Barefootadventure Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 I wondered would anyone have advice on travelling in France and parking on Gig Gig with a motorhome We have been travelling since 2006 in our talbot express all around France but sadly this past two years we have encountered many problems with parking . I am disabled and on very bad days use a wheelchair otherwise sticks if there is a space to park that's accessible I use it leaving the Gig gig for others but on the occasions were I have had to park in them I have had terrible abuse from French people whom otherwise I have found to be very friendly We have also been moved by police told no camping cars. I explain we are just visiting not sleeping it makes no difference move or be booked. Many places we did not see for this reason as they send us miles away to the aires which are not practical then for me to return to the town either by chair or sticks . We were moved in a town Le Tourquet I think it's spelt told to go to the aire and pay to see around we went to the tourist office and asked why we were not permitted to park, the girl told us the police were wrong that we were entitled to park free of charge in the town made no difference the police said no. I have been left feeling degraded at times and now very wary of stoping to see the very pretty towns and villages, it is far from pleasant when people come up shouting at you in the street and your parked in a gig gig in a motorhome unfortunately the people watching on don't take time to see if you are legally parked they just point and tut. If anyone has a suggestion as to how I deal with this I would be more than grateful as it is def putting me of traveling the worse my health gets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Hi and Welcome to the Forum :-) Whats a Gig Gig (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwyn Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Don't know what a gig gig is but we travel extensively abroad and husband has a blue badge we have never had a problem parking in disabled spaces in any country but to be fair our van is only 6m long and 3m wide. In the very centre of Sintra in Portugal there was a policeman who pointed out it was disabled parking as we drove in, showed him the badge and he promptly helped us to park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petra Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 By GIg GIG I assume you mean French disabled parking. I use a wheelchair and we usually park in town aires which have always been close enough to the town for us to be able to explore. It depends on whether you have a partner to push you around. We did not find Le Touquet too bad as it was quite flat and pleasant walking into town from the aire by the marina. There are also many aires right in the centre of towns and villages, unlike England where CS's, CL's and campsites are usually miles from anywhere and nowhere to park a motorhome in town making touring in UK very difficult. The only problem we have had in France is that some older toll booth operators are very reluctant to give disabled discounts on tolls to motorhomes. Other than that we have found the French very helpful and have tried to help pushing the wheelchair on many occasions. When I am left abandoned at the side of the road when hubby has gone exploring a lot of people come and talk to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 We sometimes have problems in the UK 'Blue badge' parking with the M/H, one 'Bod' told us we were in the 'Wrong type of vehicle' for a Disabled person !! When asked what is the 'Right' type he didn't know. We parked there anyway. But I must admit trying to argue 'your point' in a foreign language is a lot harder. Please explain 'a gig gig' and do we need one ?? Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Rayjsj - 2013-01-21 12:06 PM We sometimes have problems in the UK 'Blue badge' parking with the M/H, one 'Bod' told us we were in the 'Wrong type of vehicle' for a Disabled person !! When asked what is the 'Right' type he didn't know. We parked there anyway. But I must admit trying to argue 'your point' in a foreign language is a lot harder. Please explain 'a gig gig' and do we need one ?? Ray We have found the parking SS in england are very anti vans, gf's sister got a ticket for parking her van in a disabled parking place dispite the displayed blue badge, had to appeal it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvin Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Recenty a lady would not let me park in the disabled parking bay at Tesco, and obstructered the bay with her body and pushchair, quoting in her opinion I was not disabled enough ?. About time I got rid of the crutched then ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cattwg Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Petra - 2013-01-21 12:03 PM The only problem we have had in France is that some older toll booth operators are very reluctant to give disabled discounts on tolls to motorhomes. It's my understanding that to be eligible for a 'disabled discount' on the motorways in France the vehicle has to be modified for use by a disabled person. Not just that a person in the vehicle is disabled. Of course your 'van may be modified. :-D Cattwg :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Melvin - 2013-01-21 12:27 PM Recenty a lady would not let me park in the disabled parking bay at Tesco, and obstructered the bay with her body and pushchair, quoting in her opinion I was not disabled enough ?. About time I got rid of the crutched then ? Sounds like she was asking to find herself 'Disabled' also !, too many folks taking as 'gospel' what 'lies' the government are spouting about disabled folk. My wife sometimes gets comments on the 'Good day' that she is able to walk without her stick, She wouldn't say 'Boo to a Goose' I however would have the Goose 'plucked' 