Councils getting meaner by the day
Discussion
Parked the car near the beach over the weekend and went to the ticket machine to pay for it. I always enjoy for some perverse reason reading the instructions. You can tell alot from instructions on parking ticket machines.
In this case, it was an excercise by South Hams Council at being the meanest cheapest bunch of money grabbing halfwits in the country. If they weren't the council they'd be mistaken for thieves.
This meaness was summed up in the words:
"Blue badge disabled owners get the first hour for free".
I'm not going to bang about rights and so forth, however, I do feel in our society there are times when you give disabled people a break - free parking for instance. Its not alot, but since when have our local councils become "self serving barstewards" rather than focussing "serving the public"?
and don't get me started on why a ticket machine can't give me a) change for my pound or b) work out the nearest minute for my pound rather than round down to 70p!!
In this case, it was an excercise by South Hams Council at being the meanest cheapest bunch of money grabbing halfwits in the country. If they weren't the council they'd be mistaken for thieves.
This meaness was summed up in the words:
"Blue badge disabled owners get the first hour for free".
I'm not going to bang about rights and so forth, however, I do feel in our society there are times when you give disabled people a break - free parking for instance. Its not alot, but since when have our local councils become "self serving barstewards" rather than focussing "serving the public"?
and don't get me started on why a ticket machine can't give me a) change for my pound or b) work out the nearest minute for my pound rather than round down to 70p!!
I've never understood why disabled people get free parking. I'm sure there are plenty of disabled people who earn more than me so why do they not have to pay?
I agree that there should be easy access bays for people with mobility difficulties, but free?
It does my head in when ticket machines don't give change or as you said, won't work out the amount you have put in and pro rata it.
I agree that there should be easy access bays for people with mobility difficulties, but free?
It does my head in when ticket machines don't give change or as you said, won't work out the amount you have put in and pro rata it.
They need every penny they can get, the wage bills are out of control and growing. Unfortunately in order to pay the necessary premium that public sector workers deserve due to their more stressful and demanding jobs we're just going to have to pay more tax in it's various forms, whether that's a tax on parking in a car park that you already paid to be built of a 40% ctax hike.
timmy30 said:
Unfortunately in order to pay the necessary premium that public sector workers deserve due to their more stressful and demanding jobs we're just going to have to pay more tax in it's various forms, whether that's a tax on parking in a car park that you already paid to be built of a 40% ctax hike.
I hope that was sarcasm....
timmy30 said:
They need every penny they can get, the wage bills are out of control and growing. Unfortunately in order to pay the necessary premium that public sector workers deserve due to their more stressful and demanding jobs we're just going to have to pay more tax in it's various forms, whether that's a tax on parking in a car park that you already paid to be built of a 40% ctax hike.
Yep,they've got to fund the final salary pension schemes somehow,and yet again it's the motorist who gets skimmed.
tycho said:
I've never understood why disabled people get free parking. I'm sure there are plenty of disabled people who earn more than me so why do they not have to pay?
There may be disabled people who earn more than you, but there are 10 times as many who earn absolutely nothing and rely on their family to live.
Its one thing for councils to extort money out of working people who can just about afford it - but to start extorting money out of low earners seems to me to be wrong.
tinman0 said:
I've never understood why disabled people get free parking. I'm sure there are plenty of disabled people who earn more than me so why do they not have to pay?
There may be disabled people who earn more than you, but there are 10 times as many who earn absolutely nothing and rely on their family to live.
Its one thing for councils to extort money out of working people who can just about afford it - but to start extorting money out of low earners seems to me to be wrong.
How do you know that there are 10 times as many who earn nothing? I'm not saying that disabled people shouldn't get help but if it is like my friends mum who is disabled, they get most things paid for and have a better standard of living than lots of people I know.
tycho said:
tycho said:
I've never understood why disabled people get free parking. I'm sure there are plenty of disabled people who earn more than me so why do they not have to pay?
There may be disabled people who earn more than you, but there are 10 times as many who earn absolutely nothing and rely on their family to live.
