could I get in trouble for this...
Discussion
Briefly - My son (who has cerebral palsy) goes to a school for children with disabilities. There are many many children with very different issues. Some can walk and have excellent mobility and some are wheelchair users due to lack of mobility.
The school has recently moved to a new, larger site and the car parking for parents that drop off/collect their children is insufficient in number. Plus, in addition to the row of 'normal' spaces are two disabled spaces. Thats right, 2 spaces.
Anyway, some of the parents (myself included) need the use of the wider bays as our children use wheelchairs and we need to be able to fully open the door in order to lift them into the car and space around the perimeter of the car to wheel the chair to the boot and fold it up etc.
One of these spaces is always occupied by the grandparents (60's) of one child. Said child can walk and talk and get in and out of a car no problem. The grandparent has a disabled badge because he has got something going on with his leg as he walks with a bit of a limp.
I have been in to see the head teacher to informally complain about the spaces and lack of suitable ones. I mentioned the problem is exasperated by the disabled bays always being used by people who don't need to extra space they offer. The head new exactly who I was referring to and we had an off the record chat. Turns out said bloke is a member of the local council and was a parliamentary candidate a few years ago. He is also a retired police officer. He is a real miserable bloke with a proper high and mighty attitude.
The head sent out a note to all parents asking those that do not have children using a wheelchair to avoid taking up a disabled space to allow the parents of wheelchair using children to benefit from them and get their children in and out safely.
Now, our local councillor totally ignores this and continues to park there. There is a parking attendant/caretaker bloke who guides traffic and parking at the pick up/drop off time as its very very busy - some children arrive via specialised bus transport. The chap has spoken to the councillor and asked him to consider the request from the head. The councillor pulls the 'do you know who I am' card and flashes his own blue badge saying he is entitled to use the space. The fact is that he is right. He is legally allowed and is not breaking any law.
Morally though I think he is being a cock. It's not so bad for me as I'm a big chap at 6'2" and 16 stone and lifting my son in and out is manageable. Many of the other parents who collect are female and not nearly as strong unfortunately and some really struggle in the smaller, tight spaces. I think any decent person should acknowledge this and behave like a caring person.
Now - not one for taking things lying down I have been trying to think of a way to get him to see sense. He is all over facebook in the local community chat rooms and as I am a member too I was thinking of raising the subject and letting people know about the situation and effectively letting people know that their councillor is being selfish etc.
I now it's not a good plan and is somewhat underhand and cheap but I can't think of anything else.
Should I report him to the council? or should I just accept my position on the ladder of life and live with it. I just hate people lie this guy and the way they feel they are someone special and I feel I want to knock him down a peg or two.
Should I follow the official complaints route in order for the school to provide more disabled bays?
One thing to add - having a child with disabilities can at times be difficult and emotional so I would ask anyone thinking of taking the piss to think about things beforehand please
The school has recently moved to a new, larger site and the car parking for parents that drop off/collect their children is insufficient in number. Plus, in addition to the row of 'normal' spaces are two disabled spaces. Thats right, 2 spaces.
Anyway, some of the parents (myself included) need the use of the wider bays as our children use wheelchairs and we need to be able to fully open the door in order to lift them into the car and space around the perimeter of the car to wheel the chair to the boot and fold it up etc.
One of these spaces is always occupied by the grandparents (60's) of one child. Said child can walk and talk and get in and out of a car no problem. The grandparent has a disabled badge because he has got something going on with his leg as he walks with a bit of a limp.
I have been in to see the head teacher to informally complain about the spaces and lack of suitable ones. I mentioned the problem is exasperated by the disabled bays always being used by people who don't need to extra space they offer. The head new exactly who I was referring to and we had an off the record chat. Turns out said bloke is a member of the local council and was a parliamentary candidate a few years ago. He is also a retired police officer. He is a real miserable bloke with a proper high and mighty attitude.
The head sent out a note to all parents asking those that do not have children using a wheelchair to avoid taking up a disabled space to allow the parents of wheelchair using children to benefit from them and get their children in and out safely.
Now, our local councillor totally ignores this and continues to park there. There is a parking attendant/caretaker bloke who guides traffic and parking at the pick up/drop off time as its very very busy - some children arrive via specialised bus transport. The chap has spoken to the councillor and asked him to consider the request from the head. The councillor pulls the 'do you know who I am' card and flashes his own blue badge saying he is entitled to use the space. The fact is that he is right. He is legally allowed and is not breaking any law.
Morally though I think he is being a cock. It's not so bad for me as I'm a big chap at 6'2" and 16 stone and lifting my son in and out is manageable. Many of the other parents who collect are female and not nearly as strong unfortunately and some really struggle in the smaller, tight spaces. I think any decent person should acknowledge this and behave like a caring person.
