Blue Badge

[Drudgeon]

I don't know if I'm glad to read this thread or not, the parking issue in general is one of my big bugbears, either people parking in disabled spaces, or people that just 'invent' parking spaces that are close to where they want to be, but yesterday I think I saw something that took the top prize, stopping on the M25 at Cobham services, sat outside having a bite to eat, I witnessed a large motorhome park sideways taking up 2 disabled spaces, it parked there for over half an hr, the mother and 2 teenage daughters went in to collect lunch (and very healthy they looked too) whist dad set the table in the rear of the motorhome, they came back with the food and sat inside and dined! It turns out that they actually did have a blue badge, I certainly didn't see anyone who was struggling to get about, I just cannot believe people have the nerve to do it, I was in shock.

These are the kind of ignorant people that have made our once great country into a laughing stock, nobody gives a toss about anyone but themselves any more.

 

[Baldhead]

From http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/misuse-of-pa ... led-people:

The Blue Badge Scheme does not apply to off-street car parks, for example supermarket car parks. However, off-street car parks may provide bays for Blue Badge holders. Please check with notices before parking.

And:

In the case of local council off-street car parks, it is normally an offence to park in a parking bay for a person with disabilities without displaying a valid Blue Badge. Drivers who misuse such spaces may also have to pay an 'excess charge'.

There is a difference in privately owned car parks. Charges and conditions of use in off-street car parks are a contractual matter between the car park owner and the motorist. Enforcement of parking bays for people with disabilities is therefore a matter for the individual owner or operator of the car park.

Here's an email received from Waitrose


Our customers cannot park in disabled bays without showing the blue badge.

If this isn't the case in any of our branches, please ask to speak to the duty manager on your next visit there so they can take appropriate action.

Thanks for telling us about this. If there's anything else we can help you with, please do come back to us.

Kind regards

Ant Skrebsky
Waitrose Customer Service

Baldhead

 

[Mark-numbers]

Really? You have gone to this effort to prove a point?

Comical

 

[Grahamshed]

It turns out that they actually did have a blue badge, I certainly didn't see anyone who was struggling to get about, I just cannot believe people have the nerve to do it, I was in shock.
T.

I have a blue badge but you won't see me struggling to get about either. I am registered blind and get a badge automatically but I can still see enough not to trip over the other parked cars so you would not know I was 'disabled' at first sight.

 

[NickWelford]

There are often non badge holders parked in the disabled spaces at our local waitrose. I doubt if they have the staff or time to regularly check every space for compliance.