regarding disabled neighbour

[tinyfishbigpond]

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.

I'm pretty sure I stated the obstruction bit on page 1, beautyspot.

Wellwisher I think those on here who have BBs for genuine reasons are equally frustrated about fraud, as it leads to suspicion if you don't 'look' disabled (whatever it 'looks' like). There was another thread on here yesterday about the abuse another MNetter gets, and I do too because people don't consider that children can be disabled. The genuine are being treated like fraudsters and made to feel like shit and that's not on.

It is extremely hard to qualify for a BB and the vast majority are not fraudulent.

It is the sheer ignorance of attitudes like GreenAmy's that make some disabled people feel like prisoners in their own homes and bodies because they become so afraid to go out due to abuse from such individuals. Tell you what GA, want to swap lungs? Then you'll know how much effort a trip to the shops can take and that some days you can't even crawl to the toilet due to the pain and breathlessness. And when you are having a 'good' day every thing you do takes so much out of you that the next day it may be all you can do to get dressed. And then you go to the shops and get a load of abuse for parking in a BB spot. It is crap, it is disheartening, it is wrong. It's hard to capture how it can feel to be that person.

But keep judging away, because obviously you have your mind made up. Hope you don't fall off that high horse because you may end up needing a BB, perish the thought

sorry if someone has already posted but if you have a blue badge displayed without the clock you will get a parking ticket both must be displayed at the same time or the badge is not valid.

In scotland we dont have a clock just the badge. And there are no time limits to how long you can park here on a double or single line as long as you are not causing obstruction

In a slight defence to green army ,one of my neighbours has a disabled badge in his car for his wife ,however he regularly parks in town in disabled spaces without her ,which i think is a bit naughty to say the least ,especially as he runs 10k races for charity !

You just want to give up sometimes don't you, herbietea

Actually, Bumpsoon, I have no issue with main carers using the BB when the disabled person is not with them. What sort of person would begrudge making a carers life a little easier?

Tbh, I am thankful not to have his caring duties and to be required to park a little further away.

The carers thing is tricky isnt it?

The chemists I used to get DD's frequent prescriptions from didnt have any parking near them. I couldnt drag DD out just to get her stuff but if I had walked I would have been out for too long.

Most of the stuff I did in the car was for DD. I didnt go out to do anything else but the shopping.

But I didnt use the badge without her. I was terrified of getting a ticket or the car being towed away. It didnt feel right either.

GreenArmy is getting a hard time because he's making crass unsubstantiated statements.

I am getting abuse because I made an observation

I accept that some illnesses will not be visible but lets look at the rules.

In order too get a bue badge you must be

A person who is registered blind
? A person in receipt of Disability Living Allowance** - Higher rate mobility component only.
? A person in receipt of a vehicle supplied by a Government Health Department.
? A person who has a severe disability in both upper limbs, and regularly drives a motor vehicle but cannot
turn the steering wheel of a motor vehicle by hand even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob.
? A person in receipt of War Pensioners? Mobility Supplement.

Now lets look at the rules for higher mobility allowance

In order to qualify for the higher rate of the mobility component you need to show that

-You cannot walk or

-You are virtually unable to walk or

-The exertion required to walk would "constitute a danger to your life or would be likely to lead to a serious deterioration in your health" or

-You are both deaf and blind or

-You are entitled to the higher rate care component and are severely mentally impaired with extremely disruptive behavioural problems

So I expect that considering the rules most people would show some degree of disability.

Now why do I see so many fit people without any signs of disability this is why

In Edinburgh up 70% of blue badges where being used fraudulently, in Leeds the figure is 58% Nationaly there are 2.5 million blue badges upto million are being used by these that do not need them.

I am sorry for all of you who are ill, but the above are facts

source

*In order too get a bue badge you must be

A person who is registered blind
? A person in receipt of Disability Living Allowance** - Higher rate mobility component only.
? A person in receipt of a vehicle supplied by a Government Health Department.
? A person who has a severe disability in both upper limbs, and regularly drives a motor vehicle but cannot
turn the steering wheel of a motor vehicle by hand even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob.
? A person in receipt of War Pensioners? Mobility Supplement.*

I don't fit into any of those catergories, yet I am entitled to a BB - stick that in your pipe and smoke it GA

in what way herbietea

Copied and pasted it still points to massive abuse of the blue bade sheme

You dont need to get higher rate mobility to get a blue badge. You get one automatically if you get higher rate. You can get one without though.

