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Original poster

Woman/friend parking in disabled spaces...

52 replies

Shootingstar1115 · 02/05/2019 18:47

So the other day I was visiting my home town and nipped into the the local supermarket. As I was walking from my car I realised one of mums friend getting out her car which was parked in a disabled bay and went in the shop with her children (teenagers so too old for mother and child spaces). I hadn’t seen her for a year or two and I tried to remember if any of them had any form of disability or illness but I’m pretty sure there wasn’t anything plus they didn’t leave a disabled badge in the dash board as far as I could see. I did my shop and came out and she was still parked there - so not a quick visit. I then went to my mums and asked if any one them were disabled and she said no.. (she is good friends with her)

Now I’m not usually one to moan about who parks where but it was the afternoon, the car park was full, people rely on those spaces including two of my relatives!!

Was it terrible of her to park there? Surely most people don’t do this??

OP posts:
Passthecherrycoke · 02/05/2019 19:28

Also what you find in supermarkets is people just decide themselves they’re disabled based on their ability to walk to the supermarket. I broke my ankle, so I used a disabled space. I am 8 months pregnant, so I used a disabled space. I can’t walk very far without getting breathless so I use a disabled space.... they can always find a justification

Sirzy · 02/05/2019 19:31

If you haven’t got a blue badge you shouldn’t park in a disabled space. It’s as simple as that!

GreenEggsHamandChips · 02/05/2019 19:34

Sirzy

What if you've been actually prescribed a wheelchair but arent entitled to a blue badge? Especially if you're on private land where blue badges have no automatic legal standing.

Sirzy · 02/05/2019 19:35

Ds was using a wheelchair before we got his blue badge. I still didn’t park in a space because I wasn’t entitled too.

I used a p and c space, or parked at the back and hoped for the best!

Blahblahblah111 · 02/05/2019 19:36

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

GreenEggsHamandChips · 02/05/2019 19:37

Actually if it was a disabled bay on private land you are perfectly entitled to.

Iwantacookie · 02/05/2019 19:40

@greeneggs if they have no blue badge displayed I assume they are misusing the space.
Especially when it's more than 1 car in the car park is not displaying a blue badge.

SusanneLinder · 02/05/2019 19:42

People who park in disabled spaces are selfish arrogant morons! DH has a blue badge and walks with crutches. He forgot to renew it recently.Even he refused to park in a disabled bay without his BB, even though it is pretty obvious he is disabled, and he genuinely could have.

starzig · 02/05/2019 19:42

Did you actually go nosey poke to see if a disabled badge was displayed?
That's going a bit far. Have you a general tendency to be so judgey?

SusanneLinder · 02/05/2019 19:43

Sorry I meant people who park in disabled bays without BB's are selfish.

SteelRiver · 02/05/2019 19:46

Sometimes, I wish a non-disabled person using a disabled bay could experience the pain, isolation and misery disabilities can cause. Maybe some still wouldn't care and go selfishly on their way, but maybe some would think twice.

MeadowHay · 02/05/2019 19:46

Just to outrage everyone further, we are pretty much NC with MIL now and even when we weren't, it has been years since she drove us anywhere as she got convicted of a driving offence a few years ago and banned from driving, but she used to use her decreased mother's blue badge in the front of her car and park in disabled spaces!

AloneLonelyLoner · 02/05/2019 19:49

I had a friend (notice past tense) who was always doing this shit. She got fined by the council countless times. She was basically an inconsiderate asshole.

hazell42 · 02/05/2019 19:55

You dont have to show your bb in a supermarket car park. I hate using mine and only use it when I need to. I tell no one about my disability either.
I remember getting into my car and someone saying well, you don't look disabled.
I showed then the badge in the glove compartment. Did they apologise?
Of course not.
Told me it was probably a fake.
Yeah, a fake I was not displaying in order to get ao parking space that was free anyway.

