To think that blue badge spaces are for people with blue badges?

[Sixweekstowait]

First of all I want to apologise to those people who were offended by the my use of a phrase which I will not, of course, repeat here. It was coined by a very wonderful disability rights campaigner in the 80s and was a tongue in cheek shot across the bows at all the negative labels that were in common use then to describe people with disabilities. Now...my point is that no one should use a disabled space without a blue badge. Is that BU? No one of course should challenge anyone with a blue badge . So I will say again that I was really really angry this morning for the second day running at the disabilist selfish entitled who were abusing these spaces at the station and I was upset that no one came to my support. I was actually trapped in my car by a van as I couldn't open the door to get out. I was going to work . Is it BU to mind that ? It happens over and over again and I am FUCKING fed up with it

I think laziness plays a part but I also think there is something else going on with some people - I actually believe that we are as a society institutionally disabilist and people with disabilities are frequently treated with disdain and contempt. I think some of the posts on my deleted thread were evidence of this as was the fact that MNGQ deleted it without even contacting me .

I think a lot of people really have trouble realising that adjustments can exist to facilitate those with disabilities to go to work and be able to access everyday services without having to challenge people, beg for help, argue and be humiliated.

I agree, and people who talk about it are often flamed and looked down upon. It's seen as OK to suggest that kids with disabilities should act the same as everyone else "SN is no excuse" and the lack of sympathy for your situation on the deleted thread was astonishing to me.

It is regularly said that kids with disabilities shouldn't join in with activities unless they can behave like NT kids or be restrained to prevent them annoying others. Or that disability shouldn't mean you don't have to wait for toilet like anyone else.

I guess this tide of opinion on MN is representative of society and that's why you face so many issues.

People are slightly better on here about parking spaces but I think that's because they are legally protected. IRL loads of people just wait until noone is around doing to enforce them then park in them. And when it comes to bus paces lots of people say how legally wheelchairs don't have priority now.

People really need to get their heads out of their own arses.

And also realise if people address these things it's not because they want a bunfight but because it's issues people face in their own lives and awareness needs raised.

I was disappointed your thread was deleted and there was no understanding for you.

The world..and MN..are not disability friendly

I think laziness plays a part but I also think there is something else going on with some people

There is a certain pettiness ... sort of "Why does she get that ? Why can't I have that ? She gets to do that. I want to do that".

At the risk of starting a(nother) massive bunfight, I would suggest that the current "thing" (although I recognise it from the 1980s) of "self identifying" doesn't help in every situation. Quite a few BB abusers will have the attitude "well, I don't actually have a Blue Badge, but I 'feel' disabled, so that's OK".

It's a shame, with our mania for -only shortlists in politics that there isn't a disabled-only shortlist.

I wonder if FDR would have become president in 2016 ?

Personally I'd like to see a criminal law concerning abuse of facilities specifically provided under the DDA legislation. Very, very simple. If we can pass laws requiring a man to give the police 24 hours notice before having sex, it should be trivial.

Maybe a "Europeans with disabilites" act ?

Or at the very least, calling out politicians on the reality, rather than the rhetoric.

You also see it all the time on threads about birthday parties and friendships.."my child doesn't want to include the child with SN" and loads of people say well don't. .your child should be free to choose their friends...rather than..well maybe we should try to include everyone.

People aren't teaching their kids to put themselves out or include others I think.

And yes there's also a culture of envy of the perks and benefits as lurking husband says. Depressing.

I hope this thread stays and you get some helpful input OP

There is a facebook page called Want My space have my disability to show vehicles parked in disabled spaces without a blue badge

I used to think those pages were a great idea to shame arseholes who use the bay's until the day I saw a friends car on it.

I didn't have an issue because it was a friend I had an issue because I know that friend has had a double leg amputation below the knees and needs the space just as much as legitimate BB holders only when the rules changed a short while ago he was deemed to not be entitled to one so now uses a few private car parks disabled bays with the full knowledge of the owners. In the same way that lots and lots of previous BB holders who fell foul of the same changes do.

That's terrible for your friend.

Not sure the arse holes who do it will care about being on that page either. They will just dismiss it as annoying militant people.

But I totally get that people feel the need to do something

Theres a culture of blame and self entitlement developing in the UK right now and I loathe it.
Its based on selfishness and a total lack of empathy, along with a completely ridiculous attitude that it can never happen to me.

I've signed the petition. Its only got 390 signatures so far.

I would never park in a disabled space nor use the disabled loo, so I'm just playing devil's advocate here - do you think it's the "hidden disabilities" thing that is responsible for a dip in sympathy? If you can see someone is in a specially-adapted car, or a wheelchair user etc etc then it's obvious that they need the BB space. But a hidden disability - and I'm not a nay-sayer - might cause some people to feel a bit sceptical.

In the US it is illegal to ask someone about the nature of their disability which has led to abuse of the system, which in turn has unfortunately led to limits on their rights. In Disneyworld, eg, people were claiming hidden disabilities to avoid queueing for rides. And people have been taking ordinary pets into no-pet spaces including aircraft because they have claimed to have hidden disabilities.

It's a strange situation when raised awareness of disabilities has the unfortunate effect of raising awareness that the system can be abused.

Yes because certain media..like the "just a bit of fun" Daily Mail had us all believing that loads of people are pretending to be disabled just for the benefits.

And where did you hear thesee stories from the US? I bet not a lot of people did that.

If they have a bb in the car then you shouldn't be saying anything to them.

I'm reminded of a poster seen in various car parks in France: "If you take my parking pace, take my disability too". For me that covers it quite well, though I doubt it makes much difference to really dedicated arseholes

Speaking of arseholes, we unfortunately have a pub round here where they sell these badges under the counter - hardly helpful and certainly not fair to all those who genuinely need them

Speaking of arseholes, we unfortunately have a pub round here where they sell these badges under the counter

Having just looked at MrsLHs, I'm curious about this. It's got a 3-D hologram and security markings.

I'm not saying it can't be forged. But at what cost ?

Sadly some BB abuse here was eliminated when BB holders stopped getting free parking.

Hope someone reports it, puzzled.

Well so far there's been a deafening silence from those who reported my original thread to HQ and to whom I've apologised

This is such a weird post. I took issue with your use of the phrase you now acknowledge was offensive. The thread was deleted before I saw any apology from you. I've only just seen this thread. Do you really think everyone who disagreed with you yesterday on your use of the offensive phrase has wilfully ignored this thread rather than just not spotted it? If I remember rightly practically everyone in that thread agreed it was totally out of order for anyone without a blue badge to park in a disabled space. There's no need to try and restart an argument.

Just in case it isn't clear-I think people who park in blue badge spaces without a blue badge (that they obtained through legitimate means not bought in a pub) are arseholes. I usually report them to the supermarket customer services and they put out an announcement for the owners to move their vehicle.

I think there should be blue badge spaces for badge holders, and disabled spaces for people that dont have one yet but need the space.
Then some child friendly spaces.

It shouldnt be difficult to arrange this in most supermarket care parks.

I know someone who regularly uses her husbands BB to park in disabled spaces, when he isn't with her.

She thinks as she's elderly and she can't find a parking space nearby plus she needs a space big enough for a tank or she'll take someones wing mirrors off then she should be able to use it.

Before the BB though she was the sort to use p&c spaces with her 17 year old grandchildren.

I know someone who regularly uses her husbands BB to park in disabled spaces, when he isn't with her.

Has anyone told her she's a cunt ?

Or reported her?