blue badge abusers

[falkor]

Panorama has found evidence of many blue badge disabled holders surrendering possession of their blue badge to relatives who simply use it to park in disabled bays near to where they work or wherever is convenient to them

Panorama has found evidence of many "relatives" displaying the blue badge at disabled bays without the actual "disabled person" having been in the car. Relatives then say (if challenged) that they are about to pick up the disabled person or are doing their shopping or banking

The whole subject is a minefield, way beyond the capacity of an average CEO to cope with I would have thought

The Panorama team follow a council enforcement team all over the place uncovering case after case of relatives totally abusing the disabled blue badge and it is quite obvious that these cases are not a one off

It seems obvious to me that such abuse is widespread and that the "willing and efficient" council team put together to crack down on this (filmed by Panorama) are doing a very good job but simply woefully inadequate to address the true scale of this practice. Watch the programme on iplayer, it is called BRITAIN ON THE FIDDLE and includes several other types of dishonesty cases - go to 13.13 for one classic case

[TangoOscar31]

Sounds about right!!!

As soon as anyone starts discussing this subject, you always get someone saying you're picking on disabled people.

From what I've seen and heard, the whole blue badge system is open to abuse.

[Nighthawk]

Sounds about right!!!

As soon as anyone starts discussing this subject, you always get someone saying you're picking on disabled people.

From what I've seen and heard, the whole blue badge system is open to abuse.

Oh so true.. Been to court on more than just a few occasions. Only 3 successful prosecutions. The rest, well they used that old chessnut.. "Not in the public interest"! Too many do gooders in this world!

[pongolad]

A swift 6 inch nail, from a nail gun, through both knees is what is called for

Summary justice and giving them a real reason to display that blue badge

Sod the do gooders and hug a tree merchants, it's time to reclaim our country & old fashioned values IMHO

[Guinness Man]

If you have a blue badge do you also get mobility allowance or are they two seperate benifits? mobility allowance is quite a reasonable sum per month enough to purchase a new car. Perhaps the time has come for technology to be used and give each blue badge a certain number of hours on a smart card which can be registered by a wifi signal or similar when taking advantage of the benifit.

[TangoOscar31]

A swift 6 inch nail, from a nail gun, through both knees is what is called for

Summary justice and giving them a real reason to display that blue badge

Sod the do gooders and hug a tree merchants, it's time to reclaim our country & old fashioned values IMHO

Amen to that!!

If you have a blue badge do you also get mobility allowance or are they two seperate benefits?

I believe you that if you are receiving Mobility Allowance/Higher Rate Mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance you are entitled to a blue badge.

The issue I have is not with genuine people receiving blue badges/mobility allowance, but those play the disability card. We all know someone who claims they can't walk or they have a bad back etc. All you appear to need to do is convince your doctor of your "disability" and then you are entitled to a range of benefits....

[Guinness Man]

Dont get me wrong what I am saying is that if you get the blue badge then any parking benifit should have a limit per day to allow them to shop attend hospital etc say 2 hours. After that you are treated like anyone else and you pay to park or face the penalty. But the whole thing needs looking at I know people with blue badges who appear to have them for what seem very minor problems.

[TangoOscar31]

I wasn't "accusing" (if that's the right word!) you of anything Guinness Man.

One aspect of the blue badge system that annoys me is the fact that blue badge holders are allowed to park on double yellow lines!!! Surely it's double yellow lines for a reason...

[pongolad]

One aspect of the blue badge system that annoys me is the fact that blue badge holders are allowed to park on double yellow lines!!! Surely it's double yellow lines for a reason...

Totally agree with you TO31 Don't even get me started on those that park blocking A&E entrances or in such a manner that it's impossible to get close (unless you're the Mayor of Vilneas) .

[falkor]

going back to the Panorama programme for a minute, one woman filmed in that Panorama screamed at the camera crew that she was picking up her mother (the disabled person) after they challenged her use of a disabled bay

she then drove off in her car but returned 15 minutes later WITH HER MOTHER and ranted at the camera crew over their awful treatment of her

they later found out that she had in fact driven straight to a nursing home where she had got her mother out of bed, dressed her, put her in the car and driven straight back to the disabled bay where the enforcement team still were this is what is going on!!

[TangoOscar31]

One aspect of the blue badge system that annoys me is the fact that blue badge holders are allowed to park on double yellow lines!!! Surely it's double yellow lines for a reason...

Totally agree with you TO31 Don't even get me started on those that park blocking A&E entrances or in such a manner that it's impossible to get close (unless you're the Mayor of Vilneas) .

Now I understand that maybe if you're disabled you might have to stop on double yellows briefly which I dont have too much of an issue with.

Its when they park on double yellows and go off shopping for half a day that annoys the hell out of me. Neither myself or any traffic warden can ticket them for it, depsite the fact its often blocking access or causing an obstruction!!

Many a time I've come across a blue badge car parked on double yellows at the edge of a junction or somewhere equally as stupid.

I think there should be a set limit for the amount of time you can park on double yellows, something like a 30 min maximum?

going back to the Panorama programme for a minute, one woman filmed in that Panorama screamed at the camera crew that she was picking up her mother (the disabled person) after they challenged her use of a disabled bay

she then drove off in her car but returned 15 minutes later WITH HER MOTHER and ranted at the camera crew over their awful treatment of her

they later found out that she had in fact driven straight to a nursing home where she had got her mother out of bed, dressed her, put her in the car and driven straight back to the disabled bay where the enforcement team still were this is what is going on!!

This is another aspect of the blue badge system thats abused and something else that annoys me.

The blue badge can be used when the badgeholder travels as the driver or a passenger of any car. I have seen and heard of examples of people using their parents/childs/siblings blue badge so that they can use the disabled bays/park on double yellows. When you tackle them on the blue badge, they always say that they are either collecting or dropping off the disabled badge holder. I know they are lying but its virtually impossible to do anything about it!

[snafu]

My mother in law has a blue badge, which I use when I take her shopping etc. as she had to use a wheel chair. Sadly she has been too unwell for the last 6 months for us to do this...so it has stayed in a drawer in our house.

I tell you this though...when we did take her I would say at least 50% of those parking around us in the disabled bays seemed as able as me!!! No problems walking or pushing a heavy trolley from the supermarket. I saw one guy lifting a 32" TV into his boot!!!

The whole disability thing is a grossly abused now, be it blue badge, benefits etc........and the sad thing is that those that really need the help are now made to jump through hoops to get it....perhaps a bad turn of phrase but you know what I mean!

[slabber]

Its when they park on double yellows and go off shopping for half a day that annoys the hell out of me. Neither myself or any traffic warden can ticket them for it, depsite the fact its often blocking access or causing an obstruction!!

Here you go Tango, fill your boots. The definitive guide to what blue badge holders can and can't do. This is for England, I should imagine it's not much different in Scotland.

blue badge rules

[slabber]

Ignore my last, in Scotland it's totally different, in England blue badge holders can only park for 3 hours on DYL and they have to display a clock showing time of arrival, they can park as long as they want in Scotland!!!

blue badge rules(Scotland)

[TangoOscar31]

Oi Slabber, don't go questioning my knowledge if you know what's good for you!!!

The rules in England look "fairer"?

The problem is, many traffic wardens won't ticket blue badge cars as it's apparently "wrong" to do so...

I won't think twice about writing them out a ticket, blue badge or not. No ones exemption from the rules!

Did you ever ticket blue badge cars in one of your previous lifes Slabber?