- This topic has 29 replies, 17 voices, and was last updated 5 months, 1 week ago by
.
- Topic
my blue badge is due for renewal in aug at whatever price i will pay to get it for another 3 years, however i think why should i bother most people that park in disabled spaces dont have badge
their going into greggs or mcdonalds or m&s i thing to myself their not paying yet get to use it why
in glasgow you cant park on single yellow lines anymore and the council are removing lots of disable space in city centre
- Replies
Don’t know about Glasgow but for me in Essex and London my life would be completely different without a blue badge. It enables me to do so much more.
A wide disabled space with a hatched area to the side is absolutely essential for us, as I need to bring my wife’s wheelchair alongside and use a hoist. This would be impossible in a standard parking space, so if we can’t get a disabled space it’s an aborted trip.
I see the odd car in a disabled space not displaying a badge, but I don’t doubt that sometimes it’s someone who has a blue badge and has forgotten to display it (as we have done a few times).
By far the bigger issue for me is that the bar for qualifying for a Blue Badge is now too low IMHO and as a result of a lot of people now having Blue Badge’s who, in truth, could quite easily park in a standard space, those of us for whom these spaces are absolutely critical now struggle more to secure one.
Have to disagree with you on that, most cars I see up at the retail park, Tescos, McDonald’s etc do have blue badges… how some of them got badges is a different story 🤔🤷♂️
Plus if you don’t renew then you’ll become one of those people who abuse spaces and we’ll talk about you 😂😂
While i do think there’s way too many &£&@”@)(!£’s using disabled bays as convenient shortcuts to a parking spot, the blue badge does offer other advantages that we frequently use. Namely, free parking (in some) pay and display areas, and parking on single/double yellow lines (up to three hours in our area).
A quick google didn’t reveal a reason as to why you wouldn’t be allowed to park on single/double yellow lines in Glasgow?
Prior: SEAT Ateca Xcellence Lux 1.5 TSI DSG MY19, VW Golf GTE PHEV DSG MY23
Current: Hyundai Ioniq 6 Ultimate
Next: we'll see what's available in 2028.I also share frustration at parking without a blue badge in disabled spaces, but agree that it is a minority who do this.
On the other hand, it seems to be much less of a taboo to park in a parent and child spot with no child!
I was at the local Aldi last night at around 6:30pm and within 2 minutes a woman in her 40s in an MG ZS pulled up in the first available parent and child space. Alone in the car.
As I walked towards the entrance, a thug type in a Mercedes C Class took the parent and child space immediately outside the entrance, got out and tried to enter the store via the exit, which probably explained his lack of mental capacity.
2024 - BMW i4 Grand Coupe eDrive 35 Sport
2020 - Volvo XC40 T4 Inscription
2017 - Audi Q3 TFSi Sport S-TronicI don’t think that I’ve seen age limits on parent & child spaces. If I take my 84 year old mother out, can I park in one as she’s my parent and I’m her child? Asking for a friend 🤔😂
I don’t think that I’ve seen age limits on parent & child spaces. If I take my 84 year old mother out, can I park in one as she’s my parent and I’m her child? Asking for a friend 🤔😂
Yes you can but only if you also have your grandparents with you too. 😊
I don’t think that I’ve seen age limits on parent & child spaces. If I take my 84 year old mother out, can I park in one as she’s my parent and I’m her child? Asking for a friend
As far as I’m aware, child spaces are for children up to 12, as thats typically when they stop using child/booster seats and restraints. A childs height also plays a role when you stop using seats/restraints etc.
I went through a period (years) of not having a blue badge due to the abuse. Trouble is, if you do get ‘caught’ you will have to suck up the penalty. It’s a PIA to have to renew so frequently, and as others have said, the bar to qualify is so blooming low.
Skoda Enyaq Race Blue
The point about the ability to park free of charge in many council run car parks, as well as on parking meters, many railway stations etc is a good one. I sometimes wish that I’d kept a little notebook in the car from when we first got a Blue Badge recording how much we’ve saved over the years. We’ve definitely saved over £1,000 over the years and probably a lot more.
