Is it right that disabled people should get free parking??

[SleepyJess]

Discuss.. (please)

I am having this discussion elsewhere and amazed at some of the views. Just wanted to see what the general concesuss was on here.. without spouting my own views!

SJ x

sorry for language but honestly- do people remove their brains before talking about disability.

Good article, JJ! Makes me chuckle wryly, however. Yeah, imagine Gordon Brown doubling the amount of tax credit for families with disabled children, when his tax credit policies plunged tens of thousands of British children of working poor into poverty. I can only imagine how disabled childrens' families fare!

How sad and shameful!

Yes!

yes

yes!

Yes.

Of course.

There will always be some people for whom the cost isn't an issue and for these I would say no. However, since you can't distinguish between them and those people for whom income is reduced, it has to be free/reduced parking for all blue badge holders.

yes

Of course!

I have to say no i think.

We are on a very low income and sometimes don't go out to certain places because we know we cannot afford to park. Yes we do sometimes use public transoprt instead but again as a family we cannot always afford this either so i'm afraid i don't agree that it should be free because they are more likely to be on a low income.

Oh and yes i have changed my name but am a reg poster.

but you could walk?

CC - several of us who say "yes" are also on very low incomes too......

Yes, because of reduced income, reduced options ie they can't park further away/take the bus etc and also for a selfish reason.

You can judge a society by how it treats its most vulnerable members....I'd like to live in a nicer society please?

why cant u say who u really are?

I can't link to the views in question.. it's on another site and last time I did that it caused a huge rucus. I have basically been making the point again and again that QofQ and others are making above.. that disabled people and carers don't have the same options that able-bodied people do.. like walking into town instead of dricing.. like going out to work to improve their cirsumstances..

Suffice to say I (although not alone) am talking to a wall. It would now appear that some believe that disabled people should not be entitled to their 'free cars' (Motability scheme). I have tried to explain that they are neither FREE nor easily come by.. that you have to be getting higher rate component of DLA with at least 3 clear years in front.. but nope.. 'free cars' are what they are seen as.. provided so that people can 'swan about' in them with little regard to the 'supposedly disabled' people they are intended for..

Think I must retire from the pc.. I am in a bad mood..

SJ x

how irritating, why change your name?

it isnt always free actually, alot of places you do have to pay now

Yes, because it's imporatnat to have access to as many places and activities as others take for granted

I imagine that more car trips are made as well due to diasbility eg more tireed, less potential for carrying equivalent amounts of shopping, physical need to have briefer trips etc

that was directed at cowardy custard btw not you sleepjess

Cowardlycustard... your children will grow up an no longer be dependant.. so it's a temporary sitation in effect. Not so for long term disabled people/carers.. what they are living is what they get.

I hadn't realised it was 'free' - is that even in pay/display places
Why would anyone object? It can't cost loads of money compared to lots of other things I can think of that the government seems happy to fund, must make a difference to many people on low incomes and if some people get free parking who can afford to pay anyway, that's not the end of the world either, in fact it's quite nice to see a non-income based freebie for a change.

would that be BW?

Lets hope you never become a disabled,poor person then,eh?

Of course we can't always walk, it depends on where it is surely ?? I personally don't drive anyway so walk alot as it is but sometimes a place is too far away.

Changed my name because obviously the majority are going to disagree and I am certainnly not getting into a scrap over it.

Misdee yes.. but please don't all flood there - unless you are already registered - because I will be in hot water.. again!