Disabled parking.
The only time we’re visible in society?
How many times have you exited your car in a disabled space only to be confronted by an angry person demanding to know the exact nature of your disability?
This happened to me the other day.
I took my mum out – walking stick, disabled parking badge, etc – and parked in a disabled space. Two. TWO people in cars (not disabled, waiting for ‘disabled’ people) got out their cars and harangued us.
‘Erm, yes, my mum can’t walk far (gestured to stick). How far? Really? Are you serious?’
They were.
‘Well, as I said, my mum can’t walk that far, and for your information, I have MS.’
‘Oh, yes? You expect me to believe that?
But who am I to judge?
Fast forward to our next stop, near the chemist. Three disabled spaces, handily near the local supermarket. So, obviously taken up with customers of the local supermarket. Without disabled badges.
But it’s ok. I spoke to them – they were only parking for five minutes – enough time to get into the supermarket, grab a pizza, bottle of wine and latest copy of Hello!.
Only five minutes. We wish. If only they could be disabled for just five minutes.
And there’s the nub. These people see disabled spaces, make a rational decision and decide that their need is greater than ours. Is that the only time they think this way? Or is it endemic in society?
Disabled spaces are fair game and our government has led the way – we are all wastrels, scoundrels, beggars. With this blatant misuse of disabled spaces, the general public send a stark message:
We don’t care. Prove yourself.
I tell them it is a $500 fine to park in disabled spots without a pass. Take your phone out and take a picture of their windshield without the pass, their car license plate and an over all shot of their car in the disabled parking space… dont do it while they are there as they may get very angry and smash your phone… go to the police station and report them. The police can send a warning or a fine to the person who owns the car license plates. yep…
I am able to get out of the car by myself and the stares I get…. I stare right back good and hard while I wait for my husband to roll my wheel chair up to me then I give them another look that says….A**hole…. yep
I did find a traffic warden one day and pointed him in the direction of all the cars in disabled parking without a badge, but they weren’t really interested! I also contacted the school nearby where parents park in disabled spaces ‘for just five minutes’ to drop their kids off. I was told by the headmaster that it wasn’t his problem!
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That makes me so mad!! I was at Sainsbury’s last weekend. They have quite a lot of disabled spaces which is really good. When I returned to my car the person in car next to me was so angry as he had got a ticket. When I pointed out to him that he was parked in a disabled space he said it was only for 10 minutes and he had told staff in Sainsbury’s he was never shopping there again, he also showed me his ‘Press’ badge and said he was a journalist and was going to write an article about what he had experienced. I just wonder what sub editor would allow that story to go in the paper. What amazed me most was that he saw absolutely nothing wrong with what he had done and blamed Sainsbury’s for having the nerve to give him a ticket. Grrr…
That’s unbelievable!!!
There’s loads and loads of other spaces to park in and what they don’t realise is not only are disabled parking spaces closer to the store, but they are wider, for obvious reasons. It’s crazy.
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I have a blue badge, have had one for almost 10 years and when I first got it, so many people would do the same to me. Now I look older people tend to not bug me, also hubby can be very vocal to people if needed :p and I have grown a backbone over the years dealing with the stupid stuff people ask/say behind my back but within earshot/the dirty looks where I just give them the dirty look back :p
I have had people say they park in disabled bays because they don’t think disabled people should get anything they can’t, why do they need to park closer to the stores….
um…, people like that make me wish a disability on them, mean of me, but it might, (probably not tho), make them realize why the spaces are there.
People are inherently selfish, sad to say, so its all done again to the me, me, me mentality. I want what they have…but not the disability that goes with it.
Exactly! It just shows the low regard people in society hold disabled people. We’re ‘fair game’.
I don’t think the government’s agenda against us over the last few years has helped much either. It’s almost a sanctioned state hate crime!
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Yep, disabled spaces closest to some shop entrances are often filled by non disabled badge holders ‘cos they’re “just ‘popping in’ for a few items, cigarettes etc.”. Even more galling is when they stop on double yellow lines / hatched area right in front of the entrance, so that you have difficulty getting into the store even from the disabled spaces! (Still, as they say in France, they’re obviously “special”!)
Yup, that’s infuriating!
And that old ‘it’s only for five minutes’ really, really annoys me. That five minutes is the difference between a disabled person finding a space or not, and just heading home again.
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I am soooo with you on this one. I would enjoy a few good rows with people abut this issue but out town is far too middle class and well behaved to do something like misuse a disabled space on the main drag. Instead they nick mine that is 75 yards off the main drag and outside a private house.
Grrrrrr
That’s terrible!
I like those leaflets you can print off the internet and put on their window (must get some!).
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I so agree with you! My pet hate – I have a meal out every few weeks with girlfriends nice eatery with 4 handy disabled parking slots but never empty cos of people popping to nearby chippie! One time I forgot to display blue badge in another car park and I got a ticket!!
Because getting a chippie is more important than taking someone’s disabled space!!
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I so agree. Xx
🙂
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