Best example was a short break that we did in York. We stayed in a City Centre hotel that didn’t have a car park but we were able to park in a nearby local authority car park free of charge. Without the Blue Badge the charge was something ridiculous like £18 a day 😱
I’ve noticed the worst offenders lately seem to be pick up trucks and transit vans whose owners are obviously doing it for the wider spaces.
I’ve noticed the worst offenders lately seem to be pick up trucks and transit vans whose owners are obviously doing it for the wider spaces.
Very true. I nearly made a fatal mistake once by challenging one of them and my wife thankfully stopped me as she’d clocked that they were travellers. If I’d said anything I’d probably have ended up being walloped!
The point about the ability to park free of charge in many council run car parks, as well as on parking meters, many railway stations etc is a good one. I sometimes wish that I’d kept a little notebook in the car from when we first got a Blue Badge recording how much we’ve saved over the years. We’ve definitely saved over £1,000 over the years and probably a lot more. Best example was a short break that we did in York. We stayed in a City Centre hotel that didn’t have a car park but we were able to park in a nearby local authority car park free of charge. Without the Blue Badge the charge was something ridiculous like £18 a day 😱
Good points. I’ve saved loads over the years by parking in railway station car parks even though not using the train.
APCOA car parks which many stations use are free for blue badge holders for any length of time (a week even!). For instance, when visiting somewhere like Brighton where car parking is a complete nightmare and very expensive I just park at Brighton station, get the scooter out and forget about the car or having to get back at a certain time. Stayed there for 4 days once, just left the car parked there (just do it all on the app, register your reg No & leave blue badge in window). Brilliant! 😁
@UncJ I have a feeling that free parking in stations is only applicable “whilst on railway business” – in other words, when using the train. Obviously they’d have to prove that you weren’t travelling, but I know that railway car parks can use CCTV to investigate Blue Badge abuse.
We were at Morrisons this morning, as usual I sat in the car, several vehicles park around me all put up their blue badge and sprinted off, tis seems to be a common occurrence in our area, I can’t believe they are all misusing the users blue badges, I would not be surprised if the are counterfeit blue badges brought online, inside the plastic cover you cannot easily identify the hologram.
Unfortunately I have suffered a brain injury and occasionally say the wrong thing.
To me, the ability to park at the hospital both nearer where I need to be and for free are all I need for my badge to be worth it. I occasionally need the additional time for on street parking and occasionally benefit from parking in Truro centre rather than paid car parks (where I’d be knackered before reaching a shop) but with the NHS apparently rolling out free parking for all hospitals that’s enough for me.
There are always examples of people appearing to be far too fit and healthy to need a blue badge but we don’t see them all day/every day. I’ve had funny looks for parking in a spot as I can walk with a stick (even if at snails pace) but nobody sees the cocktail of drugs I need to take just to manage the weekly shop or the hours of pain afterwards.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
As a manual wheelchair user who parks & commutes daily via rail: I rely on BB parking space with yellow cross hatch spacing to access my car. When there’s no space I have to find a normal space, which on returning means sometimes I can’t access my car. A BB card allows me to access car parks, stations, shops etc. I reserve much ire for fellow BB holders who park badly, occupying the cross hatch space, meaning those in wheelchairs can’t get back in their cars (I may have dinked the odd car, scraping my way back into my car, I do not apologise)
In an ideal world we’d have an accessible integrated public transport system & we could leave these expensive road hogs at home.
blah, blah, blah
I tend to sit in the car I struggle even with my walker around the shops it is less hassle and quicker for her to leave me in the car, when its busy I park up out of the way in a non disabled pitch, otherwise I use the disabled parking, unfortunately due to an accident a few years ago the wife suffered several breaks to her ankle requiring plates to be fitted, in 2023 she required a replacement hip, I have a blue badge she does not, we try and leave the disabled bays to those more disabled.
