Do you think that Disabled People should be told not to park in the Parent and Child spaces at the supermarket

Question

Just a thought as someone with a family spends a lot more at the supermarket than somone who is disabled, most blue badge holders are old people who spend less than their Family counter-parts.
As I find that you always find at least one disabled badge holder in the parent and child spaces, resulting families parking on the other side of the car park

Blue Badge Holders are the first ones to complain if anyone parks in the Disabled Spaces

Answer 1

I think you should cut them some slack. If you are lucky you will be old one day too, and you may feel differently about it then.

Answer 2

I am amazed at the ignorance, reading some of these answers to your question are perplexing and worrisome.
First thing that pops into my mind regarding the financial aspect to your question is the old saying "The survival of the fittest", Food chain etc.
Lets assume that your logic makes sense.
Great, so now when a person who perhaps is a millionaire
comes to shop at your local Supermarket you should get to the back of the line, keep your eyes low so you won't pollute their visual, your children look like beggars, make sure they keep their distance and don't forget to park your vehicle five rows away from theirs, they don't want to be any where near yours.

Seriously, this is just an example of how out of control people can get when they start paying too much attention and are judgemental about what others are doing without knowing the full circumstance or situation. One opens themselves up to all kinds variables that can twist and turn and bite you.

Did you know that not all disabilities are visible? Brain injuries are not necessarily visible along with some other illnesses that can come and go. They are called intermittent episodes. M.S. is like this along with many other diseases. Some of these people can walk for an hour or so before the signals in their brains that regulate the motorary system shut down on them and they are no longer able to walk.
You just never know. So don't judge.
Being a "Blue Badge Holders" is not part of a honorary membership, nor is it anything that anyone wants to have.
I know that some people abuse these spots but it could not disturb anyone more so than them.
As for the Disabled parking in the Parent and Child spaces, well, be patient, it could be your child struggling one day when he grows up with a disability such as I've described.

There are millions of young Blue Badge Holders around North America, I happen to be one of them.
Enjoy your life, stop worrying about others.
Cheers!

Answer 3

As a retired police officer, there was nothing I liked better than writing a ticket for someone I caught using a handicap tag that did not belong to them or parking in a handicap space.

You say that "blue taggers" are the first one to complain if someone illegally parks in a handicap spot. You are right! They are! With good reason! The person parking there illegally is breaking a law! That is the biggest difference in your comparison! People legally using a handicap plate or placard can park in ANY LEGAL PARKING SPACE. You would rather have them park at the other side of the lot so that you and your family don't have to? Think of it as if that was your grandmother parking there to go shopping! It does not matter if they only shop for 5 minutes or 5 hours. This is not about how much you spend shopping, but common decency. Those of you that say they should not be allowed to park in "family spaces" should be ashamed.

Answer 4

I think you could argue this in many ways. I think people absolutely should be walking with their children, but I have also been that very pregnant mother w/ 2 young children in tow. There's nothing worse than walking across the lot when you're a week away from giving birth. That being said, there's nothing more irritating than seeing a person get out of a car w/ a blue badge and jog right up to the door. I think that's deplorable.

There's really no right answer. I suppose we could make multi-colored badges for everything...disabilities, children and families, red shorts, white shorts, brunettes, blonds, whites and african americans....plus everyone else:o) But then we'd all be fighting over who's space is closest!

Answer 5

These parents can leave their children with a friend or family member before they go shopping. Worse comes to worse, these kids might actually get some exercise that otherwise might not get. If these parents are concerned about kidnappers then these parents need to either do their shopping during the day or like I said leave their kids with a friend or a family member.

However, it is rather difficult for the disabled to leave their disability with a friend or family member before they go shopping. People with disabilities should not be forced to stay home due to lack of disabled parking. A half a dozen or so parking spaces at these supermarkets does nothing to help the parking situation for the disabled, especially since approximately 10% of the people living in America are disabled.

So the notion that the disabled should not park in the Parent/ Child spaces is hogwash.

Answer 6

I don't know what the laws are in the UK for this but you might like to approach your local Roads and Traffic Authority for some advice. You could also ask Shopping centre management about the enforcement of parking rules for these Disabled Spaces. I know in Australia, that some people who have been so frustrated with the total lack of consideration of some drivers and inaction by local autorities have gone to the media. There is nothing like naming and shaming on TV in front of a million or more viewers to get some action.

