Blue badge

I have RA and have had a blue badge for about twenty years .
This has to be renewed every three years . No two days are the same with RA - sometimes I’m reasonably mobile at others I can hardly move .
I have had ankle , knee and elbow replacements so when I complete the form I include all operations with dates and names of surgeons plus my own doctor so if it’s necessary they can be contacted . I have never been refused .
Next year I shall be eighty so I’m pretty sure that I won’t improve . I wish that once you have been granted a blue badge then at a certain age it should become mandatory , without all the form filling . I’m more than happy to pay the £10
When we travel on the continent ‘handicapé” spaces are excellent and no one without a blue badge would dare use them .
Here I inevitably find them occupied by delivery vans or people without badges who are “just popping to the post”.

How why are ancient threads resurrected?

When I was waiting for a hip replacement I could have done with a temporary blue badge. When I researched the matter, I found that if I'd been in Scotland I could have had one. Why did I not re-migrate?

6 years ago i was very kindly awarded a blue badge because of my spinal problems and chronic pain i live in every day,
Since having my blue badge it has given me so much more confidence as i knew if my back went into spasm whilst out walking i knew i could always get back into the car due to the space around the disabled parking bay.
I owe this success to the nhs and all the people who have helped me over the years and getting enrolled onto a pain management course in Oxford, which really helped me a lot. and of course my wonderful carer who still helps me today

In our area once you become 80 you are entitled to a pass without any questions asked, I turned 80 at Christmas and applied for one and received it there and then .Now I'm making the most of it.

My OH recently applied for a Blue Badge. He had an accident 3 years ago that left him unable to walk more than a few yards and unable to climb stairs at all. He was adamant that he would not have a Blue Badge because it's was "confirming his disability and frailty". Following a nasty fall in the street that left him unable to get up without a lot of assistance from passers-by, he finally agreed to apply. We were both pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy the application was. From completing the online application, to receiving the badge, it took about 2 weeks in all. And what a difference it's made for him! He's able to get around on his own more now because he can park closer to where he needs to be and so it's actually given him more independence. I'd recommend anyone who is eligible to apply.

It will be good to know that someone parking in the disabled bays has a right to be there. Far too often they are occupied by shoppers 'just wanting to nip in quickly for one item', as I heard one say.

Well done on getting your badge - they are a godsend if you struggle to walk providing you can find a space. We had one for my mum when she could no longer walk before her dementia started and also was better for my dad when he started to struggle. It meant I could take them shopping and to the doctors etc and for appointments at the hospital but 9 times out of 10 there were no spaces at all in our hospital car park - disabled or not so that part was still difficult. Definitely apply for one Cherrytree on your mum's behalf. It doesn't mean you're old at all either - just enjoy the freedom it brings.

I could have done with a temporary parking pass after my operation, back and stomach pain made walking agony. If you don't have a wheelchair or sticks people think youmare swinging the lead.

Come to Norwich Merlot. One car park (St Andrews) especially has nearly a whole floor of disable slots, always mostly empty and the others are quite generous too.

DiL has a Blue badge and she's 36! She also looks quite fit so has a sticker in the car pointing out that not all disabilities are visible ones.

I wish there were temporary badges too. I did 'risk it' on a couple of occasions directly after my knee op and we parked in disabled slots at the supermarket - there were plenty of disabled spaces. I wasn't challenged I suppose because I was using elbow crutches but I was prepared to flash my scar!

I too wish that badges were made available on a temporary basis to cover temporary disability. My OH had both knees replaced at the same time and for three months after the operation I yearned for a blue badge.

Look at It this way- you will now be able to park nearer the gin shop!!!!! ?

Don't - you are far from old and you have an real inconvenience for which you can have some help. I would embrace the blue badge with glee and relish the relief it offers - hopefully you will then be able to enjoy a lot of events denied you if you have to walk for any distance; you may well feel and look younger without the strain of worrying that you might suffer a problem while you are out. Good luck to you kezia, and remember you can be young at heart whatever is going on with the body.

Cherrytree59 do apply for a BB for your mother. She may be awarded one because it's a safety issue for her rather than a physical problem. A friend has one for her severely learning disabled teenage son, because although he is physically top-notch, he has no understanding of danger or keeping himself safe.

Dam spell check this was meant for Kezia.

Media, I have had a badge for over 10 years now, I couldn't be without it. It enabled me to continue working for an extra 5 years as with it I could park outside my workplace. I was like you to start with but now I jump at anything that makes my life easy. Remember you are only as young as the man you hug, and I have two young grandsons who love hugs, that makes me about 3 1/2 years old at the moment.

You must be in with a good chance of getting one for your OH, Luckygirl. My mother was given the advice to 'imagine your worst ever day' when filling in the form.

DH was automatically given one when he was registered blind. I only use it when we are going somewhere crowded as he can see quite well straight ahead but gets confused if people are milling around him as he has no peripheral vision.

Empty disabled parking slots are as rare as hen's teeth around here though. People must get up at the crack of dawn to go shopping and stay there all day.

I thought parking nearer supermarket doors would be ideal, however the convenient supporting trolleys are further away than standard parking in a space near the trolley bays

I need to look into the criteria again.

I can walk a fair distance with my stick; but only a short distance without pain. I find downward stairs very hard.

My OH can sometimes walk reasonably well, but at other times, like today, he is in bed and can't manage even to have a shower. He goes OK for a short distance then is overcome with weakness. There is no way now that he could walk from a parking place to the dentist's for instance.

What is needed is for the criteria to take into account of fluctuations in someone's condition.

I have the scooter, crutches and the blue badge
I have mobility alliance from DLA

I'm sure that you're not old and knackered. As you're lucky enough to actually get one of these badges I'd say make the most of it - park nearer to the supermarket doors, etc. It'll make life easier and on those bad days you'll really appreciate it.

If it makes a difference to your life, grasp it with both hands and appreciate that it will make so much more of life accessible to you. Then as others have said, get busy enjoying the NT parking benefits etc. My father has let his pride get in the way of using a mobility scooter which he should have done 10 years ago. This has meant that he has missed out on a lot of opportunities as he really cannot walk any distance. For myself, should the need arise I would take the blue card and get the scooter and keep partaking in life as long as I can. No prizes for struggling by and then not wanting to do stuff because its too much of a struggle

My OH has one as he in receipt of the Mobility award of PIPS so it was just a case of applying for one. We both appreciate it as he had a knee replacement last year and is now waiting to get the other one done, so his ability to walk is not very good.

Ten years ago I applied for one on the grounds of having agoraphobia and being unable to walk any distance from a car to a shop or any other place that I was going to. I was amazed when my application was successful and for 3yrs my life was so much easier. I could actually get to places I had never been able to go to for years and I was really upset when after 3yrs they told me that 'psychological' conditions were not covered under the scheme, which is odd as I had obviously been considered eligible before.

I am still agoraphobic, although not as bad as I was years ago, so my OH having his Blue Badge is actually a great help to both of us!

Years ago I used to do assessments for blue badges. I gave one to a teenage girl who walked out of the office quite happily. One of the admin staff complained, said she shouldn't have been awarded one because she could walk fine.
The young girl had lost her leg in a fairground accident and good for her that she looked as though 'she could walk fine' .... fine but not far!