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.
Blue Badge rule i did not know!: Something i have only... - NRAS
Blue Badge rule i did not know!
Written by
julie1908
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68 Replies
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'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.
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?
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??
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!
Same. Never been challenged by anyone official, only 3-4 ignorant members of the public.
I'm using this next time 😆
You can sit in the car but if you don't intend to get out then the badge can't be used to park
Agree, and who knows whether the badge holder and companion have both left the car for good reason and the badge holder has got back to the car first.
This is perfectly legitimate, what is the badge holder supposed to do, stand outside the car? Like you I would think this is unenforceable.
I don't think many people know that. Though i do it. xxx
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. 😀
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.
I use Medway hospital, my only issue with this is, you really need to take a photo of your BB, because it needs to stay in the car, to show your entitled to park there. Not everyone has phones with cameras. So they would need to return to the car, to quickly return to the booth to prove it’s you. So you struggle covering more distance. In Ashford, there is a car park where you have to scan the barcode, again it means trekking back to your car to get your badge. Seems ludicrous, making disabled walk further than necessary.
No you don’t you take it with you. That’s what we were told and do. Check with the park office as they are helpful and said take it with you.
But then surely people will just park in disabled slot, but pay when they leave. Definitely open to abuse, if you don’t have to display your badge when in a disabled bay, which may account for why it’s always impossible to get a disabled slot. I’m going in August for lung function test, but I’ll use my photo as proof
Ask them as they don’t check but it’s about free not where. So if you come in disabled entrance you dont get a ticket and it’s all disabled bays. Then you can go into main car park and park but still get out free, it’s very very hard to get a disabled bay. They are harder to get than hens teeth. I go there regularly and can’t remember last time I parked in a disabled bay. But the car park is so close to main entrance it’s not an issue. But it’s not about where you park here but do you pay? So if no ticket in, you can’t get out without your badge so need to take with you. Call the hospital parking services. Whatever you do find out as they may not accept a photo of your badge it needs to be the real thing. Medway introduced this as it was not about bays but cost of parking a few years ago.
I’ve used my photo for the last 4yrs, and they’ve always accepted it, and I’ve seen others do the same. My point is they can collect a ticket so they can pay on exit, but drive and park in the disabled slots, as they don’t need to display a badge. Meantime some poor disabled person is forced to park further away, it’s a crazy set up. At East Kent hospitals, it is an open entry and exit car park for disabled, you just have to display your badge, it’s so much easier.
No they cannot because it’s one way and only going into disabled entrance gives you access to disabled bays. I’m sorry but know I’m right. It’s not possible to go in main entrance and get into a disabled bay.
It definitely is, I’ve done it on my first visit, when I missed the disabled parking. I’ve also encountered people driving the wrong way to get to one of the slots. It is not fullprooof. Not everyone follows the arrows determining in which direction you go.
Then you’re very naughty as it’s one way and I’m law abiding. I’d have just parked in front of you if I was coming in at same time and called security to stop you. And now if you try it you can’t get back into main car park because of the new barrier across the lane. So you’re effectively stuck in and turn is too sharp to get out the entrance with another barrier. It works and proves that no matter where some people break rules or cause total chaos even with a good excuse. Like parking in a bay in Sainsbury’s. .The lane is clearly marked no left turn and across barrier exit too! And another thought some cars won’t have a BB in disabled bay anyway, as if going for cancer care so no disabled badge but allowed to park with letter to get free ticket. I always take my badge and it’s again a matter of trust but sadly abused. Xx
I clearly didn’t do it on purpose. I was trying to see where disabled bays were, that I didn’t see any arrow on the road. I find drives to MMH stressful, it’s a50 mile one way trip. My last visit in May, took 45 mins to do the last 2 miles, and that wasn’t rush hour, it was 2:30 in the afternoon. If my respiratory specialist was not so good, I’d ask to be transferred back to EKHUFT.
Now as my Nephrologist said when I rang as he hadn't put the blood test form in my letter " Now Jan, thats what they all say" lol.lol. I know what you mean it is stressful, and I've gone to Margate for one kidney scan and it took a long time. It was exhausting and I didn't even drive that day. In fact I don't think I could have done. At least I saw the Red Arrows overhead that day. Be careful coming again as the journey from here should be 20 minutes through tunnel and straight on but often it takes 45 minutes and going via M2 it can be worse. Yet they still keep building and often it's only people from London who can afford the properties. It is now getting hard to even get a blood test and our GP has stopped Econsult as its overrun. It'll take years to build another hospital but the neglect of past years has to be put right.