Its one thing for councils to extort money out of working people who can just about afford it - but to start extorting money out of low earners seems to me to be wrong.
How do you know that there are 10 times as many who earn nothing? I'm not saying that disabled people shouldn't get help but if it is like my friends mum who is disabled, they get most things paid for and have a better standard of living than lots of people I know.
Loads of generalisations going on here, yes there are people who are "well off" and there are those who are not. I would argue against the claim that they get most things paid for though. Charges for home care services are means tested so it is paid for if they don't have the means to pay for it themselves. Their DLA care component is taken into account before the 'freebies' kick in. On saying that local authorities are only responding to critical need at the moment so other domiciliary services may have to be paid for privately or done without.
Mrs Glocko has MS and has to pay for prescriptions, dental work etc. She gets high rate mobility DLA which provides her with a car to get around in. If she chose not to then that could go towards taxis etc.
We use the care component to pay someone to do the washing and ironing.
Going back to the original post, we both don't think that Blue Badge holders should get free parking. If the argument that people with disabilities have a lot to pay for then the DLA rates should be increased. She doesn't get her loaf cheaper at Asda or anything like that so parking should be the same. The Blue Badge is to give people with disabilities close proximity parking to where they need to go and that's it as far as we are concerned so we put a ticket on the car regardless.
I must say this is part of Jen's philosophy of leading as normal a life as possible and not wearing the "disability badge", as she says, She has got MS, MS hasn't got her!!
Excellent attitude. 
tinman0 said:
This meaness was summed up in the words:
"Blue badge disabled owners get the first hour for free".
How does that work, do they have to come back after and hour to get their ticker for the remaining time.
Or do they buy a ticket and have an hour from the expiry time. but it says the first hour
tim2100 said:
tycho said:
I've never understood why disabled people get free parking. I'm sure there are plenty of disabled people who earn more than me so why do they not have to pay?
Which would you prefer. To pay for parking or to have a disability?
what has that got to do with it?
Are all parking tariffs means tested? Just because you are disabled, doesn't make you less able than others to pay, maybe some are but there are plenty of able bodied people who can't afford stuff so do they get it all paid for?
I'm not saying that if you are disabled then you shouldn't have help if you cannot work, far from it, but on the other hand, I know a bloke who is disabled (cannot see out of one eye), drives an Aston but still takes advantage of free parking and lobbing it up on a kerb on a main street because of the blue badge. Is this right?
I think that having disabled spaces near entrances are a great help in car parks etc and wouldn't think about taking any of these away but being disabled, yellow, black or pink doesn't automatically mean that you should get stuff for free. It has to be means tested and that way would be fairer for everyone.
PS. Glocko, that is a great attitude.
>> Edited by tycho on Tuesday 30th August 12:41
tycho said:
I'm not saying that if you are disabled then you shouldn't have help if you cannot work, far from it, but on the other hand, I know a bloke who is disabled (cannot see out of one eye), drives an Aston but still takes advantage of free parking and lobbing it up on a kerb on a main street because of the blue badge. Is this right?
I think you will find that the exception rather than the rule. If said Aston driver does take the michael then you have the right to report this to the relevant authorities. They can then choose to stop one or more of their beneftis! For example, I have heard of many disabled people having their parking permits removed because they really did take the pi55. In fact, it is considerably harder to get a parking permit now than it ever was.
Many disabilities no longer qualify and all have to have a photo id on the badge itself. This is precisely because of the complains from people like yourself!
So why do I know about this? Because my mother is registered blind and you would not believe how hard things can be. She didnt choose to be blind and since she is a pensioner you wouldnt believe it is to get a bloody parking permit! I mean, she cant apply by post. She cant send someone else. So, she has to get on a bus and travel to the council offices. Then she has to negotiate the complex maze of rooms to find the right place.... and this is the killer.... fill in the flippin' form herself, complete with a photo..... You want to try that? Eh? Easy peasy and simple....eh? She needs someone to go with her.... and guess what? Its dead easy if you have a parking permit!
