I was surprised to see a traffic warden ticket a car in a disabled bay at my local shops today. The parking is in an off-road area, a couple of miles from the town centre.
The car park has twenty spaces, three of which are marked for disabled. Do we really need 15% of parking spaces reserved for the disabled?
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Depends on the type of shops and clientele. Include a pharmacy and in an area with a large number of older people and I'd say yes.
The percentages get a bit crude when dealing with small numbers. Two would be reasonable, three is OK.
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No excuse, if you park in one of these bays without a genuine reason you are looking for trouble.The reason you park there because you have a disability.
There should be more checks on the badge by wardens if the picture on it belongs to the person in the car.
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I have just visited my local Tesco where I observed two people whose disabilities included the inability to park within the limits of the extra wide bay provided!
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Long ago I would have agreed. More recently I have seen councils impose 2 disabled bays out of six on the residents of six flats only one of which had a disabled relative. Simply a scam so someones relative (highly connected in the council) who was disabled could come and park at will.
Plenty of places have gone mad and put far more disabled bays in than will ever be filled even on disabled driver convention day, while there is an under provision for everyone else.
Common sense has gone and we have polically correct nonsense in place and anyone who challenges it is attacked as anti disabled.
To say nothing of the routine abuse of disabled badges so common now.
Last edited by: retgwte on Tue 21 May 13 at 15:58
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Recently, when I was walking away from my parked car, someone who had just parked in a disabled bay asked me whether he had to pay ~ there was a pay and display notice adjacent to the disabled bay in which he'd parked. I pointed out to him that he'd got a wider-than-normal bay in a privileged position, and that that was the limit of his entitlement. He looked none too happy.
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>> Do we really need 15% of parking spaces reserved for the disabled?
Doesn't sound nearly enough judging from a cursory scan of the media and pronouncements by leading politicians. That would convince you that a majority of the population are crippled, queer or half-witted. And that most of the rest are crooks and tarts.
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I'm sure that the vast majority of disabled people would gladly swap the dubious "privilege" of having lots of parking spaces in return for *not* being disabled, and only having to worry about where to park.
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So true Londoner,disability is no fun when you are dealing with a person who is in pain everyday.
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Do we really need 15% of parking spaces reserved for the disabled?
There are 10.8 million disabled adults in the UK , (approximately 14.5% of the adult population) Around 3.5 million are in employment. Only 48% of disabled people are in employment compared with 81% for none disabled people. (Source: 2001 Census)
www.5boroughspartnership.nhs.uk/base-page.aspx?ID=4787
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There are 10.8 million disabled adults in the UK , (approximately 14.5% of the adult population)
You might like to have another go at the maths there, Madf.
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>> 10.8 million disabled adults in the UK
More than one in six of the total population. One can only wonder just how disabled some of them are.
No one could fail to sympathise with those in pain or otherwise genuinely handicapped by illness or injury. But I suspect the figures conceal a lot of skivers and drama queens.
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Plus, I am guessing, they don't all drive.
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>> Plus, I am guessing, they don't all drive.
My Mother doesn't drive any more but she still needs a disabled space if she goes anywhere.
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>> There are 10.8 million disabled adults in the UK , (approximately 14.5% of the adult
>> population)
>>
>> You might like to have another go at the maths there, Madf.
>>
Thanks WDB but I was copying a report.. not doing my own sumz...
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Those figures for disability surely include all cases of disability, not just those affecting mobility?
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Maybe, but something is clearly wrong (10.8m is 14.5% of 77m, far more than there are people, never mind adults, in the UK. So wd don't know which number, if any, to trust.) And now we're getting comments based on it - see RR above. So it would have been better not to quote it, don't you think?
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>> There are 10.8 million disabled adults in the UK ,
>>
I'm not surprised, disability benefit being higher than unemployment pay.
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Many moons ago I had a Doctor-on-call badge in my MGB Roadster which came in very very usefull ;)
But when I got my collar felt in Brixton, a copper from Lambeth nick, nicked it orf my car.
No kidding!
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Two sides of the story...every time.
I take my 5 year old for swimming lessons every week. We park in a small car park with about 5 disabled bays (I've never seen all 5 full by the way, but that's another yarn).
There's a lady that turns up every week at the same time in a VW minibus...and one of her sons is most definitely disabled, he's wheel chair bound. She parks in one of the disabled bays, with a badge showing in the window.
