Charging for disabled parking

[Kermit power]

Our local council started doing this. Lots of people thought it was outrageous. Personally, I fail to understand why disabled people should get free parking in the first place.

I have absolutely no objection to disabled parking spots being closer to the shops, but why should they be free? There's a range of earnings amongst disabled people, just as there is amongst able-bodied people. Is the disabled millionaire less able to pay for their parking than the able-bodied minimum wage shop worker?

[KardioKate]

Kermit power said:

Our local council started doing this. Lots of people thought it was outrageous. Personally, I fail to understand why disabled people should get free parking in the first place.

I have absolutely no objection to disabled parking spots being closer to the shops, but why should they be free? There's a range of earnings amongst disabled people, just as there is amongst able-bodied people. Is the disabled millionaire less able to pay for their parking than the able-bodied minimum wage shop worker?

Exactly. Especially with mobile payments etc... In the majority of places around here you don't have to use a ticket machine at all.

[Six Fiend]

As the holder of a spacehopper badge I have no issue with paying. Just need the short distance. Might deter badge abuse if people have to pay...

[Liquid Knight]

I have always been on the side of equality. Everyone should pay to park. Disabled doesn't mean skint does it?

Slightly off topic but not so far as it to not be relevent. The disabled kid who was part of a gang having a go at Police officers during student "protests" is getting arsey because he was isolated dragged away and arrested. All his pals were isolated dragged away and arrested as well. Equality only works for some people when it suits them eh?

[HereBeMonsters]

If they can afford a car, they can bloody well pay for parking.

[Superficial]

In agreement I don't really see why they should be free, the meters could just be positioned close to the spaces.

[DavidHM]

The thing is that disabled can also mean ... frequently can't use public transport, has no choice but to choose "premium" parking spaces that would cost more on the open market, and frequently can't work and dependent on long-term benefits. And of course there might be "physically can't reach to put the coin in the poorly designed meter" although that should be an easy fix.

That's not to say that every disabled person can't pay, and maybe there could be different kinds of disabled badge - i.e., you can park in disabled spaces, or you can park in chargeable disabled spaces without paying, but in the scarcity considerations that affect the rest of us shouldn't apply to the disabled in the same way, if the scheme is to have meaning.

[DavidHM]

HereBeMonsters said:

If they can afford a car, they can bloody well pay for parking.

Ever wondered why people chose an 800cc Matiz on Motability when they could get something much larger and faster for the same deposit?

Because even the fuel costs of a tiny car, plus the loss of benefit that Motability entails, can be a real struggle for some disabled people.

[sharpfocus]

DavidHM said:

The thing is that disabled can also mean ... frequently can't use public transport, has no choice but to choose "premium" parking spaces that would cost more on the open market, and frequently can't work and dependent on long-term benefits.

So, parking should be free for anyone who lives in the country and isn't in work too?

[ChiChoAndy]

Ever wondered wnynpoormpeople have old, clapped out cars, bordering on being sent tomthe scrappiest, livingmwage from wage? Because they don't have much cash. Should they not pay? In this age of ordering stuff online, if you head into town you do somby your own volition.

[Deva Link]

DavidHM said:

Ever wondered why people chose an 800cc Matiz on Motability when they could get something much larger and faster for the same deposit?

Because even the fuel costs of a tiny car, plus the loss of benefit that Motability entails, can be a real struggle for some disabled people.

It's probably more to do with them thinking they're "entitled" to a free car so they should "entitled" to free parking.

[RemainAllHoof]

Kermit power said:

Our local council started doing this. Lots of people thought it was outrageous. Personally, I fail to understand why disabled people should get free parking in the first place.

I have absolutely no objection to disabled parking spots being closer to the shops, but why should they be free? There's a range of earnings amongst disabled people, just as there is amongst able-bodied people. Is the disabled millionaire less able to pay for their parking than the able-bodied minimum wage shop worker?

I think the issue is that a disabled person might have no choice but to use a car whereas someone like me ought to either walk or get a bus.

[RemainAllHoof]

ChiChoAndy said:

Ever wondered wnynpoormpeople have old, clapped out cars, bordering on being sent tomthe scrappiest, livingmwage from wage? Because they don't have much cash. Should they not pay? In this age of ordering stuff online, if you head into town you do somby your own volition.

I guess you've started the Friday beer already.

[VeeFour]

RemainAllHoof said:

ChiChoAndy said:

Ever wondered wnynpoormpeople have old, clapped out cars, bordering on being sent tomthe scrappiest, livingmwage from wage? Because they don't have much cash. Should they not pay? In this age of ordering stuff online, if you head into town you do somby your own volition.

I guess you've started the Friday beer already.

Nah, he's missing the signature line...

'Senmt dfriom Myu ioPAd'

[Kermit power]

RemainAllHoof said:

I think the issue is that a disabled person might have no choice but to use a car whereas someone like me ought to either walk or get a bus.

Have you seen the price of buses???

I got one last weekend because I wanted to drink, and didn't want to walk because it was raining. It cost me £2.20 to go 1.3 miles.

[ChiChoAndy]

VeeFour said:

Nah, he's missing the signature line...

'Senmt dfriom Myu ioPAd'

This! Bloody autocorrect and the fact I'm too lazy to proofread!

[RemainAllHoof]

Kermit power said:

Have you seen the price of buses???

I got one last weekend because I wanted to drink, and didn't want to walk because it was raining. It cost me £2.20 to go 1.3 miles.

Yeah, I know. It's not much cheaper than driving; really doesn't make much sense to me given the convenience factor of a car.

[Cock Womble 7]

As long as they don't charge an arm and a leg, I don't see the problem.

[Olivera]

DavidHM said:

HereBeMonsters said:

If they can afford a car, they can bloody well pay for parking.

Ever wondered why people chose an 800cc Matiz on Motability when they could get something much larger and faster for the same deposit?

Because even the fuel costs of a tiny car, plus the loss of benefit that Motability entails, can be a real struggle for some disabled people.

I think you should wander round a UK city centre looking for blue badges. There will be the odd Matiz, but you will also spot plenty of Range Rover Sports, 5 series, SLKs and even the odd Aston V8 Vantage or similar. Plenty of the premium parking spaces containing blue badged cars also have the means to pay.

[chuno]

I think the problem is, years ago, disabled actually used to mean disabled (like my brother who has spina bifida), these days they give out blue badges for a broken toe.