Sirzy · 02/05/2019 19:59

The problem is when people start deciding they can use the spaces for whatever reason then it makes the spaces pointless because those who really need them can’t get them. In a lot of places it’s hard enough as it is.

I get it’s tough if you have a short term problem, I gets it’s hard if you don’t quite qualify (I have been in both positions) but if you don’t have the badge then you shouldn’t park there. I am quite saddened by how many people seem to be struggling to grasp that.

x2boys · 02/05/2019 20:05

Quite Sirzy we tried to get a blue badge for ds who has severe autism and learning disabilities,whilst he doesn't have mobility issues we tried to get it on the grounds that he has zero awareness of danger but as he only gets lrm at the moment he was turned down ,I have asked for them to reconsider his DLA rates under the SMI rules so fingers crossed but we don't park in disability places .

Sirzy · 02/05/2019 20:06

I read today that the new rules are coming in at the end of August so hopefully if you don’t get one before you will get one under them.

x2boys · 02/05/2019 20:09

Hopefully sirzy as it would make life a lot easier ,but just to point out to other,s that blue badges are not always for people who are wheelchair users.

HappinessIsKey · 02/05/2019 21:02

It infuriates me so much! I really struggle to walk very far. Disabled spaces are always very limited in car parks, as it is. My local supermarket has 3.

But the amount of times I have parked in a space and been told that I'm a disgrace for using a disabled spot is ridiculous! Then I have to get out and show them my disability and badge to prove I'm disabled.
Then I hear the same things "oh sorry! Your too attractive to be disabled! You just don't look like you should be!" Or another "sorry didn't think disabled people have nice cars!"
People think these are compliments?! To me they are so extremely offensive and upsetting.

You can never presume somebody hasn't got a disability. I struggled for many many years to actually call myself 'disabled'. Maybe she is just a horrid woman, or maybe she has a disability and is struggling to come to terms with it and at this time does not wish to discuss it with anybody.

Presumption is the mother of all f ups as they say!

Original poster
Shootingstar1115 · 02/05/2019 21:05

I hope you manage to get one x2boys. My son has high functioning autism and we don’t need a blue badge but In your case it would help greatly!

Thanks all. I fully understand now all disabilities are visible. My own son has autism but it just wound me up how she would park there for no reason. I didn’t go over to the car to check if she had a badge. She was parked alongside the pathway that goes down to the shop entrance and I seen her get out as I was walking from our space (normal space) and had a quick glance for a disabled badge as I walked by. She would normally wave but she didn’t so she was probably thinking she shouldn’t be parked there (she knows I have older relatives who are disabled and need them). If I didn’t know her I wouldn’t have thought anything of it. It’s not because she doesn’t look disabled because anyone could well have a hidden disability but I’m pretty certain she doesn’t from her being friends with my mum 😏

OP posts:
TabbyMumz · 02/05/2019 21:22

"Pretty sure she doesn't have any form of disabilty".....And how the hell would you, or your Mum know that? You really wouldn't would you. Some people keep their health private. Honestly, just because your Mum doesn't know of any disability doesn't mean there isn't one. She could have forgotten to put the badge up.

TabbyMumz · 02/05/2019 21:29

Haxel42..."you dont have to show your blue badge in a supermarket carpark".....you do if they use a parking company to look after their car oark. We got a £60 fine recently for forgetting to put ours up!!!

HappinessIsKey · 03/05/2019 11:49

@TabbyMumz and me..I have two fines this month, trying to get my three year old and 11 month old out, I just completely forgot to put my blue badge up! Thank God I wrote to them both and they got dropped. Have you written to them, to explain? Xx

JacquesHammer · 03/05/2019 11:52

There are very, very few genuine reasons why someone might use a disabled space without a blue badge.

On the face of it, this doesn’t seem to be one of them, hidden disabilities notwithstanding!

Witchend · 03/05/2019 12:24

At our Sainsbury's there is one non-disabled space in the middle of the disabled ones. I think it is that they can fit only a normal sized one in.
I have seen people parking there being challenged, but it is just a normal space.

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