Just what the system is for. It's a shame the young lad is in that situation and i'm glad a civilised country tries to ease their hassle a bit.
Some weeks though she turns up and parks as such..without the disabled lad. Out comes the badge etc. Now that 'p's me off. It's a liberty.
Happens up and down the country, day in day out...and brings the whole system into disrepute, when it ought to be there for those that truly need it.
It's the way of things. There ought to be spot checks and a 2 strikes and you're out.
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I take my 95yo aunt out fortnightly on one of days off. My friends jokingly call it 'care in the community', especially when my old Mum comes along. She enjoys a good long drive, lunch, then 90 mins in Asda buying a dozen items. She is very frail, hangs on to her trolley as tho her life depends on it, and it really pees me off when people use disabled bays when there is no disabled person on board. Not being able to use a disabled bay doesn't bother me as I am not disabled. I drop the old dear off by the front door, grab a trolley for her, point her in the right direction, park elsewhere then try to find all 3' 12" of her somewhere in t'Asda.
She insists on me displaying her blue badge even when parked as far away as possible from the panel denting old codgers! And I get a fiver for me troubles. Thats almost a pound an hour in wages, less the £30 or so I spend on Shell V Power getting there and back.
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>>
>> Some weeks though she turns up and parks as such..without the disabled lad. Out comes
>> the badge etc. Now that 'p's me off. It's a liberty.
>>
>> Happens up and down the country, day in day out...and brings the whole system into
>> disrepute, when it ought to be there for those that truly need it.
>>
That.... and the fact that some view the blue badge as a carte blanche to park anywhere they like, for as long as they like, with absolutely no regard for anyone else.
I deliver regularly to Porth, in the Rhondda valley; the main shopping street is one-way, about 200 yards long with dedicated disabled bays at each end and one loading area in the middle. All the left side is parking or loading bays in fact.
Not only do blue badge drivers get very shirty with me when I politely ask them to vacate the loading bay (which is not covered by their exemption) but they regularly park slap bang on the T-junction at the top of the road making it impossible for anything larger than a Transit van to get past.
I don't have an issue with the blue badge scheme; it's a good thing which serves a genuine need. I also happily concede that not all disabilities may be immediately obvious to a layman. Better education of its users as to the finer points of its limitations would not be a bad thing though. I suspect that some wardens are also reluctant to ticket blue badge holders for fear of being accused of insensitivity.
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>> some wardens are
>> also reluctant to ticket blue badge holders for fear of being accused of insensitivity.
>>
Traffic wardens, insensitive ? Shome mishtake there, shurely ?
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Able bodied who park in disabled bays are the pits are far as I am concerned.
I have a very good friend who is disabled with polio and walks on crutches and we regularly travel with him to visit theatres, restaurants or go on holidays and his blue badge is a necessity not a privilege.....
I have seen him defeated getting to somewhere by a single step that you or I would not think twice about.
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I'm a Blue Badge holder and would willingly swop my bagde to be able to walk some distance without pain.
From observation, there are a lot fewer than 15% disabled bays in most places. The hospital that I attend has just six disabled bays, and I often have to wait, or look for two places together so that I can get out of my car. Supermarket car parks have the worst offenders for wrongful parking. They are usually young women who exit their cars and run inside the store. Nobody seems to bother about them.
My local Lidl has just four bays, and I noticed that the same three cars were always parked in the bays, and no badges displayed. I contacted Lidl and it transpired they were staff.
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I've never parked in a disabled bay in my life, it's just one of those things that you don't do. I hope I never have to.
One of the police blogs once noted that wrongful use of disabled bays was one of the best indicators of other criminality in the driver.
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I confess to SWMBO parking in one outside a DIY shed (private land, so I guess not legally enforceable).
I had a leg in plaster at the time. Someone who was much more nimble on his pins than I complained we were depriving him of his space.
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It winds me up when apparently able people park in disabled spaces (my Dad had motor neurone, so I know how important these spaces are for the genuinely disabled). I am often tempted to ask these transgressors if their disability is mental.
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>> It winds me up ...............
>> I am often tempted to ask these transgressors if their disability is mental.
I used to be an "angry young man", but I've mellowed with age.
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>>I am often tempted to ask these transgressors if their disability is mental. <<
Have you ever thought it may not be visible?
Pat
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>> >>I am often tempted to ask these transgressors if their disability is mental. <<
>>
>> Have you ever thought it may not be visible?
>>
>> Pat
>>
I agree. A friend has a Blue Badge on account of her COPD ~ which is not visible.
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I'm sure many on here have seen them, but in France disabled bays are often accompanied by a sign saying 'if you want my parking space you can have my handicap as well'.
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A blue badge is for those who are physically incapacitated, ie cant walk far. No-one else needs one and shouldn't get one
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>> I agree. A friend has a Blue Badge on account of her COPD ~ which
>> is not visible.
Yes it is, The constant stopping, wheezing and slow movement is a bit of a a giveaway. If you haven't got to that stage you don't need a blue badge.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 23 May 13 at 10:13
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>> The constant stopping, wheezing and slow movement is a bit of a
>> a giveaway. If you haven't got to that stage you don't need a blue badge.
I'll tell her what you said, Doctor Zero.
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Nothing to do with being a doctor. If its not visible she don't need a badge.
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>> Nothing to do with being a doctor. If its not visible she don't need a
>> badge.
What do you mean by visible? Does her face have to be visibly racked with pain?
There are also variable conditions such as MS and auto-immune disorders.
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>> >> Nothing to do with being a doctor. If its not visible she don't need
>> a
>> >> badge.
>>
>> What do you mean by visible? Does her face have to be visibly racked with
>> pain?
That is one of the criteria, yes if you want to be facetious about it. But of course, as I explained exceptionally slow movement, breathlessness, constant stopping, inability to walk more than x number of yards. I think you will agree all easily visible, regardless of the medical cause which is irrelevant. If the condition is variable, and they are on a good day, they shouldn't use the badge to the detriment of those who might need that space that day. If its that variable they probably shouldn't even get a badge.
NOw what sensible and pragmatic person could object to that statement?
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>> NOw what sensible and pragmatic person could object to that statement?
Having worked with disabled people I found the 'it must be visible' test crude and unfair. Disability can be nuanced. That's why you need a medical opinion.
Some effects of head injury or mental incapacity can come/go in seconds - seizures ans such like. Obviously anybody thus afflicted is unlikley to drive but for their sake and that of their escort they should have a badge.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Fri 24 May 13 at 09:55
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>> >> NOw what sensible and pragmatic person could object to that statement?
>>
>> Having worked with disabled people I found the 'it must be visible' test crude and
>> unfair. Disability can be nuanced. That's why you need a medical opinion.
The medical opinion IS a visible test.
>> Some effects of head injury or mental incapacity can come/go in seconds - seizures ans
>> such like. Obviously anybody thus afflicted is unlikley to drive but for their sake and
>> that of their escort they should have a badge.
Not they shouldn't. The blue badge is for impaired mobility, not "the off chance of seizures when accompanied by someone else" or "because they are mentally deficient"
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The symptoms should be visible though - an inability to walk easily. The requirements, at least in Norfolk, are:
"You must be permanently and substantially disabled, so that you are unable to walk, or have considerable difficulty in walking due to excessive pain or at an extremely slow pace"
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>> The requirements, at
>> least in Norfolk, are:
>>
>>
>> "You must be permanently and substantially disabled, so that you are unable to walk,
>> or have considerable difficulty in walking due to excessive pain or at an extremely slow
>> pace"
The inbreeding in Norfolk must result in that being applicable to a large percentage of people.
:-D
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>>"You must be permanently and substantially disabled, so that you are unable to walk, or have considerable difficulty in walking due to excessive pain or at an extremely slow pace"
I know a bod who can walk as far and as fast as me, he has a blue badge, due to him AND his Mother telling porkies.
Dis-abled, he ain't.
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>> I am often tempted to ask these transgressors if their disability is mental.
And if he swore back at you, you could be mistaken for thinking his disability was tourettes ;)
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I'm glad that someone saw the tongue in my cheek!
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I only got my badge last year, but I had to jump through lots of hoops (figuratively speaking) to get it. The Govt. changed the rules last year, and doctors were no longer allowed to recommend applicants for a Blue Badge. I had to complete an assessment form with details of medication and medical condition. Following this I had to attend at a social services assessment centre for interview and assessment by a physiotherapist. Ten days later I heard that they had approved my request.
I think a lot of people got through on the old system, but it's now not so easy, if my experience is anything to go by.