And there seems to be a problem with the staff parking at Dockyard again and so some may be using public car park. The awful thing for me is to use the disabled bay it's a long walk to the AS unit behind the old offices. I've never understood why in the UK we build car parks up when the Germans go often underground. My aunty is a nurse in Frankfurt her hospital has no visible car parking for the public as you go into a tunnel and go down. Keeps the place looking very smart. And why they don't knock down the old nurses homes at the MMH goodness knows. Even if protected it's in the public interest to use the space better. Perhaps one day well see each other in the MMH ?
Most of my AS clinics are at Canterbury or Whitstable, parking isn’t bad at all there. Unfortunately I have to use the M2, to get there. It’s the same locally with roads continuously being dug up time & time again for new builds. Augusts appointment is at 10:30, so I’ll have to leave the back of 8. Often when it’s just a clinic visit, she arranges it at Sheppey, where you can park with no problem, but obviously all testing is at MMH. Currently waiting to see ENT at the MMH, so lots of trips to MMH this year.
I've never been to Sheppy General but Sittingbourne is nice. My Bowel Surgeon is there sometimes. All these old hospitals still being used is good. St Barts in Rochester was the oldest hospital in the UK is now posh and I mean posh flats. The NHS said too expensive to regenerate but it used to be used for operation recovery. My mum had a few weeks in there again lovely place. Great for Rehab and could have reduced the pressure on beds in MMH. It was for people not needing intensive nursing but not ready to go home. Such short sighted if it was possible to make into flats then would it have been so hard to regenerate. I don't think so and the view over the river is wonderful. I say flats but they are called apartments now!
Yes that happens at my hospital so now I stop in the drop off zone which is free for 30 mins,,,..register my badge & just drive out after my appointment…one of the car park attendants put me on to doing that.
It must be different in different areas. My BB can be used in any car, I don’t have to register certain cars to use it. As long as I’m in the car, and have my badge on me, I can use it even in a taxi.
They all can be but to register for free parking in a ANCP when the gates open by recognising your registration number you can only use two plates. You can still park there and do the normal getting out routine but ANCP sees your BB linked to the car and just lets you out.
I understand, I have a similar set up with Canterbury city council for parking In the city. Where I change whether I’m in my husbands car or my own. I thought the lady was talking about the blue badge had to be registered to certain cars for general everyday use.
Re registering the car - in our two local hospital car parks we have to register the BB with whichever car my father is transported in and then that’s on their system so we’re not liable for parking charges. It works well.
The issue is so complex I think in these days of computers and AI surely some bright spark can link up the issue of a badge with all Councils car parking systems. I think it’s actually stupid for LAs to issue the badges anyway. No idea why unless it’s historic from the days of before the DVLA but I’d bet no Council wants to do it. They have enough problems keeping up with Housing Benefit applications without having another department also looking at similar for BBs.
There really is too much wastage. All these depts should be sharing their information. Reducing the duplication, that would then release money for many important issues. It’s like tha NHS, claims to be a “national” health service, yet neighbouring Teusts don’t share their information and data on patients. This often means duplicate tests so that each Trust has a record of the results. It’s ludicrous. I have 5 consultants, spread over 3 Trusts, only 1, which is the London one actually sends copies of my clinic summary to my other consultants. National should mean national. There is so much money wasted in the public sector, from people refusing to share information. I’ll get off my soap box now 😂
lol no don’t , it’s interesting to talk to someone who has same problems and my Nephrologist writes to everyone but MMH don’t. We’ve got Patients Know Best but even then my husband has been waiting for Oncology letter to be posted up for nearly 3 months and that’s Maidstone who MMH referred him to for treatment. No doubt one day they’ll sort it but my biggest whinge : why can’t I have 1 blood test shared for Nephrology, GP and RA and Urology when they all want same thing to be tested but can’t communicate result. I joking asked GP if Fujitsu had programmed for NHS and got a nervous mummm in response. The waste of their time, my blood and all because no one can organise a national system. It’s an issue for me as it’s part of how I got the A KI as Darent do the routine testing now. A you know what, in a you know where….. . My AKI did change one system so that could never happen again but it compounded the problem with a medication that could not be recovered from. MMH were not just on time yesterday but early for appointments. Now that is news. lol xxx
In fairness, I have a wonderful respiratory specialist at MMH. She too puts her summaries and clinic appointments on patients know best, unfortunately the tests she sends me for, don’t put results on there. I don’t wait too long after appointments m, before her summary appears.
