Would you report a driver using a disabled badge for parking if you were 90% sure they did not qualify?
I was recently waiting in a parking bay for my friend to meet me (to push my chariot) and happened to watch the car next to me pull up. One woman of about 40, and a late teens girl got out standing straight and tall. The 'mother' looked shifty when she saw me watching as she displayed the badge, but then hurried away quickly striding up the large flight of concrete steps to the high street (not taking the ramp alongside). 20 minutes later, back STRIDES 'mum' with several bags, a harassed look and no dependent granny or anyone. It is one of the few parks where BBH don't pay for parking. There were plenty of other spaces. So... should I report them? Or is it just sour grapes on my part because it took me so long to get a badge and some extra freedom?
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Heorte
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You have really no idea there may be an issue with her daughter having aspergers or some other mental illness ,things are not always what they seem , it is not your worry , these people may be having terrible times at it is without you being nasty
You have really no idea there may be an issue with her daughter having aspergers or some other mental illness ,things are not always what they seem , it is not your worry , these people may be having terrible times at it is without you being nasty
I do know how you feel Heorte as we have very very few disabled parking spaces in my area and half the time most people that park in those spaces haven't even got a badge. Nothing gets done about it. I have been yelled at sometimes when I used the badge...I am not in a wheelchair, but I can't walk far due to all sorts of ailments. I probably look completely able-bodied to other people, except for my walking stick and my age. But if I can't park right outside the shop, bank, etc., then I can't go anywhere. I have reached the point where I hardly go out at all now. I am only mentioning this, as the people that yelled at me thought they were trying to sort things out, but I felt REALLY upset and I didn't go out for weeks afterwards. I personally get more annoyed with the people that don't have a badge and show no remorse at using a disabled space. Ah well - takse all kinds as they say Stay well
Yes. I would. If they're not 'qualified' to hold a blue badge you'll have done all disabled drivers a favour. If they are genuine they will probably share your disgust at the fraudulent users and will not be too offended by you taking a stand against the lazy malingerers.
Ahwell, now my fragile confidence has been doubly shot down in flames, I'll become terribly english, mutter under my breath and do nothing about it...........................
Keep smiling everyone !
I agree with most of the comments made,you don't know what there suffering. I myself have many Disabillitys that unless you knew me ,you would not know. I also was pulled by a member of the public,who rudely asked if I was disabled,it also made me feel inferior as though I had no right,and knocked my confidence.So no unless your sure don't add to people's problems.
Oh dear. How ,any times do we hear - you don't look disabled. Disabled people should all be in whelchairs or walk with a Guide Dog. that is the stereotype portrayed by thee media nd b;ieve by so ,amy. Like having a label round your neck.
Whoever that BB belonged to they had jumped through as many hoops to get it as you had. Pardon pun. The BB is the holder and not the car. Another myth.
Even David has made comments about people not 'looking' disabled.
Use your 'spoons' for more positive thinking.
Pat x
Another thought maybe the holder of the BB has a condition that has relapses and remissions.An example of this is Multiple Sclerosis. My friend has this and varys tremendously from week to week.The lady /daughter you saw striding that day may be paralysed today.Please dont harbour sour grapes they will not make you happy x
Hello Heorte, I appreciate what you are saying. It is up to you to decide if you think misuse is occurring and whether to report it. However I would consider all these replies as valid too before taking that step. As a disabled badge holder myself I agree with all these comments. Like Gemini71 says I too have been challenged in the past even in respect of using a disabled toilet, when replied the challenger had to say sorry. I have what is called multi-factual disability which effects my mobility in more than one way. But if you saw me you would probably only notice the slight unusual walk due to arthritis. As yet I am not a wheelchair user or have a guide dog or white stick or any stick come to that but am registered disabled and have been for quite some time now, and would rather not wear a badge saying what it is, and I am sure many others would feel the same.
I think you should think very carefully before assuming that someone isn't disabled because they can stand tall and walk on the particular day that you saw them. How can you possibly be 90% sure someone isn't entitled to a badge from seeing them for a few minutes!
