My latest bugbear is a huge works van with high vis vests on the seats is parked in a disabled space seemingly all day every day and almost always facing the wrong way I might add who for ages seemed to have a badge but it was not clearly displayed bc of how high the dashboard is and yet I never saw a ticket on it. Now it cd be genuine (tho I can't see how anyone requiring a badge is able to get in and out of a van like that or do the kind of job that requires a van or high vis vests) but then I encountered this van in a supermarket car park in the disabled space (and I do mean THE) with a young man coming back to the van who was clearly not the person to whom the badge applies. The person driving, presumably the person to whom the badge does apply, immediately began making a fuss about the fact that I clearly didn't think he shd be there. I didn't say anything, merely looked at him, so the fact that he got so animated about needing to defend himself suggests to me he knew full well why I didn't think it was a valid badge. Even as he drove away and I had walked into the supermarket he was still trying to hold up his badge!!!!! I wonder if he'd have been as confident if I'd actually asked to inspect the badge bc I'll place any amount of money on the fact that it doesn't belong to him. Even if it does, he didn't seem to get that he still shdnt have been there if he wasn't getting out of the car, a badge is not for the convenience of others it's a privilege for ppl who need it and this arse is taking advantage. I suspect he's been told by a warden he needs to display it but I doubt any warden has actually checked it to see if this idiots face is the one pictured. If you're capable of doing a job that requires a large van which suggests physical activity I can't see how you can need a disabled badge. You can't walk a hundred yards but you can do a labour intensive job? I fear the man doth protest too much, even continuing to wave the corner of the badge at me as he's driving away suggests to me he's not really confident of his argument. All I've ever done is get it out and put it on the dashboard in plain view, that's enough. To shout and scream and make such a point of showing me saying look look I have got a badge when all I did was look at him suggests to me a guilty conscience. Still, that doesn't beat the stupid cow who not only parked in the one disabled space but left her child in the car and when I said to her quite quietly and reasonably "thank you for parking in the disabled space" she replied by saying its a mother and baby AND disabled space...wtf there is no such thing you stupid cow, go look at the signage and the painting on the road, nowhere does it say anything other than disabled badge holders ONLY! Why does it surprise me that ppl are so godamn selfish!?!?! I've challenged a number of ppl who are sitting in the car in the space and I've had the most ridiculous shit in response. One guy responded with "I've got a badge I can do what I like" which unfortunately seems to be the general self absorbed aggro attitude that society has now. Another guy I pointed out to him that he was occupying a space that he did not need to be in but I on my own did need. I pointed out the leaflet that comes with the badge says whilst it's not illegal (damn well shd be in my book) to stay in the car, if you are not the person to whom the badge applies and you're not getting out of the car you shdnt be in a space. He cd have parked a little way up the road and simply come down to pick up the disabled person whereas I did not have that luxury. When I returned to my car five minutes later he'd got out and gone to stand round the corner...I suppose it's better than sitting in the car but still missing the point. It's the staggering sense of entitlement! Then there was the huge great drinks truck parked across three disabled spaces in the middle of town on a summers day (when they will be most required). The warden just walked past like he didn't give a shit, when I challenged that they shdnt be parked in the disabled spaces when there was a loading bay ten feet away, I was informed they had a job to do selling their drinks at this bar and they "needed" to have that truck directly in front of the bar...bc of course that's entirely more important than any disabled person. I just cdnt believe the warden did nothing, tho I suspect he might have tried but received so much abuse for the suggestion he didn't dare ticket them. It's the old "I'm only going to be five minutes" argument, this advertising truck was only going to be there for a couple of hours so what does it matter? Well I'll tell you why it matters? Bc all the time that truck is blocking those spaces is time that a number of disabled spaces either can't do their shopping or can't enjoy their few moments out or a meal or go to the library nearby bc healthy ppl don't give a shit. One woman sitting in her huge 4x4 outside the Dome refused to move bc she said she was waiting for her son to come out from his graduation ceremony and she wdnt be long...I refused to accept that as an answer and explained to her that her son was perfectly capable of walking wasn't he, she shdnt be in a disabled space if she didn't have a badge, that I did have a badge and therefore required her to vacate that space, she just refused to move....so so did I. I was blocking the road, cars were piling up behind me but I sat there with my badge out and my indicator on. After a few minutes of me doing this and staring at her she finally moved...all of twenty yards across the road, like every other parent there to pick up their kid. I doubt she learnt anything but I felt better foR it and cd finally park and hobble to my monthly ME support group meeting. Then there was this selfish bitch in the spaces in London road with her engine still on so all she had to do was put the car in reverse and move back (she had four feet behind her) but she just sat where she was without a badge and watching me struggle to park in the space she had left. 1) she shdnt have been there 2) she cd have made it easier for me but no. Then to add insult to injury she made some arsehole remark about how bad my parking abilities were! When I explained that I have a pin in one shoulder and various other problems which is why I HAVE A BADGE, she basically just told me to fuck off. I'm just sick of ppl in general today.