My wife is a wheelchair user and she has great difficulty, especially when she goes to hospital, because of people who are not themselves disabled and who park on the blue badge parking spaces. Many a time they have blue badges on their dashboard loaned from a disabled relative. My proposal is that (at least in a public place like hospital) there are specific security officers who check thoroughly and give a fine to people who are abusing of this vital service for disabled people.
I agree that there are many "invisible disabilities". But remember that the blue badge is made purposely and specifically for people who have a mobility problem. It was never meant to serve for all kinds of disabilities! If one just stays noticing for a few minutes what happens at Mater Dei's reserved parking, it is more than obvious that the vast majority of those who park there and those who accompany them, don't have a minimal mobility problem.
ama disabled person and I face the same problem even at Mater Dei which I visit regularly due to my disability
I am not proposing that the security officer should check whether the person has a disability or not. That is not his job! What I am proposing is that an officer should be allocated to check whether at least the disabled person whose details are on the blue badge is physically present or not .
Mobility problems are not always visible ... Unfortunately very few people understand this !
Mobility problems are not always visible ... Unfortunately very few people understand this !
abuse must always be stopped and I agree with thorough monitoring, however, one must bear in mind that there are a number of invisible disabilities. You can't tell whether a person has a disability or not just by looking at them.
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