UKIP shows its regards of traffic law

[Brian Watson]

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/News/UKIP-leader-Nigel-Farage-caught-parking-in-Ramsey-disabled-bay-20130501164323.htm
Ian

It is clearly WELL into the Disabled bay.

"Cllr Pete Reeve, a local councillor and leader of the UKIP group on
Huntingdonshire District Council, said the bus had not been parked in the
disabled bay deliberately."
Just stupid, then, or uncaring?

"He said: "It was not parked in the disabled bay, although it may have gone
into it because it is a big vehicle."

Also blind, then, or not looking?

"It was parked in the first bay next to the disabled bays."

No, you idiot, it was parked diagonally across a clearly-marked Disabled
parking bay.

"Nobody was using the disabled bay and if they had wanted to we would
obviously have moved it."

One of the issues about twerps using Disabled parking bays is that disabled
people shouldn't have to confront people who are using them without
entitlement.

"Cllr Reeve, who lives in Ramsey, said: "We certainly would not have parked
deliberately in the disabled bay." "

Just stupid and careless, then.

"There were a lot of people there and everyone enjoyed coming up and meeting
Nigel."

And telling him what a Cnut he is?

[Michael Kilpatrick]

Post by Brian Watson

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/News/UKIP-leader-Nigel-Farage-caught-parking-in-Ramsey-disabled-bay-20130501164323.htm
Ian

One of the issues about twerps using Disabled parking bays is that disabled
people shouldn't have to confront people who are using them without
entitlement.

I say it's about time we did what the French do in their signage:

Loading Image...

Michael

[Brian Watson]

Post by Michael Kilpatrick

Post by Brian Watson

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/News/UKIP-leader-Nigel-Farage-caught-parking-in-Ramsey-disabled-bay-20130501164323.htm
Ian

One of the issues about twerps using Disabled parking bays is that disabled
people shouldn't have to confront people who are using them without
entitlement.

http://www.seton.fr/media/catalog/product/d/m/dmeu_ppda_200_3_1_std.lang.all.png

What? Break their legs?

Hmm, it's a thought...

:-)

[Roland Perry]

Post by Brian Watson
One of the issues about twerps using Disabled parking bays is that disabled
people shouldn't have to confront people who are using them without
entitlement.

Which only happens if there's under-supply. Every time I go to the QAT
car park, for example, I wonder at the virtually empty ground floor
reserved for disabled drivers.

On the other hand, in the High Street in Ely about half the parking is
reserved for the disabled, and it's almost always full. Of drivers who
always appear to have forgotten to bring their disabled parking badges
with them.

[Tim Ward]

Every time I go to the QAT car park, for example, I wonder at the
virtually empty ground floor reserved for disabled drivers.

There's an issue (particularly wrt this sort of observation of QAT)
about a possible mismatch between industry standard guidelines and the
reality of demand in a specific case. I think that's on the list to be
looked at.

[Alan]

Post by Tim Ward

Every time I go to the QAT car park, for example, I wonder at the
virtually empty ground floor reserved for disabled drivers.

There's an issue (particularly wrt this sort of observation of QAT)
about a possible mismatch between industry standard guidelines and the
reality of demand in a specific case. I think that's on the list to be
looked at.

Are the numbers guidelines then, or is there a legal framework that
mandates the ratios? If the former, one would expect them to be adjusted
(up or down) after a few months observation I would have thought.

[Tim Ward]

Post by Alan
Are the numbers guidelines then, or is there a legal framework that
mandates the ratios? If the former, one would expect them to be
adjusted (up or down) after a few months observation I would have thought.

Dunno off the top of my head. However as this car park is rarely full,
fixing this issue, if it is indeed an issue, is not currently at the top
of the list, given limited management time ect ect.

[Roland Perry]

Post by Tim Ward

Post by Alan
Are the numbers guidelines then, or is there a legal framework that
mandates the ratios? If the former, one would expect them to be
adjusted (up or down) after a few months observation I would have thought.

Dunno off the top of my head. However as this car park is rarely full,
fixing this issue, if it is indeed an issue, is not currently at the
top of the list, given limited management time ect ect.

The issue as far as I'm concerned is providing for the mobility impaired
who aren't bad enough to have a blue sticker (or who are visting).
Indeed, I'd only generally drive that far into Cambridge if with such a
passenger.

[Theo Markettos]

Post by Roland Perry
The issue as far as I'm concerned is providing for the mobility impaired
who aren't bad enough to have a blue sticker (or who are visting).
Indeed, I'd only generally drive that far into Cambridge if with such a
passenger.

Blue badges are a national scheme, so there's no need to be a local (unless
from abroad). However you're right that the conditions are quite strict[1],
and there's a wide spectrum of 'disability' that's not covered by them (for
example, someone who is unable to walk after breaking their leg isn't
eligible because that's not 'permanent'). Supermarkets can take a wider
view of 'disabled' than 'blue badge', and I suspect the City could as it's
not the public highway. However, in the absence of a 'light blue' badge,
enforcement becomes difficult.