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>> I think a lot of people got through on the old system, but it's now
>> not so easy, if my experience is anything to go by.
Its very very easy to keep it once you have it, just filled out my mums renewal. Essentially all you have to do is reconfirm who you are, and tick the box that says you still need it.
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>> Its very very easy to keep it once you have it, just filled out my
>> mums renewal. Essentially all you have to do is reconfirm who you are, and tick
>> the box that says you still need it.
So it should be. I wish my disability was only temporary.
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So it should be. I wish my disability was only temporary
Ditto and I keep thinking I'm going to get better, but no real improvement in nearly three years. My blue badge is due for renewal in August so I'm happy to hear it's easy to renew, although something says it might not be in all areas. We shall see.
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>> I've never parked in a disabled bay in my life, it's just one of those
>> things that you don't do. I hope I never have to.
>>
>> One of the police blogs once noted that wrongful use of disabled bays was one
>> of the best indicators of other criminality in the driver.
That blog is presumably not written by one of the officers who regularly park their vans in the disabled spaces at a local McDonald's.
Also, exactly how would they know that it is a good indicator of criminality?
Aside from the occasional blitz on misuse of disabled badges (which is a different matter), the police don't generally seem to get involved with car wrongly parked in disabled bays, so how would a police blogger be able to tie that parking to other criminality?
Last edited by: SteelSpark on Fri 24 May 13 at 10:04
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>> Aside from the occasional blitz on misuse of disabled badges (which is a different matter),
>> the police don't generally seem to get involved with car wrongly parked in disabled bays,
>> so how would a police blogger be able to tie that parking to other criminality?
It falls under parking enforcement, which as far as I understand it, is a council matter.
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>> It falls under parking enforcement, which as far as I understand it, is a council
>> matter.
I'm sure you're right Z, although I thought that the police also tended to get involved when they have a blitz on dodgy badges.
But, as you say, it's mainly the council or private firms for car parks, so generally of the police radar I believe.
Maybe the blogger has done their own research, but I'd wonder where they could get good enough data to suggest that people parking in disabled bays are more likely to be involved in criminality.
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Here: tinyurl.com/o3qgc69 A symptom of anti-social attitudes perhaps.
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"A symptom of anti-social attitudes perhaps."
Is anyone surprised by this??? If the police stopped more motorists with e.g. dodgy lights, I'm sure they'd uncover other stuff as well. When they stopped the local scrote for not wearing a crash helmet whilst riding his moped, they also found he was over the limit (he also had lots of other offences that the police already knew about).
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>> Maybe the blogger has done their own research, but I'd wonder where they could get
>> good enough data to suggest that people parking in disabled bays are more likely to
>> be involved in criminality.
There is a likley correlation between Blue Badge abuse - forgery etc - and criminality. Whether unbadged chancers are more likley to be crooks is, I would have thought, less likley.
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>> There is a likley correlation between Blue Badge abuse - forgery etc - and criminality.
>> Whether unbadged chancers are more likley to be crooks is, I would have thought, less
>> likley.
Yes, I would tend to agree.
The research kindly linked to above would seem highly questionable. It doesn't state how small the the sample is, but says that a car parked in a disabled bay is 5 times more likely to have a traffic violation history (and probably not surprisingly).
However, it says that 1 in 3 are linked to some other kind of criminality.
Two problems there. Firstly it doesn't say what proportion of cars not parked in disabled bays are linked to some kind of criminality.
Secondly, its definition of "other kinds of criminality" lumps together unpaid tickets with assault, theft and burglary.
Was 1998 before parking offences were decriminalised? If so, this "criminality" is likely just other parking offences, rather than being a good indication that the driver is likely to assault you, steal from you or burgle you.
So, in summary, this research just seems to show that, if you improperly park in disabled bays, you probably have a history of parking improperly, and will probably do so in the future.
Hardly groundbreaking, and hardly proof that parking in disabled bays means you are more likely to be criminal.
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In relation to cit. 2, here is the 1999 report: Table 1 might be of interest. tinyurl.com/pheo42a If you read citation 3 there is a much broader picture drawn linking traffic offences especially multiple offences with other criminality. tinyurl.com/ozcokak As i see it, getting traffic wardens to look at disabled parking abuse can give police intelligence on crooks. Low hanging fruit?