Now, my mother was unfortunate to be a widow. But that meant that she owns her house and inherits a good pension. So yes, she probably does "earn" more than some people. In fact her income is close to £25k a year (tax free of course). Does she need to have things means tested? Is that fair? Not that she and my father raised 4 children, bought her own house and has to cope with life blind and husband-less? Just because she has "some money" then she should pay for parking?
Life is tough enough as it stands - without taking away even more things. Just think a little before laying into the disabled....
off_again said:
I'm not saying that if you are disabled then you shouldn't have help if you cannot work, far from it, but on the other hand, I know a bloke who is disabled (cannot see out of one eye), drives an Aston but still takes advantage of free parking and lobbing it up on a kerb on a main street because of the blue badge. Is this right?
I think you will find that the exception rather than the rule. If said Aston driver does take the michael then you have the right to report this to the relevant authorities. They can then choose to stop one or more of their beneftis! For example, I have heard of many disabled people having their parking permits removed because they really did take the pi55. In fact, it is considerably harder to get a parking permit now than it ever was.
Many disabilities no longer qualify and all have to have a photo id on the badge itself. This is precisely because of the complains from people like yourself!
So why do I know about this? Because my mother is registered blind and you would not believe how hard things can be. She didnt choose to be blind and since she is a pensioner you wouldnt believe it is to get a bloody parking permit! I mean, she cant apply by post. She cant send someone else. So, she has to get on a bus and travel to the council offices. Then she has to negotiate the complex maze of rooms to find the right place.... and this is the killer.... fill in the flippin' form herself, complete with a photo..... You want to try that? Eh? Easy peasy and simple....eh? She needs someone to go with her.... and guess what? Its dead easy if you have a parking permit!
Now, my mother was unfortunate to be a widow. But that meant that she owns her house and inherits a good pension. So yes, she probably does "earn" more than some people. In fact her income is close to £25k a year (tax free of course). Does she need to have things means tested? Is that fair? Not that she and my father raised 4 children, bought her own house and has to cope with life blind and husband-less? Just because she has "some money" then she should pay for parking?
Life is tough enough as it stands - without taking away even more things. Just think a little before laying into the disabled....
off again.....don't want to be flippant but if sh'es got 25k tax free then a taxi wouldn't be out of the question instead of taking a bus or yourself having parking problems.
tycho said:
what has that got to do with it?
Are all parking tariffs means tested? Just because you are disabled, doesn't make you less able than others to pay, maybe some are but there are plenty of able bodied people who can't afford stuff so do they get it all paid for?
Most of my disabled friends are unable to work, and live off very little, so why not let them pay?
everytime they go to the hospital, and should pay £5 for parking, why not let them pay?
Many disabled people can't actually afford to run their homes and pay for their care as it is as most are on low incomes.
I really would love to see what you think disabled people get 'for free'. I can tell you that it is not much. Prescriptions are only if you have certain conditions. Blue Badges you must have higher rate mobility. Higher rate mobility is not easy to get.
tycho said:
I'm not saying that if you are disabled then you shouldn't have help if you cannot work, far from it, but on the other hand, I know a bloke who is disabled (cannot see out of one eye), drives an Aston but still takes advantage of free parking and lobbing it up on a kerb on a main street because of the blue badge. Is this right?
Do not be so quick to judge people. My friends have chest condition's that means they do not look disabled there physical appereance is the same as everybody else, however put a small hill or stairs in front of them and they will struggle to walk up them.
most of the time they are ok, but when they are ill, they are stuck in hospital or backwards and forwards to the hospital.
tycho said:
I think that having disabled spaces near entrances are a great help in car parks etc and wouldn't think about taking any of these away but being disabled, yellow, black or pink doesn't automatically mean that you should get stuff for free. It has to be means tested and that way would be fairer for everyone.
Are really that upset that disabled people get something for free? Many of them have serious conditions that you do not know about and you would not want yourself, so give them some room and allow them to have a small advantage that does not cost much, does not affect you.
