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Don't abuse the little help disabled people get

By Jane Holmes
January 23, 2012

Abuse of disabled parking bays hit the news last week. Abuse of a disabled bay at Asda in Lower Earley no less.

A woman with a small child took up a disabled bay because there were no Mother and Toddler bays available.

Like lots of people when they secretly know they are in the wrong, this woman chose to put the blame onto someone else, shifting the focus away from the real issue and onto another one.

In this case, a van which had parked in a Mother and Toddler bay.

Mum's fury at Asda over parking fine

The fact that the van didn't have a car seat inside it meant that she felt quite vindicated, even comfortable, about making life so difficult for someone else.

When are people going to get it? Disabled people have no choice.

They either need to be near to where they are going or they need space to the side of the car to get into a wheelchair.

Francesca Martinez, Patron of Building For The Future, said last week on BBC's This Week programme, that attitudes to disabled people were hardening and gave the horrifying statistics that disabled hate crime has increased by 75% recently.

She linked it to the Government's attitude to disability which is illustrated by the fact that drastic cuts are being made to benefits.

So, what if the attitude to disability is worsening over time?

Certainly, you see examples of it all the time. Do people actually care, or do they just want to look like they do? And what about the people who are so profoundly disabled that they cannot speak up for themselves.

Do they matter more, or less?

Disabled people are on the increase, thanks to medical advancement.

Is the consideration that this expanding group of people are given going to contract, commensurately, with permission from the Government?

If so, what are we going to do about it?

Adopting a zero-tolerance attitude to discrimination, picking people up for abusing the system, forcing them explain themselves and refusing to accept shoddy treatment of our disabled loved ones for a start.

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I am furious that Asda let this lady get away with it! I would have made her pay the fine, and also fined the van driver if he/she didn't have a small child with him. Asda have shown callous disregard for their customers over this one.

Deborah Smith
26/01/2012 at 13:42

What we should do is make them take a disabled child shopping, having to get the wheelchair and the child out in the pouring rain; I don't think they'll do it again! Saying someone else was parked wrongly is NO excuse. Two wrongs do not make a right.

Nelle Navlepsac
24/01/2012 at 09:15

Yes, so true.. Always shift the blame: 'I did it because da da da. But you still did WRONG, whatever the reason. These people should have to take a disabled child shopping a few times and then see if they'll park in the disabled bay again with their pushchairs. I think not!