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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that maybe they should run public information films about blue badges?

52 replies

Salmotrutta · 13/12/2013 21:39

After the horrible case of the man who was assaulted in the supermarket because a thug questioned his right to be parked there and who subsequently died?

I was listening to the story following the court case and maybe public information films would hammer home the message that :-

sometimes the passenger can be the disabled person.

Or the disabled person might still be in the shop.

Or the disability might not be obvious.

And that blue badge holder can park in P&C spaces.

Would public broadcasting information films help?

OP posts:
BlackeyedShepherdswatchsheep · 13/12/2013 21:40

yes.

Original poster
Salmotrutta · 13/12/2013 21:41

"Questioned his right to be parked in a disabled bay I should have said!

It was the mans wife who was disabled - although he had just gone into remission following cancer treatment.

Poor man Sad

OP posts:
MoreThanChristmasCrackers · 13/12/2013 21:44

I totally agree. I hadn't heard of this case, how horrible.
I also think it would be beneficial to blue badge holders as I am constantly explaining the rules of permit holders in relation to parking outside our house.
We live near a hospital (out patients) and we have residential and visitors permits, blue badge owners are for ever getting tickets from wardens as it isn't legal to park there.
So if I see them I run out and warn them.

elliejjtiny · 13/12/2013 21:45

Yes. My 5 year old DS has a blue badge and there have been so many people who see 2 healthy adults get out of the car and assume things.

Sirzy · 13/12/2013 21:47

I am not sure it would help, some people are just too stupid to actually think and to keen to have a go without having a clue.

I would like to think something like that would change peoples thinking, but I am not convinced.

Original poster
Salmotrutta · 13/12/2013 21:48

It was a horrible case. MoreThan

The man was putting stuff in the car (in a disabled bay and with a blue badge) and his disabled wife was in the shop.

Another man made a sarcastic comment, and then punched the chap twice.

The assaulted man was knocked over and died of head injuries. Awful.

OP posts:
Original poster
Salmotrutta · 13/12/2013 21:49

I just think Sirzy that a regularly shown short information film might actually sink in and clear up confusion if it covered the points I suggested above?

OP posts:
notanotherusername1 · 13/12/2013 21:54

My poor old Gran at 99 had to answer endless questions to get her bb renewed, I was asked will her disability get better in the next 5 years...............Hmm

People see me jump out of the drivers side after throwing the badge in the window and they wait too see what the story is. Once I open the boot to get the wheelchair out they move on. Fair enough.

Original poster
Salmotrutta · 13/12/2013 21:58

I'd rather see the BBC using our licence fees to make short public info films than some of the crap they spend it on.

Part of their remit is to inform and educate after all.

OP posts:
leosayershair · 13/12/2013 22:04

YANBU - Blue Badge here for my 7 year old DS, his disability is physical but not obvious and have had comments made.

Vintagecakeisstillnice · 13/12/2013 22:14

That whole case was totally horrific.

My DN is severely disabled, at one point when she was about 10, and the normal size/ slightly underweight of a healthy 10 year old she had an op that left her in double above knee casts.

Brother and SIL took her out one day when DN was climbing the walls with boredom. DN has had a blue badge for years, they parked up, in the disabled space in a supermarket (living the wild life) and as they got out they were hugely verbally abused by some twat. Twat did the whole 'well you don't look very disabled you cunts' blah blah.

Brother said they ignored but it was funny (?) bumping in to them in the supermarket when they saw DN in her chair with the extended bits to support her legs.

I'm not fond of DB&SIL (for lots of reasons) but fucking hell I admire the hell out of them for not going apeshit in the carpark and finding the situation funny!!!

Vintagecakeisstillnice · 13/12/2013 22:18

Sorry posted too soon but so many people think they know what a disability is/ looks like.

The fact is its so hard to get a BB you really have to be ill, but hey too many read the Daily Mail where all you have to do to get a Blue Badge is limp once ever 6steps. . . .