I wonder how much your views would change if you have a child or parent that is disabled?
off_again said:
In fact, it is considerably harder to get a parking permit now than it ever was.
Tell me about it. The forms, bureaucracy and waiting times (we're talking about having to wait months for a decision) are incredible now. Patients who find themselves in a wheelchair and who are expected to be out of it again within 6 months can just forget about getting a badge.
Town near me charges Blue Badge holders the same as everyone else in designated parking spaces so Blue Badge Holders exercise their right to park on Double Yellow lines (up to 3 hrs IIRC) and thereby avoid paying.
And when they increase parking charges they often use the 'parking charges are there to help reduce congestion and obstruction' excuse
And when they increase parking charges they often use the 'parking charges are there to help reduce congestion and obstruction' excuse
tim2100 said:
what has that got to do with it?
Are all parking tariffs means tested? Just because you are disabled, doesn't make you less able than others to pay, maybe some are but there are plenty of able bodied people who can't afford stuff so do they get it all paid for?
Most of my disabled friends are unable to work, and live off very little, so why not let them pay?
everytime they go to the hospital, and should pay £5 for parking, why not let them pay?
Many disabled people can't actually afford to run their homes and pay for their care as it is as most are on low incomes.
I really would love to see what you think disabled people get 'for free'. I can tell you that it is not much. Prescriptions are only if you have certain conditions. Blue Badges you must have higher rate mobility. Higher rate mobility is not easy to get.
tycho said:
I'm not saying that if you are disabled then you shouldn't have help if you cannot work, far from it, but on the other hand, I know a bloke who is disabled (cannot see out of one eye), drives an Aston but still takes advantage of free parking and lobbing it up on a kerb on a main street because of the blue badge. Is this right?
Do not be so quick to judge people. My friends have chest condition's that means they do not look disabled there physical appereance is the same as everybody else, however put a small hill or stairs in front of them and they will struggle to walk up them.
most of the time they are ok, but when they are ill, they are stuck in hospital or backwards and forwards to the hospital.
tycho said:
I think that having disabled spaces near entrances are a great help in car parks etc and wouldn't think about taking any of these away but being disabled, yellow, black or pink doesn't automatically mean that you should get stuff for free. It has to be means tested and that way would be fairer for everyone.
Are really that upset that disabled people get something for free? Many of them have serious conditions that you do not know about and you would not want yourself, so give them some room and allow them to have a small advantage that does not cost much, does not affect you.
I wonder how much your views would change if you have a child or parent that is disabled?
FFS, Did I ever say that I was upset that some people get stuff for free? Did I ever say that they shouldn't get better access etc?
With the guy with the Aston, I know the guy and there is nothing else wrong with him so don't you be so quick to judge.
Plus, in my first post, I said that I didn't understand why disabled people park free. From my own experience, I don't see why this should be the case. When I was younger, the badges didn't have a photo and people used to borrow them from the holder.
Before some of you get on your high horses and start slagging someone off for daring to question something they don't know the ins and outs of, ask yourself why they are asking.
I was merely asking a question which I didn't understand the whole situation in respect to the OP getting upset about their council.
If I knew I'd get flamed for ashking a bloody question, I'd have lived in ignorance of the answer.
Maybe I have been brought up in an area where there is a high percentage of "faking it" and working the system.(Liverpool)
I can see from some of the more sensible posts (not "do a swap and let's see how you like it" replies) that it is not the reality that I was brought up with, ie. find a friendly doctor and they will get you off on the sick and you'll get everything paid for. This is what my experiences have mainly been, there are some exceptions of course as with everything. I was not having a go but genuinely wanted an answer to the question. I apoligise if anyone thought this was the case but it wasn't meant that way.
I can see from some of the more sensible posts (not "do a swap and let's see how you like it" replies) that it is not the reality that I was brought up with, ie. find a friendly doctor and they will get you off on the sick and you'll get everything paid for. This is what my experiences have mainly been, there are some exceptions of course as with everything. I was not having a go but genuinely wanted an answer to the question. I apoligise if anyone thought this was the case but it wasn't meant that way.
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff