http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6708939.stm

what can I say, but.. .. ..


.. . ..


:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

"He said the station had "an absurd number of handicapped spaces" and the regulations should be looked at."

If Mr Steen really believed that, then why didn't he instigate having the regulations looked at himself (and before he got fined!)? He is, after all, better placed than anyone else to do this .... as he is an MP!

Methinks he's trying to throw up a smokescreen to cover his embarrassment.

Brill! What a pity they couldn't have birched the selfish barsteward in public as well. Or bring back the stocks - and let people throw some nice, rotten tomatoes at him.

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

Dozy

I never ever praise traffic wardens but I will make an exception in this case. Give that person an MBE

''Mr Steen described a constituent who photographed the car and told a local newspaper as "very sneaky".:)

''Mr Steen described a constituent who photographed the car and told a local newspaper as "very sneaky".:)

"aaw, diddums... did da nasti traffic warden catched ooo in oos naughty wikle blue badge space den...?" is my response to mr Steen's comments. :lol:

what can I say, but.. .. ..


.. . ..


:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:


He also needs educating, people are not handicapped ................ they are DISABLED, they don't have a handicap, they have a DISABILITY. Golfers and horses have a handicap. Sheeeeeeeeesh, and that man is an MP. That disabled parking space was handicapped, because YOU was in it Mr Steen.:loopy: :loopy:

The MP said while he accepted he had parked in the wrong space and deserved his ticket, he believes the station has too many disabled parking bays.

"Every time I go to Newton Abbot station, I'm going to photograph the handicapped spaces because I can tell you none of them are used," he added.


so , erm... *scratches head* :loopy:

because a bay is not being used right at that very minute by a disabled person, it's ok to take that disabled-designated place, then, is it, ?

I'f I'd had a quid for every time someone able bodied has come sauntering out of the supermarket, to their badly-parked souped up boy-racer-mobile, with their "i was only gonna be ten minutes!"

I'd be a very rich woman!

''Mr Steen described a constituent who photographed the car and told a local newspaper as "very sneaky".:)

yes a bit more sneaky than him

I love the comments, he just comes across as incredibly arrogant!

He does have a very nice car though - classic Volvo Amazon. Not that that's an excuse!

He also needs educating, people are not handicapped ................ they are DISABLED, they don't have a handicap, they have a DISABILITY. Golfers and horses have a handicap. Sheeeeeeeeesh, and that man is an MP. That disabled parking space was handicapped, because YOU was in it Mr Steen.:loopy: :loopy:

Agree 100% but the term 'handicapped parking bay' made me laugh - did it have a pot hole or something? :huh:

Agree 100% but the term 'handicapped parking bay' made me laugh - did it have a pot hole or something? :huh:


It should have had a crater in it :hihi: :hihi: They should have towed his car away and impounded it. I suppose the fine will be cheaper than three days parking anyway.

I know someone who used to go round sticking very sticky stickers on people's windscreens when they parked in blue badge bays (or orange badge ones as they were then).

On the sticky side (so that they were readable from the inside when you were sat in the car wondering how to get the things off the windscreen so that you could see to drive) they said 'would you jump into my wheelchair as quickly as you jumped into my parking spot?'.

I wouldn't condone doing damage to any property, but I have to admit having a quiet smile at the thought of this MP being caught out at being arrogant and unthinking.

Whilst in the Tesco - Infirmary Road - car park yesterday afternoon I watched the lady in the reflective 'Parking Services' jacket doing her rounds when she slapped a large yellow notice on a black (Merc or BMW I forget which) car parked in one of the disabled bays telling them they shouldn't be parked there. Oh how my heart lifted - good on her. Doubt this moron would be embarrassed though.

Whilst in the Tesco - Infirmary Road - car park yesterday afternoon I watched the lady in the reflective 'Parking Services' jacket doing her rounds when she slapped a large yellow notice on a black (Merc or BMW I forget which) car parked in one of the disabled bays telling them they shouldn't be parked there. Oh how my heart lifted - good on her. Doubt this moron would be embarrassed though.

I have been known to follow people parking in the disabled bays there (without a badge) into the shop and to ask them (loudly and in front of everyone else at the checkouts) whether they had left their blue badge at home or just their sense.

I have been known to follow people parking in the disabled bays there (without a badge) into the shop and to ask them (loudly and in front of everyone else at the checkouts) whether they had left their blue badge at home or just their sense.

