UK Blue Badge question

[alisonbestford]

Hi there

I have a question regarding the UK Blue Badge system, following something that cropped up in a thread on one of the UK planning forums.

Myself, and many others, have travelled to Florida several times and displayed their blue badge when parking in a disabled space

No problems and we thought we knew that the blue badge was recognised in the US.
Now someone has posted to say that they were almost given a fine, by a police officer, for parking in a disabled bay (with blue badge displayed) and had to go and buy a permit for $15 from the benefit office on Orange Blossom Trail

Can anyone tell me whether this is so?
Have things changed or have we all been parking in bays, displaying our badge, at the risk of receiving a fine?

Thanks for your help

 

[Cheshire Figment]

All of Walt Disney World is private property. Technically the Sheriff's Office can only enforce non-felony problems at the invitation of the property owner. It is my understanding that in the agreements that WDW has with both the Orange and Osceola County Sheriff's Departments that they are instructed to honor anything which appears to be an officially issued handicap/disbled tag. This is not only all US states, but the Canadian Prvinces and the UK Blue Badge.

As far as outside of WDW, generally what I have heard is that Florida, due to the many international tourists, will accept the UK Blue Badge.

 

[alisonbestford]

All of Walt Disney World is private property. Technically the Sheriff's Office can only enforce non-felony problems at the invitation of the property owner. It is my understanding that in the agreements that WDW has with both the Orange and Osceola County Sheriff's Departments that they are instructed to honor anything which appears to be an officially issued handicap/disbled tag. This is not only all US states, but the Canadian Prvinces and the UK Blue Badge.

As far as outside of WDW, generally what I have heard is that Florida, due to the many international tourists, will accept the UK Blue Badge.

Thankyou

That's what we all thought too but maybe something has changed?
The incident, in question, happened along ID

 

[BillSears]

One thing to remember is that not all police officers know all of the rules. So while a judge may overturn the fine because you might be within the law to park in the handicapped space a police officer may still write the ticket believing he is right.

 

[alisonbestford]

One thing to remember is that not all police officers know all of the rules. So while a judge may overturn the fine because you might be within the law to park in the handicapped space a police officer may still write the ticket believing he is right.

This was my initial thought and the OP didn't want to argue with a police officer carrying a gun.........

The fact that they then went on to the benefit office and purchased a $15 permit made me wonder what was happening

 

[Ali and boyz]

Hi Alison

don't know if like us you hire a disabled / adapted car or not so this might not help but when we hired the car last year from discount mobility it came with the disabled permit which hung from the mirror. we took our sons blue badge not knowing this but it never came out of our bag.

when you hire your car, even if it is Dollar etc it might be worth asking for added piece of mind.

 

[alisonbestford]

Hi Alison

don't know if like us you hire a disabled / adapted car or not so this might not help but when we hired the car last year from discount mobility it came with the disabled permit which hung from the mirror. we took our sons blue badge not knowing this but it never came out of our bag.

when you hire your car, even if it is Dollar etc it might be worth asking for added piece of mind.

Thanks Ali

To press we've never had to hire an adapted car but there's always the first time...................

We drive an MPV at home 'just in case' DH develops any kind of paralysis, as a result of his tumour, and we need to stick a wheelchair in the back

I can't see us being able to afford to get back to Florida for a while but, be in no doubt, that we'll be taking everything into account if / when we do...............

Are 'discount mobility' reasonably priced?

 

[loadsapixiedust]

I posted on this thread about this very issue some time ago after reading the same reports on another forum. While it seems the UK blue badge is acceptable for use in Florida, and tourist information agencies that I have contacted insist that it is, the problem remains that if you are unlucky enough to encounter a law enforcement officer who is not fully aware of the rules it is difficult to argue the point. Would you then be forced to accept a fine or have to be prepared to argue the case in court at a later date?
We have enquired when hiring our car and been told to hang our blue badge from the rear view mirror.
Ali, does discountmobility apply for a Florida permit in the disabled person's name when you hire from them or how does that work, as surely using another person's permit is also illegal?
I looked at the information about applying for a disabled parking permit in Florida and you need a Florida ID, so how could a UK visitor apply for one of these?
When we have visited Florida we have never encountered any problems, once we returned to our vehicle to find an officer taking a close look at our blue badge, but he passed no comment when we said it was from the UK and simply wished us a nice day, but it does worry me that we may not be so lucky next time.

 

[Ali and boyz]

Thanks Ali

To press we've never had to hire an adapted car but there's always the first time...................

