Disability Bays

[W3526602]

Hi Michele,

 

You right, its not the doctor who gives the badge. But will the DLA go against the doctor's recomendation?

 

My point is that if there were fewer freeloaders there would be more cash available for those who really need it. And I bet there are those who ought to have it, but are refused.

 

Many years ago, the works nurse told me she knew somebody who had a "green card" because of his athletes foot. Now, I don't know what a green card is/was, but I presume it was worth having. ???

 

602

[michele]

I think its discusting to be honest I very raely use them as a matter of fact its in the house for fear of having the car screwed when we leave it there.

So often when we go out we have not got one with us.

 

Never mind the kids don't moan nor do we we get a suitable place to park and do the walking and thats that . When the children first came they couldn't walk at all now things are looking up so much better so we try all the time now obviously I can't with the other one so thats when I use it .

 

So glad that the bigger one walks better now what disabled person would want to be having a blue badge ? Non I bet they would be over the moon to be like everyone else.

 

So people that do it because they can because they want to cheat I hope their legs fall off :D :D I also hope that the fleas from a thousand camels infest's their knickers :D

[icelander]

My mum uses one now and again although she has no badge. She usually needs a stick and prefers a trolley to lean on. Just recently as well had a replacement hip bone because of a breakage after a fall. I am sure she could get a badge if she wanted but she is very shy not going to a doctors or dentists for at least 20 years and that includes follow up appointments after leaving hospital

[enodreven]

Hi,

 

I am getting confused, I didn't think you need to be in receipt of any benefits to obtain a blue badge, as a lot of working people have them and to the best of my knowledge i thought most disability benefits were means tested ?. That is why I also think that while there perhaps is a need to allow parking closer to premises for the people who really need then, I cannot see any reason why they should obtain free parking as they do in some areas, albeit I can see a reason for people to perhaps have free parking if they are in receipt of the full mobility allowance as this show more need to use a vehicle and as such they shouldn't be penalised because of there disability, but i really can't see how the same free parking rules apply to just blue badge holders, perhaps that would stop the abuse

 

I also believe that if you have or can show a higher level of disability than would just make you qualify for blue badge you can get a mobility grant which i believe provides you with free road tax, surely this perhaps should become the norm for privileged parking rather than the blue badge which appears to be coming more and more suspect, its quiet easy to detect just look at the tax disc it has no value written on it. and from what i read a few days ago there is apparently organised gangs that market the blue badges ?

 

On another point if the if we want to try and stop the abuse both of people who are not entitled to Park in these bays e.g. those who have fause badges, those who have legitimate badges but really shouldn't have it, those who have no badge at all, surely the first thing should be that when you display them in your window the photograph should be facing up so people can see who the supposedly entitled person is, because from what i have looked at the instructions are to turn it the other way so the photo is not on show ??

 

 

[GJH]

howie - 2007-09-20 12:13 AM

The same applies at the Supermarkets, where members of staff will at the very least have a word with the car owner.

To much trouble? then i,m afraid if you are not prepared to put yourself out and try to stop this abuse then the problem will remain, and most probably get worse.

I wish it were the case that supermarket staff would take action. A few weeks ago we visited an Asda supermarket where a security van was parked in a disabled bay - too much trouble for them to use the service car park for their deliveries/collections. I pointed out the situation to two members of staff and they just ignored me. Perhaps I should have taken it further and asked to see the manager.

 

The need to treat disabled bays with respect has been brought a bit closer to home recently. My wife has had a major operation which is likely to restrict her mobility for several months. Whilst she has to walk every day to aid recovery she soon becomes tired and needs to rest.

 

There is no question of being eligible for a blue badge because (thankfully) it is only a temporary situation but in order to minimise restrictions on movement outside the home we bought a wheelchair.

 

Perhaps the main point is that it is a temporary situation and our way of dealing with it is our choice. Many people are in a situation where they have no option but to accept permanent restrictions on their mobility - and if people without those problems can't make a bit of effort not to add to them then it is a sad situation.

