To think if you’re a slightly more mobile BB holder you should park in the further accessible bay?

[FlooredByKindness]

My late mom had a Blue Badge as she used a walking stick so I do have experience of accessibility issues

Quite frequently I see people getting out of a car with a badge displayed and then heading easily into stores etc after parking in the closest bay.

if you have a reasonable levels of ability within the realms of BB wouldn’t it be more considerate to park in one of the furthest bb spaces in case the next bb holder who turns up is less able?

seems reasonable to me

That’s a bit of a strange way to look at it. Let’s say BB bays are the entire first row of the car park (as is the case at my local M&S). If you have a motorised wheelchair and assistance in/out of the car you could easily park at the furthest bay before making your way to the shop entrance. You would still very much need the BB bay for the extra width required to get in and out of the car, and it’s over/ easier not to have to cross the entire car park which isn’t the most ‘pedestrian friendly’.

Hardly takes types of disabilities into account though does it? My cousin has a BB because of his skin cells don’t form correctly and any pressure on his skin for a short period of time causes blistering. It’s horrific. However, if he parks close and doesn’t walk far, it doesn’t happen - so he looks like he can walk no problem if he’s very careful of his condition.

he’s had a few people comment and has given them The Talk about his condition, referred them to the charity that supports people like him (Debra) - they’ve clearly regretted asking but honestly their ignorance needed addressing. It’s a ghastly thing to live with - and it’s hard to get a BB!

Despite my reply to PP just now, I would also say that OPs idea is probably unworkable. You just can’t guess who is coming in after you so you couldn’t know which is the most suitable place to park. Plus you don’t always know others’ access needs anyway. Plus some places only have one or two BB bays so what do you do then?

That’s my point - I don’t think she was suggesting a tiered “system”. Just a general thought of “I won’t park in the closest one if I don’t need to.”

The OP is just suggesting a bit of thoughtful consideration about where you park, which seems reasonable to me. I am fully mobile without young children so happy to park further away and walk as I don't need to take up spaces closest to the shop. My late father was profoundly disabled so I am aware what a struggle simple tasks can be, even with accommodations like BB. We should all try to make it easier for each other.

Absolutely. No one else knows what anyone else is going through.

I don't think op is talking about policing it, just about users of BB spaces being mindful

If I have my electric wheelchair I will park in the spaces furthest away (or even not bother with a BB space if in DH car as my chair fits in his boot)

If I am feeling really well I don't even use a blue badge space

If I am in a flare and can't use my chair (eg it's raining) then I need a blue badge space and use as close a space as possible

For those of us with fluctuating conditions I think that's just the basic decency of how we should use the spaces

This reminds me of a scene on a cruise ship, a holiday in which we elected to take the stairs 100% of the time: witness groups of people arguing about how each of their loved ones’ disabilities meant they should all get in the lift first and not have to wait. ‘But my husband has recently had a heart bypass’ ‘but my mother has arthritis’.

Unfortunately, when everyone is special, no one is special.

@CassandraWebb That makes sense.

Perhaps I’ve taken it a little bit literally. “We can’t police it so it can’t happen”. But I do agree with you that if everyone was thoughtful it could help to benefit everyone in need more often.

Some people would already do that, if they are able to. It does not really need to be said.

You're underestimating the range of disabilities. My friend has MS and could manage the stairs and the class. But she'd be wiped out afterwards and needs the car nearby. That's just one example.

Disabled spaces are like gold dust, especially at our local hospital. The idea that you can pick and choose your space is ludicrous.

Yes thoughtfulness is nice you will get thoughtful parkers, but maybe fully able bodies people should park at the far end of a car park for the less able because car parks don't have enough BB spaces.

My friend was offered a BB. And in her opinion she didn’t need one. She’d been sent to a rehabilitation class three times a week for a month to improve the range of movement in her back, but she was still able to work, shop, function even if she had to spend Sunday on the sofa to recover.

The class leader who suggested she apply, said that it isn’t just about what you can do right in this moment, but it’s about extending your ability for the rest of the day/week/month/year. Limiting the distance she had to travel over a car park may mean she has more mobility and less pain later.

So I voted YABU. Because if it helps anyone to live a better life, reducing the resources overall required to support them because they’re able to manage pain and energy levels better than they would be without it, then it has a positive benefit.

The better thing may be to look at car park and store design with access for different needs, front and centre.

I’d agree with that as well 🤷🏻‍♀️ although thankfully in my local Sainsbury’s and my town’s shopping centre the BB spaces are never full as there are plenty - we’ve never not been able to get one when I’ve been with my dad.

ETA - well maybe not the “far end” but if the BB spaces were totally full I wouldn’t park in a space next to them.

@Coffeeishot I'm not sure why you’ve directed that to me/ my post. I’ve said quite generically that if more people are thoughtful the more people will benefit more often. That would include able people and less able people.

Goodness me what a silly young man. He must have placed the blue badge the wrong way round as the photo is on the back. Or did you break in to the car and turn it round to have a look?

When I was fit and well I always parked at the far side of the car park. It's much better for us to walk as much as we can, and considerate to those who need closer spaces more

Same as stopping using parent and child spaces once mine weren't in car seats

Most of the time I’m just pleased there is a space free especially at the hospitals!

Well, maybe some were. But not for the 2 able bodied 50 year old or so men I saw park and bound out of their cars.

I'm in two minds about this. My condition fluctuates and on good days I can do some exercise. I wouldnt use a blue badge space on those days if I could park reasonably close in a normal space. I'd see it as on me to exercise within my limits.
But if there weren't any normal spaces close enough then yes I would use a BB space as if I misjudge my limits it wouldn't be safe for me to walk a distance back to the car

You can also have a blue badge if you have a significant learning disability which means that you are unable to get around independantly without constantly being supervised. Is there someone with down syndrome or another learning disability in your class?

How do you know they are able bodied?

Sigh. Some posters have already explained how it may sometimes appear as if a person may present as not necessarily having a need of a BB. But you are only seeing a fleeting glimpse, and should not be making judgement, on what you don't know. That person may have walked perfectly fine, but could struggle 5 minutes later. You don't know. If they have a BB that is all you need to know.

Unless you want people to display their personal medical conditions on their blue badges for all to see I can't see how this would work.