What an inspired campaign ......
A few days ago in a parking lot in Lisbon wheelchair users and volunteers occupied all the available Non Disabled spaces to make a point to able body motorists what it is like to have "their" parking places unavailable to them.
On every wheelchair various notes were left like "be right back", "it only takes a moment", "I'm get something here", etc.
Brilliant!
Flippin' fantastic.
Our local high street is on a very steep hill. The few bays we have are often occupied "short-time" by young mums or 100% fit army squaddies apparently just quickly nipping into the bank or whatever. I've often had to wait 20-minutes for a bay. What I do now is just wait in the middle of the road holding everything up behind me, often bringing the entire town to a halt .... just to make my point. It makes me so damn angry - I've got enough problems with having to deal with these selfish pratts.
A Blue Badge isn't a privilege, it's a necessity ..... & strange as it may seem, you actually have to be disabled to get one .....plain & simple.
Omg,you're braver than me,lol! xx
Well done all the wheel chair users in that car park, it made me smile as even none wheelchair users often need to park closer to places and that is why we have blue badges, as you rightly say in order to get one you have to be disabled but not just a wheelchair user. Some of us don't have a wheelchair to make our point sadly but thanks to those in Lisbon who did make the disability point with their chairs.
Lots of disabled bays at supermarkets are now, parent and child spaces. Whist I do understand the need for a wide parking space, (strapping kids in car seats,), I don't get why they have to be outside the store.
I don't understand why parent and child spaces are closer than disabled bays.
can you park in a parent and child space with your disabled badge? Popplewell
I don't think you can, but don't know the legal side. A lot of these supermarkets have private parking wardens, and I wouldn't chance it. You know what they are like !!!
Thanks for that. I am always telling my husband to park in them but he never will. Lois
Private parking can set there own rules as customers of the stores asking for what you want makes common sense, the store keeps customer business because access is reasonable. As a wheelchair user the distance across a car park will not affect my choice of shopping experience but those still able to walk should have parking bays close, I have raised this with several stores at regional level with letters appreciating my feedback.
If disabled bays are full, I will always park in the P & C spaces. I just put my badge on dashboard as usual. All supermarket carparks are private so 'normal' blue badge rules don't apply.
Too many non-disabled people borrow badges anyway and misuse the disabled bays. That infuriates me.
No you can't .... the Mother Outlaw got fined £60 for doing just that.
Private Parking Fines are a bit of a minefield. I worked at a company that had a problem with the landlord and the amount of spaces they had and people working there. What was told to us from the company solicitor was that if you are issued a Private parking fine that you are not obliged to pay it just because they have demanded the money for you parking on private land. ( I think it goes back to the wheelclampers ) If they want to pursue the money they have to go to court to recover the money. They need your personal address to do so.
On another point I sent a letter to Tesco as I saw one of their staff park in a disabled bay and she was not disabled. I asked when I saw her in there.
Their reply was that were sorry that a member of staff had parked in a disabled bay but as a private car park they have no right to enforce who can and cannot park in any bay.
However Asda and Sainsburys do have signs stating that not displaying the blue badge in disabled bays could be met with a fine?
I think it all goes back to the ancient law of trespass (you are not trespassing on private land until you are told to leave and do not do so)
Trespass is a tort of civil law covering damage caused during un invited acess.
I have on one of my bad days. When I got back I had a note on my window stating that this is for mother and child and I should not park there! I saw from the shop I was in put the paper on my screen and they had a 10 ish child with them. No pushchair or anything I was also displaying my blue badge. I could not park in 2 disabled bays and they did not display a badge. So I replied with that info on her note and hoped that she does not have a disability in the future.
My daughter is a blue badge holder due to mobility and breathing shes also a mum to a 3 yr old and because she looks "normal" is often questioned why shes in disabled bay . She does use parent and child if available but usually its disabled bays ...i think parent bays near shop incase of accident in car park with a mum / dad baby and toddler etc lessons the risk if not in middle x
I'm disabled & need a scooter, but I do agree with parent bays being the nearest to the store entrance & usually a bit away from the main-stream busy area of the car park. Kids are difficult to control when their buggies are being set-up or put away ..... I'm usually less excitable so less likely to run in front of a car.
Well many of us managed to cope with getting children in and out of buggies from our two door cars in the wind and the rain before parent and child bays. How did we do it?! An able bodied child of 10yrs should not be a reason for using a parent/child bay. What an embarassment of a mother - what is she teaching her child? And he would have benefitted from the exercise!
I think disabled parking bays should take priority over parent and child bays nearest shop entrances. Unfortunately parents have more pound power. I do not have a blue badge.
oh, I so agree with you happyfeet59. Yes, we struggled with kids & trolley's & shopping & no special mother/kids bays ..... and oddly enough, I managed all that without killing my kids.