Answer 7

I have never heard of Parent and Child parking spaces. We don't have those here. But never the less, just because some one has a blue badge does not mean that they are old either. It just means that they have a handicap. It keeps them from having to walk any distance. The parents and child should not have a special parking spot unless one of them has a badge.

I happen to have 2 blue badges myself, they are for my parents as I am their driver. I do get upset myself if there is someone parked in the handicap parking and they shouldn't be there.

People that don't have handicaps are more able to walk a few feet further getting to the store than someone that does have a handicap.

If it wasn't for the handicap spaces, my parents wouldn't be able to shop as much as they do, as they just don't have what it takes to walk very far at all.

Sorry but my vote goes to the handicap folks for front row parking, the ones closes to the store. Not to the parent and child.

Answer 8

I would never park in a disabled spot,not because I'm afraid getting into trouble,but because I believe its rude.disabled people should be as attentive to the rules and should be held responsible to the rules.
those people who say that families with children shouldn't complain because they aren't disabled and dont have trouble walking ha vent had the pleasure of being 8 months pregnant,one baby in a carrier and a toddler to walk across the parking lot.
my last 2 pregnancies were high risk and I had to use a wheel chair .as my problem was temporary, i wasn't eligible for the blue badge so I was pleased when businesses added the STORK parking.I even changed the store where I shopped because of it.
I believe that disabled people should have to do as I did when a marked spot is not open,wait until one is rather than take the stork parking.its only common courtesy.
peace><>

Answer 9

There's no law that says no one except families with children can park in those spaces; there is one governing the handicap spots. Also, if all the handicap spots are filled, the handicapped person may park in another spot. I regularly ride with my disabled husband and far more common is someone with no handicap ID on the car parked in or blocking the handicap space.
As an aside, why do you assume that the presence of handicap parking plaque automatically means the absence of children? My husband has used a wheelchair his entire life and we have two children. When he takes the kids somewhere in his vehicle, it still has a permanent "disabled" license plate attached to it.

Answer 10

Lets see disabled ? or taking a child shopping? hmm which is more challenging? I have been healthy with children, and disabled with children - seems to me that my life was one helluva lot easier before the disability. And that was with TWO kids 20 months apart, taking them shopping.

Thats a no brainer.

I find it interesting that some people who responded seem to think being a healthy mother is harder than being a disabled person.

Wow talk about being self absorbed and wanting special treatment !! I find it interesting how this generation of mothers seems to think they are somehow "entitled" to special treatment. I see women who claim to be pregnant, you cant really tell if its only a month or two who are whining and sniveling about how their back hurts, they cant work because they are "pregnant". Suddenly they are helpless, hopeless and useless.

I really feel for their partners, no wonder so many marriages end in divorce these days.

What social phenomena created this bizarre behavior? Pregnant and suddenly they are Paris HIlton? Now THATS pathetic -

Everyone one of you WILL be old someday, and anyone of you could be disabled tomorrow.

I wasnt born disabled, I had an accident, and if you think it cant happen to you, think again. Theres a good chance it will.

Statistics prove that given the number of people who posted here with nasty remarks about the disabled or elderly, FOUR of you are going to end up disabled before you reach the age of 50. :-) Wont THAT be a lesson for you?

What about disabled mothers? Oh I know, y'all think they should park TEN miles from the mall so as not to inconvenience that healthy mothers right?

People over 45 spend more money than the twenty-somethings who are starting out in entry level jobs so why dont we just pass laws that "twenty something people" have to park a mile from the mall so as not to inconvenience those who spend more money, such as the over 40 and the senior shoppers?

Answer 11

You're wondering if a healthy young parent with healthy young children should be given special privileges over a wheel-chair bound person because they shop more often?

Think about it!

So many lazy or stupid or self-centered 'I'm better than the law' types who are healthy (at least physically, if not morally or spiritually) park in the handicapped parking spaces that too often a person who really needs and deserves to park there often can't. That is why many of the old and sickly and handicapped have to park in non-handicapped spaces.