To not have apologised for parking here

[Srirachachacha]

I parked in a disabled bay today when visiting a friend. I am disabled but not particularly visibly, and displayed my blue badge. The bay was outside a row of houses but on a public road, not allocated or private parking. There was no where else to park on the street.

As I left a man came out and started yelling at me about how I shouldn't have parked there. I was polite and told him I had a blue badge and was entitled to park there. He continued to yell at me, asked me how I'd like it if he parked on my drive (not the same thing at all) and told me "park there again and see what happens", so I told him I'd be sure to let the police know. He then told me to fuck off.

So, was I being unreasonable? I have checked and it's much like parking on the pavement outside someone's house - they don't own it and as long as you have a blue badge you're allowed to park there. I don't think I did anything wrong, but he was incandescent with rage.

Disabled bay is for anyone with a blue badge. UNKESS the sign accompanying the bay has any part of a reg number on it , in which case it is purely for the sole use
Of that car.

I'm in two minds. By all accounts you had a right to park there, it wasn't his specific disabled parking bay and he's been a twat to actual residents about it. He doesn't own the street and had no right to speak to you in such a way.

However, I live on a street that's mostly on-road parking and whilst obviously any non-resident can park there, some people are colossal piss-takers. We have 3 notable cars that use our side of the street as their own personal all-day free parking. Their workplace has plenty of parking, but they have to pay. Good for them, breaking the system, at the expense of me having to park half a mile away with a very likely ASD 3 year old with some mobility issues when I get back from the school run. I can imagine is far more frustrating when a non-resident parks in one of the more limited disabled bays, even if they're entitled to it. Lack of parking can turn the most mild-mannered person into a curtain twiching loon .

One random disabled bay outside a row of houses does sound like the spot does actually belong to someone who needs it who lives there tbh. Many people apply to have a disabled spot put in so they can park freely and easily outside their house with access. But he is a dick for speaking to you that way.

When we had a disabled bay on the road for my first husband it was put in for him but anyone could use it. I really couldn't understand why anyone would though, if it's outside a house it's there for a reason.

Well done for sticking up for yourself. He sounds like a bully.

What kind of disabled sign did it have?

We have an orange one here, "For Residents Only" and yes, we and our neighbour, who paid for it and relies on it, would have told you to move on, blue badge or not, as it is not a blue badge space.

My parents next door neighbour is like this regarding the disabled space in front of his house. It was put in by the council when his father was paralysed after an accident and then his mother had limited mobility and a blue badge as she got older. I park in the space especially if I have my mother or sister in law with me as they are both blue badge holders. Last year he came home as we were getting out of the car and went apoplectic at me demanding I move my car from his parking space immediately.
I, not terribly politely, declined as both his parents are dead, so don’t need the space.

OP I live around the corner from a school. Parents often park out the front of my house during drop off/pick up. My elderly neighbour who does not drive, goes up to anyone parked (perfectly legally) outside her house and tells them to move. Absolutely nuts.

@Aprilx

You were not legally wrong, but I think you were morally wrong. You must know that somebody living there has applied for a disabled space because they need it and that was the only available option to place it. I can understand why the resident was upset.

But the OP is disabled too and has exactly the same right as the resident. Space is available to anyone that holds a blue badge. Maybe some bays should be allocated to specific people, but this one has not been.

I think you were both unreasonable. He is wrong for being rude, but it's equally rude for you to park in a disabled bay outside someone's house. Legally it may or may not be acceptable - depending on the signage - but it's still rude, especially if there is no other parking close by. The point of getting a disabled bay outside your home is that there is a disabled person living there. By taking it you're adopting an "I'm alright Jack" mentality.

But you are allowed to park in a BB space, even if it's outside a house. That's the law.

If the man had needed the space imminently, he should have come out and explained this politely to op, not come out ranting and swearing at her.

Alternatively, he could speak to the council and see if he can have the disabled bay made solely for his use. But OP is disabled too and has the same right to use the space.

@Ilovedthe70s

My parents next door neighbour is like this regarding the disabled space in front of his house. It was put in by the council when his father was paralysed after an accident and then his mother had limited mobility and a blue badge as she got older. I park in the space especially if I have my mother or sister in law with me as they are both blue badge holders. Last year he came home as we were getting out of the car and went apoplectic at me demanding I move my car from his parking space immediately. I, not terribly politely, declined as both his parents are dead, so don’t need the space.

Good on you.

So he's parking there without a BB?

Could you have parked further away and walked without any issue in your disability arising? That I suppose is the moral question.

Legally you were fine to park there and the man has no recourse against you.

if it ha no sign youve done nothing wrong-if he wants it private he'll have to speal to the council

However, devils advocate, was it "his" disabled space? As in could someone he lives with be disabled, be out and expect the space to be there when they come home?

It's not his space. Even if that's why it was put in, it's still not his space, and gives him no rights to threaten and harrass people who legally and properly use the space.

I would have called the police, OP

I’d also be concerned this bay was effectively his and put in for someone in that house, and as much as he could have been polite I think that in these instances people can take the piss so much that you end up loosing it. A disabled bay outside someone’s house is often put in for the inhabitants of the house by the council

There is no such thing as "effectively his".

Whilst a disabled bay is put in by the Council on the request of a very near disabled resident, it is on the understanding - made clear in paperwork - that the bay is not personalised and anybody with a BB can park there. It's a risk that we have to take. We've had a bay outside our house for six years; in that time many people have parked there (and been requested to move) but nobody else with a BB has ever parked in it

@maddening

Could you have parked further away and walked without any issue in your disability arising? That I suppose is the moral question.

Legally you were fine to park there and the man has no recourse against you.

No, I wouldn't have parked there if that had been an option.

@Bluntness100

I’d also be concerned this bay was effectively his and put in for someone in that house, and as much as he could have been polite I think that in these instances people can take the piss so much that you end up loosing it. A disabled bay outside someone’s house is often put in for the inhabitants of the house by the council

I'm not sure if Scotland is different, but certainly up here it is made very clear that anyone can use these bays with a blue badge when you apply. Interestingly most are also not actually legally enforceable so if you park without a badge you can't be fined (this obviously is completely out of order).

There are 5 or 6 on the street and it's inner city so all flats (I noticed I said houses in my OP but that's not quite right. It a few days ago blocks of flats).

I'm guessing that most if not all of the posters saying OP was U are not blue badge holders, and therefore have no experience of the shitty behaviour of other people who think they know better than those using the spaces.
Everyone's an expert, apparently, and can diagnose a person at the snap of the fingers.
It particularly affects (but is not limited to) younger people. DC2 and I were targeted from when they about 5. On the other end of the scale, DM (late 70s), has also had people being abusive.

Anyone thinking someone is misusing a space should keep their mouths shut, make a note of the registration plate, and then report it. The penalties involved are costly for anyone found guilty.

When we applied for a BB bay outside FIL's house, we were told that even if the council agreed and installed it, it would be for any BB holder to park in, not just him. So on those grounds, as annoying as it probably was for that man, you did nothing wrong.