Blue Badge rule i did not know!

[julie1908]

Something i have only just found out last week that if you have a BB on display in your car while parked the BB holder cannot stay in the car. For example my husband was going out to do a few errands for me like pick up medication etc and because i have been housebound recently and can barely walk I said i would come with him just to get out of the house and each place he stopped I waited in the car because it takes me so long to get in and out of the car. I did not know that this is not allowed and to think I put my BB at risk.

[medway-lady]

'You should not use the badge to allow non-disabled people to take advantage of the benefits while you sit in the car.' From Direct Gov UK

That is not saying you can't sit in the car just not to benefit a non disabled user. I'd argue this if you're done, as who knows why you were sat in the car, moreover legally should is not the same as must. I'm not saying fib obviously but this rule is open to interpretation.

[AgedCrone in reply to medway-lady]

But you can take your BB & use it in someone else’s car for the driver to take you to medical appointments….or anywhere else presumably.

After all….you don’t even need a Driving Licencd to get a BB!

Guess whoever composes the printed info needs re-educating?

[medway-lady in reply to AgedCrone]

So true, but more importantly it goes face down so how the hell do they know if the person who owns it is in the car??

[AgedCrone in reply to medway-lady]

In fact I have only ever been questioned about parking in a disabled space with my BB…by irritating members of the public.

Pre Covid….I was hopping on one crutch with a supermarket trolley after I had surgery on my foot & two miserable old biddies came up quite close & made some remark. I can’t remember what it was …so I turned round quite swiftly and said “ oh don’t worry, I’ve got some very serious disease..I park here not to infect people….I’ll try not to infect you” or some such rubbish…., you’ve never seen two silly old women who thought they were being so clever…..move away from somebody so fast in all your life!

[sylvi]

I don't think many people know that. Though i do it. xxx

[Amnesiac3637]

I have a 99 year old father who has had a blue badge for the last 25 years. I or my sister (her car is also registered to his badge) have been out and about with him, done his shopping, taken him to various different places while he has sat in the car multiple times and one of us has gone off and done errands as necessary like going to the Post Office to save him getting out of the car if he finds he can’t.

I can see that legally that has to be pointed out but I can’t think that anyone would check. Even if they did and quoted that piece of bureaucratic annoyance at me I would challenge it. People need to be out with their relatives or carers for so many reasons and need to sit in the car for so many reasons too and providing that person has legitimately been issued with a BB as far as I’m concerned that’ll do me.

Thanks for pointing it out and at least we’ll all be aware. I will ignore it totally and carry on carrying on. 😀

[medway-lady in reply to Amnesiac3637]

The only time I know they check is in hospital car park at Medway when you have to be present so they can match the badge to the person and give you the get out car park free ticket. I think it's good and just yesterday we saw someone trying to get a free out ticket and the man in the booth said no. Holder has to be present.

[Nanainthegarden]

They do check and it’s usually police officers who do it if they see what they think is an infringement of the rules. I know someone whose elderly mother’s blue badge was confiscated by a police officer because she dropped her mother off at a shop and then parked further down the road on a double yellow line. Turned out she had also been using the BB at the railway station to avoid paying for parking!

[Amnesiac3637 in reply to Nanainthegarden]

Yep that’s not on and she deserved to be caught! I think it’s because most of us are law abiding and wouldn’t bilk the system that we feel affronted if someone comes along to check a legitimate usage but of course there are people who take advantage. I will be more aware of my dad being in the car without me now and then but will still challenge whoever is doing the asking.

[julie1908]

I do think it is a bit silly really because supposing you are someone that can barely walk (like me at present) and someone takes you out for a nice drive say along the coast and park up and then they go and get you an ice cream it would be impossible for me to get out and go with them 🤷‍♀️

[Jackie1947]

That's them rules.