr old son who is severely autistic. He doesn't look remotely disabled and in fact the very reason she has the badge is because there is absolutely nothing wrong with his legs. Grin By that I mean, given half a chance, he'd be off sprinting across the carpark.

She normally uses reins but having a blue badge makes her whole life just that bit easier especially as she has two younger children.

MummieHunnie · 12/02/2011 12:42

Valium, what do you need to do? Physio told me I would never be able to walk long distances again for rest of my life, I was just so gratefull to be able to walk around the supermarket again! It was difficult dealing with others reactions to me when shopping with kids in shopping centre's in a mobility scooter, and locally when I hired one out, the pitying looks, the questioning looks, the actual direct questioning, and then the people that see your in a mobility scooter and walk infront of you, they don't have breaks and they treat you like an inferior person for being in a mobility scooter! It is hard enough without nasty comments like Green Army's being made that you are somehow not what you are!

WelliBob · 12/02/2011 12:44

Oh and my other friend who, in the opinion of both her consultant and her physio, had the worse SPD they had ever seen and had it from 18wks, was not allowed a blue badge despite being effectively severely disabled for 5mths. She could barely move even with crutches. So I don't think they're at all easy to obtain.

Original poster
tinyfishbigpond · 12/02/2011 12:45

Jareth- I'm petrified that when they find it they'll come banging on my door. I hand on heart had nothing to do with it. I had a terrible night sleep last night worrying that I'd fallen out with the neighbours. The last thing I want to do is go complaining to the council about them.

OP posts:
bigcar · 12/02/2011 12:49

mummiehunnie, you need to apply to your local council for a blue badge, you may be able to download the form from their website or give them a ring. If you get dla high rate mobility just send a copy of your award letter in, if you don't you will need a doctors letter in support.

tinyfish, sounds like you may not be the only one they've had a falling out with over this.

Original poster
tinyfishbigpond · 12/02/2011 12:49

Jareth- I'm petrified that when they find it they'll come banging on my door. I hand on heart had nothing to do with it. I had a terrible night sleep last night worrying that I'd fallen out with the neighbours. The last thing I want to do is go complaining to the council about them.

OP posts:
valiumredhead · 12/02/2011 12:53

mummie I got a BB after a 2 year old injury - the GP said that was 'permenant' enough, it sounds similar to yours - I can 'potter' around but long distances are a nightmare.

I saw my GP and said I would apply for a BB and what did she think about it etc? She said that as far as she was concerned as I was finding life so difficult and who was to say how long it would go on for, I had her backing. Apparently the form gets sent to the GP to confirm. IIRC she said things they ask are - Is the condition permanent? How far can you walk? (she mentioned distances but I fit into that catergory as she said it must be on a 'bad' day, and there was something else too but I can't remember what it was. I showed her physio's letters etc and my xrays.

When I filled in the form I sent a cover letter explaining how hard I was finding things and also my GP's backing.

My BB arrived 6 weeks later. I was SO happy and releived as it means I can be so much more independent now.

Good luck, it sounds from what your physio said that you would qualify :)

valiumredhead · 12/02/2011 12:54

Oh yes! The other thing was if you are in receipt of any benefits etc.

Bogeyface · 12/02/2011 12:55

Welli, they're not. They are for permenant disablilities which why when my SPD put me in a wheel chair for 5 months I didnt get a blue badge. Its the same for me now :(

chickchickchicken · 12/02/2011 12:56

mummie - the ignorance of some people is astounding. my friend gets looks too and has been shouted at in her mobility scooter to get off the pavements by mums with kids and also to get off the road by drivers. she is normally a very strong person but she says sometimes she gets home and cries for a few hours.
we often only go out together because we find it easier to deal with the aggression/ignorance of others if not alone.
re parking. OP says she struggled to get her car out but not that it was impossible. usually in places where access is restricted there is also a yellow line on the kerb as well as double yellow lines on the road. this means no-one can park there as emergency vehicles wouldnt be able to get through if they did.
yanbu if genuinely obstructed and cannot get your car out
yabu if as you say you can get your car out but it is more of a struggle (this happens to me if my neighbour parks opposite my drive but he is perfectly entitled to park there and i would never expect him not to)