 

Graham

[enodreven]

Hi, Graham

 

First let me say that i wish you wife well and hope her recovery to full health is as quick as possible

 

But, I don't understand your reply ?? if i have got it correct you don't have a blue badge and you couldn't park in a disable bay because they were being blocked ?? if i have it correct if you don't have a blue badge you shouldn't have parked there even if it wasn't blocked ?? or am i missing something

 

Now if my understanding is correct and you don't have a blue badge because it is only a temporary condition, surely your case high lights a serious problem with the whole parking system, from what you have said you surely would be one of the more deserving users of a bay near to the entrance than some of the other people who actually have one of these badges ? therefore in your or anyone else in your position the absence of a badge shouldn't be looked upon as a problem

 

Our local hospital parking system was altered several years ago to make blue badge holder pay for parking, and so i have been told, one of the reasons, was that a substanicial number of people attending hospital have some form of mobility problem and even though they may not be long term thus allowing them access to the badge system they never the less still should not be discriminated against so either they make all of the parking free or charge everyone ??

 

Brian

 

GJH - 2007-09-24 1:18 PM

 

howie - 2007-09-20 12:13 AM

The same applies at the Supermarkets, where members of staff will at the very least have a word with the car owner.

To much trouble? then i,m afraid if you are not prepared to put yourself out and try to stop this abuse then the problem will remain, and most probably get worse.

I wish it were the case that supermarket staff would take action. A few weeks ago we visited an Asda supermarket where a security van was parked in a disabled bay - too much trouble for them to use the service car park for their deliveries/collections. I pointed out the situation to two members of staff and they just ignored me. Perhaps I should have taken it further and asked to see the manager.

 

The need to treat disabled bays with respect has been brought a bit closer to home recently. My wife has had a major operation which is likely to restrict her mobility for several months. Whilst she has to walk every day to aid recovery she soon becomes tired and needs to rest.

 

There is no question of being eligible for a blue badge because (thankfully) it is only a temporary situation but in order to minimise restrictions on movement outside the home we bought a wheelchair.

 

Perhaps the main point is that it is a temporary situation and our way of dealing with it is our choice. Many people are in a situation where they have no option but to accept permanent restrictions on their mobility - and if people without those problems can't make a bit of effort not to add to them then it is a sad situation.

 

Graham

[GJH]

enodreven - 2007-09-24 1:39 PM

First let me say that i wish you wife well and hope her recovery to full health is as quick as possible

Thanks Brian

 

enodreven - 2007-09-24 1:39 PM

But, I don't understand your reply ?? if i have got it correct you don't have a blue badge and you couldn't park in a disable bay because they were being blocked ?? if i have it correct if you don't have a blue badge you shouldn't have parked there even if it wasn't blocked ?? or am i missing something

Sorry, my lack of clarity.

 

The Asda incident predated Jill's op - before we even knew it was necessary in fact. I pointed out the security van to the staff as a general point rather than because we were blocked from using the bay.

 

enodreven - 2007-09-24 1:39 PM

Now if my understanding is correct and you don't have a blue badge because it is only a temporary condition, surely your case high lights a serious problem with the whole parking system, from what you have said you surely would be one of the more deserving users of a bay near to the entrance than some of the other people who actually have one of these badges ? therefore in your or anyone else in your position the absence of a badge shouldn't be looked upon as a problem

 

Correct, we don't have a blue badge and don't qualify. We wouldn't go looking for a rule change on our account because Jill is able to walk part of the way between the car and wherever we are going plus I am able to handle the wheelchair - though I can see that other people in a similar position might have more difficulty than we do.

 

I think the main problem is that in many places parking provision has not kept pace with demand and, as a knock-on effect, the number of reserved bays can be disproportionately lower than required by genuine badge holders. That is bad enough but I find it really annoying when those spaces are taken by people who are simply too lazy to walk a bit further or by people who have obtained a blue badge by cheating.

 

enodreven - 2007-09-24 1:39 PM

Our local hospital parking system was altered several years ago to make blue badge holder pay for parking, and so i have been told, one of the reasons, was that a substanicial number of people attending hospital have some form of mobility problem and even though they may not be long term thus allowing them access to the badge system they never the less still should not be discriminated against so either they make all of the parking free or charge everyone ??

I think the issue of charging for parking spaces of any description is a different one. Whilst I accept that some people are on low incomes because they are unable to work as a result of disability, it by no means follows that someone who genuinely qualifies for a blue badge also has a low income. Solving that sort of problem, though, would probably lead us into the murky world of eligibility for benifits, means testing etc. which would take us right off topic :-)

 

Graham

[W3526602]

Hi,

 

Disabled bays in supermarket car parks are controlled by the supermarket. I don't know if they are rerquired by PP to provide these bays. But I bet mother and child bays are only there for commercial reasons .... ££££.

