I've mentioned on here before but there was a time they'd class you as disabled for owt. A lad I know is thick as ****, seriously ****ing thick beyond belief. But he's no physical impairment whatsoever. Nothing stopping him from a manual labour job or anything that doesn't involve two letter words or numbers. He's classed as disabled, gets everything paid for, gets a **** load of money through disability benefits, gets a free bus pass, free blue badge, amongst loads of other freebies and of course is entitled to go to these places at half the price. It was back in the day when labour sold off the countries gold and cleared the coffers to fund posting free pens and notepads through my letterbox. But somehow he still gets it.
I've come across similar myself. On the flip side, I helped someone with a problem getting a disabled parking badge. One question they ask is, can you walk a set distance unaided. This person can, but they're laid up for days if they try. I had a job convincing them the right answer is 'no'. They went to renew it, and had to apply in person. They got asked the question 'can you walk x metres' but they work in imperial, so asked how far that is. They were asked if they'd come in car and parked in the disabled bay, which with a lot of difficulty, they had. It seems the disabled bay is slightly further than the set distance, so if you could get to the desk to apply for a badge, you'd shown you weren't entitled to one. I understand they've changed it since my phone call.
As has been said before, it's the ones trying to get away with it that spoil it for the rest. It doesn't matter what it is, there's always that group who spoil it for the rest in everything!
There does seem to be rather a lot of blue badge holders about. They seem to have tightened up though. My step daughter had a blue badge for about 20 years and she's just been refused her renewal. I understand they have made it a lot harder to qualify now. Merton Council rules are here http://www.merton.gov.uk/transport-streets/parking/bluebadge.htm This badge can only be issued if one of the following criteria is met: You receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance. You use a motor vehicle supplied for disabled people by a Government Health Department. You are registered blind. You have a severe disability in both upper limbs, regularly drive a motor vehicle but cannot turn the steering wheel of a motor vehicle by hand even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob. You have a permanent and substantial disability which means you are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking. In this case you may be asked to answer a series of questions to help us determine whether you are eligible for a badge. People with a psychological disorder will not normally qualify unless their impairment causes very considerable, and not intermittent, difficulty in walking. My stepdaughter had scoliosis - a curvature of the spine - which would have got worse with age and would mean she couldn't have a baby. She decided to have an operation to cure it. The operation consisted of breaking many of the bones in her body and then attaching them to metal rods to grow straightened. The operation is very dangerous. The hospital would do about 10 of these operations in one day and one of the children who had the operation was paralysed for life. She has to live with these metal rods in her for life. She can't stand or walk for extended periods without suffering a lot of pain so she can't use public transport. She drives around by car. The relevant criteria for her is "You have a permanent and substantial disability which means you are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking.". Her disability is permanent but she can walk short distances. There's no appeal allowed - is that acceptable? - but she can ask them to review her case - isn't that an appeal? I suppose an appeal would be carried out by independent people. If they do use the new criteria I would expect there would be a lot less blue badges around.
Sometimes the attendants are quite thoughtful. I went to a small theme park recently. There were bumper cars and the four of us went on them. The cars were very small and every time I had a collision my shins would get damaged! Later my friends decided to go on the bumper cars again but I said I wouldn't. You had to buy the tokens at a different place. When my friends got in the cars I stood at the side. This rather pretty young girl attendant asked me to get in a car. I said I didnt want to but then all my friends started shouting to me to get in a car. Then the attendant insisted I got in a car but she refused any payment. I like some attendants. I made a special effort to avoid collisions though.
I don't know if it in anyway inspired any of these posts but there was a programme on last night about parking; 50% of blue badges in London are fraudulent. The fines I saw being levied were huge, not to mention crushing of vehicles. Worth a watch on catch-up.
Watching vehicles (no parking ticket ones) being grabbed by a fella with a flatback lorry and a grab crane is quite impressive. Can pull up and be gone under 5 mins. Even if people think they're being clever by parking their cars so the wheels are right up against the kerb.
Maybe she thought you were disabled Peter, do you have the look? I fear she'll be severely reprimanded when they mull over the CCTV & notice she didn't ask for the proof to back up your looks.
Until your post, there wasn't any ranting at all, it was being discussed perfectly reasonably. I think there was a news story last week about the theft of blue badges reaching 1,800 a year, so there are certainly plenty of people out there who shouldn't have one.
Some people with blue badges may look fit. Someone I know in their early thirties was recently diagnosed with cancer. They were issued with a blue badge whilst they are having chemotherapy. People with a terminal illness can have a blue badge. They may not have apparent difficulty walking. Of course many of the people you see hopping out of cars parked in disabled bays and striding off are perfectly fit. That is because they are fit, don't have a blue badge and are selfish, inconsiderate twats.
Getting a bit OT here but it does my ****ing head in people parking in parent and child spots without a child as well. Or when they hve a child but one parent sits in the car with the kids whilst the other parent goes in to the shop. Once you have a kid of your own you realise just how impossible it is to get car seats and whatnot out without the extra space to open your car door, specially if it's a 3 door.
You have kids? I always assumed you were like 16, given the amount of time you spend trolling on here. I guess the two aren't mutually exclusive..
**** that, it works both ways. I regularly see blue badge holders in non disabled parking bays. If theirs are full they should ****ing wait for one to become available & not just nip into an able person's bay, or, worse still, a parent & child space. Bastards.
But you have to able to use them otherwise there wouldn't be specific bays for those not able. You're lucky, you can just tell them you've forgotton your badge & rely on your look to get you a result everytime
