Really annoyed at Someone parking in a Disabled Bay who is definitely not disabled!

[daisychain01]

I'm normally quite a placid person, who goes about her business and doesn't interfere with other people, but Im absolutely fuming.

Im staying at the Travelodge for two nights, last night was my first night, tonight is my second. When I arrived in the carpark yesterday evening, I was walking towards the entrance with my bags when I was nearly run over in the carpark by a woman in a BMW, texting on her phone while driving, trying to find a space.

It stopped me dead in my tracks! Anyway she then proceeds to drive straight into a disabled bay next to the entrance, obviously there to make it more accessible to a blue badge holder.

She got out of her car and I walked up to her. She was still on her phone, yabbering away, but looked at me. I said very politely, "um excuse me, but do you realise you are parked in a disabled bay .." To which she said as bold as brass "yes I know". So I just thought maybe I will cut her some slack, maybe she will check in then move her car.

I mentioned it to the receptionist and she didnt really want to know, because the parking belongs to the Toby Carvery next door. Out of curiosity I nipped out before going to bed and her car was still there, and still there this morning when I left...

...and there when I have just turned up tonight!

If she had said to me last night "yes thanks for letting me know, Im just unloading my heavy bags but I will move my car shortly" I wouldnt be frothing, but the Toby is really full tonight and whats the betting there is some poor person inside who has had to struggle all the way over from the furthest corner of the carpark because of that selfish cow.

The thing is, should I report her now? I just dont know if Its just me being pissed off at her attitude, and a bit up my own arse...im just feeling vengeful, like I want to teach her a lesson. The Toby is open and full of people.

It is just me that finds this whole notion of going to 'challenge' people really distasteful?

Isnt the the blue badge one of the most abused systems? People handing out the badges, a relative used it after a relative died - I think its rife

A courtesy, not enforcable at all. I've linked the campaign to change this upthread ^

Me, personally, I'd rather able bodied people were 'onside' with me, and wanted to prevent abuse of the spaces. So I'd rather someone challenge me (so long as they accepted my badge as adequate 'proof' of my need) than not challenge someone who was abusing the space.

Yes beyond the limits that's exactly what I was trying to say but im awful with words. I can't understand why people get so confrontational about it. I'd you have a bb you deserve the space.

I'm sure it's not just you - but if you choose not to display your BB then you will have to accept that one of the possible consequences will be a challenge from someone who is displaying the correct paperwork and who needs the space that you have occupied. I will always be polite and courteous, but I will challenge.

I've just had a quick look at the whole private car park issue (when I should be working ) - this from Citizen's Advice:

"The blue badge scheme does not apply on private roads, private car parks, in off street car parks and in some airports. There may be some parking spaces for disabled people in these areas and they will either be subject to the conditions imposed by the parking operator or be designated by law, with signs and markings that make this clear. If the parking space is designated by law and it is used by a non-blue badge holder, this is a parking offence"

MorrisZapp If the law states that BB does not need to be displayed on private land, may I ask if disabled bays on private land are a courtesy or legally enforceable?

When you enter the carpark you are (theoretically) accepting the operators T&Cs, and the operator is legally obliged to make reasonable adjustments for the less able. So provision of the spaces is probably regarded as discharging their legal obligation. However, as others have pointed out, this has no protection in law, beyond enforcing the T&Cs - which is a civil matter. So basically the onus then falls to the car park operator to try to enforce the breach (non-BB car in a BB space) by claiming a charge.

I linked upthread to a government paper suggesting local authorities are given the power to police private BB spaces, and therefore issue a true fine, rather than a civil charge. So there is movement.

Personally, I would like to see a law making it a criminal offence to unlawfully interfere with any facility provided by any organisation as part of it's compliance with the DDA. I would then like to see the punishment for this crime to be hanged from the nearest lamppost and pelted with wasps nests and dog turds before being finished off with a flamethower.

And that still would be too good for the local scumbags who destroyed the wheelchair lift at our local library, removing one of my wifes pleasures in life.

I remember once me and my DH parked in a private carpark where the disabled logo was so worn you could hardly see it on the ground. It was dark and raining and the space wasn't that close to the entrance. We only realised when we came out and had one of those private parking fines.

Didn't pay the fine since the signage was so poor and it was a private car park so we felt we had a good case. Even thought it was a mistake until we rolled the car back to see this smudge on the ground.

Suppose what I'm saying is that if private companies managing private parking become an offence then they must abide to reasonable signage like the council do.

