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Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Original poster

for all those of you who get glares for using disabled spaces.....

53 replies

misdee · 21/01/2006 23:43

mieow has found this

i may get one.

OP posts:
dizzy34 · 22/01/2006 00:08

i think i may decorate my car with these. deffo getting one

tensing · 22/01/2006 00:59

They are good aren't they this firm has other designs too.

lucyep · 22/01/2006 09:05

I got them to do one that says "REMEMBER Disabilities are not always visible!"

Hehehehe

tobysmumkent · 22/01/2006 15:10

Message withdrawn

SecondhandRose · 22/01/2006 15:16

And for everyone who uses them without a disabled badge - don't!

anniebear · 22/01/2006 17:50

Thats really good, will be buying one!!

Misdee, you should get some commission off them for posting that

JakB · 22/01/2006 19:05

I am LOVING that! Will definitely get one. We get looks all the time and then they quickly avert their gaze when DD (autistic) licks the car, grinds her teeth or collapses to the floor to examine the shadows!

Original poster
misdee · 22/01/2006 19:06

JakB, give my dd back!!

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 22/01/2006 19:45

Blue badges aren't always visible either. At least half of the cars in the disabled spaces at Ikea were naked so to speak. I glared at them and tutted (which was pointless since they were also devoid of occupants!)

kalex · 22/01/2006 19:48

Not being funny, but non disabled drivers can bid 4 this 2

sparklymieow · 22/01/2006 19:51

But even if you have hundred disabled stickers on the back of your car, if you do NOT have a blue badge from the county council, you can be clamped or fined.

Pixel · 22/01/2006 21:08

I saw a shop on Brighton seafront that was selling all different sorts of disabled car stickers. Some of them were really good!

I read in the paper last week that something like 1 in 5 (can't remember exact figure but quite high) of car break-ins in Sussex are to steal the blue badges. So a lot of those cars that do have badges are not entitled anyway.

Original poster
misdee · 22/01/2006 21:14

yes, people steal badges, which is why its best not to leave them in the car, especially if you have one of these stickers on the car.

only the official badges will work, having one of these stickers does not entitle you to park in a disabled bay if you dont have a badge.

OP posts:
Pixel · 23/01/2006 00:08

I never leave ds's badge in the car when it's not being used but you have to leave it on display when you use the disabled bay so there's no getting around it!

There was an old man who was robbed of his badge. Not only did he lose the badge but he had to pay to have the car window repaired. Makes me think you're better off leaving the door unlocked as the thieves are obviously pretty determined. Plus the fact that my car is on it's last legs anyway. No-one in their right mind would steal it!

anniebear · 23/01/2006 10:56

kalex, Off course anyone can bid for one!

Not quite the kind of sticker I would have thought of buying though before my DD had SN though!!!

mumfor1sttime · 23/01/2006 11:12

I know disabled badges (official ones) are given for other reasons than 'visible' disability.
But why do some people seem to get out of their car after parking in disabled spot with badge on view and walk unaided to the shop? Cant they park a little further away? Why do they need the badge? Is it a badge for another member of the family to use?
Maybe I am being ignorant for not knowing the answers, I dont know.
I just wish that the disabled spots were used by people who really need them.

Original poster
misdee · 23/01/2006 11:19

a healthy looking 25yr old man gets out of his car in the disabl;ed bay. he walks into the shop. hmmmm why does he have a badge? he gets into the shop no bother, getting glares from other people. what they dont see is him sitting down in the shop getting his breath back. they dont see him struggling to stand upsupported for a length of time in a q.

or you see a mother help her child out of the car, again in a disabled bay. she isnt using a buggy and the mother has a grip on teh child. again you think,. hmmm nothing wrong with that family why? they walk around the corner. theres a man selling balloons and the child makes a run for it towards a busy road. the mother has to leave her other children on the pavement whilst she chases her running child. she manages to grab her before she reaches the rd. the child screeches and growls at her mother.

hmmmm maybe they do need those spaces after all.

OP posts:
mumfor1sttime · 23/01/2006 11:33

My Mum has a failing liver and is awaiting a transplant, she cant walk far without feeling tired and cant stand for long periods, she doesnt have a badge.
My Uncle had parkinsons disease, he applied for a badge and wasnt allowed one.

I dont want to start a debate, just curious.

Sorry, dont understand the 'child running away' bit?

SoupDragon · 23/01/2006 11:37

mumfor1sttime, the child running away may have something like severe autism. Absolutely no understanding of road safety or anything like that.

sparklymieow · 23/01/2006 11:38

my son has a badge, he can get out of the car, and walk, at first sight he appears normal, then if you watch him walk, you can see its not quite normal, what you don't see is the splints and upsuit under his trousers. After 5 minutes of walking round the shop he starts to tire and then you can see for sure that something is wrong with legs.

mumfor1sttime · 23/01/2006 11:45

I can see that I am not clued up in all areas of disability. Dont want to offend. I am really only curious. I do get angry when I see people who have no badge parking in a disabled spot.

But I also get a little angry when I cant 'see' a disability.
My friend has Endometriosis and she has been told she can have a disabled badge, but she has refused it, she said she doesnt really need it. Guess this has made me curious.

Pixel · 23/01/2006 12:38

Mumfor1sttime, my son has autism and for us the badge has been a godsend. He will only walk a very short distance before he tries to run off or (worse) throws himself to the floor. He is getting heavy now and very difficult to carry. I can stagger a little way but could not carry a bag as well. If you saw him get out and walk across to a shop you would not know there was anything wrong but after a couple of minutes you would!
The badge is also useful for places like theme parks or zoos which would be totally impossible for us to go without a buggy. They often have gravelly or muddy car parks and pushing a heavy child over a surface like that is not pleasant if you have to go far.

anniebear · 23/01/2006 13:08

another reason , if you have a disabled child, it is hard to get them out of the car and you need more room either side

My DD (sn) can walk, but has no road sense at all. Yes, we could probably park further away, but then I would also hit the car next to me whilst struggling to get her out of the car as she can't get out herself

I have 4 year old twins. My SN can just run off and having to walk across a car park can be hard sometimes. I know you could say many 4 year olds would run off. But I can only compare her to her twin sister, who can get out of the car seat herself and walk nicely with me

anniebear · 23/01/2006 13:09

surely you must be aware that people can ahve learning difficulties but are able to walk?

sparklymieow · 23/01/2006 13:13

the bit about the balloons and running off is my dd. she is scared of things like that and will run away regardless of any danger. she can be very fast and puts herself and me in danger. she also throwsherself on thefloor and rolls about.

if your mum is needing a transplant and is suffering by not being able to walk she should claim for DLA, if she qualifies for high rate mobility, then she should get a badge. my dh does (man in 1st part of my post, needs a heart transplant). it causes him no end of bother tho as his disability isnt visable, neither is my dd's. i am saddened that seeing people with no visable disabily using the spacesmake u a little angry.