News & Features
The Politics of Parking Survey
Posted in General News on Friday, January 20th, 2023
Fellow DMUK Member, and PhD researcher, Vera Kubenz is conducting research to find out about people’s experiences of altercations when using disabled bays, and the negative impact that these incidents have on their lives. If you would like to find out more about the research and take part in the survey, you can visit https://www.politicsofparking.com/. To complete the survey visit https://bham.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/politicsofparking.
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Comments
Stuart Tiplady
Friday, January, 20th, 2023
Whilst NO official monitoring of Disabled Parking is carried out why do we get things like this, I have had replies from complaints full of explicit words to the comment from a manager that we are not allowed to complain about fast food delivery drivers because of the Race accusation being made. There is also the Blue Badge group that believes they have the right to break any laws they want. Problems like this do not help.
Fraser Mathieson
Friday, January, 20th, 2023
Very disappointing that you only let people who live in England to take part. I live in Scotland, but we to have issues with people abusing blue badges, blue badge bays, aggressive people who tell you where to go if you challenge them. I also travel and use my blue badge in England, so to get a sense of a UK-wide issue, please reconsider.
Stephen Atkin
Friday, January, 20th, 2023
My frustration is when people park in Disabled bays when they have no disabled badge and just think they can park anywhere. This is more noticeable in Supermarkets we’re lazy people park with consideration for disabled people and although the Supermarkets have signs saying there will be a fine for people parking illegally in these bays, they never enforce it. With my wife needing space to get into a wheelchair a disabled bay is definitely needed
Lorna Alexander
Friday, January, 20th, 2023
As per previous comment by Fraser. I find it odd that this survey only covers one country in the UK and not all 4 nations. Scottish blue badge holders have exactly the same issues, prejudices and experiences. We would like to have our say and recieve information regarding the outcome of the survey, covering the UK as a whole.
Paul
Friday, January, 20th, 2023
I go to halesowen nearly everyday but can never park in a disabled bay as the people use it yo go to the gym or no1 pizza
Richard Fowler
Friday, January, 20th, 2023
sorry Vera though a dp myself i will not be doing your survey. not because it is not relevant but because the problems are well known but nobody who could make a difference is listening. not supermarkets, not local authorities, not government. the first do not want to enforce; the last two want the revenue and inclusive publicity but dont actually want dps parking in LTNs etc.we are inconvenient. the consultation for the NATIONAL DISABILITY STRATEGY drew a huge demand for more disabled parking. motability and hidden disabilities are factors. what might make sense -if supported- would be a nationwide [incl SCOTLAND] roll out of an improved version of Hackneys 'e-blue badge'. ANPR tech 'reading' blue badges automatically in bays, carparks or on yellow lines for example
Keith Balneaves
Friday, January, 20th, 2023
I am finding that people are parking in disabled bays In sports centres a lot when you report it to staff they are not interested
Andy Grey Rider
Saturday, January, 21st, 2023
I gave up a long time ago when I learnt they couldn't be enforced. I pay £10 for a three-year sham of service. To prove I am who I say I am when I am registered disabled is a joke. I have had other Blue Badge Holders having a go at me. I'll spare you the details. When most Blue Badge Bays do not even have enough space to alight my vehicle, it infuriates me that some retailers are misleading their customers. I refuse to park in these bays if they are further away from the entrances of businesses. I will straddle two bays instead. All this nonsense about getting one's Badge stolen. Really? Because they can have it for what it's worth. The able-bodied have always abused facilities set aside for us. It's like littering, it's never going to change because personally I do not have the energy or time to squabble over a piddly parking space. I do love winding up other motorists when I can park for 3 hours on double yellows. Obviously, there are some with the two pips on the kerb which bar this. Gradually we are being forced out of the town and city centres for the smog-loving cyclist and pedestrian. They can keep their uneven and broken pavements because I will not wheel myself over their disjointed world. They can stick it because their are much better places that will welcome our custom. It's only 20% revenue they're forsaking after all. Don't get me started on the backward technology of electric vehicles. I wirelessly charge my phone because I cannot use cables or plugs. Can I wirelessly charge an electric vehicle? Go figure because I ain't doing their silly dance. I live in a area where sustainability could be increased exponentially but they're too blind to see natures' forever-giving gift. Which brings me back to the Blue Badge, really? It's time for the councils to put up or shut up because they're only in it for themselves. I have probably written this many times before but nothing ever changes. Hey! Thanks anyway for allowing me the opportunity to load your hypothetical weapon!
Arthur Bowes
Monday, January, 23rd, 2023
Yeah , you see people in flash cars park in disabled bays , NO blue badge & go in the shops , NO one ever monitors the bays from the shops ???