:clap: :clap: good on yer, medusa! I make a point of pointing out to folk that "they seem to have lost their blue badges" when they park in blue-badge bays without a permit.

I do think he has a point, especially when you add the number of bloody Mother and child spaces these days.

Also why to the spaces have to be so close to where you need to go?

I do think he has a point, especially when you add the number of bloody Mother and child spaces these days.

Also why to the spaces have to be so close to where you need to go?

If you had ever had a mobility problem then you wouldn't need to ask that question.

Getting round the shop is sometimes too much hard work, let alone getting from the car park, round the shop and back to the car again.

"He said the station had "an absurd number of handicapped spaces" and the regulations should be looked at."

If Mr Steen really believed that, then why didn't he instigate having the regulations looked at himself (and before he got fined!)? He is, after all, better placed than anyone else to do this .... as he is an MP!

Methinks he's trying to throw up a smokescreen to cover his embarrassment.

he does have a point though. when we go to tesco tonight there'll be 100 disabled parking spaces, all next to the entrance. a lot of the "disabled" drivers are fitter than you or me. whats the harm in parking in them. i always do. the same applies to the car with kids ones as well

he does have a point though. when we go to tesco tonight there'll be 100 disabled parking spaces, all next to the entrance. a lot of the "disabled" drivers are fitter than you or me. whats the harm in parking in them. i always do. the same applies to the car with kids ones as well

I really resent your remarks, mikey, on this subject.

firstly, how do you know it's the driver, and not the passenger who has the disability?

secondly, to get a blue badge, yo have to fit certain criteria, if you don't fit them, you don't get one, it's as simple as.

Blue badges aren't handed out like smarties at a childs party.

If some one is using one which they are not entitled to (and by that i mean disabled-designated parking space, or a blue badge, or both) then I have no problem with the law coming down on the offender like a ton of bricks.

As for the idiotic statement "what's the harm in parking in them"
that is a cretinous thing to say
if every other able bodied person thought that way, and took up all the designated spaces, how would the genuinely disabled person manage, with things like getting their chair or other mobility equipment out, in a confined "normal" space. or as they can't walk too far , how would they manage the trek to the store, which the idle-gets who park illegally in the designated spaces could quite easily do, if they cared to get of their backsides.

Don't rise PT, he trolls any thread where he thinks he can get a rise. He probably doesn't even have a car, never mind being so ignorant as to park in disabled bays.

................................

very interesting post DynoDon ..... But, here is the part that you missed out, which is also interesting.

Don't call me handicapped!

By Damon Rose
Editor of BBC disability website Ouch!

The sensitivity of words describing black and gay people is well known, but how should disabled people be referred to? Is handicapped an offensive description? The abundance of coverage last week about new rights for disabled people shed some welcome light on a subject that is often overlooked by mainstream media.

But it also raised a thorny question: what words are suitable when talking about disabled people?

The BBC's disability website, Ouch!, regularly get calls about language from people frightened about "getting it wrong".

Due to popular rubbishing of what is referred to as "political correctness', many disabled commentators now publicly say they don't care how people refer to them.

But privately they fume if someone calls them "handicapped" or "brave".

Last year Ouch! ran a poll to try and determine what really are the most vilified words and expressions around disability.
Unsurprisingly "retard" came top as the most offensive followed by "spastic".

TOP TEN WORST WORDS
1. Retard
2. Spastic
3. Window-licker
4. Mong
5. Special
6. Brave
7. Cripple
8. Psycho
9. Handicapped
10. Wheelchair-bound
Worst Words vote in full

When breaking down the figures though, it was interesting to see that disabled people had voted "special" as fifth most offensive.

"Special service", "special school" and "special needs" are phrases used in an attempt to be positive about disability.

But in the same way women don't like being elevated to "lady", disabled people find it patronising to be lifted to the status of special.

It differentiates them from normal, but in a saccharine manner. Disabled people are different, but not better or more important. Besides, putting them on a pedestal does not appear to be shifting attitudes or solving the appalling disability unemployment situation.

Clearly, language in this field is a hotch-potch of confusion.

Barriers

There's an idea that the correct terminology is "people with disabilities". It's quite cute because it's born of a belief that we're people first.

"Handicapped" and "invalid" imply disabled people are held back But speak to a disability studies student or rights campaigner and you're likely to be told this is a thoroughly incorrect use of language, due to a concept known as "the social model of disability".