My orthopaedic surgeon at East Kent uses it, my rheumatologist doesn’t. My endocrinologist in London pits summaries and appointments on there too. I just hope one day, all results are put in there 🤞
I’ve always had great treatment at MMH, they diagnosed my Bronchectasis and organised the lung gym classes. Really worked for me and no antibiotics for chest infections now over 3 years. The RA team are lovely and Urology too. I just hope that eventually they build a new satellite hospital my side of the Medway as it’s now so busy. My sister is a nurse still there at 65. I’ve never understood why they can’t compulsory purchase a bit of the Great Lines to extend it. But over the years it’s looked after me and my family well. Xx
Oh I can only agree with that. It’s ridiculous. I take copies of any clinic letters from one trust ti the other to be scanned onto their system. Luckily in only in 2 different trusts only 25 miles apart who don’t use the same system. Years ago I often ended up having bloods twice. Crazy!
You can't have more than 1 car registered to a disabled person. The person who owns the badge can take it in any car they like though.
No car is related to a BB but in the ANCP car parks you can register two number plates that allow you in and out. You can go in in any car you like just can’t use the BB automatically so need to register it each time.
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!
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.
She did deserve it but it was her mother who suffered as she did really need the BB and she also had dementia so didn’t understand what had happened or what her daughter was doing.
Such a shame.☹️
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 🤷♀️
But if that's the case you wouldn't need to use a blue badge because you aren't getting out the car. The person who is doesn't need it to park as they can walk.
You would if parking on double yellow lines.
That's them rules.
When you got the badge you should've got a booklet that explains the rules and you are correct it's not for you to sit in the car it's for when you need to get out the car. Unless you've been reporter don't worry too much about it.
I would say that is obvious and correct. If the BB owner is staying in the car then there is no need for the non disabled person to use disabled parking spots as they wdon't have any need to be closer or to have a bigger space etc., also they would be taking up a space that a disabled person who was getting out of the car needed.
Totally agree. The instructions you receive with the badge are clear enough for most literate people. The amount of people who park on yellow lines near a corner is ridiculous. You can't just park anywhere you like! Don't take up a disabled space if the badge holder doesn't have to leave the vehicle. Incredibly selfish to take up a space that someone who genuinely needs it could park.
As an independent disabled driver it does annoy me when there are limited spaces where a car is in a disabled space with a person sat it. If the driver is still in the car he could move to a non disabled spot after dropping the person off and return to pick up them up or if the disabled passenger is still in the car and their partner who is not disabled has gone to do the errands then in reality they do not need the space if the disabled person is not getting out. Although both driver and passenger could both be entitled to a BB but if the driver is not getting out he could move to a non disabled spot. Many councils allow BB to park for free in a any space in a car park.
That’s the trouble with trust based systems some people abuse it. Often in huge 4x4s built for fields yet never see any surface more challenging than a car park in local supermarket.
never heard anything like this, surely as the badge holder you are able to choose .
As far as I know, if parked in a non blue badge space the blue badge holder can stay in the car. From what I’ve read in the booklet that came with the blue badge, if you park in a blue badge space, the blue badge holder needs to get out of the car. Otherwise, if it is the non blue badge holder getting out of the car they don’t need the blue badge space and can leave it for someone who does. I’ve always done this.
Thanks for warning I did not know that, guess that could cause confusion if some one has come to pick you up also as they may have to leave the car and badge to fetch you . ie when we park at hospital my grandaughter sometimes has to go and get me a wheelchair, when we come back I get in the car and my granddaughter takes the wheelchair back. Some of the rules do not apply to designated areas in car parks only roadside parking as that is limited to a certain time. Its quite complex so don't worry to deeply about it. But some disabled people have had fines in the past.
The blue badge is so that the disabled person can park closer to the place they're visiting. If your husband doesn't have a badge himself then he presumably has no problem walking and should not have used your badge. If you were getting out and so needed that help, then of course it's right that you use it.
The blue badge is for the benefit of the disabled person, so it is expected that they are driving/doing chores.
Hospital , GP ,Dentists visits or anywhere you are driving too or being driven
Thank you for this information. I didn't know either. Where did you find this out?
Yes it says it in the booklet that comes with it, hubby tries to argue with me about so I show him the black and white info.
Frustrating at times mind.
here Stateside, people abuse it terribly. I had a handicapped placard in college but I caught my wife using it. Tore it up in front of her face.
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