What infuriates us is those who abuse the blue badge system especially those scrupulous people using counterfeit blue badges ohh and bad parking using 2 bays.
Unfortunately I have suffered a brain injury and occasionally say the wrong thing.
When there’s no space I have to find a normal space, which on returning means sometimes I can’t access my car. A BB card allows me to access car parks, stations, shops etc. I reserve much ire for fellow BB holders who park badly, occupying the cross hatch space, meaning those in wheelchairs can’t get back in their cars (I may have dinked the odd car, scraping my way back into my car, I do not apologise)
As a fellow wheelchair user I dread having to use a regular space for exactly the reason you stated but getting the Ioniq 6 has been a game changer as I can use the remote function to move it out of the bay 😁
And anybody who badly parks across the hatch markings can fully expect to find a few scars on their car from us wheelchair users trying to squeeze past 😂😂 and if it is a BB holder then that is worse in my opinion 😡😡
The issue I have as a blue badge holder is being judged by others especially when I exit my vehicle wearing a suit as I do for work to receive abuse but they don’t realise I’m a double leg amputee,type 1 diabetic and I’m on dialysis for kidney failure though push myself to work so my reply to them is”should I get my arms amputated to make it easier for you “.The world can be a cruel place but the blue badge is a lifeline for many.
You don’t need to display blue badges on private land the Equality Act applies here. If you have a disability under the Equality Act and need to use the disabled space you can. Blue badges are hard to get. You can’t get a blue badge for needing a larger space to open doors.
Blue badges are very hard to get in my borough if you are over pension age and not getting PIP or AA. The assessor doesn’t follow the rules. A person with osteoarthritis was told to get a knee replacement instead of a blue badge by the assessor.
You don’t need to display blue badges on private land the Equality Act applies here. If you have a disability under the Equality Act and need to use the disabled space you can. Blue badges are hard to get. You can’t get a blue badge for needing a larger space to open doors. Blue badges are very hard to get in my borough if you are over pension age and not getting PIP or AA. The assessor doesn’t follow the rules. A person with osteoarthritis was told to get a knee replacement instead of a blue badge by the assessor.
Hmmm. This raises a lot of issues. The Blue Badge should be hard to get, otherwise those of us who cannot possibly use normal size spaces would find it even harder to secure one. You shouldn’t be able to get one just because you are over retirement age. That’s not the purpose of them. They are also for people with a permanent disability, not a temporary one. It’s all very well quoting equality acts etc but many private car parks are patrolled by enforcement officers who will issue a penalty notice if you are in a disabled space without displaying a blue badge. Appealing those, whilst possible, is not for the faint hearted, as they can get very nasty, threatening civil recovery agencies and all sorts. If your disability is serious enough to qualify for a blue badge, apply for one. If you don’t qualify, I’d respectfully suggest that you shouldn’t park in them and leave them for those who do.
Glos guy you are absolutely correct. Please dont park in disabled bay, on private land, WITHOUT a blue badge. You are asking for a lot of hassle. The signs will be very clear, even if they are not, take note. Our local shopping car park, targets vehicles in the disabled bays, without a blue badge. (Good and bad), I had one cancelled on appealing, but it was not easy, to say the least. It can be done on an equality/legal technicality, but it was a complete stress. As the owner of the car park was not the ticket issuer, and neither were easy to contact or even find an address to contact, or for them to admit responsibility, its all done on an on-line portal.
We’re back into holiday season. Local supermarket parking was clogged up by vans and utility trucks without badges occupying the wider bays. As much as the tickets were free flowing it appears they don’t serve as any hinderance to people parking where they like.
Meanwhile in town there’s too many examples of blue badge holders creating chaos by parking without consideration for the other road users. Leaving space where you can barely pass in a two way road really isn’t helpful. What’s worse is where one parks you rapidly find a few extras parking each side making a single car inconvenience into 3 or 4 cars you’ve got to get past with oncoming traffic frequently blind to any queue waiting to come the other way.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.