Now - not one for taking things lying down I have been trying to think of a way to get him to see sense. He is all over facebook in the local community chat rooms and as I am a member too I was thinking of raising the subject and letting people know about the situation and effectively letting people know that their councillor is being selfish etc.
I now it's not a good plan and is somewhat underhand and cheap but I can't think of anything else.
Should I report him to the council? or should I just accept my position on the ladder of life and live with it. I just hate people lie this guy and the way they feel they are someone special and I feel I want to knock him down a peg or two.
Should I follow the official complaints route in order for the school to provide more disabled bays?
One thing to add - having a child with disabilities can at times be difficult and emotional so I would ask anyone thinking of taking the piss to think about things beforehand please
bloke is an obvious cock and should be told so frequently, loudly and publicly
anyone with any sense and decency would do all they could to make things as easy as they can for the kids and their carers wouldn't they?
that he doesn't means he is a cock
that he plays the 'do you know who I am card?' means he is a cock of the first order
anyone with any sense and decency would do all they could to make things as easy as they can for the kids and their carers wouldn't they?
that he doesn't means he is a cock
that he plays the 'do you know who I am card?' means he is a cock of the first order
Would the preferred route not be to take him to one side, explain you don't real gaf who he is or thinks he is, and to tell him to have a bit of consideration ?
We just completed the roof on a similar school, and one of my lads ( who has a severely disabled nipper) took umbrage with a like ignoramus , and a quick education in his ear worked a treat.
We just completed the roof on a similar school, and one of my lads ( who has a severely disabled nipper) took umbrage with a like ignoramus , and a quick education in his ear worked a treat.
JPJPJP said:
bloke is an obvious cock and should be told so frequently, loudly and publicly
anyone with any sense and decency would do all they could to make things as easy as they can for the kids and their carers wouldn't they?
that he doesn't means he is a cock
that he plays the 'do you know who I am card?' means he is a cock of the first order
the practical solution is indeed to change the spaces to wheelchair users only, but I am not sure if that is doable is it?
anyone with any sense and decency would do all they could to make things as easy as they can for the kids and their carers wouldn't they?
that he doesn't means he is a cock
that he plays the 'do you know who I am card?' means he is a cock of the first order
the practical solution is indeed to change the spaces to wheelchair users only, but I am not sure if that is doable is it?
Why don't you go and talk to him and explain why his actions cause a problem for kids who use wheelchairs? If he chooses to ignore your polite intervention then just accept that in life you will always meet complete selfish self-centered arrogant people and sit back and wait for the inevitable karma. And breathe.....
Thanks for the opinions
I'll be dead honest here - normally I would go and have a word. I'm a firm advocate of that approach. The thing is that at the moment my state of mind and emotional balance is not great. I have always struggled to accept what happened to our son but I get by. Recently I lost my mother in a quite traumatic way. Im not sleeping much at the moment and I 'tetchy' at best
In all honesty I worry that i'll go over, he will have a big man attitude and I'll end up losing my control. That is something inexcusable and I desperately want to avoid that.
I'll be dead honest here - normally I would go and have a word. I'm a firm advocate of that approach. The thing is that at the moment my state of mind and emotional balance is not great. I have always struggled to accept what happened to our son but I get by. Recently I lost my mother in a quite traumatic way. Im not sleeping much at the moment and I 'tetchy' at best
In all honesty I worry that i'll go over, he will have a big man attitude and I'll end up losing my control. That is something inexcusable and I desperately want to avoid that.
lord trumpton said:
Thanks for the opinions
I'll be dead honest here - normally I would go and have a word. I'm a firm advocate of that approach. The thing is that at the moment my state of mind and emotional balance is not great. I have always struggled to accept what happened to our son but I get by. Recently I lost my mother in a quite traumatic way. Im not sleeping much at the moment and I 'tetchy' at best
In all honesty I worry that i'll go over, he will have a big man attitude and I'll end up losing my control. That is something inexcusable and I desperately want to avoid that.
Let it slide for now then. Balance will return. Then go nail the ignorant git.I'll be dead honest here - normally I would go and have a word. I'm a firm advocate of that approach. The thing is that at the moment my state of mind and emotional balance is not great. I have always struggled to accept what happened to our son but I get by. Recently I lost my mother in a quite traumatic way. Im not sleeping much at the moment and I 'tetchy' at best
In all honesty I worry that i'll go over, he will have a big man attitude and I'll end up losing my control. That is something inexcusable and I desperately want to avoid that.
lord trumpton said:
Thanks for the opinions
I'll be dead honest here - normally I would go and have a word. I'm a firm advocate of that approach. The thing is that at the moment my state of mind and emotional balance is not great. I have always struggled to accept what happened to our son but I get by. Recently I lost my mother in a quite traumatic way. Im not sleeping much at the moment and I 'tetchy' at best
In all honesty I worry that i'll go over, he will have a big man attitude and I'll end up losing my control. That is something inexcusable and I desperately want to avoid that.