They will tell you the correct term is "disabled people". Why? Because the word disabled and disability refer to how society treats them, not their impairment, which is a medical matter.

Disabled refers to what barriers have been placed in their way due to the physical environment: steps instead of ramps, no Braille menus in restaurants etc. It also refers to attitudes which perpetuate joblessness or non-inclusion. Linguistically the disability movement is trying to separate its personal medical situation from society's responsibility to all disabled people.

It is about identifying as one who believes in having rights as opposed to someone who believes their poor quality of life is because they are not "perfect" human specimens.

Of other words used to describe disabled people, "invalid" gives the message of being not valid or worthless.

Many warm words are spun about the furthering of disabled people - usually through a fear of getting sued - but positive action is often lacking.

Disability access: New laws explained

"Handicapped" is a word which many disabled people consider to be the equivalent of nigger. It evokes thoughts of being held back, not in the race, not as good, weighed down by something so awful we ought not to speak of it.

Some would accuse disabled people of being over-sensitive, but language shapes thoughts. Russians have two entirely different words for light blue and dark blue and so tend to think of them as two totally separate colours. English speakers however see the two as shades of the same thing. Ultimately though, attitude is more important than words.

The simple task of giving disability a name proves such a headache for some organisations they simply do nothing about "the disability problem".

Glib and perhaps overly-simple it might be, but the phrase "actions speak louder than words" is really relevant here.

Many warm words are spun about the furthering of disabled people - usually through a fear of getting sued - but positive action is often lacking.

Sorry for the long post, and being slightly off topic, but this compliments the post by DynoDon. :)

I know someone who used to go round sticking very sticky stickers on people's windscreens when they parked in blue badge bays (or orange badge ones as they were then).

On the sticky side (so that they were readable from the inside when you were sat in the car wondering how to get the things off the windscreen so that you could see to drive) they said 'would you jump into my wheelchair as quickly as you jumped into my parking spot?'.

I wouldn't condone doing damage to any property, but I have to admit having a quiet smile at the thought of this MP being caught out at being arrogant and unthinking.

I would never ever smile at that. Honest.

No really, honest.

:hihi:

he does have a point though. when we go to tesco tonight there'll be 100 disabled parking spaces, all next to the entrance. a lot of the "disabled" drivers are fitter than you or me. whats the harm in parking in them. i always do. the same applies to the car with kids ones as well

No there won't. Your next point please?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6708939.stm

He'd be better off parking at Newton Abbot race track.

I do think he has a point, especially when you add the number of bloody Mother and child spaces these days.

Also why to the spaces have to be so close to where you need to go?

Because parents with kids while shopping, and disabled people need to have closer access than you, unless you fall into that category; the same as elderly people.

Supermarkets also do have too many. especially now there's home delivery by the 3 major supermarkets across the nation. If people can't move 100 metres more then there's more than adequate home delivery services available.

You obviously have no understanding of the day to day life/ hassles that a person who has a mobility impairment (PWD) has to deal with.

Roll on the day when there are 960 blue-badge designated bays, and just 40 "able-bodied" bays.

As for home delivery, how does the customer purchase the groceries in the first place?

Not every disabled person has access to the internet, or a debit/ credit card with which to "distance order", if that's what you mean by home delivery, or alternatively, if you mean they go to the supermarket, and select their goods, and arrange the supermarket to deliver them later, again, where does a PWD park in order to get into said supermarket?

Why should we hide, behind a computer screen, when it's much healthier, and more "social" to go outside, and travel to the shop?

Indeed, why should we PWDs hide ourselves away, full stop. Why shouldn't we participate fully in life?

Because parents with kids while shopping, and disabled people need to have closer access than you, unless you fall into that category; the same as elderly people.

Do elderly people not get their own spaces? Or are they considered disabled?

Now, I know it’s a contentious issue, but I’m not one to shy away from a discussion just because some people will take exception to it.

I know full well there are deserving people who require parking close to shops etc, but in my experience not all people with disabled badges are physically disabled.

I lived in a block of apartments where one guy had a badge but neither him nor his wife (the only two people living there) where visibly disabled. Both where regularly out walking their dog, seen carrying heavy shopping and even bursting in to a run to get through the door before it shuts. I did post on here about the guy but some people did say he may have had some 'other' disability not visible to me. So why would this guy or his wife deserve a disabled parking badge? Why does he deserve the prime parking spaces right in front of the shops if his disability does not impede his mobility?

