It's open season at the local Leisure Centre.
There are about six disabled parking bays at the local Leisure Centre.
I've noticed that there are often people parked there without displaying the blue disabled badges.
I often tell the reception staff either that there are several cars parked there without badges displayed, or sometimes I walk in, having remembered a registration number, reporting a specific vehicle.
I do this because disabled parking is there for a reason. This particular parking is outside a leisure centre which is where people go to get or stay fit. I don't understand why people park in spaces that aren't meant for them, particularly just because it gets them closer to the entrance. "It's a fitness centre. Park ten feet further away and get a tiny bit more exercise. It's not as though the car park is full!"
By now you've realised this is turning into a rant but actually only part of my wrath is reserved for the muppets who park in the wrong place. My main targets are the staff manning the reception who, when advised, say "I know. There's nuffink we can do about it." They then proceed to tell me how awful it is that the situation is allowed to continue. My blood pressure is usually elevated at this point and I politely ask whether they'd like me to go and key the offending vehicle(s). I jest of course but I think they understand this because the offer is through gritted teeth.
If they have no legal recourse I can understand their legal situation. What I can't understand is the lack of creativity in coming up with an alternative solution for the problem. Actually they probably haven't even tried being creative, so it's probably their inertia I find most riling.
Can't they stick politely worded sticker on the driver's window, adhered with the stickiest glue making it a real pain to remove. The inconsiderate parkers then have the embarrassment of the visual admonishment and the problem of removing the very stuck sticker. I bet this would work really well to prevent re-offending.
In the meantime, park wherever you like. Nobody cares!
1 comment:
Karen
Surely it would be better to read their registration number out over the tannoy system, asking them to move it as they are parking in a disabled persons space? Public humiliation!
Posted by Karen On Thursday, February 01, 2007 at 10:22 PM
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Ann
They have done this once when I provided a reg number and I did see the 'disabled' bloke who'd parked his van run to move it. This guy had wound me up because he'd faked a limp walking into the centre, to play squash!
Tannoy isn't a bad idea but the sticker has the inconvenience factor too. Maybe a combination of the two ideas is best.
Posted by Ann On Thursday, February 01, 2007 at 11:09 PM
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RNB
I care too. It's not just at the leisure centre ... down at the supermarket I regularly see guys rushing out of their cars after parking in the disabled places. They should sticker the windows, publicly humilate them, and also clamp the b*****s...
despite saying that, perhaps there is a case for assessing the number of those places needed (they are never full even when the rest of the car park is full) and it's also far too easy to get a blue badge
Posted by RNB On Saturday, February 03, 2007 at 11:02 AM
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Ann
I haven't noticed the same at the supermarket but I'm sure it happens.
One week I was looking for space in the parent and child area and noticed someone without children parking there.
I stopped my car, got out and politely advised the individual concerned that the space was reserved for parents with children. I then received a lecture on the basis he was a disabled badge holder, that all disabled spaces were taken and parents often park in disabled spaces. Once again, politely, I advised him that I never parked in parking allocated for the disabled.
He huffily stood his ground. I found a parking space elsewhere and counted to ten, several times.
Posted by Ann On Saturday, February 03, 2007 at 11:12 AM
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