Last edited by: NIL on Fri 24 May 13 at 14:27
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Misuse of a blue badge is a criminal offence.
From Norfolk CC website:
"If you suspect a badge is being misused, you should report this to the police and provide them with as many details as you can.
You can report a non-emergency crime by calling 101."
You can get a hefty fine for misuse - Manchester post a list of offenders
www.manchester.gov.uk/info/274/disabled_parking/3642/blue_badge_enforcement_gallery
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>>You can get a hefty fine for misuse - Manchester post a list of offenders
www.manchester.gov.uk/info/274/disabled_parking/3642/blue_badge_enforcement_gallery
It would appear over half on that list were a certain ethnicity...........................
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There are too many disabled bays these days. Some car parks seem to be about 20% empty disabled parking. I think this was caused by Labour allowing anyone on benefits to claim for a free car or extra cash by saying they were disabled. Even parents with children with bad behaviour get a blue badge and a free laptop these days.
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Got a source for any of that, ST?
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Of course not, it's all hot air.
Pat
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It's quite unusual to see them all in use. On the rare occasions when I do notice them all in use, I don't check to see if they are being used by the right people.
It's simply yobbish to use them if you aren't entitled. Like trying to jump the queue in the newsagent. But some people are just yobs, cattivi maleducati as the Italians say.
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>> That blog is presumably not written by one of the officers who regularly park their
>> vans in the disabled spaces at a local McDonald's.
Private property, so no offence. Might well be considered anti-social..but...to be balanced with the very real considerations that go with keeping the vehicle nearby...i.e. it won't get vandalised and is available quickly for an urgent call.
Could be laziness of course..but the above gives a good excuse, so c'est la vie.
>>
>> Also, exactly how would they know that it is a good indicator of criminality?
That sort of thing has been known for donkey's years. It doesn't just apply to disabled bays, it applies to everything.
People who regularly commit crime have low morals and standards. Their criminality and low morals will apply to most if not everything they do...so whereas most decent people would not park in a disabled bay, the average crook wouldn't even think about it, their selfishness wouldn't allow it.
Same would apply to their MOT/insurance, bald tyes, etc, etc.
>>
>> Aside from the occasional blitz on misuse of disabled badges (which is a different matter),
>> the police don't generally seem to get involved with car wrongly parked in disabled bays,
>> so how would a police blogger be able to tie that parking to other criminality?
See above.
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>>
>> One of the police blogs once noted that wrongful use of disabled bays was one
>> of the best indicators of other criminality in the driver.
>>
Funny you should say that. A mate once regaled me with a story of a copper on Merseyside who'd won several awards for crime clearup.
His revolutionary crimebusting technique was to tour the local supermarkets and run a check on every vehicle parked in the disabled bays. This would often yield a lack of insurance, stolen/cloned vehicle, owner with an outstanding warrant, banned driver, etc ad nauseum.
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Does this geezer represent any party Perro?
On the police parking outside McDonald's in the clinically-obese burger addict slots: I have always seen it as a fuzz privilege to park wherever they want, diagonally in the middle of the road when they feel like it and double parking any time anywhere.
What's the point of being Notting Hill CID if you can't dye your hair (and your partner's) orange, park your golden-bronze Mondeo in the traffic stream and strut across the road to the incident n identical tee shirts? It must be half the fun.
(Heh heh)
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Went to Asda yesterday afternoon and all of the disabled bays were taken. Had to wait nearly fifteen minutes before one came available.
Unfortunately, I can't park in a normal bay unless the one to the drivers door is free, as I have to have the door wide open for exit and entrance.
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>> Unfortunately, I can't park in a normal bay unless the one to the drivers door
>> is free, as I have to have the door wide open for exit and entrance.
Was there not room to park in two bays and display your badge?
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>>
>> Was there not room to park in two bays and display your badge?
>>
I saw somebody getting a ticket for doing just that in Asda at Greenhithe last week even though they were displaying a blue badge !
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>> >> Unfortunately, I can't park in a normal bay unless the one to the drivers
>> door
>> >> is free, as I have to have the door wide open for exit and
>> entrance.
>>
>> Was there not room to park in two bays and display your badge?
There were no other parking places available so it was not possible to do that. I could have gone to the far end of the car park - about three hundred yards away- where there would be empty bays, but I would have been in agony. It's bad enough having to walk around the store. It's not the usual Asda store, but a Walmart, and it's huge.
