Disabled Parking at Caithness General Hospital

[secretsquirrel]

I decided to start this thread to thank the person who drives a silver car with a blue badge for blocking me at the disabled spaces provided at the Hospital.

I had to attend an outpatient clinic at the Hospital several weeks ago and was parked in the first disabled parking space. I needed my carer to drive and help me attend the clinic so on the passenger door which I was using we placed a large blue sticker stating that space was needed for a wheelchair user.

I attended the clinic then when leaving found that on the yellow lines next to our car a silver car with a blue badge had parked. They had parked so close to the passenger door of our car that it was impossible for me to enter with my wheelchair. The result was my carer had to reverse the car into a postion where we where blocking the flow of traffic, to allow me to enter the car.

I would have thought that a blue badge holder, who in theory has problems with walking would not have behaved in such a selfish way.

[dx100uk]

sadly if its a private run carpark any lines or markings are purely graffitti

however, that was not nice to do to you!

dx

[Walter Ego]

Should have left a rather 'robustly worded' note on their windscreen, at least that way they might pay more attention next time.

[Corrie 3]

And perhaps the driver of the silver car needed space on their passenger side to get in the car, have you ever thought of that? How much hardship was it just to reverse out and get you loaded in? Most people don't mind waiting in an incident like this!
Your whinging and moaning is making me feel ashamed to be disabled.
We are not all moaners like Squirrel, most of us just get on with our lives and disabilities ...Honest!!!!!

C3...................[disgust][disgust]

[Torvaig]

Well said C3. While no one grudges the blue badge to those who need it and it can be difficult to use the badge sensibly when in an emergency situation, it is possible that the disabled occupant of the other car needed to get into hospital in a hurry but, of course, it is also possible that they were being a bit selfish. Being disabled doesn't mean that you are free from the same human traits as the rest of the humanity.

Luckily ss had a helper who was able to place the car so that ss could access the door easily and as has been said before, any sensible person would not object to waiting a wee while to let them enter their vehicle safely.

Not everyone considers the rest of the public when parking, driving etc., and I doubt we will ever see the day when all drivers use their brains in any given situation. I have seen many a car parked on the yellow criss cross lines outside the main emergency door or just outside of them, hampering manouvres needed for the emergency vehicles.

On occasion I have seen two ambulances with lights on needing access to the main entrances but unable to do so because a car was parked so that a little old lady had less distance to walk. Again, if someone is not very fit, there are wheelchairs abailable at the main door for those who need it so no need to block the emergency entrance.

And before anyone objects to my gentle jibe at little old ladies, I am one myself so I have inside insight!

[pat]

Corrie 3 and Torvaig
Well said to both of you.

Secretsquirrel - because you have a blue badge means you are allowed to have access to a disabled bay, does not mean you HAVE to use a disabled bay. As you had a carer why not park elsewhere and allow someone else with a blue badge to access disabled parking near to entrance to hospital, their need might be greater than yours. Have some consideration and thought for other folk too, just because someone does not have a wheelchair or sticks does not mean they are not disabled, perhaps more disabled than you.

[secretsquirrel]

here are some replies to the posts:

dx100uk - hospitals are not private carparks they are public places.

corrie3 - not from what I observed when I have seen the car again using the blue badge.

pat - the blue badge scheme is for people with mobility disability. it is not for other types of disability which do not show I suggest you read http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/road/policy/blue-badge-scheme
It is obvious that you do not use or know people with wheelchairs - have you tried pushing someone in a wheelchair ??? have you seen the the paths etc at the hospital??.

The car was actually so close I would have been surprised that the driver would be able to get out of there side.

My point is there are a lot of drivers out there who have no thought for other road users, whether mobility disabled or other disabled(note pat) or without a disability

[dx100uk]

here are some replies to the posts:

dx100uk - hospitals are not private carparks they are public places.



no its a privately run carpark by a PPC

any markings on the tarmac are purely graffitti, they have no statute in law, and neither do their 'speculative invoices' [their tickets are not parking fines if you get one]

you really need to see the watchdog video on private parking companies on you tube.

dx

[Kells]

the blue badge scheme is for people with mobility disability. it is not for other types of disability which do not show

Wrong again....... there are plenty of disabilities that restrict mobility that do not show, many of them life threatening as well.

Your point in your original post was how inconsiderate another driver had been to you but after reading your posts I do not think you show any consideration to anyone. What you give out is what you get back.

[Kodiak]

The Blue Badge Scheme is not only for people who can hardly walk. It is for people who have Mobility problems for many reasons. If a person receives the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance, this could be for a Congestive Heart Disease, a respiratory Problem or anything that makes Mobility a problem, they automaticly qualify for a Blue Badge.

http://i.imgur.com/GGUpw.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/cXUFK.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2Am36.jpg

Information Source :-

http://www2.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/259428/281009/bluebadge.pdf

K.

[Leanne]

SS - there are spaces that allow easy wheelchair access at CGH carpark immediately at the front (to the left hand side of the main door). The ones in which you parked are better for rear access and 'nearness'