 

As said previously, I would like to see disabled bays thrown open to all on at least one day a week, perhaps with more being available to the disabled on another day.

 

And yes, my "disabled " neighbour was receiving more in benefits than many working men, so I am not against at least some disabled drivers paying for parking. Maybe there is a need for two-tier disablement?

 

Whatever, I'm off to France for a month. Bye.

 

602

[michele]

You know what the highest rate of DLA is £442 If you imagine you are 25 years old cannot work because you are like my children totally eliant on someone for ALL YOR LIFE you have no other income and no way of earning an income how would you expect them to pay for it all.

Often the only way that these people can get out is say if someone takes them out are you now going to make them people pay the penalty of taking the rightful disabled person out ? they would be out of pocket for doing a good deed.

The other thing is lots of these people live in lodgings care homes and go out and shop with their carers if you have amini bus with 6 in and two or three carers ? which one are you going to charge ?

 

There seems to be a big misunderstanding on here about how you get a blue Badge what requirements that you have to fill .

so lets get it straight . You have to be disabled can not walk or cannot walk far not sure but its a very short distance you have to be in receipt of both DLAS components Mobility and caring . The DLA sets the rate at what it is they think on a scale just because you are classed as disabled does not automatically give you the right to have a Blue Badge .

You can be Disabled in lots of ways .

The Doctor does not give out Blue badges the local council does you have to prove that the person you get the badge for is disabled in limb and cannot walk and you also have to take along with you proof from the DLA that you are in receipt of the higher rate mobility part without them you are getting nothing.

I bet lots of disabled people would like the right to go to work and earn money to take their measley amount for everytime they park is over the top to me.

You have extra things to buy when you are disabled well I do for the children anyway things like you cannot go and just by any toy and the toys supplied for special needs are a rediculos amount i,m talking hundreds for some you constanly have to buy things like clothes because like the little one who crawls around everywhere she consatnly goes through umpteen pairs of trousers life isn't easy its the cheats that spoil it for everyone.

[enodreven]

Michele

 

I don't think you are correct about the issuing of Blue Badges, lots of working people have them ?? and i know quiet a number of people with them who certainly don't get or claim DLA,

 

I think the confusion is coming from the fact that the people you decribe also get blue badges and i really do think there should be some way of seperating these levels as while i am not fully aware of the names of the types of benifit and how and what you need to qualify,

 

Copied from the Blue Badge Scheme Web Site,

 

You may qualify if you:

 

receive the higher rate of the Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance

 

receive a War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement

 

use a motor vehicle supplied by a government health department

 

are a registered blind person

 

have severe disability in both upper limbs and drive a motor vehicle regularly but cannot turn the steering wheel by hand even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob

 

have a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking

[michele]

enodreven - 2007-09-24 7:40 PM

 

Michele

 

I don't think you are correct about the issuing of Blue Badges, lots of working people have them ?? and i know quiet a number of people with them who certainly don't get or claim DLA,

 

Brian tell me more please what working person is allowed one unless they have mobility problems in a wheelchair or can't walk unaided.

 

 

 

 

 

receive the higher rate of the Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance

 

This one is ok because they receive the higher rate Mobility

 

receive a War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement

And again with this.

 

use a motor vehicle supplied by a government health department

Because to have this you must have the higher rate

 

are a registered blind person

So therefore you are disabled and cannot see to drive and need a companion care giver.

 

have severe disability in both upper limbs and drive a motor vehicle regularly but cannot turn the steering wheel by hand even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob

 

have a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking

 

All the above qualify for a Blue badge.

[enodreven]

Michele

 

Your description in your last thread identified someone who was seriously disabled and in receipt of the highest level of benefit, that was what i was replying to, as it most certainly isn't the case, and i think you will probably agree that a substantial number of the people who use our/your local supermarket car park don't fit your description, albeit they may of when the Doctor signed the application form ??

 

But as I think you said or certainly someone else has ! that Doctors are not there to check if someone is telling the truth ?? but none the less there are people who have these badges that have been legitimately issued who certainly don't meet the description you have identified,

 

I think that the last paragraph of the entitlement is the main one that can be open to interpretation the "very considerable difficulty in walking", i wouldn't have thought that this would have been difficult to show for someone complaining of back pain ?? and who was intent on obtaining a BB.

 

From friends of mine that are Doctors, tell me that when someone complains of back pain it is very difficult to tell if its legitimate ? and lets be fair its certainly not difficult to walk with a walking stick just to highlight your case.

