Disabled parking Rochdale-style

I expect it is because most on the undeserving layabouts who have conned their way into being blue badge holders cannot get up any earlier. This is on account of the vast quantity of cheap alcohol they consumed the day before. The alcohol having been purchased with benefit money they have lied and cheated to obtain. Seems fair to me. Allow the workers and early risers to get there first and benefit from the concession. Mind you, should the occasional blue badge arrive before the witching hour they are clearly able to manage well enough for an early start, and so can park in a normal spot.

So you wish to discriminate against drinkers, the disabled, anyone on benefits, anyone who likes a lie-in. Wow!

I was hearing that a significant number of staff at Oldham hospital have now applied for blue badges so that they can park on the hospital site, and not have to park down at the football ground. If many of these are successful, then the disabled spots will all be taken up by staff, leaving none for patients and visitors. I don't think that was the desired, or anticipated, effect of the recent changes to enforcement and space allocation.

Now THAT is a deviation, Oldham is soooo not our problem, we have enough here in Rochdale.

It's our nearest A & E site, so it is our issue.

Makes me laugh when you walk along the bottom of Yorkshire Street on Rochdale near the Butts outside the Halifax Bank.

Seeing all those abled bodied drivers parking in disabled spots because they are too lazy to use the proper car parks and to walk further.

Also in some cases people who look capable and no obvious sign of a disability or anyone with them, with a blue badge in the car, but carrying loads of shoppings bags and walking quite a distance depending where they are parked. So obvious to me that they are misusing the blue badge or get them through fraud.

It is quite fantastic really that no proper action has been taken by the police, parking wardens and the council over such blatant use of the blue badge for disabled drivers.

Not just a few either.

My Dad, 83, who broke his back and can only walk very short distances, has just received a renewal form for his badge. He told me it has gone up to £10 instead of £2 - a big increase - must be for the 'chip' maybe? And also he was commenting that you had to do all the application over the internet, even the phone number he rang then directed him to the internet, which surprised him as he said you would think that many people requiring the badge might be elderly and not so au fait with the internet. Luckily, he's quite savvy on it, but seems surprising there's no 'manual' option.

debutante wrote:My Dad, 83, who broke his back and can only walk very short distances, has just received a renewal form for his badge. He told me it has gone up to £10 instead of £2 - a big increase - must be for the 'chip' maybe? And also he was commenting that you had to do all the application over the internet, even the phone number he rang then directed him to the internet, which surprised him as he said you would think that many people requiring the badge might be elderly and not so au fait with the internet. Luckily, he's quite savvy on it, but seems surprising there's no 'manual' option.

My husband phoned today to renew his and was told the same, he said to them what if I don't own a computer the reply was "you can go to your local Library"
My Mum is 86 totally housebound she has me to deal with things like this ! what happen's to those who have nobody and believe me there are plenty of people out there who have no -one to turn to what happens to them

Only a 3/4 weeks ago the council sent my 86 year Mum a "Final Notice Warning" that she would be served notice for an unpaid bill for £365 if she didn't pay it in 7 days
You can imagine how angry I was as my Mum owes nobody nothing! still waiting for a letter of apology just disgusting how lack of care this town has become

Hinch.

I agree there are people who have illnesses not always obvious and I should know. There are people who are also being turned down for benefits that also stops them getting help for transport etc. Yet should be getting benefits but also facing an up hill struggle fighting to get them.

The people I am aiming at are those who park in disabled places who should not be. Those who do not have a blue badge who should not park in the disabled parking bay.

Then you get those athletic enough to walk up an hill then walk back at some distance loaded up with shopping bags and parcels walking quicly to the car. Then drop the loaded up shopping bags on the road bending up and down to put heavy shopping bags in the car and then running round to the driving seat and driving away quickly, as though they are in a hurry hoping not to be caught.

There is someone close to me has one of those illnesses which is not obvious and needs care at times, but has been turned down for certain benefits but also fighting the system for correct treatments etc. Also met other people fighting the system to get relatives that little extra help to have some sort of normal life., having a real struggle with the system

Also came across someone who told me they gave up work because of ill health. Yet not long after seen them helping out friends climbing ladders and then on a roof helping to repair the roof. Also doing other work since. Also noticed by other people.

Yet other people we have seen in the media who claim benefits but ended up in court after getting caught playing sports and in one case went on a diving holiday and proved they were cheating and dealt with accordingly. Those found cheating have been getting away with it in some cases for years.

Yet genuine people with real illness and disabilities are fighting an uncaring government and some local authorities who seem to be doing everything they can to stop the genuine claiments getting what they should be getting with benefits and help. The genuine claiments being turned down and then having to go to appeals to win their entitled claims. Yet like Jeanie said there are people out there who are on their own who cannot access the help they need.

There are people who do cheat yet do not seem having trouble getting the benefits. This is what I cannot understand how they do it and get away with it for sometime before they ar caught.

I have a neighbour who walks the dog, energetically throwing the ball for it to fetch, can be seen wandering up and down with shopping ect.
Recently when a skip was brought on to the street this person was first out trundling wheelbarrows full of rubbish and was actually seen climbing in the skip retrieving things others has thrown in there.
Its ok when you can get a full DLA with new car every 3 years, all you need to do is start using a walking stick around the time your claim is due for renewal

Get TP round with his notebook and pencil Charly.

Can I have your note book and pencil Hinch mate.

My husband is registered disabled and has a blue badge.

99% of people would not recognise him as disabled from looking at him 99% of the time.

Hubby holds down a full time job as well as running a small business and is quite capable of putting out a wheelie bin and doing the shopping in Morrisons on occasion.

In the past 18-months alone he has undergone 4 operations following which he has struggled a darn site more to continue attempting the above. He has had a ruddy good try at doing so though with the use of crutches and the mobility scooters available in Morrisons.

Whether my husband is recovering from surgery or not there is always a physical price to pay for the pressure he puts his body under in an attempt to continue a "normal" life without letting his old injuries get the better of him.

We are not on benefits.

Whenever my husband uses a disabled parking bay you can guarantee some muppet will mutter under their breath about the abuse of disabled parking bays. It drives me nuts - can you imagine what it does to him?

Seeing as though my wife has a disability I find that a strange statement Hinch. I was talking about people/criminals who misuse the disabled parking spaces and drivers who should not park in them.

How on earth would you know someone is a criminal, do they wear badges?
Of course this is with the exceptions of someone you know is a criminal as fact!

Misuse of the scheme is fraud. I am only getting at those who do misuse it which is the minority.

But you cant distinguish really, as Sparky has pointed out you cant always see the disability all the time

Well said, Hinch. Thanks.

Problem is TP, people make judgements and it's the innocent who suffer. The guilty ones couldn't give a proverbial.

On a lighter note...

My father, who was a double leg amputee, often went out without putting his legs on. He was a fine looking chap who appeared much younger than his advancing years. One day, whilst parking in a disabled parking bay, an "elderly" gentleman brought his car to a stop behind ours and wound his window down.

"That," he bellowed. "Is a disabled parking space."

Quick as a flash my father flung open his driver's door and waved two short stumps in the air.

"What do you think I am?" he screeched. "Charles bl**dy Atlas!"

I've no idea who Charles Atlas was (she lied) but it appeared to do the trick

Well said Hinch. Makes me sick these IGNORANT people who speak about others "ripping off the system" when in fact they do not know ALL the FACTS.