Disabled Car Parking Spaces

[Steve]

Do you think there is too many disabled car parking spaces in supermarket stores etc.. ? Or should there be more?

[www.PhoenixDriving.org]

I would say more are needed as, I have taught disabled people to drive and trying to find a place to park can be difficult as they may need more room and time, I know it can be annoying when you see a load of empty bays, but at least most of us can walk that little bit further and its not really a problem, where if they can't park they are stuffed.

[johnH]

i think there shouldnt be a change...the more there is the more they will be abused...as they do now. see plenty of "fit" people park in there, do not display a blue badge and go shopping. mind you the owner of the car park is to blame for not policing it.

[jeebowhite]

I think they shouldnt hand out the blue badges as freely as they do, some people need them, some get them because they have an "alternate ailmant" that "may" affect their walking distances.

Time and Time again, I have seen a massive car (im talking the likes of BMWX5 - private number plates, tinted window, sports spec, and a single perfectly healthy man jumping out (yes jumping) out of the car, he had a blue badge - but I dont see why, when all I saw was one of those "embedded" hearing aids...

[Steve]

yeah agree.. some disabilities do not deserve a disabled parking bay

[Andy B]

There is a shopping center up here called slverburn the multistorie carpark ground level has too many disabled spaces

half the carpark is disabled about 30/40 spaces

its just stupid

[jeebowhite]

Yeah they can take advantage. My Mrs always says "Its either the disabled badge, or the spaces - why should they get their own priority parking AND get away with paying nothing for the privelage?"

Sorry to anyone who may have these blue badges, I agree though, they do get a lot of priority and privelage - dare I say this could fall into realms of discrimination against able bodied folk?

If they are going to keep disabled bays, I say that the drivers should still have to pay to park.

Again apologies if anyone out there is a badge holder, this is just my opinion, I just think some "disabled" folk (I say "disabled" because some of them get the badge for no relevant disability) take the pee a little...

For example, parking on double yellow lines, on blind corners, free priority parking...

I know that a lot of disabled folk out there genuinely require these aids, and I certainly wouldnt begrudge them the badge if they need it. Maybe if only the truely Disabled folk who genuinely require a badge where given them, then the priority parking would be reduced in turn, and free up more spaces for those who require it.

I dropped the Mrs and little one off at Morrisons recently, no spaces anywhere, no parent and baby/toddler, no free general spaces, I pulled up into a disabled bay, and stayed in the car (purely for the reason that if a genuinely disabled person came along I could move). Some guy jumped out the motor (he was on his own) ran over to my car and started shouting at me "why are you here, what reason do you have, you dont have a blue badge... although I had a child seat, a nappy bag, and a "baby on board sign, and told him I would happily move, I still got one hell of a mouthful.

If you have the ability to do that, then you arent disabled. The final insult to injury, was I looked at his badge, it stated that it was for his daughter, since he was in the car on his own, I asked where his daughter is and got a further mouthful, and told him that he is able bodied, the space is for someone with a disability, and as a result I would not move my car until someone with a genuine disability came along.

After much arguing and swearing he moved on, either realised he was taking the Pee or just gave up the will to fight a losing battle, true to my word, an elderly disabled couple came along, a young able bodied lady asked why I was there, showed the badge and I explained why I was there and moved away - no fuss, they were grateful more than anything else...

Sorry I waffled off topic!

[cyb]

I think there is generally enough spaces but most are not really policed and so open to abuse, more spaces would only increase the abuse.

I have to agree with others about charging disabled people for parking, I see no reason why they should be free in certain areas. Many pensioners/elderly folk who are able still have to pay so why can't disabled driver many who seem to be able to afford new cars and expensive models?