 

As for working and having a Blue Badge one of our local stations has stopped allowing free parking to BB holders as they had started to fill the commuter car park, this then forced the local council to stop blue badge parking on the street around the station as people were using these to obtain free parking while they commute to work ?

 

There are a lot of people out there that will go to all sorts of length to obtain BB, I also know of one person who required a knee replacement and applied for a badge as they wouldn't do the knee as he was relatively young and he received the badge, however he has now had the knee replaced and is walking fine but still holds onto the badge, so for the purpose of anyone checking if he is entitled to it e.g. police etc it is still valid,

 

I wonder just how often entitlements of these badges are checked ??

 

 

 

michele - 2007-09-24 9:24 PM

 

Brian tell me more please what working person is allowed one unless they have mobility problems in a wheelchair or can't walk unaided.

 

have a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking

 

All the above qualify for a Blue badge.

[michele]

Brian,

I,m not arguing with you . I did not know that people who were waiting for a knee replacement had Blue Badges .

In order to get the Badge they have to be on both rates ie the higest and show the local issuing borough their proof of Mobility papers from the DLA .

It never fails to amaze me how these people do it.

How do they do it ?. me thinks they buy a badge on the black market I hope that many fleas infest them for an age and something drops of .

Wouldn't it just be nice :D

Oh forgot to say the junkies here steel them if on display and sell for the next fix .

[enodreven]

Michele

 

I am certainly not argue with you either, as I think we are on the same wavelength, correct me if i am wrong but if you are on the higher rate of mobility don't you get free road tax ??

 

If that is correct why don't they just do away with the blue badge, and state that the parking arrangements only apply to cars with the tax exemption, that would help to stop this missuse ?? wouldn't it

 

 

 

michele - 2007-09-25 9:53 AM

 

Brian,

I,m not arguing with you . I did not know that people who were waiting for a knee replacement had Blue Badges .

In order to get the Badge they have to be on both rates ie the higest and show the local issuing borough their proof of Mobility papers from the DLA .

It never fails to amaze me how these people do it.

How do they do it ?. me thinks they buy a badge on the black market I hope that many fleas infest them for an age and something drops of .

Wouldn't it just be nice :D

Oh forgot to say the junkies here steel them if on display and sell for the next fix .

[michele]

Brian,

You are Correct it is optional though ! We do not take it because the law says ............

In order to have it you must prove at all times that the person with the Disability is in the car !.......In our case this is not true I might just pop to the shops WITHOUT Blue Badge just for milk leaving the children here .

 

I will not be a cheat I will not have free tax because i cannot always say that they are with me. The same applies for the Camper sometimes we just go it alone like our weekend in Epinay coming up .

 

My husband has a bug bear about this now he is not able to do it as he is Office based but before when he could if he found someone cheating he would stick them on for report .

I don't believe in enforcing the law if you are not above it yourself.

[donna miller]

 

While we were on a weekend away at Lands End a few weeks ago, we saw a couple of foreign registered cars that had the disabled symbol incorporated into the number plate. This would be a much better system to adopt, You could only get plates from an official source, and they would be of no use to another vehicle, there would also be no need to display a "stealable" badge.

Just my thought.

 

On the subject of badge abuse, you will always get the minority who see it as an excuse to do anything, anywhere, the amount of times I have seen disabled drivers park in the most dangerous places imaginable, It makes you wonder sometimes whether they are mentally disabled as well.

[michele]

Not a bad idea Donna I think it might work better with Tax evasion though .

The reason is because If we done that we would have to have all 4 vehicles plated we don't mind but I dont think its fair for hubby to have that on his when he is just using the car for work.

It would be open again to all sorts of skullduggery .

My car is outside now the kids are at school if i had that i would go to the shops whats to stop me parking where I want ?..still I understand what it is you are saying whats' to stop them now and it certainly easier to nick a badge than a car..yes there must be somthing like your idea out there.

[Forester]

[. The reason is because If we done that we would have to have all 4 vehicles plated .

"FOUR VEHICLES" & here's me with one & that's nackered  lol

[michele]

Choppa,

Sounds good don't it ones my daughters her own.

one is a bums on seats for the whole family an 8 seater Caravell for days out .

one is my Volvo for shopping and getting to an from school hospital

and the van that is on the drive.

 

So sounds good but noting posh I might add .