Blue Badge Bitch
Of all the people who annoy Traffic Wardens, the 'Disabled' have to come pretty near top of my personal list. By 'Disabled' I don't mean people with severe motor impairment / dysfunction / malformation who have a genuine need to park close to shops. The people I refer to as 'Disabled' (Note inverted comma's) are those who aren't really disabled at all. The 'I suffer from asthma' or 'my knee twinges in wet weather' scam mongers. The lazy and the greedy. The ones who can comfortably run a half marathon or visit the gym three times a week, but can't be arsed to carry their shopping to the car park, or are simply too tight fisted to pay for parking.
According to some studies this (See BBC article) accounts for around a third of all badges issued. That's right, one third (700,000) of all blue badges you see are being fraudulently used / been dishonestly obtained. Makes you wonder doesn't it?
These are the people who block streets, park in bus stops, on school zig zags creating problems for everyone else while honest folk park considerately and cough up. Nothing, apart from senior management (a.k.a. 'Them Upstairs'), pisses Traffic Wardens off more than these inconsiderate bastards. Few things give us more satisfaction than getting one of these malingering sods bang to rights. We get the power to ask to examine these badges hopefully in June this year along with the new moving vehicle powers. So we'll be having a crack at the gits who flout all the traffic laws that the coppers haven't got time for.
We know when the blue badge scheme is being abused then you see one in the window of say, a sports car like a Subaru Impreza ST7 dual Turbo or Big silly 4x4 BMW X5. I mean, come on. How dumb do you think Traffic Wardens are? How does someone with serious motor impairment get in and out of the restricted cockpit that is the drivers or passenger seat of a two seat sports car? Or clamber in and out of something as high off the road as a big 4X4? If you can manage that, you're fit enough to walk half a mile while shopping. Besides, the fresh air and exercise will probably do you more good than two weeks medication and bed rest.
My problem is that having to hang around to observe the abuse interferes with all my other patrol duties. We keep getting mixed messages from 'Them Upstairs' about this. First they want us to report blue badge scheme abuse, then when we do we get the local Councillors barking at us. Then we get told that we aren't doing enough and need to focus on booking more offenders because the number of parking tickets issued has gone down. One of these days when I really want to get fired I am going to tell everyone to fuck off and let me do my job properly before publicly accusing them of complicity in aiding and abetting fraud. I will get fired for it. But just to witness the shocked disbelief on their anal retentive little faces when I do it will be worth every syllable. Just as well this blog is anonymous ain't it?
According to some studies this (See BBC article) accounts for around a third of all badges issued. That's right, one third (700,000) of all blue badges you see are being fraudulently used / been dishonestly obtained. Makes you wonder doesn't it?
These are the people who block streets, park in bus stops, on school zig zags creating problems for everyone else while honest folk park considerately and cough up. Nothing, apart from senior management (a.k.a. 'Them Upstairs'), pisses Traffic Wardens off more than these inconsiderate bastards. Few things give us more satisfaction than getting one of these malingering sods bang to rights. We get the power to ask to examine these badges hopefully in June this year along with the new moving vehicle powers. So we'll be having a crack at the gits who flout all the traffic laws that the coppers haven't got time for.
We know when the blue badge scheme is being abused then you see one in the window of say, a sports car like a Subaru Impreza ST7 dual Turbo or Big silly 4x4 BMW X5. I mean, come on. How dumb do you think Traffic Wardens are? How does someone with serious motor impairment get in and out of the restricted cockpit that is the drivers or passenger seat of a two seat sports car? Or clamber in and out of something as high off the road as a big 4X4? If you can manage that, you're fit enough to walk half a mile while shopping. Besides, the fresh air and exercise will probably do you more good than two weeks medication and bed rest.
My problem is that having to hang around to observe the abuse interferes with all my other patrol duties. We keep getting mixed messages from 'Them Upstairs' about this. First they want us to report blue badge scheme abuse, then when we do we get the local Councillors barking at us. Then we get told that we aren't doing enough and need to focus on booking more offenders because the number of parking tickets issued has gone down. One of these days when I really want to get fired I am going to tell everyone to fuck off and let me do my job properly before publicly accusing them of complicity in aiding and abetting fraud. I will get fired for it. But just to witness the shocked disbelief on their anal retentive little faces when I do it will be worth every syllable. Just as well this blog is anonymous ain't it?
6 Comments:
A few years ago I worked for small company & we used to take cheap labour - sorry - work experience students from the local college. One made no secret that his brother, who was quite high-up in a London local Council, could get anyone Disabled badges for the cost of one parking ticket. From what he said, his brother had a good scam going & it had already paid for an extended UK family trip to visit US family. Since then, just like you, if I see a Disabled badge in an expensive car, or the driver jump out & run to the cash machine, it reminds me of that greasy little low-life.
Like I said. We've no problem with those who have real health impairment. Just the cheating sods. They're the ones who cause the problems.
the most annoying thing from a cripples point of view, are the ignorant bastards who park in the disabled bays at supermarkets & superstores in their people carriers who do not even have blue badges!!
Steady on the asthmatics! My wife has severe asthma, to the etentthat she has beeen admitted to hospital nine times in two years, and has now been early-retired by her employers (a big bank, and they are no soft touch, believe me).
She looks fine, and on some days she is fine, but without warning she can be unable to walk more than a few yards. So she has a blue badge, and we use it, but we never, ever, abuse it.
I know this comment comes about 5 years too late. However, asthma is a serious condition that can kill people. To some people I may look ok, but I have severe asthma which means if I am having problems for example, chest infections, I can barely walk the length of myself. I do not hold a disabled badge and nor would I apply for one until I feel the need to do so. I agree that those who abuse disabled badges should be given a fine or something along those lines, but have a bit of decency when attacking those who do have serious medical conditions.
my comment too comes about 5 years too late...but i too need to defend the ppl who have serious medical conditions. I DRIVE A 4X4 - I DO NOT HAVE A BLUE BADGE, BUT MY DISABLED MOTHER DOES...If I need to drive her somewhere we use the badge (we don't abuse it) and don't judge ME because I drive a 4x4 (I have my reasons - 1 being that I use it for transporting my autistic child to and from school - as I will NOT accept local authority transport). People like you should seriously think before you write offensive comments. NOT EVERYONE FITS INTO ONE BOX. DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS'S COVER. END OF...
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