BUT, I go along with the mother/child bays because I'm less likely to drive into an escapee child & my car is far less likely to have a kid ram a trolley into it.
But here's a thought ..... can fathers with kids use these bays?
.... strictly speaking, one must assume not.
xx
I do have a Blue Badge but, on one occasion when the bays were full, I parked in parent/child space. A mother complained saying they were not meant for that (she had already parked next to me) but I explained I did have my child with me, though had to admit he is 23! Well, there is no stated age limit!
nice to see your on top form toci,wishing you well,xxx
This article gives a really excellent low-down on the law & the the general issue of Blue-Badge disabled parking ......
confused.com/news-views/blo...
I joined this organisation, disabled motoring, late last year. It's not just about disabled driving or parking ..... it gives a damn good support service about everything to do with being disabled, including legal issues, rights, form filling etc.
disabledmotoring.org/inform...
& I really wish I'd known about both before the mother outlaw shelled out a £60 fine for parking in a mother/child bay, even with her blue badge displayed. I now know we could have very easily contested the fine, which apparently isn't a fine, it's an invoice.
"which apparently isn't a fine, it's an invoice." ha ha! 
I have these in my car top line big and red and print 2 on an A4
Failure to Display
Please display your disability badge. This facility has been kindly provided for the use of those that are in need of this space because it is close to the premises.
If you are not a holder of a Disability Badge then you are not showing any consideration to those that are not fortunate to be in good health or mobility, and should be ashamed of yourself for parking here.
Issued by :
Disability Parking Action Group
I know someone who uses a partners disabled car parks in disabled spaces the owner of the disabled car never goes out the partner uses the car all the time I did think you could not use a disabled parking space unless the disabled person was with you in the car.
Should have the badge removed I think your right the disabled person should be with the car
The other person can use the car, but it supposed to benefit the disabled person.ie...running errands. I get mad at the hospital when the bays are full of people, waiting in the car for a disabled person. I always go at least 1/2 hour early to wait for a bay. These able bodied people, are reading newspapers, eating sandwiches, and sometimes they get out of the car and start buffing it up, with a chamois leather. !!!! I wouldn't mind but when their companion exits the hospital, they drive over to collect them anyway. They should drop them off, and go to main car park till.
A motability car should be used for the disabled person a bluebadge has photograph on so only that person can use it for parking where they have to. The booklet that came with my badge explained abusing the privilege could have it taken from me stating what was allowed and what is not.
The car can only park in a blue badge area or within the badges conditions providing the badge holder leaves the car once parked to conduct what business they are there for. If the badge owner stays in the car and the driver/passenger goes and shops for example then the car should be parked in a space appropriate to that persons rights. The badge holder could be fined and or reported if parked illegally.
Birmingham did a clampdown and sat at a known badge parking area and caught 12 people in one day of being there. They all had a FPN and lost the badge. One of the few times I liked the traffic wardens 
I am a blue badge holder - I'd never be able to get out without one, but I'd never have a motability car. I live out in the sticks, narrow lanes & stuff & quite a few miles from town. My own car runs on LPG - costs the equivalent of 100mpg so it's affordable to run & if it gets scratched I don't even bother getting out to look. If a leased motability car gets scratched I'd have to pay for the scratches to be removed. Also, even though I get DLA at higher rate Care & higher rate Mobility, there's absolutely no way I could justify or afford to spend all my Mobility allowance on a car .... if I did I couldn't afford my scooter or the petrol to get out & about in the car.
Hi sophiaG, I know blue badge must only be used when disabled person is in the car, but are you saying the motobility car cannot be used by my husband to run errands for me if I cannot go out? Been panicking since your post and cannot find info on it. Mostly he uses his van anyway, but I am now worried.
As I understand a complicated arrangement the cars tax disc is provided free because of disability stopping use that is not for the disabled persons benefit.
Errands are for your benefit journeys that are not would not have a tax disc or insurance I do hope this eases your fears and confusion.
I have my blue badge because I have lower back and COPD I had a book with mine I read it but can't remember all the rules.
I only get a blue badge I don't claim DLA or ESA and pay all the road tax and the running costs on my car, I don't get a blue badge renewed automatically I have to apply every 3 years but I get what you are saying.
I thought I read somewhere you now need to be in receipt of disability benefits to get a blue badge - worth you checking before your renewal falls due.
Yes I think I have seen this I have stage 4 COPD lower back pain which I have spine blocks for the pain so need a blue badge but I think it is down to the local council who issue the blue badge I have to say our local council recognise you don't have to be in receipt of benefit to be disabled
This Lisbon thing was a great action - thanks for posting.
But why, since we think this is so good and its still here, was Puff's joke taken down? Beats me.
why remove puffs joke, I like puffs jokes
ant to let you know that your electric company does a priory list and it's free
Another glorious day 
Back after long absence 
Frankie (copd stage 4 )