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If they were all taken by valid users, then that's life and a wait is a wait, happens to us all.
If they were taken by people who had no right to use them (notice how I avoided the pun?), then I'd recommend a letter to the store manager asking what he's going to do about it.
I always find it better to ask them what they're going to do about something, rather than telling them what they should do. Leaving the onus on them exposes them so much more to the media commenting on their reaction, and they know it.
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>> If they were all taken by valid users, then that's life and a wait is
>> a wait, happens to us all.
>>
>> If they were taken by people who had no right to use them (notice how
>> I avoided the pun?), then I'd recommend a letter to the store manager asking what
>> he's going to do about it.
I have no idea if any were taken by those without Blue Badges. What I have noticed on previous occasions were people stopping in the disable bays to use the cash machines that are close by.
Certainly, Asda has nowhere near the 30% of disabled bays that someone above has posted. Considering the size of the car park, there are probably less than 1/4 of 1 per cent. I think there are about ten or twelve places.
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>> I have no idea if any were taken by those without Blue Badges. What I
>> have noticed on previous occasions were people stopping in the disable bays to use the
>> cash machines that are close by.
This is a well known problem in store design. The cash machine users think it's OK 'cos they're only there for two minutes.
Another case for a letter to the manager.
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What do you do if there is only a disabled space left?
Why is it that someone cannot walk 50 yards to the door but can do it when they get INSIDE the store.
These are seriously misused, both in the number we have and those qualified to use them
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>>What do you do if there is only a disabled space left?
Park further away. Because that might be a PITA for me, but that space might me vital to someone else.
And I prefer not to be the sort of person who uses disabled spaces I don't need, even if others are and even if that inconveniences me.
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Of course you park further away I always did it is manners for starters.
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Goodness. Really compromised mobility must be terrible. I get a bit out of breath first thing in the morning, but even then I can waddle the 600 yard round trip for the paper. Later in the day, well, I couldn't run far even from a very fat policeman, but I can easily walk along at moderate speed for considerable distances without distress.
Even so at my age, what with being a cyborg and all, I imagine I could get one of these blue badges if I played my cards right and grimaced at a few imaginary twinges.
But since everyone else is being so ostentatiously bon enfant on this one, I can only add that I wouldn't dream of doing it.
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I could if I played my cards right,never been a keen card player to much aggro.
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>> never been a keen card player to much aggro.
Heh heh, me too Dutchman. Boredom, aggro and narrow tight focus. I'm far too wimpish and idle. I leave it to Memphis Slim and Minnesota Fats. They actually like that crap.
Had an American writer friend who had a gambling habit and when in London used to go to those Mayfair casinos and throw away all his money (he wasn't rich either). One night he insisted, while staying with us, on taking me to one of these places which are very obviously horrible even from the discreet door and geezer in uniform. I really didn't want to go, but he insisted. They'll lend you a tie, he said.
The doorman took one brief glance and said I couldn't go in. I have no idea why but doubtless he had his reasons. My writer buddy was terribly mortified, but the fever was on him and he went in anyway. Can't remember how he did. Very nice guy, dead now.
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Doorman must have been wary of you A.C you never know..;)
I'm glad you are feeling ok A.C look after the ticker and steady on the wine,me calling the kettle black.
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>>I get a bit out of breath first thing in the morning
What d'you mean before the first gasper Sire?
:}
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A.C will outlive us Dog strong as a Dobermann.
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>> before the first gasper Sire?
Still have up to four or five while reading the comic and drinking the oh-so-crucial coffee made in my little machine. But not before going out fo the paper. That would be asking for it. I really hate having to stop, panting heavily, and hold onto something. Happened in London once or twice but I don't let it happen now. I try to keep the snout down to ten or so. Nicotine chewing gum helps.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Sat 25 May 13 at 20:08
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My old man used to like reading the comics.I used to find it strange as a kid big 18 stone bloke rough and ready reading comics.He used to laugh out loud and enjoyed reading.
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>> big 18 stone bloke rough and ready reading comics.He used to laugh out loud and enjoyed reading.
I hope I don't weigh more than 12 stone - even that would be overweight - but I am quite rough and ready (they censoriously claim) and I do often chuckle heartlessly over the comic. Dandy, Beano, Daily Telegraph - all much the same innit?
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My FiL smoked 'til the end = 87, mustn't grumble at that really.