Theo

[1] Checker: https://bluebadge.direct.gov.uk/directgovapply.html
(though the devil is in the detail of what 'very considerable difficulty in
walking' actually means)

[Phil W Lee]

Post by Theo Markettos

Post by Roland Perry
The issue as far as I'm concerned is providing for the mobility impaired
who aren't bad enough to have a blue sticker (or who are visting).
Indeed, I'd only generally drive that far into Cambridge if with such a
passenger.

Blue badges are a national scheme, so there's no need to be a local (unless
from abroad). However you're right that the conditions are quite strict[1],
and there's a wide spectrum of 'disability' that's not covered by them (for
example, someone who is unable to walk after breaking their leg isn't
eligible because that's not 'permanent'). Supermarkets can take a wider
view of 'disabled' than 'blue badge', and I suspect the City could as it's
not the public highway. However, in the absence of a 'light blue' badge,
enforcement becomes difficult.

They are not just national.
I've used a Canadian one when carrying a disabled visitor who hailed
from Newfoundland, and checked the validity beforehand.
They are locally administered (at least in the UK) so different
councils can choose to be more or less strict in their interpretation
of the rules.
The reason we went to the blue badge scheme (from it's orange
predecessor) was for international compliance and interchangeability.
Maybe the UKIP contempt for the disabled parking space was due to the
UK blue badges all carrying the EU symbol?

Post by Theo Markettos
Theo
[1] Checker: https://bluebadge.direct.gov.uk/directgovapply.html
(though the devil is in the detail of what 'very considerable difficulty in
walking' actually means)

[JohnT]

Post by Tim Ward

Post by Alan
Are the numbers guidelines then, or is there a legal framework that
mandates the ratios? If the former, one would expect them to be
adjusted (up or down) after a few months observation I would have thought.

Dunno off the top of my head. However as this car park is rarely full,
fixing this issue, if it is indeed an issue, is not currently at the top
of the list, given limited management time ect ect.

However, the Sheeps Green car park at Newnham is frequently full and I
don't think I've ever seen one of the disabled spaces in use by someone
with a disabled card.
Could easily make an extra 4 car park spaces there.

Maybe that could be put on the list to be looked at ?

JohnT

[Tim Ward]

Post by JohnT
However, the Sheeps Green car park at Newnham is frequently full

Oooo ... that one's still free, isn't it? Is it now a commuter car park
then?

[Patrick Gosling]

Post by Tim Ward

Post by JohnT
However, the Sheeps Green car park at Newnham is frequently full

Oooo ... that one's still free, isn't it? Is it now a commuter car park
then?

It has an automatic barrier that only opens at (I think) 9.30am, so not
a huge amount of commuter use, I think.

I quite often run through there at lunch-time, and during winter it's
usually between 50% and 80% full. When it's really good paddling-pool
weather, it can fill to a bit beyond capacity.

-patrick.

[Tim Ward]

When it's really good paddling-pool weather, it can fill to a bit
beyond capacity.

Yes, that's what it's there for!

[Patrick Gosling]

Post by Tim Ward

When it's really good paddling-pool weather, it can fill to a bit
beyond capacity.

Yes, that's what it's there for!

Indeed, that was my understanding. I think there's even a sign that
says that it's for recreational users of the common. [ there
certainly used to be ]

-patrick.

[Michael Kilpatrick]

Post by Tim Ward

Every time I go to the QAT car park, for example, I wonder at the
virtually empty ground floor reserved for disabled drivers.

There's an issue (particularly wrt this sort of observation of QAT)
about a possible mismatch between industry standard guidelines and the
reality of demand in a specific case. I think that's on the list to be
looked at.

Well, in the Selsingen Way car park in Sawston, clearly someone
evaluated the mismatch between supply and demand and reduced the number
of disabled bays (a year ago, maybe longer)

Doesn't seem to have stopped people parking in the disabled bay when
they shouldn't. Lazy bastards. If the car park is full, you just drive
300 yards up the High St and park there, a little away from the shops.
Oooh, it's such a long, arduous walk, the poor dears...

Michael

[Brian Watson]

Post by Brian Watson
One of the issues about twerps using Disabled parking bays is that disabled
people shouldn't have to confront people who are using them without
entitlement.

Which only happens if there's under-supply. Every time I go to the QAT car
park, for example, I wonder at the virtually empty ground floor reserved
for disabled drivers.

I am all for a little over-supply of Disabled Bays because it's impossible
to get "just right" and I'd rather it were biased in favour of those who
need those spaces.

On the other hand, in the High Street in Ely about half the parking is
reserved for the disabled, and it's almost always full. Of drivers who
always appear to have forgotten to bring their disabled parking badges
with them.

Yes, funny that.

Maybe we should issue Blue Badges for those who are just memory-impaired?

:-\