Another person using a badge that may or may not be deserving is the red builders van I see regularly parked on the yellow lines on Junction Road.

Another way to look at the supermarket issue is, relatively speaking the distance of the parking space to the front door makes very little difference to the actual distance you travel within the shop, and thus the need for disabled parking is very limited.

Parent and child spaces do not IMO deserve to be right by the shop and should be spaced evenly among the normal spaces. If the child is too small to walk unassisted it should be in a push chair or buggy, especially if the parents are thinking of taking the child(ren) into a shopping centre.

firstly, how do you know it's the driver, and not the passenger who has the disability?

Good point, many people do not understand you can apply for a disabled badge for someone else you may drive around.

secondly, to get a blue badge, yo have to fit certain criteria, if you don't fit them, you don't get one, it's as simple as.

I would disagree going on the number of able-bodies people I see using their badges to park on double yellow lines and disabled spaces.

Blue badges aren't handed out like smarties at a childs party.
It’s all down to perception, and how much notice you take of others actions. I’m my experience I have seen a number of people I would not consider disabled but who have a badge and use it to park in spaces provided for disabled people.

Now, personally I do not think this is a major issue, but there may be room for improvement. Maybe a different badge for someone transporting a disabled person, so if you see a car with one but only has one occupant, you know they are not using the badge for a legitimate reason. Also, maybe police and traffic wardens should have more power to challenge those they feel should not have a badge. A system similar to road tax where the badge is a certain colour each year to help weed out those with expired badges may help too.

Do elderly people not get their own spaces? Or are they considered disabled?

Now, I know it’s a contentious issue, but I’m not one to shy away from a discussion just because some people will take exception to it.

I know full well there are deserving people who require parking close to shops etc, but in my experience not all people with disabled badges are physically disabled.

I lived in a block of apartments where one guy had a badge but neither him nor his wife (the only two people living there) where visibly disabled. Both where regularly out walking their dog, seen carrying heavy shopping and even bursting in to a run to get through the door before it shuts. I did post on here about the guy but some people did say he may have had some 'other' disability not visible to me. So why would this guy or his wife deserve a disabled parking badge? Why does he deserve the prime parking spaces right in front of the shops if his disability does not impede his mobility?

Another person using a badge that may or may not be deserving is the red builders van I see regularly parked on the yellow lines on Junction Road.

Another way to look at the supermarket issue is, relatively speaking the distance of the parking space to the front door makes very little difference to the actual distance you travel within the shop, and thus the need for disabled parking is very limited.

Parent and child spaces do not IMO deserve to be right by the shop and should be spaced evenly among the normal spaces. If the child is too small to walk unassisted it should be in a push chair or buggy, especially if the parents are thinking of taking the child(ren) into a shopping centre.


you do not have to be physically disabled to need a blue-badge.


My sister has blue-badges for her two youngest sons. The youngest is physically disabled, and has severe brain damage, he can't walk far.

The other boy, her middle son, is not physically disabled, but he is severely "Learning-Disabled". He is 17, but, mentally, he's little more than a toddler. He has no perception of danger, and would dash off, out into traffic etc. for safety, and effective control it's better that they use the designated blue-badge parking, so that they are away from traffic, and danger.

To see my nephew, he looks like a strapping, healthy young man. But because of the limited capacity he has for understanding, they need the benefits of a blue-badge.

You obviously have no understanding of the day to day life/ hassles that a person who has a mobility impairment (PWD) has to deal with.

Roll on the day when there are 960 blue-badge designated bays, and just 40 "able-bodied" bays.

As for home delivery, how does the customer purchase the groceries in the first place?

Not every disabled person has access to the internet, or a debit/ credit card with which to "distance order", if that's what you mean by home delivery, or alternatively, if you mean they go to the supermarket, and select their goods, and arrange the supermarket to deliver them later, again, where does a PWD park in order to get into said supermarket?

Why should we hide, behind a computer screen, when it's much healthier, and more "social" to go outside, and travel to the shop?

Indeed, why should we PWDs hide ourselves away, full stop. Why shouldn't we participate fully in life?

if it's more healthy to travel, shouldn't disabled bays be placed further away from the shop.
disabled people are capable of travelling by bus, so why not across a car park.

if it's more healthy to travel, shouldn't disabled bays be placed further away from the shop.
disabled people are capable of travelling by bus, so why not across a car park.

this premise is so daft, I can't believe it!

are you trolling, or just being genuinely dim?