Even more reason not to get wound up then...Easy to say for someone who does not have to face your challenges but retribution in an anonymous manner won't help. Just forgive, forget and move on as hard as that might be.I'll be dead honest here - normally I would go and have a word. I'm a firm advocate of that approach. The thing is that at the moment my state of mind and emotional balance is not great. I have always struggled to accept what happened to our son but I get by. Recently I lost my mother in a quite traumatic way. Im not sleeping much at the moment and I 'tetchy' at best
In all honesty I worry that i'll go over, he will have a big man attitude and I'll end up losing my control. That is something inexcusable and I desperately want to avoid that.
lord trumpton said:
The councillor pulls the 'do you know who I am' card and flashes his own blue badge saying he is entitled to use the space. The fact is that he is right. He is legally allowed and is not breaking any law.
Is he right?Is the car park privately owned?
If it is, he has no 'right' to park there. A landowner can make any rules they wish. I can put up a sign that allows people with pink cars to park on my lawn if I wish.
The Head, if he wanted, could make it clear that the spaces are *not* for disabled people, which is a very wide set of criteria, but only for the loading and unloading of parents with wheelchairs.
How popular/ visible is he in the local press?
How do the other parents feel about him and his attitude?
Some photos taken with the agreement of other parents showing them struggling to get their child into their car whilst he sits blocking the space etc sent to the local press?
If he asks what you are up to you are simply campaigning for additional blue badge bays ;-)
Be a shame if there was collateral damage to his reputation......
When will he be up for re-election: tip off the opposition?
How do the other parents feel about him and his attitude?
Some photos taken with the agreement of other parents showing them struggling to get their child into their car whilst he sits blocking the space etc sent to the local press?
If he asks what you are up to you are simply campaigning for additional blue badge bays ;-)
Be a shame if there was collateral damage to his reputation......
When will he be up for re-election: tip off the opposition?
lord trumpton said:
Turns out said bloke is a member of the local council and was a parliamentary candidate a few years ago. He is also a retired police officer. He is a real miserable bloke with a proper high and mighty attitude.
The councillor pulls the 'do you know who I am' card and flashes his own blue badge saying he is entitled to use the space. The fact is that he is right. He is legally allowed and is not breaking any law.
A question. Are these spaces on street or within the school gates? If the latter, he's talking out of his a**e. The Blue Badge scheme does not apply off street. As any badge holder should know if they have bothered to read Section 2 of the Scheme conditions. The councillor pulls the 'do you know who I am' card and flashes his own blue badge saying he is entitled to use the space. The fact is that he is right. He is legally allowed and is not breaking any law.
England - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
Wales - http://gov.wales/docs/det/publications/130802bluer...
Scotland - http://www.bluebadgescotland.org/files/Rights%20an...
The School Head needs to get a grip and deal with what is clearly a known problem. He/she is in charge of the school premises not some jumped up councillor with a over-inflated sense of his own self-importance.
And there you have it. The blue badge scheme applies no more to a private school than it does to the nearest Tescos, or my front garden, IE it doesn't. This bloke is taking liberties and he knows it. Turn up there before him or block him in for an hour. Selfish people like this need to be stood up to. The OP sounds like a reasonable bloke, the other parents probably are too and this selfish idiot is taking advantage of their good natures and sees himself as more important than them.
Don't stand for it.
Don't stand for it.
Easiest options:-
Get spaces to be wheelchair only or disabled pupils only.
Get there before the t
t!
Block him in while you take your son into the school and maybe have a long meeting with the head.
Try and keep it one-to-one so if you don't succeed the community won't think that you are being a tt!
Get spaces to be wheelchair only or disabled pupils only.
Get there before the t
t!Block him in while you take your son into the school and maybe have a long meeting with the head.
Try and keep it one-to-one so if you don't succeed the community won't think that you are being a t
t!djohnson said:
Arrive 5 minutes earlier and park there?
It's not going to work. There are two spots. He'll use the other one and in effect you've buggered the only free spot everyone was using.Having a quiet word isn't going to help either as the parking person and the letter from the head hasn't made a difference.
If it's the road he's a right and while not community spirited he is allowed. If it's not then the head needs to grow a pair and have a word and/or sort out the parking
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