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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

A parking conundrum

59 replies

ghostyslovesheets · 30/10/2017 13:08

Okay wise vipers where do I park in these circumstances:

Dd3 is about to finish a 2 week stay in hospital (crossing every bloody finger and touching lots of wood (ohh err))

At present she can not walk far ( had ataxia) and her motor skills are fucked - we have loaned a wheelchair

She will (see crossing every thing above) recover in time so not a permanent disability

She is 9

So do we go

A parent and child and risk the wrath of the 'It's for babies' brigade
B disabled space with no blue badge ( I really don't think I could)
C park over 2 spaces?

We have been confined for 2 weeks to one room and she is desperate to get out and about for short trips

Personally I think A and fuck it but am I right?

OP posts:
TittyGolightly · 30/10/2017 13:41

If it's a private car park you don't need a blue badge. I'd vote B. Your daughter is disabled, albeit temporarily.

Inertia · 30/10/2017 13:43

Option A.

I agree with previous posters, there should be provision for a temporary badge scheme - a different colour perhaps, with a printed expiry date.

Glumglowworm · 30/10/2017 13:44

A

Parent and child spaces are only a courtesy anyway, they're not legally enforceable. Besides which, you ARE a parent with a child who requires the extra space and closeness to entrance. That's exactly who the parent and child spaces are intended for!

Failing that then C, possibly with a note in the window saying you've done so because no P&C spaces available.

Pearlsaringer · 30/10/2017 13:47

Don’t do B. You can get a ticket if not displaying a badge.

nokidshere · 30/10/2017 13:52

I have been parking in disabled spaces at the supermarkets for two years. I have been unable to walk for that long. I have had a badge for 3 months (finally). I have never been challenged by the store or a member of the public, nor have I ever been given a fine or a ticket.

It is ridiculous to suggest that a wheelchair user, even temporarily, would be unable to park in either a disabled space or a P&C space.

Do what you need to do for the duration that you need to do it and ignore all the hysteria around it.

I hope your daughter recovers quickly

Spikeyball · 30/10/2017 13:57

A then end space or on road. Don't do B. You won't get a bb for something temporary and there are permanent wheelchair uses not entitled to one- they are very hard to get. You may get away with C in a paid for car park if you bought 2 tickets but it's possible you may still get done for parking across a line.

Ifearthecold · 30/10/2017 14:02

A is the best option, I would then use B in situations such as private car parks where you will not be ticketed and C only as a last resort. There really should be a temporary blue badge scheme to help people in your situation.

Scrumptiousbears · 30/10/2017 14:11

A then B

Don’t worry about parents. They can say what they like.

In a similar situation and before A was an option my sister had a hip replacement (she was in her 20s and this was her 7th). I used the disabled bays to take her to Tesco as she couldn’t walk far on her crutches. No one questioned it.

Pearlsaringer · 30/10/2017 14:14

I have been given a ticket for not displaying a Blue Badge (which had slid onto the floor -grrr) so I can assure you it does happen. Even in supermarket car parks there are rules and penalties. Don’t risk it, you have enough on your plate. A will be fine, and appropriate.

PandorasXbox · 30/10/2017 14:16

A without any hesitation. Wishing your DD well Flowers

puddingpen · 30/10/2017 14:19

You can get tickets for C in some car parks...

Depends on the carpark. I would go with:
A. those spaces are definitely for you!!
D. go out with two adults (if this is an option) and drop DD and adult2 at the entrance whilst you go and park. Or even better, get adult2 to drive.
E. get taxis (if this is an option)

1moreday · 30/10/2017 14:33

A, def not B and C but put a note in the car windscreen.

worridmum · 30/10/2017 15:16

you do know piravite car parks can and do enforce penities now right? and disabled spaces are even easier to enforce as a legal requirement so places have to be seen to enforce them or risk a fine themselves.

(basically Blue badge spaces are required by law and the owners pf the car park can be fined if they dont enforce them (aka have the required number of spaces but have them constently filled with skips / bins = not furfilling there legal duty etc)

IceBearRocks · 30/10/2017 15:17

A or C

Jaxhog · 30/10/2017 15:41

No question - A. Or C if you need to.

Ttbb · 30/10/2017 15:50

You can't park on a disabled spot without a badge can you? I mean won't you be fined. Go for the parent and child, there are no fine fir that so if anyone dares to complain tell them to use their bloody eyes.

Migraleve · 30/10/2017 15:57

I don’t want to sound rude but you say she can’t walk far, so presumably she can make it from the front/rear of the car to the door?

However I would use a P&C space or an end of row space (easier to find the further away from entrance you go) of necessary.

TittyGolightly · 30/10/2017 16:11

I cannot find any legislation which gives the blue badge any status in private car parks.

NevilleBennett · 30/10/2017 16:17

The problem with a lot of "end of the row" spaces is that a lot of the time, there's a bit of raised pavement there. Supermarkets are really bad at doing this. This can make getting out of the car more difficult, because the floor is several inches higher than it should be. And then there's a step too get a wheelchair down, or a step that needs walking down.

Original poster
ghostyslovesheets · 30/10/2017 16:20

I mean she can't walk without me holding her up and even then she is at rick of falling , walking into things or collapsing down - she had no balance or coordination

I will go with A and C - sadly no other adult available but her sisters can help out of school hours

OP posts:
Lozmatoz · 30/10/2017 16:22

The only people o challenge when using parents/child spaces are men on their own (I’ve never seen anyone else cheeky enough to try!). Go for it. Who would date challenge a young child in a wheelchair.

berliozwooler · 31/10/2017 05:33

I was reading about this elsewhere on the net, and according to the DDA and Equality Act a private parking provider should make "reasonable adjustments" and provide spaces for people with a disability, not just those who can display blue badges.

berliozwooler · 31/10/2017 05:39

www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/disabled-bay-blue-badges/

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 31/10/2017 05:45

A without hesitation - we do when dd is on crutches and never been challenged. Having said that if she is in a wheelchair then the other legal option is far away and push. There is a risk that people will park by you but most people won't.

Sirzy · 31/10/2017 06:09

Ds is nearly 8 and a part time wheelchair user. He isn’t entitled to a blue badge due to the daft criteria so as annoying as it is we can’t use disabled spaces. We park in p and c spaces and rarely have a problem have had the odd comment but I just ignore them. Otherwise I park at the far end of the car park at the end of a row where possible.