Not every disabled person *IS* able to travel by bus, not every disabled person has access to disability-accessible transport.

I've just explained the practicalities of my sister's predicament with her kids. How the heck does SHE manage a "3 yr old" who's almost six foot tall, on public transport? why should she have to manage him all the way across a car park, with all the dangers therein, when it is much safer to park in the blue-badge bay, with the blue-badge, and only have to take the lad a short way, in safety.

if it's more healthy to travel, shouldn't disabled bays be placed further away from the shop.
disabled people are capable of travelling by bus, so why not across a car park.

Have you ever tried getting a shopping trolley across a car park when you have impaired mobility?

If I can't park next to the shop then I am reliant on the shop finding me a member of staff to take my shopping out to the car for me because I can't control a laden trolley on a camber or around other cars in a car park.

For the record, I probably look pretty able bodied to other people and there are probably some people who wonder why I have my blue badge, but I do not feel the need to justify my blue badge status to everyone else in the car park.

It differentiates them from normal, but in a saccharine manner. Disabled people are different, but not better or more important. Besides, putting them on a pedestal does not appear to be shifting attitudes or solving the appalling disability unemployment situation.

Clearly, language in this field is a hotch-potch of confusion.

Barriers

There's an idea that the correct terminology is "people with disabilities". It's quite cute because it's born of a belief that we're people first.

"Handicapped" and "invalid" imply disabled people are held back But speak to a disability studies student or rights campaigner and you're likely to be told this is a thoroughly incorrect use of language, due to a concept known as "the social model of disability".

They will tell you the correct term is "disabled people". Why? Because the word disabled and disability refer to how society treats them, not their impairment, which is a medical matter.

Disabled refers to what barriers have been placed in their way due to the physical environment: steps instead of ramps, no Braille menus in restaurants etc. It also refers to attitudes which perpetuate joblessness or non-inclusion. Linguistically the disability movement is trying to separate its personal medical situation from society's responsibility to all disabled people.


its my perception that disabled refers to a persons inability to carry out a task in the way a healthy individual would.
barriers have not been put in place, in fact the opposite has occurred and tasks are being made constantly easier, e.g. ramps put in place instead of stairs, the introduction of braile leaflets by many organizations

It would be interesting to see the carpark in question.

While I dont condone the actions of this individual or any other person who uses a space designated for disabled badge holders, I do agree that often the number of bays allocated for badge holders seems OTT.

I particularly noticed this as a mother and child space user, waiting ages for a space to become available then walking past many vacant blue badge only bays.

Do elderly people not get their own spaces? Or are they considered disabled?

Now, I know it’s a contentious issue, but I’m not one to shy away from a discussion just because some people will take exception to it.

I know full well there are deserving people who require parking close to shops etc, but in my experience not all people with disabled badges are physically disabled.

I lived in a block of apartments where one guy had a badge but neither him nor his wife (the only two people living there) where visibly disabled. Both where regularly out walking their dog, seen carrying heavy shopping and even bursting in to a run to get through the door before it shuts. I did post on here about the guy but some people did say he may have had some 'other' disability not visible to me. So why would this guy or his wife deserve a disabled parking badge? Why does he deserve the prime parking spaces right in front of the shops if his disability does not impede his mobility?

Another person using a badge that may or may not be deserving is the red builders van I see regularly parked on the yellow lines on Junction Road.

Another way to look at the supermarket issue is, relatively speaking the distance of the parking space to the front door makes very little difference to the actual distance you travel within the shop, and thus the need for disabled parking is very limited.

Parent and child spaces do not IMO deserve to be right by the shop and should be spaced evenly among the normal spaces. If the child is too small to walk unassisted it should be in a push chair or buggy, especially if the parents are thinking of taking the child(ren) into a shopping centre.



Parent and child spaces are a safety feature for mums and baby's/small children. Mums with children, are at risk from muggers and other miscreants, as they fumble around for their car keys, or whilst they are actually strapping their child into their child seat. Whilst their attention is diverted seeing to the baby/child anything could, and, has happened in superstore car parks.

you do not have to be physically disabled to need a blue-badge.

Arh, Well I assuemd that but as its such a hard area to identifiy, thats why some people probably and wrongly assume some people are not disabled as its not openly visible.

