Disabled Parking Bays!!!

[ScottishA4B9]

Has anybody else noticed the hugely disproportionate number of disabled parking bays in car parks these days?

Now I have nothing against the disabled and respect that they do require to park closer to the shop etc. And I do have use of my legs so I don't mind walking the extra distance, its just that when you can't get a space because all the normal spaces are taken. It just seems that stores allocate a higher proportion of the bays to the disabled, than the proportion of disabled people out there!

I went to a new Tesco in my home town and HALF, yes HALF the car park bays were disabled. And all the normal parking bays were full and all the disabled parking bays empty!!!!
I went to the Tesco I normally go to, and not being content that a quarter of the car park was allocated to disabled bays, they had also now painted over the majority of the parent and child bays leaving only THREE for the whole store!!! (and its a massive Tesco Extra as well!)

When you do see people park in the disabled bays, they always get out and walk away fine! And its worse knowing that it was found that the majority of disabled badge holders have actually no right to them!!!!

This seems to be the way in most car parks these days as well!

Rant Over!

 

[Gaz!]

Agreed. Always seeing this, car park full, disabled bays empty. It's also disproportionate the amount of parent child spaces, I need the extra room to lift the kids in and out of the car, when you see all parent child spaces full and disabled empty that winds me up.

 

[@udi A3]

I agree this is a problem for the OP, would you like some help putting in a wheelchair?!

Parking in these bays is hardly enforced, i often see people with no badge in them, but just because they get out and walk to the shop, doesnt mean they are not entitled. Sometimes its the child who is disabled, sometimes its not phycical, and sometimes that 10 metre walk to the shop puts that person in bed for a week when the pain killers have worn off at home.

 

[StateOfPlay]

To get a disabled badge you have to be assessed by a fully qualified medical professional. Not just your GP, but a specialist employed by the local authority. That is a recent change, and will make sure those who do not deserve it do not get it.

I agree that 50% of all parking spaces being marked as disabled seems rather excessive. Do you live in an area with a lot of old people's homes? Some old people get them because they have a dodgy ticker.

But I will also say, people who park in disabled bays are almost expected to fall out of the car and drag themselves along the floor to the shop! As AudiA3 says, not all disabilities are obvious.

 

[ScottishA4B9]

I'm not saying they that if they can walk, they don't deserve the badge. My Gf's friend has a disability badge because her son can't TALK properly!!!! So that's a disability and they get the badge and car all free on mobility. It's wrong. But I'm not arguing over who deserves/doesn't deserve them. What I'm saying is that the amount of disability bays are disproportionate to the amount of people in society that are actually disabled. Shopping centers etc DO NOT go around finding how many many people are disabled in the local area or how many old peoples homes there are etc.
It seems to be a problem all over the country.
There are far more people requiring the parent and child spaces (and I'm talking about people with a very young child) but there are hardly ever any of them.

 

[kblackburn]

Disabled parking is not free in Cumbria, and there are not so many disabled spaces either. My wife has been registered disabled for the last 6 years or so,( knackered kidneys) and recently had a transplant after I donated. She is allowed a car and free road tax on the motability scheme ( which we do not claim for ) prefering to buy and tax our own vehicle, however, the transplant is not a cure, and the spaces closer to he shops are a help, I have had words in the past, with knobs moaning about disabled spaces, I'm sure nobody would trade places with her.

 

[StateOfPlay]

Then get a petition together for more parent/toddler parking. I for one will be happy, because I can't stand the thought of some numpty parent parking next to my car. Give them their own spaces, with 3 foot each side of the car so they stop damaging other people's cars. You see the dopey Dad struggling to control the 2 year old, the yummy Mummy crashing the doors into the neighbouring car. And all in the 6ft wide people carrier.

And while we are at it, can we have spaces for vans? I mean, they are also a nightmare to park next to.

Then we can have parking for the Disabled, Parking for the parents, parking for the big white vans, and I will be able to park my car somewhere away from the lot of them and breathe easier!

 

[Mr-C]

I park as far away as possible from the store. Im happy for the extra 20 second walk knowing that the buffoons are all battling to get as close as possible are no where near my car.

 

[ScottishA4B9]

I park as far away as possible from the store. Im happy for the extra 20 second walk knowing that the buffoons are all battling to get as close as possible are no where near my car.

Well when I don't have the little one in the car, I wouldn't mind parking further away and walking the extra distance. You can't even get spaces further away now in alot of supermarkets, because everybody else has to park there because the rest of the car park is disabled!

