Why do so many people use the disabled parking spaces, when they don't need to?

Question

My dad can't walk far, and the spaces are often full of able bodied people . My friend has a disabled child who she has to cope with on her own. Don't these people care that it might be them or one of their family one day?

Did point it out one day to the 'trolley men' who used to tell people misusing them, but they don't bother any more. I also phoned the store manager(Asda) who promised he would tell the men, but nothing changed. Why can't they put a sticker on their cars asking them not to park there in future just to show them up.

I wouldn't assume people weren't disabled just because they didn't have a outward sign of disability, but lot's of times it so obvious.

Answer 1

Some people might use one and look quite abled but aren't. People with early MS can look normal but get tired easily and need to use them, so you can't always assume that these people are able bodied. Those that are abled though are just selfish. I have a disabled mum who uses a wheel chair and a lot of the time all the disabled places are taken and we have to wait until one becomes available as she needs the extra space to get into her wheel chair. Some people just don't realise the inconvenience they are causing to disabled people and their friends and families when they take these spaces. I hope my comment makes them think twice in future.

Answer 2

I don't know. I can tell you it is beyond frustrating when I go to the doctor's clinic and I can't park anywhere close. They have a lot of disabled spaces, but they are always full. Same deal at stores. I look like I can walk well, but have only "x" amount of steps I can take before I lock up and cannot move at all. To be able to park very close means I can leave my sticks in the car. Then I get those mean looks because I "look" okay. Wanna see my scars? I've been split in half and put back together with huge bone grafts and screws enought to qualify for my own railroad. Intense therapy means I can park a little farther out sometimes and do and feel like a million bucks because I can!! But I still have my card and I still do need that spot an awful lot and would sure like to see the spots be open more for the real people in need of a closer space.

Answer 3

Absolutely not but perhaps they should read the following which are the rules for the UK.

Misuse of the Blue Badge

Local councils can take away a badge if the badge holder misuses it - for example, by allowing other people to use it or if a person's disability improves so that they are no longer eligible for the scheme.

If you are a badge holder, it can only be used for your benefit. If a trip is for someone else and you are a passenger and staying in the vehicle, you cannot use the badge simply to let them benefit from free parking.

Blue Badges need to be properly issued and displayed. It is an offence if a badge is not removed from a vehicle and people other than the badge holder take advantage of the parking concessions under the scheme.

Misuse of the badge itself by a non-disabled person is an offence. The maximum fine if someone is convicted is £1,000 plus any additional penalty for the related parking offence.

Take the Reg No and report them to your local council or blue badge issuing authority.

Answer 4

Whenever I take my parents shopping I use my Dads disabled parking card to hang in my car window. I let them out at the door but sometimes we walk to the car afterward. He had a stroke and has to walk with a cane and a brace on his leg. I am sure when I get out of the car people are judgmental because they think I don't need to be parking there.
Also I have Fibromyalgia. I don't use disabled parking but there have been times that I needed it. Some people have heart conditions or other problems that you just can't see. If they have a sticker or a card in the window it is for a reason.

Answer 5

I don't have a clue, except they are just plain rude. But I do believe in he old saying,"What goes around comes around." One day they will be asking the same question.My mother can't walk very well, because of her vision, and a don't have a permit yet for parking in the disabled space. So If I can't get real close, I drop her off at the front of the store. I do not park there, and sometimes I get the meanest looks or comments. So to those I say I am sorry, but if they only knew.

Answer 6

This fairly annoys me, I even have stumbled on a similar problem, yet the place i stay, there's a carpark who employs a warden, who consistently tests any automobile parked in a disabled bay and not utilising a valid blue badge and gives you you a cost ticket in case you park without showing it. in spite of the indisputable fact that i do have a blue badge and displayed it, i've got been given a cost ticket, for £80 beause as i close the automobile door it blew off the dashboard onto the floor and that i did not word it. because it wasn't right displayed i had to pay up. according to risk extra automobile parks could take up this concept.

Answer 7

Some people can be incredibly selfish, this sort of things happen in every town & country.

I take clients who are aged or disabled, up the street to pay bills or get groceries etc, and we often have trouble getting a car park close enough to near were we need to get to, because of these selfish people. Mind you if they happen to be around I will give them a hard time, and have told one person who was rude to my client, that I had called the police, they high tailed very quickly after apologizing to my client.

I have one clients mother who has damaged another person car, with assistance of the parking inspector, when trying to get her child out of the car (she was blocked in). The parking inspector wrote a ticket for the offender and told them they could not claim for damages to their car, because they had parked illegally, and blocking a person in.

My daughter has a friend who is in a wheel chair, and he had stickers made up waring people of the potential fines etc, he then approached the local council and asked if he could use them, they said yes and he gave them some stickers too, and they handed out to other disabled people or their carers.

When he could not get a park or was hemmed in he'd stick the sticker on the offenders windscreen, but some times he could not get close enough so he would stick on the paint work.

If the parking inspector came along and found a sticker on the car he/she would book the offender. Very effective way of dealing with the people who park in designated disabled spots.

I think speaking up against this sort thing is important, but educating people has to be the first step.

Answer 8

I had a word with the security man in Tescos as there were 5 cars in disabled spaces with not badges. He said the had had a word with the manager who did not want anything done about it. I think they are worried about upsetting people. They only people round here who seem to take it seriously are Matalans and Bennets who have a joint car park with an attendant who do keep an eye on the situation

Answer 9

I have to agree with Muse......a lot of folks don't look disabled. My mom now has official handicapped license plates but not because of a physical disability.......she has sleraderma and is very suceptible to the cold. Living in Michigan, that's an on going thing....LOL But they park wherever during the warmer months.
People who park there and don't need too are sef-centered holier than thou idiots who need to be confined to a wheelchair for 6 months or more.
in 03 I had surgery on both feet at the same time and my doc was going to give me a temp handicapped sticker and I refused......not being a martyr but figuring there are more people out there who need it more than me.

Answer 10

I don't think they do it to be rude or to actually inconvenience a disabled person. They probably do it because they think that the likely hood of a disabled person driving up and actually needing to take the parking spot is pretty slim. Especially if the lot is close to vacant. Otherwise, they are just selfish, seld-centered human beings who should have their license revoked.

For the record, I have never taken a handicapped spot but have shamefully used their bathrooms when other stalls have been unavailable or when I've needed to change clothes. It's something I always feel guilty about.