Thanks for the insight :)

Parent and child spaces are a safety feature for mums and baby's/small children. Mums with children, are at risk from muggers and other miscreants, as they fumble around for their car keys, or whilst they are actually strapping their child into their child seat. Whilst their attention is diverted seeing to the baby/child anything could, and, has happened in superstore car parks.

Again another insightfull reply. Thanks, I hadnt thought of it that way before.

Parent and child spaces are a safety feature for mums and baby's/small children. Mums with children, are at risk from muggers and other miscreants, as they fumble around for their car keys, or whilst they are actually strapping their child into their child seat. Whilst their attention is diverted seeing to the baby/child anything could, and, has happened in superstore car parks.

isn't everyone at risk though, more so young males.

isn't everyone at risk though, more so young males.

Good point but a distracted person who is putting a child into a child seat is much more of an easy target than a young male.

Muggers and thieves are cowards who prey on the weak. They don’t want to take from someone who may chase or retaliate.

But we are all vulnerable to these kind of attacks especially when we are placing expensive items into our cars.

isn't everyone at risk though, more so young males.


A young male would be better at defending himself than a womnan with kids and shopping. At least he could leggit, what is the woman supposed to do, drop her kids and shopping and leggit?

I am very fortunate in that I do not have any disabilities. I thank my lucky stars and do not mind if I have to walk an extra 20 yards across a car park. Disabled people need help to live their lives as normally as they can. Let them have their spaces and be grateful that you do not have their problems to face on a daily basis.

I am very fortunate in that I do not have any disabilities. I thank my lucky stars and do not mind if I have to walk an extra 20 yards across a car park. Disabled people need help to live their lives as normally as they can. Let them have their spaces and be grateful that you do not have their problems to face on a daily basis.

Well Said :thumbsup: :clap: :clap:

A young male would be better at defending himself than a womnan with kids and shopping. At least he could leggit, what is the woman supposed to do, drop her kids and shopping and leggit?

a young male is more likely to be attacked and injurred in the first place, he'd also have to drop his shopping, maybe his kids if he had them on him too.

its my perception that disabled refers to a persons inability to carry out a task in the way a healthy individual would.
barriers have not been put in place, in fact the opposite has occurred and tasks are being made constantly easier, e.g. ramps put in place instead of stairs, the introduction of braile leaflets by many organizations

so, on that premise, please explain:- in what way can my nephew carry out tasks in the same way as someone else without a mental impairment could?

how does he, with his limited understanding cope, successfully, with hazards like traffic,

BTW, you can have a disability (be a PWD - Person With a Disability ) and still be healthy.

Your other premise is wrong, too. Barriers haven't been removed, across the board.

Many places still discriminate against PWD's despite the DDA stating quite clearly, that we should have equal access to goods and services.

Even in the city centre, there are still many premises, shops, facilities such as Ponds Forge sports centre that still have impossible access, or difficult, or near-impossible access for someone with a mobility impairment.

I am very fortunate in that I do not have any disabilities. I thank my lucky stars and do not mind if I have to walk an extra 20 yards across a car park. Disabled people need help to live their lives as normally as they can. Let them have their spaces and be grateful that you do not have their problems to face on a daily basis.

so lets make everything different for them, e.g. parking bays.
fair enough, i might not want a disability, but if i had one, i'd be more than happy to live on incapacity and dla benefits without the need to work.

a young male is more likely to be attacked and injurred in the first place, he'd also have to drop his shopping, maybe his kids if he had them on him too.


If he had his kids with him, he should have parked in the parent and child spaces. And as Serapis said, muggers and other miscreants, go for easy prey, and someone that they can easily overpower, not someone who will retalliate, as a man probably would do.

so lets make everything different for them, e.g. parking bays.
fair enough, i might not want a disability, but if i had one, i'd be more than happy to live on incapacity and dla benefits without the need to work.

Are you absolutely sure about that?

I'm not in poverty- but that's not because of my DLA. It's because I insured my income before I got ill.

I don't know anyone who would willingly live constantly on a 'I can make it to next week if I don't buy any food or do anything at all that costs' basis if they could do anything about it- and that's exactly what living on DLA is like.

Things cost more if you have a disability and the DLA is there to help with that sort of thing. My DLA just about pays for the services of someone to help me round the house to do the things that I can't do. It's not exactly the lap of luxury you know.

so lets make everything different for them, e.g. parking bays.
fair enough, i might not want a disability, but if i had one, i'd be more than happy to live on incapacity and dla benefits without the need to work.


