Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Very expensive cars with disabled badges
While there is no reason why a registered disabled person shouldn't have a very nice car, I did a bit of a loose survey while walking around the Gardens and Ladder roads over the last couple of weeks.
I counted 26 different cars parked up with blue disabled badges around the area. They were almost exclusively Range Rovers, large white Audi's, 5 series BMW's and even one Porsche!
Life is either getting a bit better for disabled people in London (which would be great) or something is afoot.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kyri on
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Penguin . I can’t work out whether you have blue badge envy or posh car envy. Stop trying to demonise people with disabilities. Disabled people can have good jobs too and be on a decent wage - or they may use their allowance on a posh car. What business is it of yours? I am a blue badge holder that drives a 10 year old car but good luck to anyone that can afford something better!
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A most unfair response to Penguin's carefully-worded post. Penguin was not "trying to demonise people with disabilities" - quite the opposite in fact. As a genuine BB holder, I'm sure you appreciate that the abuse of the system deprives people like you of the benefits you are entitled to. No-one is denying that some people with disabilities will have expensive cars, but for nearly all of the 26 observed by Penguin to be 'posh' strains credibility.
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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People with leg/back problems find it difficult to get in and out of small, low-slung vehicles ( ask me how I know :-) ) Maybe that explains the Range Rovers etc.
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Maybe if Penguin was not so ‘careful’ in his/her wording then I might buy what you say but for me my interpretation still stands. Haringey allows BB holders to park in most places - including resident bays so some one using someone else’s badge isn’t so much an issue locally. I have a bb bay outside my house and the only time I can’t park there is when builders or delivery drivers think they can park there with no badge and just keep an eye for wardens. If I ask them to move they get stroppy - that for me is more of an issue.
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Not in Harringay, but my great aunt does get taken out in a very expensive 4x4 with use of her blue badge a few times a month. She can't walk very far and has had to give up driving due to epilepsy, however the badge was allowed to be kept for people that drover her about.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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I think that is the main problem. Not that those who need a blue badge are obtaining or using them fraudulently but that they are being used by people who drive for them when the person with the disability is not in the vehicle. My father had one because of his mobility disability but he was scrupulous about it and wouldn’t allow it to be used if he wasn’t in the car.
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Permalink Reply by Martin (Woodside) on
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I've looked at the blue badge application forms, looks fairly easy to me, simply follow these steps.
A. Buy an Merc/Audi/SUV/4WD in an elder family member's name who is registered disabled with a driving licence valid in the UK.
B. Apply for the badge in their name.
C. Drive the car and park where you want.
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I am registered disabled and have a blue badge. All blue badges have a photo of the person who is disabled on the oppersite side. If you have a blue badge, there are lots of medical checks etc you have to go through before one is issued to you. If you receive the old Disability Allowance or now PIP you can go and order a new car through the motorbility scheme which is run through the government but the bigger the car the bigger deposit and your benefit goes towards the cost every month. (I do not own a brand new car or mobility car). The issue of misuse and theft of blue badges are a constant pain as when I need to park in supermarkets disabled bays or near my house it proves very difficult. Misuse of the blue badge is a hefty fine. I am sure that the parking wardens could do more to check out badge holders as there are a lot of hot spots where misuse in the borough is taking place. It's a case of wardens being in the right place at the right time.
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Permalink Reply by Tony Peacock on
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About four years ago while living in Waldegrave Road I also had a problem while the "BLUE BADGE BRIGADE". Waldegrave Road is situated ideally for the TUBE and of course the shopping areas of Wood Green High Road and Turnpike Lane, and this created a major problem for the local residents. It became very obvious of those using a blue badge illegally as the expensive vehicle would pull up, the driver would fumble around to find the badge and place it on the dash board. The driver would usually be male, around 25 - 40 and from Eastern Europe. He would look around and dash of to the high road. At the other end it would be females in Asian / Indian dress who would blatantly use a blue badge to get a bit of free parking while shopping at the food hall in turnpike lane. The third type of user was the city worker who parked free for the day with the blue badge.
I did, on several occasions ask members of the PARKING ENFORCEMENT TEAM about these vehicles and was told that they could do nothing about it. One did confide that the "blue badge enforcement officers" very rarely worked that road over because it took too much trouble. I remarked that it was like having a captive audience, and several convictions a day were possible. The reply was they were not really bothered.
As for the "BLUE BADGE APPLICATION"; That was held at the Stuart Crescent Clinic. I was interviewed for about 15 minutes and then asked to walk around a large room. I was on crutches at the time and had trouble walking. Further question came, such as how long did it take me to walk from the bus stop to the clinic. I answered in all honesty and was told that I would hear in a couple of weeks.
I am old and English, and living on a pension, I have a second hand car and do not get any benefits at all. You can guess the rest ……. The team decided that I was fit enough to walk and didn't need a blue badge. I could have put a years pension on that result. Somewhere along the line corruption is rife. To the BLUE BADGE TEAM take notice and do something positive. Catch those abusing the system and help those who need it the most.
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Why bring race into this debate. The only time you have not mentioned peoples ethnicity is when talking about city workers??? I have lived here all my life, am disabled and have worked for the last 35 years and paid taxes but to you I probably look like a foreigner using a nicked blue badge. Sort your racism out.
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Being old and English and living on a pension with a second-hand car is irrelevant to qualifying for a Blue Badge. How do you know that the men were East European and that the Asian women weren't carers ?
There is a smell of racism here.
I was interviewed at the Stuart Crescent Clinic and I thought the procedure was fair. Remember, the ultimate decision lies with the Council official dealing with the issue of the badge.
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Permalink Reply by Sophie Smith on
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Older people are wealthier, and more likely to be disabled. I'm not sure this question reflects well on you.
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