As some of you might know, I have a 'blue badge' as I am classed as 'disabled' (but I hide it well....lol)... I recently started a part time course at Basingstoke College, and from day one, went there on my bike as the traffic is pants at that time of the morning. The main car and bike park is about 100 miles and 1000 steps from where I needed to be, so I park my bike in a disabled bay.   On the first day, I went to reception and got my parking permits and showed them the blue badge and explained that I had parked the bike in the disabled bay... she said that was fine...    During my class, I was interrupted by a jobs worth type, coming to see my disabled badge! Then, they examined it and me as if I must have stolen it. I know that NABD sell a blue badge holder for bikes, but I question it's security, and there is no way that I am leaving the badge on the bike for obvious reasons. This week, I photocopied the badge and attached it to the seat of the bike with "Yes, the rider of this bike is disabled... please ask at reception!"... fortunately, I was left in peace!   Anyone else on BM 'disabled' and have this problem?                                                                                                                                                                              

  In a way Cissy I know what you mean, about not being believed about a disability. I got a look of disbelief as I was leaving a toilet in the bus station, for disabled people. Some folk seem to think unless it shows it aint a disability. Try telling that to the millions of I B S sufferers and others whos disability isn't visible or obvious.   I'm not registered therefore don't have a blue card/badge but I have I B S (classed as a disability but not recognised by the jobsworth government)  so I have a radar key for the public toilets and a card with a message on to use in business premises explaining and to ask if they would allow me to use their facilities.   The key works fine the card was rejected along with my request on one occasion. The person who denied me the use of the toilet also said their toilet had stairs, so not suitable for the disabled, I said my disability isn't in my legs and ran off to the loo in the council offices (I just made it)   Considering how many disabled people there are in the U K isn't about time the kids were taught in school awareness of disability?   I'm also hard of hearing and altho I don't lip read as such I do like to follow a person's mouth when they are talking, especially if the surrounding area is a bit noisy. The female newsreaders on telly wear lip gloss which makes it difficult to read their mouths. We get subtitles which shoot along at break-neck speed but the newsreaders obviously aren't taught deaf awareness. Subtitles are inaccurate sometimes, in some cases it makes for a good laugh. Makes me wonder tho, who is the deafest myself or the subtitle bods?                                                                                                                                                                                 

Not that problem Cissy,but i was almost hit by a couple of teenagers on bicycles the other day cos i never heard them approaching from behind me,needless to say i got a fright as they whizzed past (hearing aids amplify all noises including traffic)what should i do? wear a sign on my back!lol

  Carry a white stick excal, that'll confuse them when they ride into ya and you hit their bike with it                                                                                                                                                                                 

And get put away for 10 yrs for anti-social behaviour not a chance Kwak..                                                                                                                                                                             

  10 yrs for hitting a pushbike? I doubt it, more likely get a load of verbal abuse and nowt else. Besides, if they ride into you it's not your fault your stick catches their bike, is it?                                                                                                                                                                                 

The stick might get outta control though , its known to happen lol                                                                                                                                                                             

  Oo I say....    (how much would it fetch at the scrap yard?)  the bike not the stick                                                                                                                                                                              

I get the disapproving looks all the time, and have often got out of my car and threatened to ram my disabled badge up some twats ass when I get comments like "thats for disabled people!".... Often, on good days I don't use it, but there are some days when I really cannot walk without severe pain...just cos I don't have a wheelchair or walking sticks, and I pull up in a car with Pink flowers on it with loud music playing...i get judged! GGGRRRRR.....   Trust me, I would happily give up the badge in return for no pain.                                                                                                                                                                             

Its the same with me, I have a blue badge but only use it in the car.  If I think I am ok then I park in a another parking bay, but like you i have a lot of pain in my legs, but you still get stares! Sometimes I feel like saying, 'what you looking at' and being prepared for a confrontation but I just can't be bothered.

Oh and another thing, what do you think they would say if I rolled up on my bike for my dwp assessment? Even though I am a member of nabd. Think I had better stop now before I lose my rag.                                                                                                                                                                              

oh  Linda... rage away. I too have been summonsed for the medical... and am spitting over it. The docs all agree, the hospital agrees... so why does DWP keep questioning it? Arthritis and spinal damage doesn't just go away!!                                                                                                                                                                             

Sounds like were both in the same place.  I have Lupus and arthritis and still have to prove I'm not well.  What gets me is I know of at least 2 people who get everything of the state and yet they walk about and spend the money on footy kits etc!!?  I know they should'nt get these payments, how do they do it?!!

Before I had my hip done a couple of years ago I had a blue badge and had to use a stick to walk and the one thin I found was you can deliberatly trip people up with the stick and tthey used to appologise to me.

Amused me greatly, no end of fun.

And I know it's slightly off topic but one of the things that makes my blood boil is the number of able bodied people who park in disabled bays and the lame excuses that they use to justify it.

In other countries and especially in the States if people see this happen they have a go at these ignoramuses and tell them to park their cars elsewhere.

I have this on good authority from my Yank boss who is gobsmacked when he sees non badge owners using the disabled bays.

Only in this country.

A couple of times now I have given stink eye to people who have parked in a disabled space with no badge only for them to get out, walk around and help someone out of the passenger seat with a stick....                                                                                                                                                                             

i hope u mean help someone with a stick out of the passenger side lol                                                                                                                                                                              

 Good point!!                                                                                                                                                                             

I am fed up of not getting any support...

I have post traumatic stress disorder..yet the hassle I have had just to receive £4.05 a week incapacity has been unbelievable...

I am a widow..but as my husband died aged 41 and I was under the age of 45 at the time of his death..the State doesn't recognise me as a widow so I do not get any pension....

As I am a widow I am not classed as a single parent so I cannot claim any help

I have to rely on what income I can scrape together.. I have never been so hard up....so I can dispell the myth of widows being rich widows..particularly young ones like me!!!

Sounds like a thread needing oodles of hugs to me. So just for you, cos you deserve them                                                                                                                                                                              

Thanks Alice big  back...