do you think there's FAR too many Disabled Parking bays at EVERY retail location?

Question

I do! out of 50 bays five were disabled! 10% of our population are disabled are they? I think NOT

Answer 1

'Sblood, sir - thank you!



I absolutely agree. Of course every disabled person should have a special parking place, but it seems the numbers are calculated wildly incorrectly.



Often parking areas are jammed to the gates, with many disabled spots left empty. It's just nuts.



I've no idea how the numbers are arrived at, but the equations are just wrong. Even with a bit extra for contingencies, they're way out.



The resentment this causes is bad for disabled rights.



CD

Answer 2

From my perspective, in most places there aren't enough! I don't know where you folks are shopping that here are always empty handicapped bays, but I want to move there!



In my experience, it is difficult to find open handicapped parking at most supermarkets, walmart, and such. I live in a large city, so that may be why, I don't know.



I have a myriad of conditions (as many do) that limit my mobility. Sometimes I use a wheelchair, otherwise I use a cane, or two canes, or a walker, and have done so for the past 17 years. My husband has a heart condition. Neither of us can be up and about for more than an hour at a time ... including the time it takes to get ready, driving time, and time getting back into the house and put things away. This means we have about a half hour to run our errands, do shopping. Time spent looking for parking quickly narrows the time we have to do what we need to.



A lot of disabilities are invisible ... people who for various reasons can't walk very far at a time. People with cancer, heart disease, lung disease, and many other illnesses all fit into this category. And yes, some have nice cars ... many people were very successful before being disabled, and many can still work and ARE successful. so what? You will also see a lot of old cars, for the people like us who live on a miniscule disability pension - and darn thankful to have it.



To address the person who made the statement about fat people ... most fat people are not disabled because they are fat. They have become fat because they are disabled! I am fat now, and I was a svelte model 17 years ago. The meds I have to take, the limited mobility, frequent bouts of being bedridden, and a messed up metabolism put the pounds on. This, unfortunately, is all too common a story.



For those of you who get angry because you have to park further away, you never know when you are going to be the one needing those empty bays ... and then you will truly understand how important they are for those who need them just to function.

Answer 3

I am disabled in that I cannot walk more than about 20 yards so need to be near the front of the store.I can walk round the store using the trolley as a support.Many is the time all the disabled bays are occupied,and each showing a blue badge.I sometimes wait for 20 minutes or so for a space to become available.I think your calculation of 10% may be wrong.In most supermarkets the total amount of bays is far in excess of 50.My local Tesco ,which is not a huge one,has about1200 bays of which 22 are for disabled.,which is a much smaller percentage.In the car park of a neighbourhood shopping centre there are 15 blue spaces out of a total park of something like 125 cars.and these are nearly always legitimately occupied.I think you will find that there are more disabled people needing these facilities than you realise.Most people over the age of 80 qualify for a blue badge,and although a lot of them don't drive themsel;ves. a family member or anyone taking them shopping would be able to use a disabled bay.In many places there needs to be more spaces.Able bodied and fit people should not worry about having to walk a few hundred yards,which is what the disabled can't do.You will be old yourself one day.

Answer 4

First of all Siderney I love you.



I think these spaces are really important as we do have an ageing population. Also there are many parents with disabled children who have to cross busy car parks with cumbersome wheel chairs. The only thing that annoys me is People WHO FLIPPIN WELL PARK IN THE SPACES AND the don't need to. I TELL EM OFF I DO

Answer 5

You selfish a ss. The 200 census shows that roughly 8.6% of Americans suffer from a disability that severely limits their ability to perform basic functions like enter/exit a car, get their wheelchair out of the backseat/trunk, and just generally do what they need to do. So yes, 10% of parking spaces IS a reasonable amount of space to be put aside for them.

This census was conducted before both 9/11 and the current action in Iraq, both of which will increase that percentage.



I guess you think they should only have parking reserved for them at stores where they MUST go and no spaces at stores where they'd just like to go?

