I understand where your comming from. If you've ever seen the renewal procedure for an expired badge, once you have got hold of one, it's just a simple task of repeatedly renewing it saying you suffer the same condition with no need for doctor notes or proof.

But that does not give anyone in the general public the right to have a go at someone parking in a marked bay beacuse they don't "look" disabled.

True, but it kept the thread going.

I'll get my stethoscope out next time and give 'em the once over. ;)

Opinions are fine, no-one would ever doubt that, do read the posts correctly.

However calling somebody a cripple isn't an opinion, it's an insult which of course may put yourself into a position where you need to be tough enough to back it up, which evidently Trumptton doesn't come close.

The thread has gone off topic but I agree with the fact that badges are abused and doled out like sweets.

I also agree that all disabilities aren't visible.

But one thing that nobody ever seems to get fully is that full-time wheelchair users don't necessarily ask or want to be nearer their destination, you can leave these spaces for the "difficult of walking".

Most independant wheelchair users only ask for somewhere to be able to park, allowing them room to exit and enter their vehicle without having to either wait for the owner of the vehicle parked next to you to return, or hand the keys of your vehicle to a total stranger and ask him/her to just move your car forwards or backwards a bit.

Obviously the latter runs the risk of them just driving off with your car, but at least it means you don't have to wait at the shops for maybe 45 mins for the other owner to return, just so you can go about the rest of your day.

Oh, and these "cripples" as Trumptton referred to may well have been top physical atheletes the day before their accident so would find it very hard to swallow a comment like that.

Then there's the B&Q trade parking abusers................................

I rarely park in disabled places as I am not actually disabled. The only time I do is at my local asda when Im nippin to the cashamatron.
I shop in my local supermarkets on a regular basis as I like buying beerjuice and warm chickens and I cannot remember the last time I saw a wheelchair bound person doing a shop. I know it must happen - but not when I'm about. I feel that there is a dispraportionate allocation of disabled spaces (I know that the % of disabled spaces in a car park is less than the % of disabled humans in Britain - but I mean shopping humans).
A great example is a friend of mine who is diabetic - Insulin injections who qualified for a disabled badge. He runs me ragged on a footy pitch once a week, but can park wherever he likes - and why?
There's bound to be examples either way depending on the soft/hard touch of the GP I suppose.

Many minorities campaign for equal rights in this country and rightly so. So I'll consider the disabled when parking, but will always continue to nip into the disabled spots for a cash point and will debate with any vocal passer by why I feel it is my right to do so. Which is that I pay lots in taxes (income, road and council), spend hundreds in the shop every month (on beerjuice and warm chickens), am thinking of the environment (wasted ommisions looking for distant park spaces in a fuel thirsty car), Feel at risk withdrawing cash from cashpoints (I'm only likkle), Live in an equal rights country, and finally wont be a soddin minute so hold on and I'll be gone in a flamin minute!!!!

As for parking over 2 spaces (not always diagonally) - always folks in pubs/multi stories etc...

But for the big monthly food shops etc I park near the back coz I like the walk back up the hill with the wonkey trolley...

Right Im off for a pint
P :S

Spoon,

If my statement offended you than I am sorry I had just read some of the post...I amit not all of them and saw some of the names, comments being exchanged so I was trying to calm things down. Cripple means "a peron who is unable to move or walk properly through disability or injury." So I know what you are saying regarding injured athletes but stating that work may not be such an insult but it depends what context it is used in I suppose.