Not An Excuse

Ignorance is Not An Excuse. So I do not except George Osbourne's excuse for his 4x4 being parked clearly on a disabled bay just because he wanted/needed a BigMac.

I'm sick of the excuses and outright reasons high profile - and regular - people give for parking in disabled bays. I have been unable to use stores/shops because I couldn't park as I am entitled with my Blue Badge because non-blue badge drivers think they have the right to use the bays closest to their destination.

I don't know what's worse, those that take these spaces regardless or those who believe having a new flashy expensive car means they can use the larger disabled spaces for their new motor to avoid scratches from trolleys. I kid you not. A couple of years ago I was at Tesco and thought myself lucky that I got the last disabled bay and didn't have to detour to another supermarket to get my much needed groceries. Walking slowly, actually more like stumbling with my carer holding me upright, I struggled into the store. Passing the other cars no less than six had absolutely no blue badge displayed, and the only thing they had in common?, they were all brand new luxury cars just released that month.


So aparantly having a new luxury car is more entitled to the larger disabled bays than someone in a wheelchair. This happened frequently over the following couple of months much to the annoyance and complaints from those who these bays as supposedly supplied for. I actually stopped using Tesco for a while because any complaints about illegally parked vehicles was basically met with 'so what!' reactions from the store management.

Funnily enough none seemed to have been caught and ticketed by the private company that is supposed to patrol the carpark regularly and not six months later I got a parking fine when the company failed to look correctly at my displayed badge and ended having to pay a fine for which I didn't actually deserve all because a lazy 'whatever their job title is' didn't bother to check and wanted home early because it was snowing and cold.

I did begin to appeal including copying my badge to send to said private company but as the fine doubled if not paid within 14 days (and it was the festive season) my parents decided to pay the £30 (I didn't have it to pay) as they were concerned that it would adversely affect either my driving license or me legally.

Due to the bad weather I was pretty ill at the time and they were also more worried that fighting it out with the company, when they regularly won due to the fact they had more money to fight with, would make me even worse off than I already was they took the option to pay the fine. It 'stuck in my craw' as the saying goes but I was under a lot of stress at the time and my health had already 'took a hit' when vandals smashed in my car window for kicks costing me a new one that they paid the lower £30 fine rather than the full £60 fine if it is not paid in 14 days. I had just picked my car up less than an hour and half beforehand and was stressed and ill to the max just wanting home to bed for an indefinite period.

So all in all Mr Osbourne I don't accept your excuse and I can't accept your apology as you never uttered one. Big Surprise, not!!!


Authors Notes: 

Excuse any spelling errors etc., I had the rough draft about my only - touch wood - parking fine in my drafts folder and the whole Osbourne disabled parking article I read today brought it to mind so I polished what I had but errors probably still exist so hopefully errors withstanding readers can follow my ramblings.