Parking and the elderly

[Ireallycantthinkofagoodone]

I recently attempted to renew a blue badge for an elderly (93 year old) relative. Despite him needing to use a walking frame or sticks, having had several falls, having stiff and painful joints, and a bit of confusion, he has been refused a blue badge.

I have lived in an area that had a ‘brown badge’ scheme, which were given to anyone over a certain age - I think it was 70 or 75. Now, not everyone needs to secure a space near to store entrances - I’m late 70’s myself and regularly walk 8-10k a day, but many people do need this, as they can’t confidently walk too far.

But aside from blue badge spaces, the only other close ones are parent and baby spaces. Why? I don’t understand why the latter can’t be further away, and wide enough to access car seats.

If my 93 year old relative is no longer entitled to a blue badge, I feel the only option is to park in a so called baby space, so that I can encourage his ongoing independence in choosing his food shopping. He just wouldn’t go if I couldn’t assist.

AIBU - Elderly people don’t need consideration in supermarket car parks

AINBU - If blue badges are being heavily restricted now, spaces in car parks should be set aside for the elderly, and parent/baby spaces moved further away.

I normally buy brand new cars but there are so few pure petrol engines cars these days I had to look at nearly new cars and as this car was pre-owned I asked the dealer who owned it previously to ensure it wasn't ex-rental or company car which is a fairly basic requirement of a used car. Why are you so suspicious? Wouldn't you be so careful? There's a lot of fraud and dodgy dealings with blue badges, motabilty cars and car dealerships

I'm 74 and wouldn't use a brown badge because I don't need it (yet!) but I agree that older people do need consideration in a supermarket car park. I saw somebody struggling to get out of their car the other day because there weren't many spaces and she had to park between two huge SUV's so was having difficulty getting out through a part opened door. On days when my back is a bit stiff I would have trouble with this too.
I'd also be in favour of extra wide cars having to be parked in a designated area of the car park, so that they didn't restrict the access width for "normal" sized cars.
I can see that women with small children do need extra room to get in and out of the car, but agree that it doesn't need to be right by the shop doors. However it would be convenient if it was near a trolley collection point so that a small child could be plonked straight into a trolley seat.

Eh, I am not suspicious, merely wondering how you knew, that is all. You do seem rather fixed on the premise of fraud within family members, who use the Motability though!

I agree, hospitals pretty much give up on you, the care isn't the same. I had such an ordeal with one of my parents; it was awful, it is like they just leave them to die.

Doesn't matter tbh. Anyone with any sense can see over 80s should not drive.
Young drivers have to learn. Old drivers are just being selfish

The poster to whom you are replying seems pretty fixed in her opinion that children are the centre of the universe and will apparently dissolve if they have to make the trecherous journey down a carpark walkway accompanied by a parent.
I wonder if she will feel the same way when her precious children have to dump her at the door in the rain so they can park up?

It has been all over the national news of late

Ah, I see. That must have passed me by then, as I have not seen any such news reports.

That an increased number of people live to 90 is evidence in itself that elderly are not bottom of the pile.

Not every blue badge holder can drive. My late DGM had a blue badge and she never driven in her life. Then a colleague’s grandson is paralysed in the legs due to cancer (unsure the full story) has a blue badge and he’s 9

Then some people who drove, their illnesses, aging heath conditions or injuries has prevented them from driving but qualify for a blue badge

Ah right, they’re living longer because they are treated so well in their eighties. Are you sure that’s the reason? What about all those years before they reached their eighties when they perhaps survived various life threatening illnesses such as measles, pneumonia, tuberculosis, cancer and heart attacks due to medical advances? Statins. Blood pressure medication. Biologics for various inflammatory diseases. Plus all the benefits of living in the modern age such as access to decent food and (hopefully) clean, warm homes. People aren’t living longer due to the wonderful care they receive in their eighties. They’re living longer because of the better care they receive and the better lives they have from the minute they’re born. It’s not that difficult to figure out.

