Should non disabled motorists be fined at supermarkets for parking in disabled bays?

Question

Severely disabled people sometimes struggle to find a parking place which I think is unfair them due to inconsiderate drivers. What are your views regarding this?

A lot of answers have been coming from the USA but their system is totally different to ours in the UK. The UK have blue badges displayed in the front windscreen. We do not have tags on the rear view mirror, parking lots or spots on the handicapped parking areas. We in the UK do not understand what the enforcement laws are in the USA regarding this issue. Please do not take offence at this but I can only pick a best answer relative to the blue badge scheme operational in the UK. nevertheless, thank you for you opinions.

Answer 1

I think non-blue badge holders should be fined, yes. However, please remember that not everyone who needs easy access to the supermarket is "severely" disabled.

Many of us don't use wheelchairs, and receive a lot of abuse because we do not appear to be obviously affected. In my case, I have a brain disease that limits the distance I can walk before I am in severe pain and there is a danger I will fall.

I have been accused of abusing the system, of being a liar and a benefit cheat. I am none of these, my illness causes a lot of difficulty, but not always obviously so.

To answer your question - yes, those who park in disabled bays simply because they can't be bothered to walk from further away should be fined but this would need to be implemented by the supermarkets themselves as owners of private land. In my experience, the supermarkets are reluctant to take this action in fear of losing custom.

Answer 2

Firstly, what about when I drive into a car-park and all the disability parks are empty? (I still don't use them). but still less customer parking for the supermarket.

Secondly, who is to say the car doesn't belong to a disabled person? Because there isn't a sticker or card in their front window? Missing? stolen? forgotten? Can't afford one? ($45 here).

Thirdly, I have heard people complain and even confront people that walk away from their car? Are all disabilities visible?

Supermarkets are private property (mainly why they don't care) who will police it?

Comments of smashing cars, letting down tires, towing or fining are short sighted and does nothing for 'fixing' the issues surrounding disabled parking...awareness and education would go a lot further.

Answer 3

I am not disabled, do not work with disabled nor do I know any disabled. BUT, when people do this it really pisses me off for some reason. It also bothers me more when I see someone with a handicap sticker park there but they get out and walk as well as I do. You know it's their wife's/husbands car. One would think they would no better.

I call the cops when I see someone parked in a handicap spot that isn't supposed to be there. Sometimes they get a ticket sometimes they don't just depend on how busy the cops are at the time I call.

Answer 4

Yes they should be fined. The only reason they are taking these places is because they are lazy and thoughtless. There are actually people who cannot walk who need those spots. They can't park in other spots no matter how close they are to the store because the disabled bays are made with extra space so they can get into wheel chairs or zimmer frames. If they park in a regular space, they don't have enough room to manuver their chairs or frames.

I certainly agree that some people are so thoughtless.

Answer 5

yes they should!! my grandad is registered disable and recently went to the supermarket and all the disabled bays were taken up by taxi drivers!! so he parked in the parent and child bay (because you have the same space to park), but when he came out, he found a £80 fine on his car cause he wasn't parked in the right space. How ridiculous!! when he explained why he parked there, they cut the fine down to £65!! non of the taxi drivers got fines, so yeah fine people who park in disabled parking spaces!!

Answer 6

Well, I am not physically disabled, but every saturday I drive my Grandmother to do her grocery shopping. She has a handicap ticket to hang on the rearview mirror. We park there because she is weak, and needs to be as close as possible to the front door.
Since I'm driving her, I do'nt think I should be fined for parking there.

Answer 7

absolutely...here in CA, get caught in a handicapped space without the proper tag and you get fined big time! 500.00 or more! for the first offense....you do not see many cars parked in handicapped spaces without the proper tags here! All too often, people complain when they see a person with handicapped tags, get out of a car, walk normal...they start gripping, but know nothing about the handicapped...many of us can walk short distances, but not very far, or for very long. Before you hop on someone in a registered handicapped auto, think !

Answer 8

They are taking the space of a person who most likely will have to go home because they cannot walk so far to get into the business or office they are attempting to reach. They should be fined definitely. Handicapped persons are fined $25.00 if they park there and forget to post their placard!! So yes-

Answer 9

I think Supermarkets should take a stronger line.

I think it would be a good idea to just make sure first that they are not just awaiting their badge, or that they are not parents of children with a disability who have not yet been issued a badge, before taking such drastic action as issuing fine tickets.

It's shameful to use those spaces if you don't need them.

Answer 10

Definitely, they are taking a space reserved for someone less capable than themselves, it is so annoying to see the inconsiderate morons who do this ! It's just as bad to see the fools park in mother and toddler spaces. I don't suppose you can expect anything else from people of low intelligence !