I have just been given a blue badge and I am expecting to be asked this by people because some days are worse than others. On a bad day I would not need the parking space because I would not be able to get out of bed. on a good day I would like to be able to potter slowly around the supermarket for 20 minutes without being harassed when I return to the car. It is my choice not to use a stick, this does not mean that I don't have a disability. Maybe the woman looked harassed because she was in a lot of pain made worse by walking and carrying bags.
If it has taken you so long to get a blue badge then the person you are making judgements about might have taken just as long, how can you know?? They don't give out blue badges unless someone really needs them. Not all disabilities are the same, less judgements towards people with 'invisible' illnesses would be nice.
i'm sorry if this question upset people, but perhaps if I explain my case more fully.
Firstly, I have been in the position of not looking so bad, so I am sympathetic to that point.
However, I would have no problem being checked up on as the paperwork that is in place to get a badge would defer any penalties surely. I have also been asked by strangers as to why I use a chair if I am able to stand / use sticks for short distances - one woman was rather accusatory, so I do know what you mean.
But, I have been parked in on driver side , had to return home as no where to park etc just as I'm sure we all have episodes like that.
However, how many people are aware that blue badges are stolen in London and forged, and that some sell for several hundreds of pounds? So there are quite a few fakers out there and I was simply thinking it might be better to help than not.
Interestingly, when I put the same question on Facebook, there was an aggressive wave of "report them" and only one person who said - why bother, nobody cares.
But given the intensity of reactions, as I mentioned before, I don't have the confidence to be nasty enough to follow through to making a report.
If they had a blue badge, then it makes it more difficult to report them really, as you don't know why they needed the blue badge. There are many reasons, not all of them visible. If they didn't have a blue badge, then fair game to report.
Hello
Those who use these badges that are not entitled can be fined a considerable sum. Now it can be checked who the badge belongs to and generally this will lead to a court visit. They now can check the number on the front and they are becoming more active with stolen cards as the new ones are more easy to check.
Parking in a disabled parking place is the same you can be liable to a nice, high fine.
The disabled person using a card may not show a disability that screams out at you. Any doubts should be checked if a car is not marked
Yes I would report her if she has nothing to hide then that's alright I have a son who has aspergers and we can not get a badge for him and it took me two years for me to get one
George, you must report the suspected abuse. These badges come at a cost and there is tremendous abuse of them. You are only reporting a suspected abuse which as a citizen, you are encouraged to do. Please don't feel bad about some of the responses, some people will feel sensitive about the subject. One of my tasks was to approve and to sometimes investigate blue badge misuse and we often only had to look at the computer records to see if the holder was genuine. Or take it forward. Mostly it's family members using when they shouldn't. We did withdraw badges when there was sufficient evidence. People grumble but they don't do anything when they see things they don't think are right.
I would dearly love a blue badge, just to get a space where I can open the door fully so I can pivot and place both feet on the ground before standing up as I have been advised to do many a time by several practitioners. But proactive self care and preventative measures are not a criteria of the blue badge. I make do with parking on the end of a row, driver side. Not as easy as it seems as few carparks have breaks in the rows.
I rarely park on the street unless I can drive straight into the space. The back and neck twisting required are impossible to do without serious muscle spasms. And you don't want a back spasm half way through a parallel parking.
And if I do ever get a blue badge, I would absolutely livid if someone challenged me about it as it's now 14 years, of living with a broken back and all the ailments that accompany it.
I wouldn't abuse a blue badge, just use it on the days when I really had to. Even psychologically knowing I had one would allow me to travel further and open up my world a bit more.
But I don't look disabled to those who don't know me, and I'm as active as I can be. So I suspect I would get asked a few questions and be reported.
I am a BB holder but have been told not to use a stick as it will/could affect my back, neck and shoulders if I put to much pressure on them. I have been told not to use a hand propelled wheel chair for the same reasons. I also have heart and lung problems. But it seems Because I am not missing something I am fine to some?
If you report them with their badge number and describe who was in the car it will prove to be right or wrong. If they badge is for an 85 year old man/woman it was not being used correctly and they should show respect for the reason it was given.