:confused: What has benefits and working got to do with parking bays??? :huh:

so, on that premise, please explain:- in what way can my nephew carry out tasks in the same way as someone else without a mental impairment could?

how does he, with his limited understanding cope, successfully, with hazards like traffic,

BTW, you can have a disability (be a PWD - Person With a Disability ) and still be healthy.

Your other premise is wrong, too. Barriers haven't been removed, across the board.

Many places still discriminate against PWD's despite the DDA stating quite clearly, that we should have equal access to goods and services.

Even in the city centre, there are still many premises, shops, facilities such as Ponds Forge sports centre that still have impossible access, or difficult, or near-impossible access for someone with a mobility impairment.

i don't know your nephew, presumably his carer can ensure his safety.
i said barriers have not being put in place, and are being made constantly easier.
for example ponds forge wont put up a barrier to stop entrance to disabled people but are likely to go out of their way, to let them in through a fire door for the time being, while they look into installing doors which open at the push of a button.

If he had his kids with him, he should have parked in the parent and child spaces. And as Serapis said, muggers and other miscreants, go for easy prey, and someone that they can easily overpower, not someone who will retalliate, as a man probably would do.

young males suffer from a highly disproportionate amount of crime, the odd bag head preys on old women

:confused: What has benefits and working got to do with parking bays??? :huh:

come to think of it a lot, if your disabled, they will provide you with a car to use in them bays

Are you absolutely sure about that?

I'm not in poverty- but that's not because of my DLA. It's because I insured my income before I got ill.

I don't know anyone who would willingly live constantly on a 'I can make it to next week if I don't buy any food or do anything at all that costs' basis if they could do anything about it- and that's exactly what living on DLA is like.

Things cost more if you have a disability and the DLA is there to help with that sort of thing. My DLA just about pays for the services of someone to help me round the house to do the things that I can't do. It's not exactly the lap of luxury you know.

it's more than what many other people are on, hell i was working two jobs, studying and renting a council house. i had a lower income than that of my friend on dla, and was not entitled to housing benefit while he was.
i was having to get by on £30 a week, after paying rent, bus fares and electricity. whilst he was getting £90 a week, housing benefit and a big fat dla cheque at the end of the month.

young males suffer from a highly disproportionate amount of crime, the odd bag head preys on old women


We are not talking about old women, we are talking about young women with baby's/small children. And I can honestly say that I have not heard about any young men being mugged and their car and child stolen in any superstore car park, whereas it has happened to women on lots of occasions. One of which, the baby was thrown out of the car into the path of a pursuing police car. Most of the attacks on young males, are a result of binge drinking and mouthing off at people, because the smell of the barmaids apron makes them think that they are invincible.

come to think of it a lot, if your disabled, they will provide you with a car to use in them bays



You need to come out into the real world tom. The cars are not provided for disabled people, they have to BUY or LEASE them, using their mobility allowance.

so lets make everything different for them, e.g. parking bays.
fair enough, i might not want a disability, but if i had one, i'd be more than happy to live on incapacity and dla benefits without the need to work.

Are you honestly saying that you would swop your good health for a disability to get benefits?:loopy:

I can assure you I won't be volunteering.

i don't know your nephew, presumably his carer can ensure his safety.
i said barriers have not being put in place, and are being made constantly easier.
for example ponds forge wont put up a barrier to stop entrance to disabled people but are likely to go out of their way, to let them in through a fire door for the time being, while they look into installing doors which open at the push of a button.

the point is, as I keep trying to get through to you, is, that my nephew is, really, a three year old in a 17 yr olds body. He has no awareness of road safety, etc, and even with a carer on hand, it's still far safer and easier,for them not to have to negotiate traffic hazards.

As for your comment about Ponds Forge, and access:-

Have you ever tried to get in that bank of doors at the front? (Not everyone accesses the sports centre via the car park)

The doors are far too heavy for someone with limited dexterity, or limited mobility to get in through. This has been a bone of contention between the management there, the designers of it, and disabilty groups since it was first built, seventeen-odd years ago. I have been able to use the place on no more than half a dozen occasions in all that time, as I cannot negotiate the doors.