My brother gave it up at about age 70, but he'd been smoking since he was 14 FFS, he came down with various illnesses shortly afterwards so I suggested he start smoking again, which he did, and he felt much better for it,
until he dropped down dead a few months ago.
My German g/f used to take me to the casino in Plymouth, I hated it, she took me to a casino in Sopot, Danzig, and we won a million złoty , and I still hated it, if it had been £1000,000 I may well have acquired a fondness for it.
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Last time I was in Gdanks fourty seven years ago.Crew went ashore and had their fun.
Old man wouldn't let me go he did care in his own way over a sixteen year old.I did the same shifts as the crew and stood at the helm when needed.I enjoyed the experience and it prepared me for the future looking after myself.
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I liked Poland, Dutchie, miles of deep forest and ginormous lakes, but very hot summers and freezing cold winters.
Talking of which, Moscow has been around 20° to 22° lately, while we have had to put up with 12° to 14°
in the coldest spring for 30 years thanks to the jet stream being out of kilter.
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>> he did care in his own way over a sixteen year old.I did the same shifts as the crew and stood at the helm when needed.I enjoyed the experience and it prepared me for the future looking after myself.
You still miss the old North Sea tugboat skipper don't you Dutchie. From your accounts he comes across like a Conrad or Kipling character. Seamen are strong physically and mentally. A bit frightening in principle, not so much in practice unless you really annoy them.
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>> What do you do if there is only a disabled space left?
You leave it for the people it's meant for and orbit the car park until a space comes free. Even on Xmas eve I've never seen a supermarket car park 100% occupied. If the parking is inadequate follow Mark's line and ask the manager what's being done about it.
>> Why is it that someone cannot walk 50 yards to the door but can do
>> it when they get INSIDE the store.
I asked my mother who walks with a frame....
Inside the store the floor is smooth and level, the trolley helps with support and if that's not enough there are courtesy wheelchairs. It's also warm and dry.
Outside the store the ground is uneven if it's cold/wet slow moving people chill quickly. Crossing roads with a frame holds up everyone else.
>> These are seriously misused, both in the number we have and those qualified to use
>> them
Maybe. If so then write to your MP and/or the Council.
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>> >> What do you do if there is only a disabled space left?
>>
>> You leave it for the people it's meant for and orbit the car park until
>> a space comes free. Even on Xmas eve I've never seen a supermarket car park
>> 100% occupied. If the parking is inadequate follow Mark's line and ask the manager what's
>> being done about it.
You have to be able to park to do that, he is not going to run alongside while you circle the car park with the window down.
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Even on Xmas eve I've never seen a supermarket car park
>> 100% occupied.
I have. Our local Tesco Extra is sited on a shopping park with Argos, Boots etc. At Christmas it is packed solid with people driving around looking for spaces.
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If all the spaces are full, but there are plenty of disabled ones, I *may* use one.
If it is say 7pm and the carpark is nearly empty and there are say 30 disabled spaces, I will use one, but one of the 15 furthest away. It's called common sense. The rules are to ensure disabled people can park near the shop, as long as they still can then there is nothing to worry about.
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Even on Xmas eve I've never seen a supermarket car park 100% occupied.
Wouldn't swear to 100% but Waitrose in Wokingham gets pretty close at 1100 on a Saturday. I go there on foot, but it's great fun luring drivers up its various dead ends by walking purposefully with my bag of shopping towards the back of someone else's parked car.
Confession time: How does the panel feel about my occasional late-evening pee in a disabled loo at work on my way out of the building? There's no-one else about and it's just easier to manage coat and bag and stuff in the wider room, but put the cuffs on now if I deserve them.
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My Dad's 83 and shuffles little steps more than walks. He lives in France and still doesn't count himself disabled so never applied to have a french blue badge or whatever they have out there. He recently visited and took the advantage of the special assistance service at the airport but other than that he'll just get on with things without complaint.
We went to our local Sainsburys in Marlow and I dropped him by the entrance so he can get a trolley to use as a walker whilst I found a parking space, paid & displayed and set out to catch up with him. I noticed a brand new 7 series BMW pull into a disabled bay and throw a blue badge on the dashboard, the owner and wife leap out like a couple of spring chickens and almost overtake me as I walked towards the entrance. A bit knarked that with a £70k car they didn't have to pay to park but I did I decided to watch them whenever I could during our visit. Fit as a fiddle as far as I'm concerned - in the 40 mins that I saw them sporadically, neither appeared to have any disability whatsoever and covered ground with speed when returning to their car.
