Theres Always Someone Worse Off ...........

[Evans Electric]

Just parking up at Tesco in the Blue Badge area , ( Mrs Deke is disabled )   ...I'm having an off day with my electrician's knees giving a bit of gip & not looking forward to wandering round the aisles .

A 4x4 pulls in next to us and a guy gets out ,  almost certainy ex Forces by his build  ( lot of those guys treated here at the B,ham QE Hosp)

He walks off with his wife on 2 prosthetic legs from the knees down .      I was about to elicit some sympathy from the missus but decided to keep it shut .

 

[steptoe]

What's the saying,

I complained when I had no shoes,

Then I met a man with no legs, 

 

[Evans Electric]

Thats the one Stepps .

 

[Robin Spark]

Most of the time me and the mrs park up to go shopping, the other people getting out of their cars in disabled spaces look like they dont have any disabilities and they have borrowed a relatives blue badge!

 

[misssweden]

Just because someone doesn't "look" disabled doesn't mean they aren't though Robin.

 

[septiclecky]

Just because someone doesn't "look" disabled doesn't mean they aren't though Robin.

No but there are a vast amount of people who do abuse the use of them as well

 

[NozSpark]

Looking at my wife you wouldn't think she was disabled,,, however she has a life time award of disability benefits which is very rare to be awarded.

So my advice would to not judge a book by its cover... Just because someone is young or looks ok doesn't mean much

 

[Essex1]

I think people should mind their own business and stop judging people with no evidence to back it up with.  If someone has been assessed and it has been decided that they need a blue badge then take it.

 

[NozSpark]

Unfortunately people do though... My wife finds that it's the older generation that judge her the most..probably because they think that she's taking a space that's theirs and that there's nothing (visibly) wrong with her

She does however have multiple serious blood disorders, amongst other things, which are classed as terminal

 

[Robin Spark]

Sorry if i offended anyone on hear, but often i see people who blatantly blaghing the use of blue badges and disabled spaces.

Most recently was the guy who parked next to me and as i got out to sort wifeys mobility scooter he put on the pretend limp.

His limp soon disappeared when i saw him carrying loads of shopping later!

Sorry to be synical but i think there needs to be a better system in place so that those who need accessible parking should get access to it.

Noz, sorry to hear thatv your wife has a lifelong illness and i hope some day the medical pro's can get a cure and good treatment for her

 

[NozSpark]

In some ways I agree with you, however in others I don't.

I agree that the Blue Badge scheme has massive loopholes and that there are ma y people abusing the scheme, however,,,,

you cannot tell what disability people have just by looking at them and it is not for you to judge their level of disability and their eligibility to have a Blue Badge or their right to use that badge....remember that disabilities have many various guises, some of which are "invisible" to the casual observer

 

[Robin Spark]

It was more of that guy looking at me then putting in the false limp act. Im sure we all get the feeling when someone is blagging it.

I often get the same dirty look from the eldery Noz when i pull in a disabled space. Until they see me help the mrs get out of the car etc.

But yes point taken Noz, perhaps i should not be judgemental at times, but it does get really frustrating at times when i cant get a disabled parking space and you see other users filling there cars with heavy/ large items without any apparent physical disability.

 

[ProDave]

The blue badge scheme does seem to have a lot of flaws.

One being a disabled person without a car does not seem able to get a blue badge.  Now you might ask why would they want one?  Well when I go and visit a disabled relative and take them somewhere in my car, we cannot use blue badge spaces to park so  I have to struggle with the wheelchair further because I have parked further away in a normal space.

 

[Essex1]

The blue badge scheme does seem to have a lot of flaws.

One being a disabled person without a car does not seem able to get a blue badge.  Now you might ask why would they want one?  Well when I go and visit a disabled relative and take them somewhere in my car, we cannot use blue badge spaces to park so  I have to struggle with the wheelchair further because I have parked further away in a normal space.

You are surely capable to push a wheelchair?

 

[Evans Electric]

Obviously Robin Spark didn't intend to offend anyone , I too see people who make me think I bet  they're using Grannie's Badge .  I know it's hard to tell sometimes .   

We used to get a lot of people at the local ASDA just park without a badge & walk off to do the shop.

Also three bays used up by people parking for a few mins to use the ATMs .  

They don't now because theres a guy patrolling who also checks for exceeding the 3 hour limit .  ( Thats  workers parking for the day & bussing in to the city )  

 

[ProDave]

You are surely capable to push a wheelchair?

You haven't seen my Sister In Law :innocent

 

[Evans Electric]

The blue badge scheme does seem to have a lot of flaws.

One being a disabled person without a car does not seem able to get a blue badge.  Now you might ask why would they want one?  Well when I go and visit a disabled relative and take them somewhere in my car, we cannot use blue badge spaces to park so  I have to struggle with the wheelchair further because I have parked further away in a normal space.

Your relative would probably get one , it applies to the person not the car ...worth a try .    And its surprisingly difficult for some disabled people to sqeeze in & out of a car in the ordinary spaces .

You are surely capable to push a wheelchair?

Essex jumping in with both feet again I fear . :red card

 

[ProDave]

Your relative would probably get one , it applies to the person not the car ...worth a try .    And its surprisingly difficult for some disabled people to sqeeze in & out of a car in the ordinary spaces .

Essex jumping in with both feet again I fear . :red card

She told me she couldn't get one. Now maybe that translates to she couldn't be bothered to apply for one.  It would seem logical to me if she had one even though she does not have a car, as then anyone taking her out could quite properly imho use a blue badge space.

Second paragraph, I agree.

 

[NozSpark]

I think anyone who receives the higher rate mobility portion of the "Disability Living Allowance" can get a Blue badge,,,, has to be higher rate though

 

[Robin Spark]

Pushing an adult in a wheelchair, carrying shopping bags and also trying to hold on to my young daughters hand is not easy.

Also as Deke said when the person with a disability cant easily get out of the car and you need to get a wheelchair close to them for the transfer then thats when you appreciate the extra room at the side of the car.

Noz i think you are right in that you just need higher rate mobility allowance to get a blue badge which you can use in any car. Just so long as the person with the disability is in that vehicle for that journey.