I doubt you will feel the same when you are that age!

Yes I know this.

Oh I will. I doubt I will like it, but I will do it. Having seen the liability my dad was on the roads at 86, we have decided we will move to a city with good public transport links when we retire and gradually give up driving with the aim of stopping completely by 75.
I spent enough time arguing with my parents about dad to be a hypocrite.

I agee. I drive, I’m 80. Mainly short, local journeys. I used to commute by motorway, but avoid those now. I have my eyes tested regularly, and no medic has suggested I’m unfit to drive. I observe speed limits, use indicators, don’t tailgate, and am courteous to other road users.

My mother has broken her femur and hip and after each break was immobile for quite some time. She had numerous medical appointments for stitches out, x-rays, physiotherapists and I looked into getting a blue badge but realised we wouldn’t meet the eligibility criteria.
The trouble is, getting a disabled person into the hospital or even into a doctor’s surgery is really difficult when they’re not mobile. There are two free 20 minute drop off bays for our large London hospital and double red lines, box junctions and cameras everywhere.
I think there should be something accessible in place for the over 80 age group that recognises that while they might not qualify for a blue badge indefinitely, they are often beset with serious health issues that might render them immobile for a month or two many times during the last decade or so of their lives. There should be something easily accessible in place, like a month long blue badge that we can generate from their NHS app after a serious incident or hospitalisation.

I genuinely don't think this should be age related - it should be related to your limitations. It might well be that it is mainly older people affected, but not solely. Anyone can have an accident, or temporary period of disability. For example, I had a total knee replacement last year, aged 50, and needed a wide space to get in/out of the car. My Mum had to leave me off and go find spaces, quite regularly. I do think there should be a way to get a temp blue badge, for 3-6 months.

The only reason I don't park in the parent and child spaces is that I prefer to park towards the back away from the busier traffic.

They're not at all like disability spots, they can't be enforced, and they should be used by whoever gets there like every other spot, first come first served.

No, it doesn't 😂. My parents use their blue badges to park - in the car I'm driving them around in.

With respect, my dad would have said exactly the same. He used to criticise other drivers and was seemingly oblivious to his failings.
There will always be outliers, but i genuinely believe 80 should be the cut-off. You might get the occasional driver who is still capable, but an overall ban would get a lot of unsafe drivers off the road. Off the top of my head, i can think of drivers my mum knows aged 88, 97(!), 93 and 84. Surely no one would argue their basic awareness and reactions are equivilent to someone 30-40 years younger?

There is a need for a disabled badge for those who have broken hips/legs/ankles, torn ACLs, surgery on legs which reduces mobility or any other temporary condition which reduces mobility. @4noisykids @HollaHolla I can relate to my DM.

I visit a leisure centre several times a week, and meet lots of people around my age who are still driving. I also volunteer for an organisation that supports older people, many of whom, younger than me, would certainly not be fit to drive. Not everyone is the same at any age, and with respect, I’m not your dad.

What about people with children? They might not be happy they can now not access spaces.

When my daughter was very small, and we had to visit hospital, there were no spaces for parents and children available. I couldn’t get her car seat out so I had to drive a little into the space, get my daughter out and put here next to another car, drive in and get her. To put her back, I had to do the same; put her behind another car, reverse a little, put her in then fully reverse.

It wasn’t safe at all and shouldn’t have happened. You’ll have parents parking between two spaces if they can’t get in.

There shouldn’t be a cut of age to driving. Some elderly drivers need their cars to drive to places inaccessible by PT. Most of my litter picking group are over 75 years old and jump into ditches.

People need to report anyone who should not be driving more.

This https://www.olderdrivers.org.uk looks good if you have parents etc that should not be driving

Actually, no drivers who drive poorly and fail to follow the highway code should be driving. That's at any age between 17 and 120. I am prettty sure I see more men of relatively young years do utterly stupid things on the road than I do any other group

My 85 year old step drove me for 20 minutes atthe weekend and did so very well and very safely.

Please stop being discriminatory.