To be mildly annoyed people abuse BB parking spaces?

[Soubriquet]

I went out today for the first time in a while. I have a BB and was lucky to be able to get a space since I kept seeing parents parking there and getting out prams. No badges in the windows

I was mildly annoyed tbh but I was also a saddened that people feel they can use a blue badge bay without one!

Examples from carparks near me:

• P&C spaces are nearer the entrance for the shop the person wants to vist than the BB spaces
• The P&C spaces are covered but the BB spaces aren't (wtf like, are wheelchair users supposed to just sit in a puddle?)
• The BB spaces are on a slope but the P&C spaces are flat

Etc etc etc. I don't have any need for BB spaces and I can notice these things so I'm sure there's a thousand other reasons I'm not aware of.

Not all disabled people who need a wider space, for example, have a BB and therefore can't use a BB space.

You know, it's so weird.

Weekend before last, I went to the supermarket. There were no BB spaces, so I parked in a P&C with my BB on display.

By the time I'd done my groceries and was on my way out, there were BB spaces free.

Who'd a thunk it.

And to some of you I was a selfish cunt who stole a P&C space when there were BB spaces free.

I completely agree that being disabled doesn't absolve you of all reasonable behaviour.

However, I would say that it's perfectly reasonable for a disabled person to park in a P&C space if it meets their needs better than any of the other spaces available.

How do you know the BB spaces were empty when the disabled person arrived?

And second, not all disabled people who need, for example, a wider space to get in and out of the car, have a BB. The Equality Act 2010, however, allows them a 'reasonable adjustment' for their disability, which using the P&C space is likely to be. To my knowledge there has not been a test case on this, and I would love to see the law clarified and would be more than happy to be reported for being in a P&C space as a disabled person so that I could take the complete and utter cunt of an organisation who refused me that as a reasonable adjustment to court.

I don't think "the law" can be clarified on this because there isn't any legal protection for P&C spaces in the first place. They're just a courtesy, not a right.

Disabled people do have rights to reasonable adjustments though, so it's a bit of a no brainer from my perspective. I think it's highly unlikely that such a matter would ever get near a court.

My younger son has a BB and I still look for P and C spaces first over disabled ones. I also park in them with my autistic 8 year old who doesn’t have a BB but is possibly worse around roads than his brother. Apparently using a P and C space when your child is over toddlerhood is also cunty behaviour according to previous threads. Maybe we should start a club 🤣

Even when I was temporarily wheelchair bound, I wouldn’t have dreamed of using a BB space.

I’ve always thought that if they put P+C spaces at the rear of the car park, hardly anyone would use them!

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves I agree fwiw - but I've seen it said here before that some supermarkets don't allow anyone in P&C unless they have a child under a certain age.

And I've seen it said on here lots that you shouldn't park in a P&C space unless you have a child with you or a BB. And that if you do you'll get your car scratched/blocked in/tyres let down or any one of a number of unpleasant things done to you - including physical and verbal abuse.

But. Disabled people without a BB are still entitled to a reasonable adjustment, which the use of a P&C space surely would be.

I really wish people who abuse disabled people for where they park would get underpants full of fire ants for a fortnight.

BB spaces should be respected, you get the badge for a reason, but P&C spaces really annoy me, people think they are for parking there range rovers , vans etc, struggle often at our local supermarkets to find a space and have two child grandchildren much of the time with accompanying pram, people don’t care but they are 100% not enforced

P&C spaces are a just a marketing tactic.

Only a fortnight? I'd suggest a year or two!

But yes, I get your point. The thing is, supermarkets might say that those spaces are only for people with children under a certain age, but I very much doubt that they would push that line if faced with a disabled person who used the space because they needed a reasonable adjustment. Maybe I'm wrong and they would... they wouldn't have a leg to stand on in court though.

As for the general public, well... there isn't much that you can do about some of them. Bring on the ants...

I can't see a supermarket refusing it as a reasonable adjustment, and I'd like to think if they tried that their lawyers would have them backing down as quick as possible.

Exactly!!

Talk about entitled and twatty with it too! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Having young children is not remotely comparable to being disabled with mobility issues. Maybe try parking at the other end of the car park and using your legs?

Also, P&C spaces are advisory only so anyone is legally entitled to park in them.

Wow, what an absolute tool. Hope you get a massive fine as you deserve it.

If you need a bigger space to park, park at the far end of the car park where there are always spaces. Then use your legs to WALK. Then feel incredibly grateful that you don’t have a disability that affects your mobility.

Happens all the time. I think lots of parents assume BB spaces are operated on the same basis as P&C. Yes, it is bloody annoying.

I'm.a bit late to this conversation.

It should be better enforced, but I thought I'd join because it reminded me of something.

Years ago I was watching one of those fly-on-the-wall TV programmes following traffic wardens.
Anyway, this traffic wardens spotted this women putting shopping bags into her car, parked in a disabled parking spot, outside of Harrods.
Traffic warden decided to check it out.
There was a blue badge, but it was registered to the women's elderly mum.

At first the woman claimed her mum was still in Harrods, having a cup of tea. But, strangely, couldn't find her.
There was lots of to-ing and fro-ing, but eventually the women confessed her mum wasn't with her and was at home.
She had decided to use her mums BB to get a great parking spot outside Harrods.

Mum lost her BB. Woman was fined.
All just to go shopping in Harrods.

I used to feel like that until we couldn't get a BB for my 89 year old, profoundly deaf and demented father. He could technically walk (20 yards or so) but in reality used a wheelchair. Still the application took months and months to be processed. So I just started using them. No one complained when they actually saw him.

Whilst I understand, just be careful as there is a chance you could get fined

And ignorant of the law too.

Please keep trying. It’s extraordinarily difficult to get a blue badge with a person who can technically walk but isn’t safe to do so. The more people who push through that system the easier it will be for that very misunderstood group. You can appeal and if that fails take it to the ombudsman. If after all of that you get no joy do write to your MP asking for his support.

Please keep trying. It’s extraordinarily difficult to get a blue badge with a person who can technically walk but isn’t safe to do so. The more people who push through that system the easier it will be for that very misunderstood group. You can appeal and if that fails take it to the ombudsman. If after all of that you get no joy do write to your MP asking for his support.

Our council are batshit about BB approval and will either assess on mobility OR mental health etc and cannot understand that someone who has problems with both issues slightly under their threshold would benefit from a BB.

I argued that while I could walk the distance required in the OT assessment I was very short of breath and at that stage would take a break from walking, but, due to my autism I would have give problems with the transition into the venue if I had to wait outside whilst settling my breathing.

They said 'if you can walk X, you don't qualify and if you can drive you don't qualify under the impairment aspect' - the combination of the 2? There is no computer box for that!

It's utterly crazy that I actually drive a motability car but can't get a BB to park it.

Are you being unreasonable "to be mildly annoyed people abuse BB parking spaces"? Yes, absolutely you are being unreasonable. Really bloody angry about it? Not unreasonable.