'gutted' and hung in the blinking of an eye. The lady would have been told to move,pleasantly the first time. >:-) Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 If it helps, the GIC (Grand Invalide Civil) and GIG (Grand Invalide de Guerre) were both abolished in 2000 and replaced by the European parking card (Carte Europeenne de Stationnment, or Carte de Stationnment pour Personnes Handicapees). A holder of the Euro style Blue Badge should, therefore, be entitled to use disabled parking places throughout the EU. It is possible that the French definition of "handicapped" does not exactly correspond to that used in UK. Might it have been the case that the Blue Badge used was not of the current, Euro, pattern? I am not aware that the type of vehicle makes a difference, but may possibly do so in the mind of the general public, who possibly don't equate motorhome use with being handicapped. In France, if one is incapable of walking more than 200 metres unaided, must habitually use a walking aid, has a prosthetic lower limb, or uses a wheelchair (irrespective of how easily one manoeuvres the wheelchair), one is entitled to apply for the card. The remaining condition is that the handicap is permanent. Blindness is not specifically listed, but if registered blind following the UK test, one would still seem to qualify for the card under the French criteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvin Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Rayjsj - 2013-01-21 5:20 PM Melvin - 2013-01-21 12:27 PM Recenty a lady would not let me park in the disabled parking bay at Tesco, and obstructered the bay with her body and pushchair, quoting in her opinion I was not disabled enough ?. About time I got rid of the crutched then ? Sounds like she was asking to find herself 'Disabled' also !, too many folks taking as 'gospel' what 'lies' the government are spouting about disabled folk. My wife sometimes gets comments on the 'Good day' that she is able to walk without her stick, She wouldn't say 'Boo to a Goose' I however would have the Goose 'plucked' 'gutted' and hung in the blinking of an eye. The lady would have been told to move,pleasantly the first time. >:-) Ray Hi, My reply made her jump out of her skin, no problem after that :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Probably out of all the Motor home unfriendly places in France Le Tourquet is probably up at the top of the list. All those rich folk with their second homes ( many who fly over in their private planes from the UK ) don't want your ugly white van cluttering up their streets, blue badge or no blue badge. A good Aire there by the yacht club, but for those with mobility issues it may as well be across the channel. >:-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barefootadventure Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Thank you for your reply our van is a talbot express auto sleeper it fits into a normal parking space with no problems. as I explained we find the French to be very helpful but the authorities not so at times. They have made our recent experience quite difficult as they see motorhome and don't care if you have a badge if they don't want a van parked they just move you regardless of legality. I am glad that you have not experienced the same problems as we have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barefootadventure Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Thank you for your reply I don't know about the class thing in Le Torquet but I do know that they definitely gave us a hard time when trying to park. We had no sooner parked when two officers arrived to tell us to move and when my hubby explained to him we were only parking to look around not sleep he pulled out his ticket book to book us then telephoned his friend at the aire who agreed to let us park for two hours free then we had to pay, the blue badge meant nothing to him, problem is the aire tho very good is quite a distance away so by the time we parked again and went to look around two hours were up very quickly. the confusing thing about there was the tourist information people said that the police were wrong they tried to phone them but apparently after a certain time they close. It would really like to find a way of preventing this happening to others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barefootadventure Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Thank you for your reply, my blue badge is Euro standard which we thought would have helped but it didn't. I understand that people get confused with the disability thing when you can use a stick or a crutch they think there is nothing wrong with you unless you can't walk at all, then there are people like me and many others who at times need a chair but can manage on sticks for short distances, well that really causes confusion and to add another confusion to it all if you are under 60 sorry I so hope I haven't offended anyone you are to young to be disabled. it's sad that people can't just let others get on with life and wish them well. I genuinely hoped through this post that I could get information or pointed in the direction to avoid this situation for myself and others. As you say there are different laws about the disability badge etc maybe I need to learn them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barefootadventure Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 I do apologise I spelt it wrong but it was late at night I don't know why but it looks like Gig Gig on the ground anyway thankfully wiser than me worked it out and I appreciate all replies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barefootadventure Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Thank you Petra yes you got the right spelling I am sorry I was wrong, I agree Le Torquet is very flat and easily navigated but way to far from the aire. The French as I have said are lovely and like you I have