To think this was an awful comment?

[Charlie97]

Outside office a car pulled up in the disabled bay....nice car it was. Brand new, big and shiny.

Colleague.......

Look at that person with disabled badge and they have a brand new car!

Me.....

So all disabled people should be poor? Shouldn't be allowed to have a brand new car?

As far as I'm aware the disabled badge is not a means test, it's due to physical restriction. Which can of course happen to any one rich, poor, male, female, working class blah blah!

I was truly shocked at her attitude - so AIBU?

It all depends on the tone.

If it implied that it was strange for a disabled person to have a nice car then yes, she was being awful.

You were not BU. Her comment was out of order. A friend of mine has a huge big shiny car and a disabled badge. She has the car because the features in it make things easier for her. She has a life limiting condition and sadly probably won't be able to drive much longer. Her car is allowing her to keep a little bit of independence that bit longer

It's definitely an odd comment. I'm not sure where she was going with it!

I suppose it depends on tone, whether she thought it unusual, or good on them... Or something not so nice!

Your colleague's comment was wrong, although I suppose disabled people are more likely to live in poverty.

Motibility scheme.

Hold o...hold on...
Disabled people are allowed to have money?

It was said very much like "how on earth can they have a brand new car and be disabled"

I.e. They have a badge under false pretences.

Maybe it was because it's been well publicised that many disabled people were very badly hit by the cuts and couldn't afford a brand new car?

It was a pretty thoughtless thing to say.

Cross posted with you. I'm not sure it follows that being surprised a disabled person could afford a brand new car means she thought they'd got the badge fraudulently. As I said, many disabled people are amongst the poorest in society.

But not all disabled people are on benefits?

For example it I was physically disabled I could still easily carry out my job.

The tone was very important and it was "sneery".

She was most likely linking disabled people to benefits. Hopefully it taught her that you can have a disability (often invisible) and still be successful at work!

A friend of mine with physical disabilities has recently got a new car through the motability scheme. He has it for six months when they'll review his situation. He's got it because it has a number of features that have been adapted to his limitations. However, on his last review he was basically told he probably won't be entitled to it at the next review. He has crumbling bones, a metal rod in his spine, failing muscles in his legs and a form of palsy, but according to the assessors he can walk 50 paces, so apparently 'isn't that bad'.

Many disabled people get a "shiny new car" on their motability scheme where part of their allowance is taken away to pay towards the leased car. That car has to be returned after 3 years.
People should stop making stupid assumptions and mind their own business

Motibility scheme.

Oh of course! Every disabled person with a blue badge has a motability car

My inlaws have a very nice brand new car and my MiL has a blue badge. They do not receive benefits of any kind, they bought their car. My MiL has a blue badge because she in in a wheelchair.