Blue badge parking permits 'to be rolled out' to people with hidden disabilities

[Deleted]

I was thinking more of the City, where people would cripple themselves if it meant they’d be able to get a parking space.

Oh.. I'd probably rather be crippled than try to park in central London at all.

[Freighter]

Lol depression.

Mind explaining what's so lol about depression?

[tangers58]

I take it you've never had to deal with a 7 year old autistic child in full meltdown mode, have you? Autism doesn't just affect the mind, it affects the whole body. It affects the way he walks, the way he see's things (he is legally blind). It affects a lot more than you'd ever imagine on a daily basis.

So again, I'll ask you, and in this scenario, I know Fasto personally as I grew up with them from childhood: Why should Fatso, who caused their own disability, be allowed a disabled badge over my nephew?

Your nephews legs broken? He needs to pull his shit together, there is nothing physically wrong with him, he does not need a disabled spot. They are for people that physically need them, not some snot nosed kid throwing a hissy fit.

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Mind explaining what's so lol about depression?

About depression intself? Nothing. Quite a bit about thinking you need disabled parking spot because of it though.

[Kalis]

Mind explaining what's so lol about depression?

It doesn’t really impact your ability to walk a few yards further.

[Pann]

Because A. The government won't accomadate extra spaces for the change because £ and B. It isn't feasible everywhere

The Blue Badge is allows holders to park in places that would attract a fine for a non-holder such as on double yellow lines. Issuing additional badges has little to do with the number of disabled bays available (I would imagine that the majority of disabled bays are on private property such as supermarket or retail parks' car parks and thus have nothing to with the government.)

[Deleted]

The problem is pretty obvious, I think. If you have a limited pool of resources (in this case, parking spaces for the disabled, etc), and you begin to offer those resources to people who don't really need them (people with depression or autism), fewer resources become available to those who really do need them.

I'm surprised by this move, because it seems pretty stupid. If I had a physical disability, I would be very angry if a reserved parking space was legally taken by someone with depression (for example), leaving me with only mobility-limited parking spaces.

blue badge holders can park on double yellow lines for 3 hours. loading bays & restricted time bays are unlimited. people with blue badges have a wide range of places to park. theyre not only reserved for disabled bays.

[Jonnusthegreat]

Mind explaining what's so lol about depression?

"My depression is so bad that I need to park closer to things in order to function!"

[gaymer77]

I happen to have one of those cards for here in the US but mine is because of a physical limitation. The only time I use it over another spot is when I'd have to walk quite a ways to get inside a store or if there are no other spots available at smaller stores. I don't believe that just because you have depression or autism or any of those other types of conditions that you should have access to those spots.

[Kellorion]

Lol depression.

Yea, depression
And?

[LiiLoSNK]

I should get to park in the handicap spaces because I have PTSD from walking slightly further than I would normally have to.

[Ghostpanther]

Its rare for me to agree with you but I absolutely do this time. People with depression shouldnt get a prime spot (If your depression is so debilitating that you cant walk a block, then you shouldnt be driving at all), nor should someone who is balding.

And even for those with physical disabilities, why do they get to park for free? They should absolutely get more convenient parking, but they should pay just like anyone else does,

I agree. My wife has a disabled card we have in the SUV. If she is not in the vehicle when I am in it, I do not use it. But here in the US, it does not exempt one from paying for a parking space, such as when we go to the airport. Only allows us the use of a closer to the entrance of a place using a handicap spot. I do not get this non pay for a spot they have in the UK. But their country, their laws.

[Nellise]

I agree. My wife has a disabled card we have in the SUV. If she is not in the vehicle when I am in it, I do not use it. But here in the US, it does not exempt one from paying for a parking space, such as when we go to the airport. Only allows us the use of a closer to the entrance of a place using a handicap spot. I do not get this non pay for a spot they have in the UK. But their country, their laws.

In the US you don't have to pay for parking meters if you have a handicap tag or plates in most places on city streets. Chicago had to issue new colors for tags when they sold off the meters to a private company because the company complained about too many people not paying.

For people not noticing handicap spots never being taken in the US, it really depends on where you're going and what time of day. The movie theater near me has about 20 spots right in front that were always empty when I'd go to shows at night, like 7pm or later. I always wondered why they had so many. I tried going to an afternoon show one day and every single spot was taken. Now when I drive by I usually look and it's generally the same, during the day they're all full and completely empty at night. So it looks kind of silly if you only go there at night to see all these empty spaces, but they do get used when they're most needed.

[LeftyDPS]

Me and my partner was discussing this earlier.

On the whole we fully support this. Our 7 year old is severely autistic. He has no verbal capacity and understands very little communication. On a good day you can park 2 or 3 rows from the supermarket and he will walk but he will always try to run which is not safe for anyone around. On a bad day, we are lucky to even get him out of the car unless we are close to the door as it is too much for him.

