black market in disabled parking tickets?

[hatwoman]

now before everyone jumps on me I know you don't have to look disabled to be disabled (I have ms - mildly, admittedly, but am v attuned to the concept of invisible symptoms etc). however I have noticed an incredible amount of students - at the uni across the road from our house - using disabled stickers to park in restriced areas. some of them must be talking the piss (the other day 4 out of 8 cars had disabled badges). where do they get them from? how can such an important system be so abused?

There was something in the news about this recently wasn't there - they reckoned that a huge percentage of discs were being used fraudulently. I remember when I worked in London about 15 years ago, with a girl who was lovely but had some "dodgy" relatives, she told me back then that it was possible to get them fairly easily on the black market...

Acording to the BBC up to half of badges in London are being used illegally. That's so for those who really need them.

they've just changed the rules now- and increased the fines etc for using 1 illegally- hopefully will help.

one problem is that people who have an elderly relative get them, and use them whether rellie is with them or not.

There is no way of ensuring the badge is returned when someone dies either, so a badge which is issued for 3 years may carry on being used. Actually, knowing the form for renewal, I reckon it would be possible to renew after someone is dead anyway.

As the badge can be used with any vehicle, then I reckon you could do a colour photocopy and put it in plastic easily, then use the copy.

All things which make me (a legitimate user) very indeed.

As does a disabled driver pulling into a disabled space and sitting in the car, while their able-bodied partner goes into the supermarket. If I'm alone or with ds, I need the space. If I'm with dh, we use an ordinary space.