to complain about these vehicles parked in the disabled parking spaces?

[HedgehogsDontBite]

I have a blue badge and frequently have to compete over bb spaces with non badge holders. I never normally challenge because I'm too scared of the consequences. But I think these guys are really taking the piss. They are currently working on the outside of the supermarket (looks like they're putting up lights). Both yesterday and today I was unable to park because their work vans are taking up all the disabled space. Today it was 2 vans parked sideways across the 4 spaces. I was so annoyed I ask them to move but was told the vans needed to be like this so they could access the contents (sides roll up).

AIBU to complain?

Depends. For Health and safety reasons they might need to park as close as possible to wherever. There might be a good reason.

yanbu
I hate that
crazy idea that they can do that
I would complain and ring head office

there is never a good reason to block BB

Ask at the customer service desk where the spaces to replace the ones being used for the vans are located. Be cheery, be bright, and ask in a tone of voice that makes any answer other than "other there" seem even more ignorant and unthoughtful than it is.

Then escalate.

On Twitter ? A pic would do nicely.

Oh, and let other people who might need a BB parking space know where the problem is, so they can go elsewhere. You know, like you are expected too.

LurkingHusband well said

Name and shame on twitter.

Send a picture to @yplac

Not unreasonable at all to complain.

I suppose there could be some genuine need for them to park there but if that is the case then as LurkingHusband says some temporary disabled spaces should have been provided instead.

No different than if you block the pavement you have to provide signage to alternative walkways.

I'll take pic if they're still doing it tomorrow and put it online. I can't go to the customer service desk (or buy any milk) because I can't park.

are there P&T bays cos you can park in them

I'd park in a P&C space and do exactly as LurkingHusband says.

Of course I write from experience

Local shopping centre had quite a lot of renovation work done a few years ago, so I appreciated that it was logistically sensible to rope off the BB aree to allow the contractors easy access. It was also safer, as they wouldn't be carrying materials across the public areas.

However the centre management (who I may have called "morons", I certainly called them "brain dead") didn't seem to think there was a problem with reducing the BB spaces by 30%. Although it appeared I was talking to a brick wall, it was heartening that next visit (a month later - so it wasn't a temporary issue) they had marked out some extra bays in the "regular" car park to replace the ones used by the builders.

The most depressing thing was dealing with SENIOR management, who clearly had never ever considered - or been told by other employees - the impact that removing the BB bays would have.

And even more depressing is the realisation that if this were to happen today, then exactly the same thing would happen.

About 6 years ago, we were looking for a new motability car. We arranged with a local VW dealer to pop in one Saturday to look at a Touran. When we got there, they were having an "event" and rearranged the showroom so it was impossible to wheel a wheelchair around. MrsLH (who is up for a laugh as much as me) told the (clearly flustered, and unprepared) salesman not to worry- he could stay at his desk, and she'd shout at him.

Needless to say, we didn't buy a VW. Nor consider one when the contract on the Citroen ran out.

I would park in a P&C space.

But yes, presuming you can park close enough to the entrance to go in, definitely ask where the replacement BB spaces are. You can't be the only one to have experienced this problem.

Yep, Lurking's suggestion is PA fabulousness' definitely to that.
I'd ask the workmen themselves rather than customer services though.
Ideally, stop as close to them as you can and just yell it out of the car window.
With a big, cheery smile, natch.

g will o on facebook on my space take my disability. After seeing the information on there I e-mailed a company that parked in one of the two parking spaces at a Tesco Express/Donmino's/Curves. Had an apology from the company, if you don't complain this problem will only get worse as word has got about as disabled places in supermarkets have no legal standing but morally is it so wrong. My DH and I have a BB and I have asked people who have parked without a BB where it is. I am a feisty grumpy woman and my DH is a tall large man which helps.

If you were at the store, you could have called them from your phone

"Hi, I'm just in your car park, and I can't find the signs to the alternative BB spaces you've provided while the building works are on"

would have proved interesting.

quietbatperson

x-post

quietbatperson

no, experience

I wish we were more strict about this. In France I've seen security guards check these spaces for misuse, perhaps they could do that here ?

I couldn't get parked the other day at waitrose. Three cars with no badges in disabled bays.

One woman came out and put her children and two carrier bags in car . I asked her as that as she had taken a disabled space from me , would she like my disability to go with it. She just looked at me and said that she couldn't park her car in a smaller space.

ConferencePear

to be fair, most supermarkets (certainly Sainsburys) do arrange for private parking patrols of their car parks (I leave it to the reader to square that with the attitude most people have to private parking enforcement). And I have seen them photograph and ticket a car which was parked without a BB in a BB space.

Slightly OT, but for consideration, is the fact that most disability adaptations (e.g. parking, lifts !) are abused because people are inherently lazy. I have seen measures that counteract this, quite successfully .... one of the best being an Asda, where the BB parking was next to the store, but at the end of the car park. So you had to drive past every other space first before you got to the BB spaces.

Pasithea did you see the kids reaction ? A few months ago, a clearly entitled Mum plonked here massive 4x4 in the only other disabled bay at our local swimming baths (next to ours) and skipped out with 8/8 yo DD (no badges). I heard DD say "but Mum, we shouldn't park there", to which the reply was "Shut up, and don't say anything".

Poor DD looked so uncomfortable, as they walked past us (with MrsLH in her wheelchair).

I wanted to smile at her, and say not to worry, it's not her fault her mother is an ignorant idiot. But MrsLH got to my ribs first.

Anyway, the kids know how to behave - it's the parents who are the pigs. (Something which seems to be a general case, double-sadly )

Not sure that a lift is a disability adaptation although it's good manners to get out and wait for the next in favour of someone who uses a wheelchair, or is on crutches or is visibly pg.