I guess it's a bit like whiplash and/or a friendly doctor that the system has been abused, glad to see above it might not be so easy to obtain these days. However, looking at the cars in the disabled bays very nearly all of them are newish (around these parts anyhoo) so why don't badge owners have to pay to park like the rest of us? As I type that I've realised that if they did they'd just park on double yellows instead.
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Report them - Crapita now run the Blue Badge scheme for profit so the Local Authority fumbling has been taken out of the equation.
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I got my Blue Badge last year when the scheme changed. I was reviewed by the local authority social care team and it certainly wasn't easy. The scheme was removed from GPs because it was felt it was being abused. I gather GPs were more sympathetic.
I have difficulty, and pain, in walking, and it annoys me to see people parking in disabled bays without badges. Usually, they are men and women in their twenties and thirties. I remonstrated with a woman in Tesco the other week. Merc E class and no badge. I was just getting out of my car when she pulled in. Told her it was disabled parking only and she was not happy. Plenty of spaces available to park but she just ignored them. She did move after I spoke to her, but gave me a mouthful.
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A stated before it would be something I would forcefully portest about if I was disabled in any way.
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>> However, looking at the cars in the disabled bays very nearly all of them are newish
Some are probably obtained through the Motability Scheme. www.motability.co.uk/
>> why don't badge owners have to pay to park like the rest of us? As I type that I've realised that if they did they'd just park on double yellows instead.
Councils would sooner disabled people use the car parks than park on double yellows. To encourage this they offer free parking in some car parks. Not all towns/cities allow free parking though unless you're a local resident and have the relevent info displayed somewhere in the windscreen.
Even if parking on double yellows, a blue badge holder can be prosecuted if deemed to be parked dangerously or causing an obstruction to other motorists or pedestrians.
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 20 Jun 13 at 01:13
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The reason can me more practical as well - wheelchair users might find it hard to reach ticket machines - the associated cost of providing lower machines as well as one at a more standard high probably outweighs the revenue lost.
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>>
>> Councils would sooner disabled people use the car parks than park on double yellows. To
>> encourage this they offer free parking in some car parks. Not all towns/cities allow free
>> parking though unless you're a local resident and have the relevent info displayed somewhere in
>> the windscreen.
>>
>> Even if parking on double yellows, a blue badge holder can be prosecuted if deemed
>> to be parked dangerously or causing an obstruction to other motorists or pedestrians.
>>
Ditto loading bays. Whilst I have the utmost sympathy for genuine blue badge users it is undeniable that many are under the impression that it gives them carte blanche to park anywhere, regardless of how much they inconvenience others.
Last edited by: Harleyman on Thu 20 Jun 13 at 21:10
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carte blanche, when in fact it's actually is Catre Bleu ! :-)
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>> carte blanche, when in fact it's actually is Catre Bleu ! :-)
>>
Touche, monsieur. :-)
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Local newspapers often report churchgoers getting 'done' on Sundays.
'I've always parked here' is the usual response.
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>> carte blanche, when in fact it's actually is Catre Bleu ! :-)
>>
Sacré bleu et zut alors!
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>> Confession time: How does the panel feel about my occasional late-evening pee in a disabled
>> loo at work on my way out of the building? There's no-one else about and
>> it's just easier to manage coat and bag and stuff in the wider room, but
>> put the cuffs on now if I deserve them.
Work in a building with Ladies, Gents and a disabled on each floor. I've no qualms at all at the end of the working day
There's nobody obviously disabled on our floor. I know people can have hidden issues but given how long we've all worked here and people's willingness to discuss their(particularly female) complaints I doubt it.
More careful during day as there's a 50 place conference room and a tele-conference facility used by other organisations.
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One of my essential pieces of kit when doing nights out in the lorry is a RADAR key. Access to disabled loos is sometimes the only way I can get myself cleaned up after a day's work if I'm away from the motorway network; since as a taxpayer I help to fund them, and I leave them clean and tidy afterwards, I see no reason why I shouldn't use disabled facilities. After all, disabled persons are allowed to use the "normal" facilities should they be able to.
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Disabled parking bays - Bromptonaut
