Woman shouted at me for parking in a disabled spot

[AusMumhere]

I parked in a disabled spot at the supermarket today. A woman about four cars away shouted at me and said 'that's a wheelie spot'. I shouted back 'I have a permit'. She then yelled 'where's ya walker?'. I said 'not all disabilities are visible'. I hate confrontation of any kind.
Should I have walked away or should I have responded? I'm still in shock that I shouted.

@Rosscameasdoody But if you are walking on pavements and at crossings, it is no more dangerous than having a fit inside a public building. Most Blue Badge spaces are outside a venue, but they are not that much closer than a general car park space.

GP’s do need to do this to certify that in their opinion there is a medical need. But as with any concession based on medical evidence, the LA may not necessarily agree if the applicant fails to meet the criteria.

Many LA’s initially use the same form for application for the blue badge, but the eligibility criteria are not the same as that for a bus pass, so applicants specifically applying for the blue badge are usually sent a more detailed form and/or asked to attend a face to face interview unless it can be determined from medical evidence or initial information that they would qualify, or alternatively if they are claiming a qualifying disability benefit.

I think in your DD’s case a blue badge would be offered because of the nature of the disability and the risk factors involved. Interestingly up until recently LA’s used to accept a blue badge as sufficient evidence of disability when applying for a disabled persons travel pass but for reasons best known to themselves, they no longer allow this.

Christ almighty

Possibly the most ignorant and offensive post here. Can’t even be arsed trying to address any of it.

Yes, I can appreciate that. I was a disability outreach worker for many years - didn’t come across epilepsy as a stand alone condition very often, but when I did, generally for disability benefit and concessions such as blue badge, etc, the safety factor is always taken into account and generally consideration is given to how often and how severe the seizures are and whether medication adequately controls them. I think, as with some other conditions, they err on the side of caution.

Really??? 🙄

The OP was displaying her blue badge. And it wouldn't have made the slightest difference if she did 'hop out of the car and jog happily into the shops' because not every disability is visible or obvious.

Well they sound ill-informed, as do you.

Do you really think a person isn't disabled if they can walk?

I’m seriously considering buying some of those stickers saying ‘disabled spot only!’. Those with strong glue that are hard to remove….

I understand that. I think the issues are because there is a lack of spaces. That is caused by people who do not have badges parking in disabled spaces, but also by the widening of the criteria for a Blue Badge without any increase in spaces.

I wouldn’t have even justified myself OP.

I have a badge for DS and when people say “Excuse me that’s a disabled space” I always say “Ah well done you! Before you know it you’ll be counting to 10!” In the most patronising tone I can. Fucks me right off (invisible disability here also) and makes DS giggle.

Honestly next time just say “Yes, and?”. And if they say “It’s for wheelchairs” say “No it isn’t”. Few words as possible and watch them make a fool of themselves.

That’s an interesting comment.

Im a wheelchair user. I’m on many groups for wheelchair users and I have NEVER come across anyone saying BB are handed out like smarties or that people are fiddling the system.

The reason is simple: they are much more likeky to ask fir support to get the BB Theyre entitled to but are struggling to get (various reasons very much depending on where you live)

Do you think only people on wheelchairs are disabled?

Also that space isn’t his. It’s for everyone.

There’s also a concerning undertone that disabled people shouldn’t be participating in society, when this is actually what disabled parking concessions and other benefits are designed to achieve. It’s called inclusion and this poster has clearly never considered it.

Absolutely. It's depressing. I guess it would make life simpler for some people if we just stayed home. 😒

Totally agree. I had a rant a it this on here the other night but you wouldn’t believe how much disabled people and parents of disabled children have feel like they must now scrape simpler and apologise for basic respect and then be overjoyed at getting the crumbs of reasonable adjustment. Comments like that are part of the problem

Another here. Also a disability outreach worker for many years and I can tell you that rather than the lack of spaces being down to ‘fiddling’ what is a stringent system of blue badge issue, one of the main reasons is provision - both by the local authority and private providers. It’s patchy across the country and the minimum provision isn’t policed well. Supermarket car parks are being taken over by private concessions whose only concern is squeezing more bays into any given space, and disabled bays are counter productive to that as they take up more of the space available. I’ve noticed the difference myself as a wheelchair user - in our area at any given time of the day you can usually find a disabled space in town, or at any of the supermarkets here. A few miles further away and these spaces are at a premium. As ever it’s down to supply and demand.

The ‘out of sight out of mind’ attitude should have disappeared along with the institutions housing so many disabled people fifty or so years ago. Sadly, it still prevails and very prevalent on some MN threads.

Or "I haven't got the time or the crayons to explain myself to you".

Now I like this one. OK if I steal it ?

I think they mean blue badge. Clearly the brain pathways don’t stretch to the notion that wheelchair users are not the only people who need them.

Go ahead. I hope you don't need it, but if you do... I would love to see their face after.