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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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Eeeeek2 · 13/03/2018 22:27

My sil qualifies for a blue badge because she has higher level mobility pip payment. She qualifies for this as she cannot go anywhere alone rather than for her physical disability.

We have to use bb because her physical disabilities means that it requires space for her to get in and out of car. I could not leave her and move the car out of the space to create more room because she might indanger herself in a car park.

TammyWhyNot · 13/03/2018 22:31

CarryOnDoctor: raising awareness of the selfishness of misusing spaces would be good.

I would really like to see spaces reserved for those who need them. In this day and age, I can’t believe there isn’t an app. Photograph your face, your B.B. number in a particular parking location, if the face and B.B. number don’t match, tne hand held parking machine that parking attendants have when checking ‘pay and park ‘ apps can clearly see that.

I once had a man say to me, about parking for an attraction in London ‘we’re lucky, my Mum has a Blue Badge, so we borrow that’ (the Mum not on the outing). LUCKY??? Rob other ‘lucky’ disabled people of their space???

BeyondDeadlySiren · 13/03/2018 22:31

My "guess" in such a situation would be something like epilepsy or something that causes syncope, where they have the potential to keel over at short notice.

Mine is for mobility, but also my keeling over potential. I do have asd, but that stops me driving so I'd assume (though it could be wrong of course, everyone with asd is different...) it couldn't be similar if he was driving

Eeeeek2 · 13/03/2018 22:32

I also know multiple bb holders that park on double yellows at the end of the road from the supermarket (ie passed the car park) to save paying for the car park.

The system is abused but it is also not pleasant to have to defend your correct use of a bb.

Shedmicehugh1 · 13/03/2018 22:37

BB holders don’t have to pay for parking

TammyWhyNot · 13/03/2018 22:37

Are you able ( as in allowed) to drive if you keen over at short notice?

Blue badges cover a wide range of invisible conditions that would not preclude running in tne gym, but some that have been mentioned would preclude driving. The guy in the OP was driving his own car.

TammyWhyNot · 13/03/2018 22:40

“BB holders don’t have to pay for parking” yes, they do, in many car parks.

(Not the ones where whole teams of 5 a side players have invisible disabilities....)

whampiece · 13/03/2018 22:44

BB holders don’t have to pay for parking

More bollocks.

I do wish people would stop posting things as fact when they are completely wrong.

Loads of car parks charge for their disabled spaces. Literally thousands across the UK Hmm

Shedmicehugh1 · 13/03/2018 22:46

Not in supermarkets

mummeeee · 13/03/2018 22:48

My DD has a blue badge. She needs to be on an IV drip for 12 hours a day. Once connected she can't be disconnected until the end of the infusion. Mostly, she is at home whilst connected but of course sometimes we have to travel whilst connected (to the hospital for example, but also when going on holiday, when we need to take her with us to collect another of the children etc).
The equipment is bulky and can be risky (catching the tubing on the car etc) when getting in and out of the car, especially when she was younger and we had to try to get her in and out of a car seat. The extra width of a disabled bay makes a big difference. She also has high volume liquid stools (and used to have a stoma) so we often have to park, get her and all the equipment out of the car and into a toilet quickly.

In between infusions she can get very tired and struggle with her energy levels, low blood sugar etc, buy not always.
When things are going well and she's not connected to her IV drip she could do what the op suggests in a gym.

cushioncovers · 13/03/2018 22:48

My parents have a bb and a lot of car parks give a bb a free hour or two before they then have to pay.

MummytoCSJH · 13/03/2018 23:01

I have a brain tumor and a mental health issue which classes me as disabled. Some days due to my pain from the tumor I can't get out of bed, but some I can go to the gym whichin turn helps my mental health.

Finnyhaddock · 13/03/2018 23:01

I have a blue badge and would never allow anyone to misuse it. The penalty is that it will be taken off you and if that happened I would be house bound.
BTW I look normal and have been subject to vile abuse IRL and here on mumsnet.
I name changed after it as I was so upset as people piled in to give me their opinions and many of them are long time posters.

Eeeeek2 · 13/03/2018 23:04

In my local supermarket (town center) you have to pay if you have a bb

x2boys · 13/03/2018 23:05

I know a few people who have got blue badges for their children with autism (we tried for ds but failed as he only gets low rate mobility) these children are like my son severly autistic with learning disabilities whilst their mobility is fine they have absolutely no awareness and yes they can run like the wind straight under a bus ...

Jon66 · 13/03/2018 23:10

The blue badge scheme IS for people who have a disability which makes their mobility difficult or limited. So the answer to the op is that on the information given he should not have been using the blue badge as it appears his mobility is not impaired.

Ladydepp · 13/03/2018 23:10

OP - I think you have every right to ask the question, someone in my own family regularly 'borrows' a disabled badge (not UK) so they can park conveniently. Infuriating.

I'm bemused at the enormous number of conditions listed on this thread that people can have and still drive, bound up stairs and run for 30mins on a treadmill and still have a blue badge so they can park close to an entrance. Seems v suspicious to me, but maybe I'm biased as our borough has just had a big clampdown on blue badge cheats, and there were sadly loads of them.

lildevil · 13/03/2018 23:17

Next time this happens have a look at the badge. The new style ones will tell you if it belongs to a male or female and their year of birth so you should be able to work out if if there is a chance of misuse.

whampiece · 13/03/2018 23:20

The blue badge scheme IS for people who have a disability which makes their mobility difficult or limited. So the answer to the op is that on the information given he should not have been using the blue badge as it appears his mobility is not impaired.

How on earth did you manage to miss quite so many examples of people who have a BB but don't look disabled Confused

whampiece · 13/03/2018 23:23

The new style ones will tell you if it belongs to a male or female and their year of birth so you should be able to work out if if there is a chance of misuse.

Please tell me where to find this information?

Shedmicehugh1 · 13/03/2018 23:30

Eeek any land owned by LA parking is free. Private owned parking can potentially charge, however I have never been in any supermarket that charges BB owners. Or any car park for that matter. They usually give 3 hours free.

BlankTimes · 13/03/2018 23:48

@lildevil

The new style ones will tell you if it belongs to a male or female and their year of birth so you should be able to work out if if there is a chance of misuse

I'm looking at one now that was issued November 2017.

The BACK of the card has a photo, name and other info but not birthdate or Male/Female. You are told never to leave the card on display showing that info.

The FRONT of the new cards has "Front - display this way up" in black on a fluorescent yellow background, the name of the local authority who issued the badge, a large font expiry date and the badge number.
Hologram (which shouldn't be covered by the plastic in a badge-holder - I cut the plastic away) is bottom left and the EU flag with UK is on the bottom right.

Please clarify where you got that information.

Shedmicehugh1 · 13/03/2018 23:49

Anyhow, yes some people might misuse the B.B, a small minority I would guess, by letting someone use it, when they are not in the car or being dropped off or collected.

You cannot tell by looking at someone, if this is the case.

lalalalyra · 13/03/2018 23:49

So the answer to the op is that on the information given he should not have been using the blue badge as it appears his mobility is not impaired.

The key word in your sentence is "appears". Since you, and the OP, don't know him and have no idea why he has the BB you have no idea if he could be misusing the badge.

any land owned by LA parking is free.

Not everywhere. Our council charges for all parking. One car park you get the first hour free with a BB. A quick google suggests they are not alone (I was getting a bit annoyed at the thought they were the only ones who did charge so had a look!)

Lilymossflower · 13/03/2018 23:54

Not all disabilities are visible. Or affect movement etc.

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