had offers of help no many occasions, it just seems to be some people with one view of disabled and what they should travel in or how they should holiday. I do feel this needs to change and I feel that there are bound to many others who have had this unfortunate treatment. I do know that the tolls give concessions on the vehicle having been modified and it registered on the tax book as disabled class having said that we have been given concessions on some tolls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barefootadventure Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Ray I am very sorry I spelt it wrong but you know what I mean, it so angers me that people judge things like that, we don't tend to have problems at home in Northern Ireland with parking well not yet but I have heard of people being booked at one of our seaside resorts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs T Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 The UK ruling is that the 'Blue Badge' is issued to and is the property of 'the disabled person' regardless of whose vehicle, and of whatever type shape or size that the registered person is being transported within. Mr T drives a standard working VW van and is not the badge holder. Provided the driver is carrying the registered person they are permitted to use a designated parking bay, but only when the registered disabled person is being transported "At that time". (If you did not know.) Mrs T (BB Registerd) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I wonder if the French reaction is part of a similar perception here in the UK, my wife enquired about a blue badge a couple of years ago, suffering as she does with Osteoarthritis, which on most days leaves her in agony. She was told the criteria was that she must be "unable to walk, or virtually unable to walk" as it related to her condition, she and I have ever since remarked how "sprightly" very many badge holders are. So as is often the case a concession that can help some genuine people ends up being abused by others, infuriating really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 1footinthegrave - 2013-01-24 5:03 AM I wonder if the French reaction is part of a similar perception here in the UK, my wife enquired about a blue badge a couple of years ago, suffering as she does with Osteoarthritis, which on most days leaves her in agony. She was told the criteria was that she must be "unable to walk, or virtually unable to walk" as it related to her condition, she and I have ever since remarked how "sprightly" very many badge holders are. So as is often the case a concession that can help some genuine people ends up being abused by others, infuriating really. Hard to say without knowing your wife, but sounds like you have been given poor advice. Whilst you may be correct about some blue badge owners "don't judge a book by it's cover", just because outwardly a person appears to have full mobility thats not always the full story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Following on from this,and indeed prompted by this thread, this morning we telephoned Gwynedd social services, as we had given up on the issue. The lady we spoke to was quite explicit though, she said my wife would need to claim something called disabled allowance, but she did say that the advice originally given a couple of years ago was correct in her case, and that she would have to be classified as unable to walk, or virtually unable to walk whatever that means, to get it, oh well suppose we need to look on the bright side, she can walk, albeit with considerable pain and difficulty some days worse than others, I've told her I'm trading her in for a newer model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs T Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 The ruling on whether one is able to walk a given distance derives from the examiner not 'the person', blame the examiner not the BB holder, each case is different. Its very unfortunate for those who have severe pain when walking. I was checked when leaving the van by a casual passer-by but when inside the building who should be the examiner but the same casual passer-by. We have no advise for other countries which was the original question, sorry. Mrs T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 1footinthegrave - 2013-01-24 5:03 AM I wonder if the French reaction is part of a similar perception here in the UK, my wife enquired about a blue badge a couple of years ago, suffering as she does with Osteoarthritis, which on most days leaves her in agony. She was told the criteria was that she must be "unable to walk, or virtually unable to walk" as it related to her condition, she and I have ever since remarked how "sprightly" very many badge holders are. So as is often the case a concession that can help some genuine people ends up being abused by others, infuriating really. 1foot, It's your wife's doctor, who holds 'the key' to a blue badge, not the local Council, although they supply them. My wife has spinal osteoarthritis, as well as being a diabetic, so some days, she can be 'sprightly' , others she is in bed all day. As I said too many folk are believing what the 'media' is saying about the disabled and Blue badge holders in particular. Get your doctor to write a letter,confirming your wife's condition. And good luck. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwyn Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Its probably worth writing a letter of appeal, my husband has a blue badge and when it was up for renewal they initially refused but we wrote and appealed on the basis that although he can walk, every step hurts and the longer he walks the worse it gets and although he walks as much as he can this is more to do with his determination than with his ability, he got his badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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