We drive an MPV at home 'just in case' DH develops any kind of paralysis, as a result of his tumour, and we need to stick a wheelchair in the back

I can't see us being able to afford to get back to Florida for a while but, be in no doubt, that we'll be taking everything into account if / when we do...............

Are 'discount mobility' reasonably priced?

Alison I thought it was quite expensive compaired to hiring a car say from Holiday Autos but David can't transfer so therefore we need a mpv that he can get wheeled into. It worked out this year for the car, hoist and showerchair at about £800 for the two weeks.

Having said that they are so helpful and accomodating that I am quite happy not to look around.
hope you get in the near future

 

[Ali and boyz]

I posted on this thread about this very issue some time ago after reading the same reports on another forum. While it seems the UK blue badge is acceptable for use in Florida, and tourist information agencies that I have contacted insist that it is, the problem remains that if you are unlucky enough to encounter a law enforcement officer who is not fully aware of the rules it is difficult to argue the point. Would you then be forced to accept a fine or have to be prepared to argue the case in court at a later date?
We have enquired when hiring our car and been told to hang our blue badge from the rear view mirror.
Ali, does discountmobility apply for a Florida permit in the disabled person's name when you hire from them or how does that work, as surely using another person's permit is also illegal?
I looked at the information about applying for a disabled parking permit in Florida and you need a Florida ID, so how could a UK visitor apply for one of these?
When we have visited Florida we have never encountered any problems, once we returned to our vehicle to find an officer taking a close look at our blue badge, but he passed no comment when we said it was from the UK and simply wished us a nice day, but it does worry me that we may not be so lucky next time.

Lynn I haven't a clue I told him last year that I had the blue badge with me and he said we didn't need it . I wonder if he has some sort of block agreement thing that allows the permits to be used. All he does is the mobility cars, oxygen and the likes he doesn't rent out 'normal' vehicles because I asked the a quote for my Dad and he said he didn't do it, just the mobilty ones. The permit hung from the mirror if I remember right.

I think I might put the blue badge on the car this year though just be be extra safe

 

[jax100]

i was the poster who had almost recieved a ticket for parking in a disabled space while we popped into some shops for a browse. the officer was about to write us a ticket as we returned to the car. the kids were over excited at seeing an officer a real one in uniform so he nicely spoke to them and let them see his car.

he did suggest though that we purchase a permit and gave us directions to an office off orange blossom trail. when we asked our virgin rep for advise as we believed we did not need to purchase one and could use our uk badge she said we could in disney or universal but needed to purchase a permit costing $15.

now my fil is the one with the badge. he was not driving the car, my dh or i were driving. my dh and fil went into the office, they needed passport, badge and an address in florida. the only stumbling issue was we didnt know the couty(if that is right) or zip code but they found that for us.

for us paying $15 was not an excessive amount if it allowed us to park freely with peace of mind. the officer was nice and altho we didnt want to argue with him - afterall he had shown the kids his car(they are police and firemen daft) - and the rep also told us we needed this permit.

for future trips we will probably still purchase the permit just for peace of mind, altho if it is guaranteed that we can use the uk badge we will(i can think of a few things to do with $15 probably all involving askin robbin! ). but for us in march this yr we opted to purchase the permit to avoid any hassles.

 

[Ali and boyz]

thanks Jacqui I am going to email discount mobility. like you I don't want to come back and find a ticket.

 

[Ali and boyz]

here is the reply I got when I emailed them

All of our handicap vans come with a blue handicap parking placard. This will allow you to park in any wheelchair accessible parking spot.

I am now wondering if you hire a car of a disablity place it comes with the placard but if you say hire one from Dollar or the likes you have to apply yourself. I don't know it is just a thought

 

[jax100]

it might just be from a disability source as you think. our car was from dollar but they never mentioned anything re parking altho we did say it had to fit a wheelchair.

we are not there again until oct next year alth we are looking at fitting in an unexpected march trip. will watch this space and see how others have got on.

 

[Ali and boyz]

it might just be from a disability source as you think. our car was from dollar but they never mentioned anything re parking altho we did say it had to fit a wheelchair.

we are not there again until oct next year alth we are looking at fitting in an unexpected march trip. will watch this space and see how others have got on.

if this helps, the vehicles from discount mobility are all adapted as in you don't transfer or fold the wheelchair you wheel the wheelchair straight into the vehicle with the wheelchair user in the chair so maybe they have a special license or placard registered for each of their adapted vehicles .