Answer 6

There are over 6million in the UK, and thats not including all the old foke that find it hard to get around, and have you ever tried getting a wheelchair out of a car, when parked in a normal spot, you know i hope you never have to find out for real what it's like to be disabled, but why not give it a try,

Answer 7

My finace is paralyzed from the waist down and obviously needs handicap parking. You'd be surprised how often we have to wait for a parking space even tho there SEEMS to be many spots reserved for disabeled people.



Sometimes most of them might be available, the next we might have to wait for an hour to get out of the car.

Answer 8

as i am disabled i will answer, no there isnt!! cos you have people who have nothing wrong with them who park there and dont have a disabled badge!!, i am 23 i have been disabled since i was born, and the other day someone parked in a disabled space who wasnt and i asked them if they can move cos there was no other disabled parking spaces and i got a month full of abuse and this was from a guy in his 40's!!! and all he did was go cash machine!! so before you park in a disabled space think!

Answer 9

No, if you were disabled you might understand why there's a need for those parking spaces. The irony is as soon as you need a handicapped parking spot, it seems like thye all disappear. I wrote an article on what it's like to go shopping as a disabled person. Here's the link.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/246107/handicapped_accessible_being_disabled.html

Answer 10

I think there is adequate provision as it stands.



I also believe one of the easiest ways to spot an obnoxious, arrogant, self centred worm is when someone who is not disabled parks in a disabled parking place.

Answer 11

I think 5 out of 50 is not unreasonable considering the problems disabled people have getting in and out of the car and who much longer it takes them to move around



bet your glad you don't have to use them

Answer 12

Stop moaning! Does it matter? People are disables in many different ways-someone with a bad back is classed as an invalid. Do you have fifty cars and need to park them all-no, i dont think so.

Answer 13

Are they disabled bays at the front of supermarkets?! I thought they were for people who drive BMWs & 4x4s coz thats whats always parked in 'em

Answer 14

I think there should be more, people who can walk are lucky people who cant need parking bays.

Answer 15

what annoys me is when you drive to say tescos and there are about 100 un used mother and baby spaces 50 disabled spaces not used and you have to walk half a mile to the free ones



sod that i have a baby if anyone askes

Answer 16

Yes, that many people are either disabled, or in the case of my in-laws, they have handicap tag because my father-in-law recently had surgery. You obviously don't have someone related to you who actually needs to use these spots, otherwise you would not be complaining about it. One day it could be you needing that spot, or your mom or grandma. Be greatful you have legs that work that can walk you into that retail store with no trouble.

Answer 17

The fact that you can walk to the front door should more than compensate for the slight inconvenience



if this is the most annoying thing in the world that you can think of to post on this website then your life is going pretty well- count yourself lucky

Answer 18

The answer depends on if your disabled now doesn't it?

Answer 19

i get annoyed when disabled bays are the ONLY spaces left but i'm not allowed to park there!



discrimination or what?

Answer 20

I think that there is a law that governs this. Like wheel chair ramps etc.

Answer 21

Include old people and parents with children with disabilities.



So I don't think 5 is too many.

Answer 22

only when my bfs trying to park and threres only a few regular spaces and nearly all the disabled spaces are empty

Answer 23

Hell no there should be double the number as when all those veterans come home from Iraq they will need somewhere to park mate.

Answer 24

Ya not to mention the fact that all the disabled folk want to be treated no differently than the rest of us therefore... why do they get special parking at all?

Answer 25

Yes, they are needed. What basis to you make you opinion on? Sounds like pure selfishness to me.

Answer 26

You wait till your legs fall off, then we'll see who's complaining!

Answer 27

i agree mother of 2 and i never get a parking space yet the disabled bays are all empty god forbid if you park in one if your able bodied (angry person fined twice)

Answer 28

you would have made one hell of a guard in a german concentration camp..

Answer 29

Break your spine and see if you feel the same!