FryOneFatChristmasGoose · 13/12/2013 22:51

I've found that most people who question someone's right to use their blue badge seem to have the fixed idea that blue badge = wheelchair user, and don't seem to be able to understand other kinds of disability can entitle a person to a blue badge too.

BoffinMum · 13/12/2013 22:55

I think it's a good idea, as a BB holder.
My AP tried to borrow my BB today and I was appalled that he, an able bodied 24 year old, would for a minute think that was acceptable.
There is definitely a public information need.

takingthathometomomma · 13/12/2013 22:59

YANBU. I often feel like shoving my badge up people's arses when I get out of my car and they hover to see what's "wrong" with me. However, doing that might be frowned upon by some so I just smile at them and go about my business instead.

Like FryOne said, people often aren't away of the invisible disabilities/illnesses out there. I have the same issue on the tubes to and from work.

DirtyDancing · 14/12/2013 00:22

Excellent idea. People often think a disability has to be 'seen' and that's not true. A a carer could be picking up a disabled person, for example, so again it's not always obvious.

Very sad what happened.

Defnotsupergirl · 14/12/2013 01:21

Yes, I have a disability that you can't immediately see. A neurological condition somewhat like MS that I inherited from Dad (which he feels terribly guilty about, despite me reassuring him it's not his fault for goodness sakes) I walk funny and injure myself very easily. Somedays I look like I'm drunk somedays I look and walk ok but the inner pain is incredible. I'm on constant medication to control my symptoms but the amount of judgemental looks I get as a mid thirties apparently, to a casual observer, ok person, is shocking. Luckily I have a loud mouth too, heaven knows how bad it must be for a shy person. Let them try it even for a couple of days eh........

SquinkiesRule · 14/12/2013 07:38

My neighbor from our old house has faced this too.
She would pull up in a blue badge spot and out of her car would pile all her healthy teens, followed by her, walking, you couldn't really tell she had two prosthetic legs some days, and some days couldn't walk well and needed her chair. People have been so rude to her. Her standard answer used be something about being willing to swap her two fake legs for their real ones and they would usually shut up and leave her alone.

Original poster
Salmotrutta · 14/12/2013 10:15

They have run public information films about drink driving, blood donation, drug awareness etc. so I don't see why they couldn't do something like this.

It was the Jeremy Vine radio programme I was listening to yesterday and it just struck me that many people just aren't aware of all the possible scenarios and we could all do with some education!

OP posts:
LickingMyWounds · 14/12/2013 10:31

Brilliant idea. I have considered applying for one for my son who has ASD and very little danger awareness, especially in unfamiliar surroundings. But I think I would be scared to use it!

WelshMaenad · 14/12/2013 10:37

Yanbu. My dd (7) has a blue badge and the a use we get from people can be horrendous. I have a younger DV too and people assume we're just using bb spaces when p&c is full. I've also had people tell me that even so, we should park in p&c to leave bb spaces for 'the elderly'. I've had people shouting in my face that I'm a disgusting piece of shit before I've even had a chance to get DD's wheelchair out.

WelshMaenad · 14/12/2013 10:38

Dc not DV!

Original poster
Salmotrutta · 14/12/2013 10:44

See that's so wrong that you would feel too nervous to use a blue badge Licking.

Which comes back to the point that educating people about hidden disabilities is really important.

OP posts:
Original poster
Salmotrutta · 14/12/2013 10:48

Welsh - do those awful people who scream in your face even have the grace to look guilty when they do see your child's wheelchair?

Not that you should have to justify yourself by producing a wheelchair though IYSWIM?

OP posts:
WelshMaenad · 14/12/2013 10:54

I had one woman RUN at me as I got out of the car and start screeching about what an abysmal human I was and her gran's sister's husband's dog was disabled so she was offended at my actions and so forth, so I opened the boot and silently showed her the wheelchair. She just snapped "well I was hardly to know!" And stalked off. That's generally the way it goes. One chap did have the good grace to apologise, but he wasn't especially vucious to begin with, just said "they'll book you there for parking without a badge you know", so I showed him the badge and he said sorry for making an assumption, which I guess was nice!

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