[Closed] Autism and Blue Badges.

Hold on just getting comfortable.

Right you may begin.

[i] I know little about Autism[/i]

go away and find out some more and then post a thread questioning what life impact it has on people.

[edit] question mark removed to make it a statement.

Seriously?

It's not just about physical impairment...

What about a child that finds busy shops extremely overstimulating so being able to get in and out quicker makes things much easier? Or just the safety aspect of not having to walk very far with them through a busy carpark

lol

[i]after having open heart surgery for some unknown reason.[/i]

Maybe he should have asked what the reason was before he had the surgery?

Disabled spaces aren't used enough imo - and any disability is still a disability.

If it helps even a tiny bit with the struggle people with autistic children/dependants face on a daily basis, then I’m all for it.

Badges should be rainbow coloured.

It is a spectrum after all.

My only experiences of "autistic" people are some feral brats whose parents deem it OK to steal because they are "autistic".

[i]My only experiences of "autistic" people are some feral brats whose parents deem it OK to steal because they are "autistic"[/i]

the can I repeat my suggestion that you **** off and find out what autism means for some people?

I have an Autistic son (and a daughter with Tourette's /adhd) shopping or going anywhere with them is extremely stressful and just plain hard work.

We don't have a blue badge as he is at the bottom end of the spectrum but I can fully understand people getting blue badges for children higher up the spectrum.

zippykona - Member
My only experiences of "autistic" people are some feral brats whose parents deem it OK to steal because they are "autistic".

So you know nothing about it in other words.

My only experiences of "autistic" people are some feral brats whose parents deem it OK to steal because they are "autistic".

stay classy

I've never seen a car park with all the disabled spaces taken.

Perhaps we should concentrate on the (generally) BMW driving sales reps parking in disabled or parent-and-child spaces...

My only experiences of "autistic" people are some feral brats whose parents deem it OK to steal because they are "autistic".

Then that is a parenting issue, not an autism issue.

A good friend and colleague has a badly autistic son, and having seen the struggles she has gone through, a 2 year fight to get him into a school that can help him, leaving in floods of tears often because the school he is currently in cannot cope and she is at the end of her tether and many other issues, if a barley used parking space helps her then i do not begrudge her it at all.

is this going to be one of 'those' threads where the OP asks what they thought was a clever conversation starter only to be shamed at their naivety/trolling skills/lack of awareness.

hope so.

My mum has just received her Blue Badge.... shitty eyesight brought on from chemo.

I had the good fortune / misfortune to spend the day on Saturday with a friend of a friend (family treasure hunt) and his Asperger's son.

Fortune because I think I have just a tiny bit more understanding what having an Aspie / ASD child is like and the difficulties it creates.

Misfortune* because I was absolutely exhausted by the effort involved in managing around those difficulties.

* don't flame me, I'm not saying that i didn't enjoy their company or that i wouldn't spend time with them again, absolutely the opposite it was a pleasure a lot of the time. Just making the point that even without being the adult caring for him, it was still hard work. So any way we can assist in that makes sense to me.

Following a serious motorbike accident three years ago, I’ve been left with a permanent disability. I’m also the proud dad of a little lad with learning difficulties and autism. I don’t have a blue badge, and have never considered applying for one. It’s difficult at times to deal with this, but you just have to cope (my own opinion, of course), and accusations of lazyness really don’t help. Every autistic child is different, as everyone with a disability is different, and we all cope with our situations in our own way.

Perhaps we should concentrate on the (generally) BMW driving sales reps parking in disabled or parent-and-child spaces...

Don't use the disabled spaces, but with parents and children ones I find the people using them that shouldn't are almost exclusively middle aged grandparents with no kids with them that think they are allowed to park there because they have "grandson on board" sign in the back window of their zafira

Smudge.No , feel free to enlighten me.
I still think the spaces should be for people who have reduced mobility.
Have just watched the video. My friend has Aspergers and in no way needs a badge but no doubt he could apply for one.
I feel really strongly on this as we have a fit able bodied person who has a blue badge taking up the disabled bay while I have to help our less mobile customers back to their cars if they need it.
I don't begrudge helping them,I do begrudge people taking the piss.
When I tried to dob the abuser in I was told he might have a badge as he might be blind. He is the **** driving.

Smudger666 - Member
is this going to be one of 'those' threads where the OP asks what they thought was a clever conversation starter only to be shamed at their naivety/trolling skills/lack of awareness.

To all those that don't think autism is disabling, just spend some time with a family with an autistic child then come back here to report your findings and new-found respect for all those families having to deal with it on a day to day basis.

My experience is that of my girls' best friend being autistic. She is a bit of a Forrest Gump child - she sees n opportunity to run and she does - she's been lost several times and it can be very scary for all involved. Having access to disabled spaces will greatly help her parents as they will have more room to 'manage' her and her little sister as they get out of the car in a less confined space (which is one of her triggers).

I welcome the idea whole-heartedly.

My mum has just received her Blue Badge.... shitty eyesight brought on from chemo.

Sorry to hear that :(. But honest question, wouldn't that mean no longer driving?

[i]But honest question, wouldn't that mean no longer driving? [/i]

You know that lots of people who can't drive due to having a disability arrive at car parks being driven by someone else, don;t you?

zippykona - Member

Smudge.No , feel free to enlighten me.
I still think the spaces should be for people who have reduced mobility.

fortunately the authorities disagree with you. there are many types of disability some visible and some not.