And I do agree about spaces being smaller. They are base on car sizes from the 1950's and haven't changed since despite modern cars being alot wider and longer!

 

[kblackburn]

So how many disabled parkingplaces are there, in your local supermarket car park, our local Asda superstore, has 400 spaces and of those 10 for disabled and 20 parent and child.?

 

[ScottishA4B9]

So how many disabled parkingplaces are there, in your local supermarket car park, our local Asda superstore, has 400 spaces and of those 10 for disabled and 20 parent and child.?

That is a far more reasonable amount. My local ASDA is fine also.

 

[Ghost]

ScottishS3, did you take a photo and go into Tesco and put your point across?

 

[ScottishA4B9]

ScottishS3, did you take a photo and go into Tesco and put your point across?

I haven't. It's not my usual Tesco. Although I missus continues to park in the parent and child spaces that they have suddenly changed to disabled (leaving only THREE parent and child spaces in the whole car park!!). God help them if they try and ticket her for parking there!!!!

 

[TonyH38]

muppets on here complaining about the disabled get a life, and hope you never become one.

 

[Ads]

HALF of the parking bays were disabled??

Can I take this opportunity to say..... Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[ScottishA4B9]

I can asure you it's true. I have only seen one store as bad as that tho and I work away so can't take pics. TonyH38- if you bothered reading the post, you will see that nobody is 'complaining' about the disabled. It's a dig at the planners who lay out the car parks.

 

[Ghost]

I haven't. It's not my usual Tesco. Although I missus continues to park in the parent and child spaces that they have suddenly changed to disabled (leaving only THREE parent and child spaces in the whole car park!!). God help them if they try and ticket her for parking there!!!!

So your missus parks in the disabled bays because she has a child with her?
I hope she gets a parking ticket for it!

Imo I don’t see the point of parent and child bays, unless they are for children under age 3 only, then im not bothered if I see a kid getting out of the car that looks about 5.

 

[markos72]

I've got 2 kids,3 and 8 and rarely use parent and child spaces.Much rather park the far side of the car park where its empty and walk the hundred and fifty yards to the store.

 

[sidibear]

I agree with the OP, the local shops by me have added another 10 disabled bays, leaving 6 ordinary bays. The only alternative is to park on the pub car park next door, and risk getting a ticket. And they wonder why no one uses the local shops.

 

[ScottishA4B9]

So your missus parks in the disabled bays because she has a child with her?
I hope she gets a parking ticket for it!

Imo I don’t see the point of parent and child bays, unless they are for children under age 3 only, then im not bothered if I see a kid getting out of the car that looks about 5.

She parks in the bays that were up until very recently, Parent & child spaces (but only when there was no normal spaces left), We have a 2 year old so when my missus is on her own, she needs the extra room. They have now left only THREE parent & child spaces for a massive Tesco extra, which is ridiculous. There was absolutely no need to change them into disabled bays especially as there is way more than are needed as it was plus they are virtually always empty!!!!!!!

 

[StateOfPlay]

I would rather take my business elsewhere than park in a bay designated for someone less able than me. But then I care.

 

[sidibear]

@ Scottish S3. Have a word with the local planning office to see if Tesco have let them know they are changing the number of ordinary bays. Its in the original planning application how many parking spaces of each type they are allowing for at the store.

Say for instance a store close to you, (lets say Lossie Green just as an example). For a format 70 store (70,000 sq ft sales floor) it should have a total of 445 spaces, made up of 405 standard spaces, 18 parent and toddler and 22 disabled.

You know, just for examples sake

 

[ScottishA4B9]

Thanks for that!

 

[Ghost]

I do get what you saying about recently they had been parent and child bays, but I don’t think its right if she/or anyone parks in a disabled bay that is not eligible, even if all the disabled bays was empty.

Your missus parking in the bays marked for disabled isn’t really helping her in the long run.
I asked in post #12 if you went in and pointed out the problems because that’s the only way you will get things sorted out.

If they don’t want to listen id do what stateofplay said, and go elsewhere to shop.

I hope the store reconsiders

 

[WAFTER]

A politically motivated policy of over-reaction used as a marketing tool to appease a minority and thus be seen as a 'kindly and considerate' company. Cynical yes but be assured there is an element of truth. Consider how this over-reaction is mirrored elsewhere by government and business in our increasingly over-multi-cultural society.