Blue Badge

[Minushabens]

Hi all

I thought I'd share a little bit of good news in my life! My asthma has been getting more & more problematic of late & I took a decision, alongside applying for PIP, to apply for a Blue Badge. Anyway, I've been given one overwhelmingly on the basis of my breathing & medication side-effects.

The lady who did the assessment came across as genuinely interested in my situation & gave me various bits of advice about some of the things I'm struggling with. It's going to make a big difference to me I think in lots of little ways & I sort of felt, even though I know I shouldn't doubt it anyway, that it vindicates the fact that asthma really can be highly disabling.

[Asthma-girl]

That’s great news so pleased, it should my life a little bit easier for you.

[starveycat]

Excellent news it's a great feeling to park on yellow lines lo

[Minushabens in reply to starveycat]

Haha. Yes. My son is convinced that my new hobby will be finding random places to park just because I can!

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

I’m so glad you got approved for PIP - always a struggle when you finally accept you need support but then get told you can’t have it like many get told pre-appeal! I’m glad you didn’t need to go through that

And welcome to the blue badge brigade! Very helpful when you can park right next to the store!

[Minushabens in reply to EmmaF91]

Sadly I’ve not got the PIP yet, just the badge but I’ve decided to treat it as a good omen!

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Minushabens]

My fingers are crossed for you then! I’ve always found it odd that I got approved for my blue badge no quibbles but can’t get a disabled rail/bus card cause I don’t meet the criteria as I don’t have any of the necessary criteria (ie pip etc).

[Minushabens in reply to EmmaF91]

I think every local authority is different? I’ve found out I can get a pass that gets me off-peak bus travel free across W. Yorkshire plus half-price in the trains. But to get a full disabled pass as in your case I’d need PIP. I don’t use public transport a lot but might do a bit more if I can navigate it ok.

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Minushabens]

My area only had the main disabled passes I think. As I can’t drive (cause my asthma kicked in badly before I did my tests and I don’t feel safe to drive whilst I’m thinking ‘breathe in, breathe out’ not ‘mirror, signal, manoeuvre’ 🙈😅) I use public transport a lot! It’s very frustrating really cause the sole reason I use the train/bus everywhere I cause of my disability 🙄😒. I’m glad your LA has a system in place to help tho 👍

[Minushabens in reply to EmmaF91]

West Yorkshire is a bit (OK, a lot) odd - there are still remnants of the old County Council in operation even though it was scrapped decades ago. There is something called the combined authority that the 5 authorities run jointly & transport is a big part of it. You can get a day pass to travel all over West Yorks for a few quid, but if I want to go to York over the border in North Yorkshire it's £30+.

Anyway, I'm a bit lucky with driving as I can manage it OK & enjoy driving, but we have train & bus connections into town so I'll probably get the pass.

[Wheezycat in reply to Minushabens]

Odd. As I live in York, I do go to Leeds occasionally. I have a senior pass (which you pay for, but if you are the right age it is definitely worth it), but nothing else, but I never pay anything like as much as that. Such a price would probably get me to Manchester Airport. Or further.....provided I plan, of course.

[Minushabens in reply to Wheezycat]

It's probably because I travel from the opposite side of Huddersfield so it comes in a bit more. I used to go there 3 or 4 times a week for work in my old job; we probably passed each other many a time!

[Minushabens in reply to Wheezycat]

I just checked though & you're right - from my local station at peak times (when I used to travel) it's about £25 return...I always paid on my work credit card, hence my lack of interest

[Wheezycat in reply to Minushabens]

So you could have a day out here for less if you wanted. And feel up to it.

[Smoggy1990Boggy in reply to EmmaF91]

I would ask the teams that deal with disability bus and train passes Emma. They may accept a letter from your consultant or Gp

[Smoggy1990Boggy in reply to EmmaF91]

Have a look at the criteria and see if a supporting letter from consultant or Gp would help Emma 😊

[Sparkles70]

That’s fabulous news I’m glad you got what you deserved asthma is evil and people really don’t understand the effects it on everyday life!!!

[Minushabens in reply to Sparkles70]

That's very true - in part, one of the reasons I mentioned it on here is that I know from long experience that so many people think we have 'a bit of a cough' or just need to get fit.

[Wheezycat in reply to Minushabens]

Some years back I attended a gym (hate them, I find them intensely boring, so I don’t anymore), and one of my goals was to get better at walking uphill as I was shocked at my own unfitness...........except it turned out to be my asthma, which at that time I hadn’t realised affected me as much as it does and did. I am till rubbish walking uphill, but fine if I can do it at my own pace, very slowly.

[Kitten-kat23]

Well done. Enjoy your blue badge.

[Wheezycat]

Great news! If you come here to York, check our regulations first as they are extra dodgy here, even with passes. Hope you get good news on PIP soon.

[Wheezycat]

Aha, so not Leeds then! That explains it. A pity, though. I have now lived here for about 20 years, and really like it. Nice to look at and lots of nice things going on for residents.

[Minushabens in reply to Wheezycat]

Before I was made redundant I used to travel extensively around the North, but I used to go to York all the time. Although I was there for work, I really liked the place.

There was a saying around here apparently in the 19th/early 20th century. If you hadn't seen someone for a long time, you'd say "they're either dead or living in Leeds"; the implication being the two were as bad as each other.

[Wheezycat in reply to Minushabens]

But these days Leeds has a pretty good reputation!

[Minushabens in reply to Wheezycat]

Not in my world

[Dionysius1662]

That really is good news, I am so pleased for you.

Jolly good. And to have a lot of other helpful info aswell, so often people don't bother with us really and you feel left out, so it's good to hear.

Make the most of it, feel proud.

xx