It doesnt say that on your C&P does it? Thats why C&P is a bit rubbish.

For eg. if you are dealing with social services regarding caring for someone else's child - you will not find the information you need in the social service handouts or on their website.

They will not inform you that you are entitled to the same level of support as a fostercarer. Nevertheless this is the LAW.

Off topic I admit but it illustrates that simply reading something, even if it is an offical source, doesnt make you an expert. Or right.

The exertion required to walk would "constitute a danger to your life or would be likely to lead to a serious deterioration in your health"

There was a story on here not long ago about a lady who has a BB for her DD who has severe asthma and even a small amount of exertion could trigger an attack. Someone challenged them for using the space, ignored the fact that they HAD a BB and the stress of it triggered an attack which saw the poster's DD go in to hospital for a considerable length of time. You couldn't see her need for the BB though, even though her condition is very serious.

I know a lady who has diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia. She looks so normal and healthy. And yet she can barely get out of bed. Every step is painful to her but she looks fine.

I have dyspraxia and fibromyalgia. I look fine but my ability to judge speed and distance is impaired, my concentration is impaired and I am in pain constantly. Walking is so so difficult. But I am under 25 and look normal. Doesn't alter the fact that I struggle to walk and have no energy and chronic pain.

Lots of severe disabilities are NOT visible, my grandmother has Fibro too and Angina and even when she had cancer she still looked fine.

Anyone else a bit suspicious that all this 'blue badges are mostly used by fraudsters' is paving the way for another great idea from the 'big society'?

Not that I am cynical but Cameron doesnt seem to like disabled people very much.

When my OH was first assessed for DLA the doctor who visited us kept asking him 'can you walk?' over and over again.

I pointed out to him that the rules stated that the question was 'can you walk without pain?' he told me to be quiet.

He then told OH to walk across the living room.

We got a letter turning him down based on this indepth medical. OH refused to reapply because he is a proud man and felt utterly humilated by the whole thing.

He waited another 5 years.

You can't cause an obstruction if you have any kind of badge, and when you have timne mow down that wast of oxygen husband she has, totallt unnessecary behaviour, sorry rantage

MrsDeVere I agree with you. Have you seen the DM (yes, I know I shouldn't read it but my blood pressure is so low it could do with a raise) have a weekly 'most people on disability are fit to work' article now for the last month or so?

Everybody seems to 'know' someone who gets DLA for themselves or their kids when there's nothing wrong but when questioned they have no idea WHY the DLA etc is given. But one day that person had the cheek to mow the lawn therefore they're obviously not disabled and a massive scrounger. Of course it's not possible that medical conditions fluctuate, you must be practically bed ridden every minute of the day, if not you're a lying scrounger.

The other thing people don't consider is - who will employ disabled people? I just lost my job due to developing fibro, I've been told I have a decent case for disability discrimination but I can't afford to sue and the stress of it would only make me more ill. Every two ticks company I apply to never respond and they're meant to guarantee interviews for disabled applicants who are suitable. It's very hard to find an employer who isn't scared off by the fact I've needed a lot of time off sick in the last 5 months.

just to add to greenarmys list of who can apply for a blue badge, below is a cut and paste taken directly from the Directgov website.

"If you do not automatically qualify, your eligibility has to be assessed by your local council. You will be asked to answer some questions to help them decide whether or not you can have a Blue Badge. The council may also ask your permission to get further information from your doctor, or ask you to see an independent health professional, like a physiotherapist."

as you can see you do not have to fit the criteria as stated by greenarmy to obtain a BB.

So I expect that considering the rules most people would show some degree of disability.

slightlymad yes, that's what was on my application form as I didn't fit into GA's list.

I had a similar parking issue. A fantastic website to refer to is:
www.police.uk

You can send them any question you want and they email you back within say 24 hours telling you where you stand legally and also give you advice on what to say when you do approach your neighbour etc. As they're looking in from the outside their response is well thought out and not aggressive as it could be if you're living with the situation if you know what I mean.