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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

woman on my road had a go at me for my uncle using "her" disabled parking space

166 replies

sPJPPp · 18/03/2015 20:46

There is someone down my road with a disabled bay outside her house. Its on a public road and parking can be bad here. My uncle came to visit and he is a blue badge holder so seeing as this was the only spot nearby parked there. Just after he left said woman banged on my door and started shouting at me for using her parking space that the council gave to her.

Is this parking space exclusively hers? Aibu to think if not my disabled uncle is fine parking there?

OP posts:
MerryMarigold · 18/03/2015 20:47

I don't know, but I'm interested to find out.

bookishandblondish · 18/03/2015 20:49

If it's specifically hers, they normally paint the number plate on the road ( or at least in my part of London, there's a couple)

ButterflyUpSoHigh · 18/03/2015 20:50

No it's not her space but I can see why she was annoyed if it was put in for her. Legally she can't do anything.

HirplesWithHaggis · 18/03/2015 20:50

Afaik, your uncle (and any other Blue Badge holder) can park. It may have been put in at the request of your neighbour, but it is not for her exclusive use.

clpsmum · 18/03/2015 20:51

It's not hers it's for anybody with a ble badge x

dreamteamgirl · 18/03/2015 20:51

Unless it's labelled with her house number or requires a permit it isn't "hers"

FenellaFellorick · 18/03/2015 20:53

She may well have applied for a disabled space outside her home but it is likely to be one that anyone with a blue badge can use.

Phone the council and ask them to clarify it to her?

MrSlant · 18/03/2015 20:54

This is why I haven't asked for the one I would be entitled to. Where I live there would just be a million people with blue badges who are also entitled to use it I would get pissed off about never using it and explode in a fountain of high blood pressure...

WayfaringStranger · 18/03/2015 20:54

In certain London boroughs, they are only for a certain badge user. In most other areas, they're fair game. YANBU.

mineofuselessinformation · 18/03/2015 20:55

I had this once in Majorca. A resident called the police who then sent the rental agent to wait for us. He was very embarrassed at the situation as the badge is valid for all EU countries.
No, unless it's labelled, it's for anyone's use.

superram · 18/03/2015 20:56

It isn't hers, but my fil who has a blue badge never parks in my neighbours disabled space. Just not the done thing IMHO.

Difficult one but she shouldn't have knocked on your door. More an unwritten rule between blue badge holders.

ChantenayCarrot1 · 18/03/2015 20:57

Some Councils provide dedicated bays but there will be sign and associated writing on the bay/road. Otherwise, anyone correctly displaying a valid Blue Badge can park in the bay.

It might be that she thinks it's her bay as its outside her home and she applied for it - the application process can take a while and I can only assume that she thinks that because she went through it all, its hers alone to exclusively park in!.

TheFairyCaravan · 18/03/2015 20:57

No, it's not specifically her's but I will try to explains from her point of view.

I used to have a disabled space outside my old house. It took months and months and months for the council to come round and paint it on. Fortunately before that my neighbours were aware of my situation and were kind and considerate and used to leave the space outside my house free for me to park in. If they hadn't have I could have had to have parked futher away from my house than I can actually walk IYSWIM.

Knowing the hoops I had to jump through in order to get my space, my OT requested mine, I don't park in a disabled bay on a residential street. There is one opposite my sister's house, but parking spaces round there are like hen's teeth, the woman who lives there and had the space put in wouldn't physically be able to get home of someone parked in it, so when DH and I go he drops me off and goes to park.

QueenBean · 18/03/2015 21:01

Technically it's not his parking space but I could totally see why she would be annoyed about it, for the reasons above

She might not have reacted well by hammering on the door but, if I were her, id be really worried that someone might use the space more permanently than just the one-off

WayfaringStranger · 18/03/2015 21:49

As we're sharing points of view....

I moved into a property with only off street parking. A few houses down from mine has a blue badge space outside her house. I have requested one, I have appealed the decision and I have used my inner contacts to no avail as I work for the local council. I'm not entitled because 'hers' is so close. :( So, I struggle and I suffer. I've lived here nearly 3 years, I once used the space when there really was no other space and she left a narky note. I apologised and moved it as soon as I could. I get that it's not her fault that I'm disabled too but it's not mine either and while I am fighting the council, it is getting increasingly hard to walk.

ButterflyUpSoHigh · 18/03/2015 21:59

Wayfaring Stranger

How can hers be too close? There is a small street near me with 16 houses on. Unbelievably there are 14 disabled spaces. It's not a special street just a normal road.

WayfaringStranger · 18/03/2015 22:00

Eh, feck knows. Something to do with limited space. I've had a few men come and look and scratch their chins and then leave. I am escalating my complaint but in the mean time, it's a pain in the arse.

Naty1 · 18/03/2015 22:01

It may not be against the rules, but i wouldnt do it, for all the listed reasons. Where do you expect them to park when they get back.? Only if i knew they would be at work.
Pp i think thats awful they wont out another one in. You cant both park in at once so her having one doesnt help you.

ButterflyUpSoHigh · 18/03/2015 22:01

I hope they see sense and let you have one.

tutu100 · 18/03/2015 22:03

In my city the council will put a disabled bay outside your house, but whilst it is outside your home, it is not for your own exclusive use and can be used by anyone with a blue badge.

Superexcited · 18/03/2015 22:03

Your uncle can legally park there but it is very selfish of him to do so. Your neighbour has been granted the space because she needs it and the right thing to do is leave it vacant so she can use it. What is legally ok and what is the moral thing to do are not always the same thing.

TheFlyingFauxPas · 18/03/2015 22:07

If you move house does it get removed?

StandByYourTesselators · 18/03/2015 22:12

My local council have just announced that they will be charging an annual administration fee of £80 for these bays. But still the users won't be entitled to exclusive use of them. So if you live in this borough, and ask for a disabled parking bay close to your house, you will be charged annually for the privilege but no guarantee that you'll be able to use it. It's feckin' bonkers.

auntpetunia · 18/03/2015 22:12

by us the spaces have the number plate of the car or badge number they are meant for or house number so no one else can use it

Akire · 18/03/2015 22:22

My council will not give exclusive access to a space even if in busy road where lots of people passing might use it.

Imagine you came home from work and had to spend hours in your car or overnight because out an only get your wheelchair out of your car /boot in one space then push yourself into your home?

I had to get rid of my car for this reason as living around the corners from statoin and shops I could never park. So you ABU but only because you don't know how it works!