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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what disability a person could have

378 replies

Margomyhero · 13/03/2018 17:22

to park outside the gym and run 30 minutes on the treadmill?

I am genuinely curious about this one.

I got out of my car and parked in a car park near the leisure centre. It's a LOT cheaper than the car park in the leisure centre grounds. As I locked up and headed towards the leisure centre I saw a young man park in the disabled space and get out and go the same way as me.

He went on the treadmill and ran for 30 minutes. I know that as I was doing the same.

So - before I judge him unfairly what disability which warrants a blue badge could this man have which would allow him to run for 30 minutes - after sprinting up the 2 flights of stairs to get there?

Was he a genuine recipient of disabled space parking or was he just avoiding paying the charge (which by the way is 5p for the first hour ).

OP posts:
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PushMyButton · 14/03/2018 12:10

No... You have no right to peer into my private car and stare at my belongings. It's incredibly rude and judgemental. Shall I come and do it to you? Would you not be upset if someone did? Only those people have the right to inspect my badge. And as the police said when they were advising about thefts, anyone doing that should be considered to be acting suspicious.

whampiece · 14/03/2018 12:14

whampiece wasn't it you telling someone else how to check the ages on people's badges?

Absolutely not.

My stance through the entire thread is quite the opposite.

BishopBrennansArse · 14/03/2018 12:16

The only thing I do is look to see if there's a badge. If I don't see one at all I say "watch out, you've forgotten to put your badge up".

Not my role to actively police and inspect them.

I do get annoyed with people who park without, though.

whampiece · 14/03/2018 12:16

Oh I did ask someone how the details were displayed on the badge. But only because I was aware it isn't blatant as in:

Age:
Sex:

Have since found out it's part of the code number, which looking at DH badge now, it's kind of obvious.

But no i didn't want the information so I could spend my day staring into random cars!

Hillingdon · 14/03/2018 12:19

Isnt blue badge ownership and usage one of the most abused parts of the benefits system or have I got that wrong.

Hillingdon · 14/03/2018 12:21

I googled and found this.

www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/8010840/Blue-badge-abuse-is-out-of-control.html

whampiece · 14/03/2018 12:23

That's an 8 year old article Confused

Hillingdon · 14/03/2018 12:26

I know but seeing all the responses on here about not checking and to keep out of it etc wouldn't it be worse now - not better...

carryondoctor · 14/03/2018 12:26

This is a suggestion from one council on how to report misuse. It actively encourages checking dates/taking photographs.

So yeah, one could call the police if they found a concerned citizen doing that, but I doubt it'd get very far (unless they happened to have a brick in their hand or something!!).

carryondoctor · 14/03/2018 12:27

Gah, forgot image

To ask what disability a person could have
PushMyButton · 14/03/2018 12:27

As I said then @whampiece I do apologise... That's how I read it.

@BishopBrennansArse glancing from a distance to see if there's a badge at all is something I think most people do. I only get upset at the idea people are going right up to my car and peering in to read what is my personal information.

boredofwaitingagain · 14/03/2018 12:28

Maybe he shits himself suddenly and without warning. He might want to get back to his car quick. What business is it of yours. So what if he is having a good day and on Tuesdays and Fridays can only walk 5 meters. Maybe he's poor and just doesn't want to pay for parking.

PushMyButton · 14/03/2018 12:29

@carryondoctor I can't see that suggestion?

boredofwaitingagain · 14/03/2018 12:30

Ps my father has a blue badge. Where I live it is mostly free apart from in the multi storey car parks.

Hillingdon · 14/03/2018 12:32

Bored - are you really suggesting that someone can feasibly use a blue badge because he cannot be arsed to pay for his parking at a gym (which I presume he has brought and paid for).

Really?

Spikeyball · 14/03/2018 12:33

If people are going to peer into people's car windows I hope they are not going to complain about the response they might get. Personally I'd be taking their photo and putting it on social media as someone dodgy to watch out for.

carryondoctor · 14/03/2018 12:35

So when it says "use this form to report someone using an expired badge" and specifically mentions photos, what do you think that means, push ?

lildevil · 14/03/2018 12:59

Oh so it only your own personal property you have a problem someone looking at? All disabled badges remain the property of the issuing authority so no problem there then 🙄

PushMyButton · 14/03/2018 13:01

@carryondoctor it doesn't say that YOU have to provide photos, in fact it specifically mentions that an enforcement officer ideally needs to witness it. I read it as asking you to suggest times and places that might be possible. Without seeing the rest of the detail is hard to be sure either way.

PushMyButton · 14/03/2018 13:01

Although it does mention a photo specially in relation to an expired badge.

carryondoctor · 14/03/2018 13:03

And how are you going to know whether to report it if you don't look??! It's hardly a good use of the EO's time if you can't give them any details in your report. It's crystal clear what they mean.

I'm not saying peer through everyone's car windscreen; in fact I've never done that myself. But if I saw something that seemed absolutely flagrant, i would probably look from a distance to see if there is a blue badge in there at all.

carryondoctor · 14/03/2018 13:04

I think again it's about trying to find that happy medium. Don't invade personal privacy by staring into someone's car - but equally you're not helping if you just assume everyone is good and nobody is abusing the system.

BeyondDeadlySiren · 14/03/2018 13:06

All the council do here if you report abuse is bicker back and for with the police over whose responsibility it is to police it Angry

PushMyButton · 14/03/2018 13:51

Well if you choose to do it, don't expect a polite response....

fleshmarketclose · 14/03/2018 14:00

I once had an old man challenge me when I was using ds's badge quite lawfully. He also had a disabled spot so didn't understand his gripe tbh. He told me that he couldn't see nothing wrong with either of us and so he was going to report me. I told him to go ahead because obviously there were many criteria for being in receipt of a badge and today I'd discovered they also issued them to nosy ignorant twats as well. No idea whether he did report as I had no communication about it from anyone official anyway.