With you there lurking husband! Perhaps if hijacking accessible facilities was viewed by the public and classed by law as the hate crime it is (in my rather biased opinion), people would think twice about that five minutes they are parking?

I would be interested to know if the people who (rightfully) think that none bb holders using a bb space are twats, also think that none disabled people using the disabled toilet are twats.

We all know there's loads of people with huge prams and/or little children who think that this is ok, I think it's on a level with using a bb space and they should also have the flamethrower treatment

I guess that's another thread though.

YesIdidmeantobesorudeactually are you taking the piss? It's hardly the same thing is it running into a disabled loo with a kid (when lots of them are joint changing facilities anyway) and parking in a bb space.
I'm not saying it's right but you would be taking up the toilet cubicle for a matter of just a few minutes (do disabled people not have patience?) And then it could be used again.
People that park in bb spots with no badge just out of convenience (no invisible illness I mean when it is people just being a bit entitled and lazy, it happens) take up the spot for sometimes in ops case days at a time. Sometimes hours making it an actual inconvenience for the person that could have parked there. Of course it's different.

No I dont think its her who is taking the piss here.

And one person may take up a toilet cubicle for a few minutes but generally there are more than 1. And if everyone did it then it woud be full for hours.

If its a joint facility then people have no choice..and it's a bad design.

We have often waited ages with dD and yes she does have no patience and ends up screaming.

So if its not a joint facility. .then it is the sane really.. just dont do it.

Quite a few places cottoning on that multipurpose accessible toilets/babychange are not a fab idea and building them separate now.

Note the (ironic?) lack of accessible babychange facilities though! ah well, cant win them all...

Apparently new tescos are also including appropriate facilities for changing people bigger than tiny tot size too. :)

BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability that was the worst part, when our DS was little. Several places DP just couldn't change him, effectively limiting trips out to weekends, when I could be there. There's an old law or custom that women with disabilities aren't allowed to have babies. (Not a joke. First reaction DP had from her GP when she discovered she was pregnant was to arrange a termination) so aren't catered for.

Try getting an accessible family room in a hotel.

Sorry about my abyssmal typing

I got one last weekend, weirdly enough! Three single beds though, cause disabled grown ups dont sleep with their partners...

Didnt notice fanjo, mines been crap recently too :)

OP - for what it's worth, I don't think YWBU

"Accessible" rooms in hotels is a separate blood-pressure test ... now DS has left home, we're enjoying empty nest a bit, so are rediscovering the joys of UK hotels. We stopped even trying in 2000, after an experience where despite all the planning and talk on the phone, not a single part of the booking had been honoured. Not fun 200 miles from home. Although as the long winter nights draw in, we smile in the memory of the hotel manager trying to fit a grab rail using his shoe as a hammer.

I'm not saying it's right but you would be taking up the toilet cubicle for a matter of just a few minutes (do disabled people not have patience?)
I am interested in your knowledge of bladder and bowel issues. Dd (18) cannot wait and if she does will get sores in a matter of minutes. Not very pleasant. She has infinite patience though, particularly when able bodied folk use the disabled lavatories or pinch her bb space.

I actually found when I went on weekends away with my disabled mum that we had a devil of a time finding accessible rooms that were twins instead of doubles!

I'm not saying it's right but you would be taking up the toilet cubicle for a matter of just a few minutes (do disabled people not have patience?)

That's a pretty rude and ignorant thing to come out with. Standing waiting for a few minutes might be nothing to you but for people with disabilities it can have a huge impact.

I suggest you read this which explains how things are better than I can.

I'm really not saying it's right though. But it is a bit different to the parking where you could be inconvenienced more (having to go home or wait much longer than for a loo or use a wider space or walk further than you might be capable)
I don't agree with it but I'm just saying one is a lot worse than the other. And because a lot of them are in the same room as changing facilities sometimes can't be helped but whenever I've had to do it I've been mindful to be in and out as quick as possible (pit stop time) so I don't think it's fair to compare the two and call both sets of people twats.
Because I really don't feel like if there's nobody waiting and I nip ds into a disabled loo (if that's the only changing space) and I k ow I can change him in under 2 or 3 minutes that that puts me in the same bracket as somebody who parks on a disabled bay with no bb because I want to be in and out of the post office quicker and is apparently a twat.
I'm not saying it's right but it's not the same

I dunno, if we're doing comparisons, I'd much rather have to park somewhere else (or block someone in!) than piss myself.