I am passionate about people that park in BB bays in supermarkets without displaying the badge. I have made my own sheets that states they have not displayed the BB but I do state if they are a holder it is better displayed but if they are not they should be ashamed of themselves. The current law does not allow for the supermarkets to do a lot about it. All they have to do is put some spaces as close to the entrance as possible (50 metres for government buildings)
I have a Blue badge and do suffer badly fo disabilities. Once a lady who knew my husband. Stopped to speak to him at the top of the road. She then turned to me as I was using my three wheeled walker and leaning on it. "Does she understand her name". Enough said and yes I blew her up. Told her I had just got a PhD etc and boasted about my credentials. How dare she think we are all dumb. Point is you never know what is wrong. The best thing is we do not have to display we are disabled as one only uses it for parking.
Calceolaria thank you for an informed input. It is not a case of "getting ones own back" back safeguarding a necessity and maintaining the set standards within the eyes of the general public - in that way there would be no doubters as to whether a person should 'look disabled'.
Also, I'm sure you came across instances when family members kept badges long after holders had died.
I agree with most of the comments not all Bb holders look disabled but what do we know my husband looks fine but a very short walk has him fighting for his breath with a lung disease best live and let live hope that someday they will need a disabled space and can't get one
For me, you posed a reasonable question and you do not deserve replies which infer that you are rude or judgemental. These comments reflect more on those who made them than you. I have a feeling that you already knew what you wanted to do. Do what you are comfortable with doing. I hope that this helps.
I believe I have a compromise solution. A friend who regularly uses the same parking has asked for the details and she and friends will keep an eye for the car. She would only ever politely ask the driver, and I don't think any of us would object to that. However, she has a mission too as she already asks taxi drivers to move out of those badge places and I think we need more straightforward people like her. It's no good moaning if we're not prepared to help ourselves.
Thank you to everyone for their input, it has given me a lot to think about in general; particularly how we as a group need to make ourselves fully accepted rather than just patronised, and yet it is difficult to know where positive flips over into strident demands.
I merely offer these thoughts as one who strives to hold her head up more each day
My ex wife use to borrow a blue badge off a neighbour to park free at the hospital when she too her father for appointments i use to moan at them for abusing the badge
Did you know i you suspect your neighbout is 'deating' the benefits system you can rport them? Whilst they are being investugated all those disability benefits will be stopped? Suddenly this country has hundreds of unqualified Doctors and consultants who really really know teir neighbours are BOT disabled.
Thre is enough hate crome afainst ALL disabled people amnd we fight on a daily basis just to survive. Som#t put yourself in the position of judging another by what YOU think is a disability.
By the way I have a BB. I don't drive. I can walk in a straight line O can carry sjopping amd ,ow the lawn. And I am registered blind but it is he last thigs you would ever know.
Pat x
The able bodied want to feel the pain of the disabled who cannot get parked to shop when abled bodied steal the disabled bays from those with disabilities
One of my biggest bug bears is people parking in disabled bays with no badge. I've even compained to the security in asda but he couldn't do anything about it! I have a badge and feel guilty because I look 'normal'. Not been questioned yet which I am surprised by as I look guilty! If you think she wasn't genuine then you should complain x
Sharelle. Someone I know has a few stickers in her purse and slaps one on the windscreen . They have a polite message but they are an absolute pain to peel off ! share the pain ! LOL
There was a piece in the local newspaper about a policeman parking in a disabled bay to get a macdonalds during his lunch break
I would, but only if she was alone. Many disabilities are not visible so her daughter easily could have an issue that was not obvious.
It doesn't matter if the disability is obvious or not, if you have a genuine suspicion that the badge is being used illegally, you should report it. My local authority made no charge (to the user) for the badge, so it is down to responsible citizens to merely contact the badge issuer, usually a council department and mention their concerns. It shouldn't be personal and the user would not know if the initial checks supported their status. Again, this isn't a personal attack on anyone on here who holds a badge or who has had difficulty in qualifying for a badge. Its an entirely different matter.
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I have been yelled at sometimes when I used the badge...I am not in a wheelchair, but I can't walk far due to all sorts of ailments. I probably look completely able-bodied to other people, except for my walking stick and my age. But if I can't park right outside the shop, bank, etc., then I can't go anywhere. I have reached the point where I hardly go out at all now. I am only mentioning this, as the people that yelled at me thought they were trying to sort things out, but I felt REALLY upset and I didn't go out for weeks afterwards. I personally get more annoyed with the people that don't have a badge and show no remorse at using a disabled space. Ah well - takse all kinds as they say 
Stay well 
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