So I don't get involved with blue badges any more (it's the local council that assess and issue).
TBH, I'd not really thought about mental dissability and blue badges (probably because I don't think about them full stop, nowadays).

I wonder IF my local council would grant one based on the mental stress parking could place? I'm aware they asses "time to walk 20 yards" or somethinglike that, but not for any other 'non physical parameters'. Hmm... Goes off to have a look!

DrP

[quote="morphio"]wouldn't that mean no longer driving?Blue badges aren't just for the drivers, they are for those being carried in the vehicle, might be the driver, might be a passenger.

[quote="zippykona"]I still think the spaces should be for people who have reduced mobility.You try dealing with an autistic teenager having a full on melt down. Reduced mobility is only half of it.

"Is every lazy parent now going to have an autistic child just to get a badge?"

You do understand you dont pick to be pregnant with an autistic child? Yes, you could chose not to have it, but, are you such a cynic that someone would chose to go through this just to get trouble-free parking?

You Sir, are in need of education. I'll hasten to add that not everyone with an autistic child deem it necessary to have/use said badge - think on.

My friend has Aspergers and in no way needs a badge but no doubt he could apply for one.

Well there is some doubt, just like not every heart condition warrants a blue badge.

My dad and my FiL have both had open-heart surgery and neither would dream of asking for a blue badge.

So your dad must be a bit of a chancer, eh?

No, could barely walk .

I wonder if Fife still has the most adhd as they were the highest in the league for giving out ritalin. I believe some was sold on to adults as a poor mans coke
Lots of genuine cases but i bet a few dodgy parents too

No, could barely walk .

So you mean I was wrong to jump to an ill-informed and offensive judgement about him?

My eyes have been opened as to who is eligible for a badge.
My previous notion that it was only for the less mobile has been dispelled.
Having been exposed to some of the worst malingerers in society I'm just very aware that this new ruling will be open to abuse by those who know how to abuse the system.

My only experiences of "autistic" people are some feral brats whose parents deem it OK to steal because they are "autistic".

You're right on one point, you have no experience........****

Having been exposed to some of the worst malingerers in society I'm just very aware that this new ruling will be open to abuse by those who know how to abuse the system.

No, your prejudice is the only thing that is making you ‘aware’.

Zippy, you start some great threads but this isn't one of them mate. 🙁

A good friend has a grandson with severe autism.

Even a "simple" trip to get him clothing is a military operation.

I thought I knew a little about autism until I went out one day with the lad and his Nan.

It was an eye opener I can tell you.

If a blue badge makes it just 1% easier for this boy and his mum/Nan to get around then I'm all for it.

Having been exposed to some of the worst malingerers in society I'm just very aware that this new ruling will be open to abuse by those who know how to abuse the system.

That post is below you zippy.

"Is every lazy parent now going to have an autistic child just to get a badge?"

Speaking from experience, you don't just go to the doctors and say "oh, my child's autistic", can I get a badge please.

Its a long drawn out fight to even get a diagnosis, let alone anything else from the "system".
My 4 year old does not necessarily present as being autistic, in fact some of the people we have come across in early education have queried the diagnosis, but those in the know, the professionals,(and us) know.
Who knows how he is going to develop in the future, at 4 he is fairly easy to control, but as he grows it may / may not be so easy.
So yeah, I can see why blue badges can be given out. A lot of people with autism don't recognise the danger presented by busy roads etc, so minimising the distance they have to walk minimises the danger.

Even getting a blue badge is not that easy for those that do need it, my uncle served 16 years in the Paras, two weeks after he left he broke his back simply by twisting it so badly putting his foot down a hole on a football referees course, after numerous surgeries, he can walk less than 100 yds and we still had a fight to get a badge for him, even though he drives an adapted car.

I still think the spaces should be for people who have reduced mobility.

They are. Just not exclusively.

I feel really strongly on this as we have a fit able bodied person who has a blue badge taking up the disabled bay

Who are you to judge just by looking at someone? [url= https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/ ]A fit and able-bodied person, yesterday[/url].

You may well have "strong feelings" but by your own admission they're from a point of ignorance. If I were to give you one piece of advice it'd be to stop digging and start listening to what others are saying.

@zippykona
I would like to tell you about my Saturday experience to give you a taste of what daily life is like. If it helps open you tiny mind in the smallest way possible it will be worth it.

So, Saturday was my brother in laws wedding day. My autistic son Billy (not his real name) who is 15 years old was really excited about the day. He loves weddings and parties. The day started with us trying to find him something to wear. He really wanted to wear a suit (despite not owning one). He point blank refused to try anything else on because in his mind you only wear a suit to a wedding. Like I say this process took a whole hour, while we were also trying to get ready ourselves and get our other three children ready and out the door at the same time. Eventually I found a pair of my own smart trousers and a shirt/tie that he would put on.

When we arrived at the venue the car parking area was a grass field that was particularly muddy given the recent rain. It took another fifteen minutes to try and get Billy out of the car. He didn't want to get mud on his shoes.

The third meltdown came when he couldn't choose his own seat at the wedding breakfast. He wanted to sit by his favourite Grandad and could not get his head around why he couldn't swap seats.

Further meltdowns came at home time (he refused to leave).

This is a regular day (and a pretty good one in comparison to what it can be like). It is draining, mentally, physically and emotionally to deal with autism every single day.

If a blue badge helps and makes day to day life just a little easier for those parents dealing with Autism then I`m all for it.