I know there have been past threads about disabled parking but I've not seen this particular aspect discussed before - I know - I'll be proved wrong shortly .... :-)
I was in Carlisle last weekend and there were cars parked everywhere on the double yellows - I'm talking dozens and dozens. Nearly all had the old blue disabled badge displayed but a few hapless souls didn't, and these guys were duly being issued with penalty notices by a traffic warden. I (very politely) asked the warden what the position was regards blue badges and double yellows. She told me they were allowed 3 hours parking on them by law. I asked if that was a bye-law or actual law (if you a see what I mean). She said it was proper law.
Is that right? Is there such a law?
Now to me this just doesn't make any sense. I thought the yellow lines were there to prevent obstructions. Disabled drivers cause just as much of an obstruction as an abled bodied driver. Create disabled parking bays by all means, but to cover the streets in yellow paint and then let a special class of driver use them as parking areas is just illogical.
What do others think?
Les
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Rules are simple - you can park on double yellow lines IF there are no "No Loading" makers on the pavement or signs to indicate no loading, IF you are NOT CAUSING an obstruction, IF you are NOT near a junction or bend i.e. causing a danger to others. I have not yet succumbed to parking on double yellows as I do feel they are there for a reason but do see others abusing this privilidge. Often they appear to be infirm badge holders rather than registered disabled (i.e. tax exempt). You cannot park in loading bays, although lots of people seem to think you can, nor can you park in bus stop bays or in many areas, in Residents Bays.
In our local town there are three disabled bays at the top of the town and one half way down the High Street. These are usually occupied by a variety of delivery vans or builders, BT etc doing local work. The council have recently put in about ten bays in a car park five (disabled) minutes from the High Street, which are usually full but you do not need to wait too long - but no good if you really are disabled and want to visit a business or shop at the top of the town.
As we are not elderly, we often get filthy looks from others - as we do when we are using a hospital bay for our son - but my (now pat) answer if that if you think easier (sometimes even free) parking compensates for 365 days a year of disability, then think again!
Rant over - phew....
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Yellow lines, single or double, don't prevent loading or unloading by any vehicle, unless there are also loading restrictions, as long as no obstruction is caused. Blue Badge holders can park, under those conditions for up to 3 hours, other vehicles can only stop while actually loading or unloading.
There are a number of entitlements to a Blue Badge, not just for the registered disabled. One entitlement is for anyone who cannot walk 50 metres without suffering pain.
As a Blue Badge holder myself, I have a dilemma - I can eliminate the pain of walking by taking maximum permitted medication BUT I would then be unfit to drive through drugs (it applies to prescription drugs as well as recreational ones) so I have to strike a balance.
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So that's the law then - still seems daft to me !
Naturally, anyone with a disability has my sympathy and I'm not , in anyway, disputing their access to parking near where they need to be. I'm just baffled by this yellow line thing which I must admit I just hadn't dawned on me.
So clearly the lines aren't there to prevent obstruction unless coupled with loading restrictions - so just what are they for?
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