Our son is a good 4'8 so is not exactly small for his age and if he wants to go he will GO. Currently we can still get away with parent and child parking, which for us fortunately are all level with disabled parking. However, he is now getting to a size and age where this gets looks. For our sons own safety, we would use this to be able to get him into the shops or supermarket with less possibility of him running in front of a car as he would not understand why he can't run in the big open spaces and he likely never will understand. However, we think this does need to be done on a scale, with only the most severe cases having access to blue badges as other wise there may as well not be disabled parking.

Finally, there is disparity between different councils in england for this. My home county we would get a blue badge no problem, but where we live unless you get higher rate mobility you are not able to get a blue badge so there does need to be some parity in all areas.

[Ghostpanther]

In the US you don't have to pay for parking meters if you have a handicap tag or plates in most places on city streets. Chicago had to issue new colors for tags when they sold off the meters to a private company because the company complained about too many people not paying.

For people not noticing handicap spots never being taken in the US, it really depends on where you're going and what time of day. The movie theater near me has about 20 spots right in front that were always empty when I'd go to shows at night, like 7pm or later. I always wondered why they had so many. I tried going to an afternoon show one day and every single spot was taken. Now when I drive by I usually look and it's generally the same, during the day they're all full and completely empty at night. So it looks kind of silly if you only go there at night to see all these empty spaces, but they do get used when they're most needed.

True with meters. But we do not have parking meters here in the city of about 50,000 people. Use to and they found out, people would just avoid going to sections of towns which had those. Thus it was hurting business.

But there are still several places which have parking fees and having a handicap window card, does not exempt you from those.

[Lochton]

http://www.itv.com/news/2018-01-21/b...-disabilities/



I actually don't agree with this, I feel the blue badge should be exclusive to those with physical ailments only. The purpose of disabled spaces is so people don't have to walk / travel as far and that they accomadate adapted vehicles

'Invisible disabilities', should I start feeling insulted? I take it we're talking about psychological problems? If so, no. I don't agree at all. Disability parking should be for those that generally have a need for it. And I say this as a person with an, 'invisible disability'. And if you're at a part where your psychological illness becomes a physical problem for you to move, then you should need an assistant with you. And this doesn't include paranoia, anxiety or the likes.

[Tommi]

Your nephews legs broken? He needs to pull his shit together, there is nothing physically wrong with him, he does not need a disabled spot. They are for people that physically need them,

If you'd read past the first few words of what I said, you'd see he is also legally blind, which does qualify for a disabled spot.

not some snot nosed kid throwing a hissy fit.

Ah, spoken like someone who has no idea about autism, nor has had to deal with it. I'll just file you in the "absolute cunt" folder.

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Me and my partner was discussing this earlier.

On the whole we fully support this. Our 7 year old is severely autistic. He has no verbal capacity and understands very little communication. On a good day you can park 2 or 3 rows from the supermarket and he will walk but he will always try to run which is not safe for anyone around. On a bad day, we are lucky to even get him out of the car unless we are close to the door as it is too much for him.

Our son is a good 4'8 so is not exactly small for his age and if he wants to go he will GO. Currently we can still get away with parent and child parking, which for us fortunately are all level with disabled parking. However, he is now getting to a size and age where this gets looks. For our sons own safety, we would use this to be able to get him into the shops or supermarket with less possibility of him running in front of a car as he would not understand why he can't run in the big open spaces and he likely never will understand. However, we think this does need to be done on a scale, with only the most severe cases having access to blue badges as other wise there may as well not be disabled parking.

Finally, there is disparity between different councils in england for this. My home county we would get a blue badge no problem, but where we live unless you get higher rate mobility you are not able to get a blue badge so there does need to be some parity in all areas.

Sounds a lot like my nephew, except he can talk and understand what you say. He loves trains, and if he wants to go see a train, he'll go meltdown mode, but he is easy enough to work around if you do take him eventually. We just keep saying we'll go after X or Y.

I do think it's rather weird how different councils have different rules for blue badges. I got one no problem when I showed my PIP high mobility award, but depending how well I'm coping on the day (aka how much Tramadol I've taken), I don't even bother with disabled spots.

[PosPosPos]

I don't really believe depression warrants a disability lot, but the lower functioning autism spectrums do.

[Deleted]

There is no logical reason why aspergers and depression should ever get privileged parking

[Flarelaine]

I'm with @adam86shadow on this one. Disabled parking is for the physically disabled. I have autism and I have Crohn's and I see neither of them warranting a parking spot. Well, the latter maybe on the hospital grounds where I get treatment.

[Orlong]

Depression can be comorbid with social anxiety to a debilitating level but would still be classified as depression. At some point social anxiety can make someone panic and go into flight at unexpected stimuli.
Even high functioning autistic people can have issues with driving because of an overwhelming number of stimuli that can force them into a panic attack or even a catatonic state; giving them access to disabled spots reduces the chaos of driving significantly making it far easier for them to process this. They are still high functioning though (I am like that and I just don't drive).

If someone is at risk for major panic attacks, they shouldnt even be allowed to drive