Mrs Joyce Grieve
Monday, January, 23rd, 2023
I am still sheiding but previous to March2020 my experience at parking in local supermarkets was appalling, not enough spaces or others using these slots to pick-up staff going off duty. Nothing changed after making a complaint, their loss I now have my groceries delivered, which is far more convenient and less costly.
Sarah
Sunday, January, 22nd, 2023
I don’t think we’ll ever not have non disabled people not abusing the Blue Badge bays, as I struggle to understand why people who can obviously walk say have autism/ADHD actually why they need to use a bay? I get annoyed that years ago the spaces were for mobility issues, who actually really need the door opening space, when they could park in normal space as people with very bad mobility issues like wheelchair users, in my eyes need those bays far more as a lot of people I see don’t need a disabled bay, as they’ll walk easily, as I’ve seen them, around a bloody large supermarket so why do they need to use a bay? Leave them for people who physically need them!
Angela cox
Sunday, January, 22nd, 2023
One has to ask the question - ‘is the general, non-disabled public/drivers bothered?’ = NO! I know I don’t speak for everyone, and this is a very negative comment to make, but in my experience, lots of drivers are ignorant of any signs. A space is seen as empty regardless of whether it us for a disabled driver or, across a dropped kerb. Therefore a wheelchair user has to search for a safe means to cross the road. My suggestion? Whilst you cannot cure ignorance, perhaps cameras attached to signs (I know, costly) or more parking monitors visible ? (Again costly) Thing is, public roads/pavements are just that - ‘public’ - meaning for everybody’s use. But they’re not
R G Bryan
Monday, January, 30th, 2023
I have abuse thrown at me when i tell people about it and stores don't really care. Until you do as in America since the late 80s get it so they are fined on the spot. I stopped at a store over there and had to rush out the police man said i need a permit but as i was in chair he let me of this time. It was ,$100 instant fine and i didn't see even 1 parked there illegally the rest of my hols.
brian hockey
Monday, January, 30th, 2023
i was just getting out of my car when a man came over to me and said i couldnt park there all i said to him was to read the sticker on my back window and asked him was he blind and he just walked away i have blue stickers on my front and back windows so people know i am disabled 30/01/2023
Anthony Deaves
Monday, January, 30th, 2023
I think all there country you get ambulances parking across bays when visit a hospital and they stay there and they are not going anywhere in our local town we council lorries and vans parking across disabled bay. we are third class citizens in our own country and just paid lip service nearer elections> We are still the under class as they only want our votes near elections and thing are going to be hard for them. when they amend the disability act we will further back on the scrapheap!
Brian Bremer
Monday, January, 30th, 2023
When I first became Disabled over 20 years ago, there was considerably more respect shown by the General public around Disabled parking spaces, but over the intervening years it’s been a drip drip process of erosion of our right to be seen in public. First we have a Blue Badge scheme, (mine was originally orange). Then Councils were persuaded to regulate who uses spaces per County, so if I wish to travel further afield, I have to apply to multiple Councils in order to be Registered. Why? Was that not the idea behind the Badge scheme originally. So now we are restricted, I no longer go to Councils enforcing their own Register scheme. Whose guilty there? Our own Government, by their actions, the public are enabled to abuse us be it verbally our with force. So far mine has only been verbal abuse, it still hurts, and where does it ge5 us? Further marginalised. Rubbish Government after rubbish Government all have failed the vulnerable and Disabled miserably, shame on them!
ChrisK
Monday, January, 30th, 2023
With all the problems with abuse of BB spaces I would like to draw attention to another problem with shop BB spaces? Why do supermarkets put bollards right in the middle of the end of the bays so you cant get your mobility equipment out of the car, only thing you can do is go nose in and dodge the traffic passing at the back of the car as you try to assemble your scooter/wheelchair and of course put up with the danger of reversing back out into passing traffic. Of the many supermarkets near me only Sainsbury's have there bollards in a sensible place. In another shopping precinct near me they have the bollards at the front and a cobbled stone drainage ditch at the back with everything else being tarmac making it a very dangerous trip hazard and to make things worst that ditch is only at the back of the BB spaces and the other hundreds of normal spaces have a flat surface. Who the hell design these places.
Steve Wilkinson
Monday, January, 30th, 2023
As many of the comments highlight, we’ve had many years of frustration at a lack of interest from government, local authorities and supermarkets to enforce parking restrictions aimed at helping disabled park in designated wide bays. An overall attitude change is needed unless heavy penalties are enforced which could pay for appropriately trained enforcement officers.
David Dryden
Tuesday, January, 31st, 2023
I have not had any problems parking in town. Parking at my home is another matter. Having been out I sometimes have to park elsewhere due to a Mother dropping her kids at school and then chatting away. I realise disabled bays are not "owned" but all the same it's annoying.