You need to come out into the real world tom. The cars are not provided for disabled people, they have to BUY or LEASE them, using their mobility allowance.

which is basically providing them with a car.
technically they are only providing them with the money for a car, but you know what i mean.

the point is, as I keep trying to get through to you, is, that my nephew is, really, a three year old in a 17 yr olds body. He has no awareness of road safety, etc, and even with a carer on hand, it's still far safer and easier,for them not to have to negotiate traffic hazards.

As for your comment about Ponds Forge, and access:-

Have you ever tried to get in that bank of doors at the front? (Not everyone accesses the sports centre via the car park)

The doors are far too heavy for someone with limited dexterity, or limited mobility to get in through. This has been a bone of contention between the management there, the designers of it, and disabilty groups since it was first built, seventeen-odd years ago. I have been able to use the place on no more than half a dozen occasions in all that time, as I cannot negotiate the doors.

ive only ever used them doors at the front, and i do agree they are quite heavy.
its not a big problem though, that needs to be turned into a big issue, followed by the introduction of new doors.
you just say "escuse me, can you give us an hand with the door"
me/someone else " yeah sure"
sorted in moments without cost.
the same goes for an old dear or a drunk who might be having problems ith the door.

Are you honestly saying that you would swop your good health for a disability to get benefits?:loopy:

I can assure you I won't be volunteering.

Hear, hear, Monz :clap:

I would not trade all the tea in china for my health. I would far rather have remained able bodied, and not have to struggle for money, as I have done, these last few years. Anyone who thinks that being disabled is an easy ride, in any way, including financially, ought to have their bumps felt.

There's the problems of claiming benefits:- you are treated like a fraud, and they investigate the minutiae of your life to the point of embarassment, right down to the number of times you go to the swining lavatory in a day, to give you- if you can prove your difficulties- the pittance they allot to you.

There's the attitude of other people to contend with. If you aren't being condescended to, by being patted on the head, and told "what a brave girl you are", you are being treated as if you are an imbecile - look, just because my body doesn't work effectively, doesn't mean my mind is affected, too!

There's the joy of arrranging to go somewhere, only to find that you cannot get into the venue, because of barriers like steps , or, like my friend who was ordered out of a pub where he had gone for a meal, because he had his guide dog with him... or back when I was nursing, we took a group of our patiens for a meal, and were ordered out of the venue, because their "mental handicaps" were upsetting the other diners (minor point, here:- they were not making any noise, or actually being diruptive. it was simply the way they "looked", with their downs syndrome etc)

oh, yeah we really do have it cushy! :roll:

imo you don't have to "struggle" for money, i believe it's paid into your bank account on a regular basis.
i may be wrong.

ive only ever used them doors at the front, and i do agree they are quite heavy.
its not a big problem though, that needs to be turned into a big issue, followed by the introduction of new doors.
you just say "escuse me, can you give us an hand with the door"
me/someone else " yeah sure"
sorted in moments without cost.
the same goes for an old dear or a drunk who might be having problems ith the door.

Actually, I was in a shop, only within the last couple of days, and I could not reach something on the shelf, from my chair.

I politely asked a woman passer-by "Excuse me, but can I trouble you to pass me that packet of biscuits, please, as I can't reach them?" I gave no attitude, I used my P#'s and q's...

The miserable old sow snotted at me "No! I won't" she said" Go and ask a member of staff!"

Now, all it would have taken the miserable old sow would have been perhaps ten or fifteen seconds, if that, to put her hand out to the shelf, grasp the packet, and hand them to me...

It would not have hurt her to do it. so WTF was with the snottiness?

Did she think she might become contaminated, and perhaps catch "the wheelchair disease" if she came into contact with me? :mad:

Thankfully, It's rare that I come across attitudes as nasty as this old sows was, although I do get it from time to time.

imo you don't have to "struggle" for money, i believe it's paid into your bank account on a regular basis.
i may be wrong.

I don't have a bank account, so no, it's not paid into my BA or anywhere else for that matter. ergo, yes, you are wrong.

I don't have a bank account, so no, it's not paid into my BA or anywhere else for that matter. ergo, yes, you are wrong.

Get a bank account then, its not rocket science really is it?

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I find that a lot of people parking in disabled spaces are idiots who if caught, pretend not to be able to speak English. Usually they get away with it too the manipulative *******s!

I agree whole heartedly, but has anyone had the problem "how can you be disabled? you're too young! It has happened to my husband (registered disabled at 32) a young 40 year old. At what age are you OK to be disabled and does that question make them feel better while nicking his spot?