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.

I saw something on a TV program the other week where they were investigating BB fraud and it was saying that the new badges will have the date of birth of the person they are issued to as part of the long number on the badge.

In theory this would mean if you saw a strapping 20 year old lad hop out of a car alone and then looked at the badge you could work out whether he was the person it was issued to and report it based on that.

I believe it's all being done because BB fraud is quite rife in London with a healthy market for buying BB's.

combust22 - but why wouldn't you display your badge - do you want people to think you aren't entitled to park there?

Not sure if links are allowed ..

www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN01360.pdf

seems to suggest that there are plans somewhere to allow private BB parking provision to be "registered" with the local authority, and gain statutory status. At which point abuse would attract the same fine as if it occurred on the public highway.

combust22
But why not just display it?
I genuinely don't understand why you would not display your badge, given the upset it makes other disabled people, and their carers feel.

It's not other diasbled people that takethe hump, it's do-gooders like the OP tha seem to get riled.

Most BB fraud is less about convenient parking, and more about avoiding charges or payment.

BB abuse dropped dramatically at our local shopping centre car park when they started charging everyone the same for parking :(

Seems like combust22 enjoys winding up people who already have quite enough problems to deal with....

Let me assure you combat22 disabled people and their carers very much 'take the hump' when people park in disabled bays without a badge.

Something else I don't really understand is that I only ever get challenged when I am alone and most vulnerable. How come all the moral ourage seems to disappear when DH is around?

I am a carer, and I get very wound up about it.
It just makes everything so difficult, slow and painful.
For someone who manages a short outing once a week, it is so upsetting if it is made more difficult by not being able to access a disabled space because someone not displaying a BB is parked in it.

3littlefrogs - But, the rules are that you must display a blue badge if you park in a "disabled space".

But it's sadly not that simple. As i C&P from Citizens Advice website upthread. The BB scheme does not apply on private land.

Sisterofpery that's something else that I've learned in this thread that my month and year of birth are now in the number of my new badge. I've registered the badge number with the hospital but has not noticed that.

Tbh I'm not sure that it'll help much unless you know what your looking for?

so combust22, to sum up - you dont want to display a blue badge, you dont want to be questioned on parking in a disabled space without one, but you still want the spaces to be reserved in some magical unpoliced way so that there are still disabled spaces available when you need one, is that about it?

I drive and park every day using a disabled BB. My mother does not like to use one on prvate property.

She does not have to prove her entitlement to the general public- it's not up to others- even other disabled people to judge. She will use the badge when required to on public property, but that is to prove her entitlement to the authorities, not the public.

It's between her and the authorities, not bystanders.

It bothers me too. I'm not against BB spaces being monitored by the relevant authority and action taken against those who should not be using them. I am against random members of the public appointing themselves as the relevant authority and expecting me to justify myself to them.

Private land being supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, some air ports, and the carpark in the OP.

I have only had problems on ordinary streets, so I didn't realise that private land was different.

Neither did most of us here until today

liverpool- that is exactly my point.

My mother feels like a charity case if she has to start proving her status to all and sundry using the car park. it's none of their business.

The BB is not there for other members of the public so they can spot a deserving case.

Just to clarify, by 'relevant authority' I also mean the landowner and whoever they have authorised to act on their behalf.

liverpool yes- but not all "landowners" have powers over the running of BBs and disabled spaces.

Interesting. If I went to a hotel with my dad (not likely to happen, cos he he is dead now, bless him) and the disabled bay was taken up with a non badge car, I would be mighty ticked off - perhaps even to the extent of informing the hotel.

What, then, could the hotel do? Nothing, I presume. So the disabled bays are just a courtesy and really, anyone can use them.

Combust. Am I understanding that your mother wants to use a disabled space on private land, but wants others to think she is blagging it?

The fact she's in the space already states that a member of your party has need of a disabled bay. Is she hoping others think it is you? Or what?

I have a contrary and difficult mother but this sounds like new territory that even I can't grasp.

''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.''

whatthe as far as i can make out it's down to the signposting on site

morris- yes she is old and difficult.

Her point is that she has a right to use a disabled space on private ground but she doesn't have to prove it to other car park users.