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Blue badge question

4K views 40 replies 14 participants last post by  aldra 
#1 ·
I am seriously looking at going for a blue badge, and it just occurred to me that it may scupper my C1 application in 2020.

Does anyone have any experience the can pass on?
 
#2 ·
No experience Kev but if it's for a mobility issue, under disability legislation it really shouldn't I would have thought.

Terry
 
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#3 ·
That's what I was thinking Terry, but, with our DVLA and VOSA etc, you never really know.
 
#4 ·
I wondered that Kev as being deaf classifies me as 'disabled'...… ! But as I have to have a medical every two years here in France to retain my HGV it could make it difficult.
On the other hand parking here is so easy and free.

Ray.
 
#5 ·
Anyone can apply for a Disabled Badge, it has nothing to do with being able to drive. A parent or guardian can apply for a child or an elderly person, allowing the driver of the vehicle to legitimately park in a disabled bay or on yellow lines without causing an obstruction.

Have a look on your councils website for information in your area.
 
#6 ·
Drew

The question was whether the OP's application would have an adverse effect on his C1 (driving licence) application.

Andy
 
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#7 ·
Thanks Andy, I perhaps could have made it more clearer like :( :(
 
#8 ·
The buggers have already taken my C1 off my new licence and despite months of toing and froing with the DVLA they dug their heels in, even though I could still drive the van for the 5 months before my original licence ran out, yet the moment I turned 70 suddenly I am not fit to drive a C1, so as you think is it giving the DVLA ammunition to knock the C1 on the head, they are super keen on the C1 bit.. I think us motorhome folk are falling into the HGV trap as we are lumped together in the lorry lot and have to qualify to professional drivers standard for health and safety..

I think I would have held off until I got my C1 and then apply for a blue badge, but the application for a blue badge does not have any section for driving HGV's it assumes you are a normal car driver, maybe your question is above our pay grade!..

As an aside Sandra bought me a cripple cart yesterday, so that's me officially knackerd and confirmed by er indoors, I will have to watch she is not putting ground glass into my snap.

ray.
 
#9 ·
A slight aside, but still relevant to one retaining C1, a couple of years ago I researched whether there is any insurance available to cover losing one's C1 for medical reasons. There is not, but we could insure our pilots' licences for that. Maybe it is because most pilots retire by 60 so the loss rate would be less to Underwriters than for insuring people over 70.


I think I will start to mentally allocate some savings for the eventuality of changing the MH to a low-profile 2-berther to get a reasonable payload, compared to trying to go back to 3,500kg on the Arto.



OR for the course for Basia to do her C1 - plus a large bribe to persuade her.


Geoff
 
#10 ·
Just had a look at Martin's application from last year and nowhere does it say about C1, it just asks if you have a current driving licence although it does say at the bottom "do you consent for various departments to be contacted to gain your application". Whether that includes the DVLA I don't know as we had to keep to 3.5 because I am insulin dependant diabetic so am limited. If it were me I would get your C1 entitlement and then go for the Blue badge.

Sylvia
 
#11 ·
Thanks Sylvia, it seems I wrote the op badly, I either get a blue badge or I don't, my question is will having a blue badge affect me keeping my C1
 
#12 ·
I’m going to apply when I get back

I’m so used to the fact that if you are not available for the appointment you’ve lost it

Albert is at Christie’s , they interact with him , never does he loose it

He phones and talks to a real person

for me ,If an appointment arrives and your not thereto accept it

You are struck off

And begin the process again

Sandra
 
#16 ·
No it seems though that if you do get the mobility allowance, you qualify for the blue badge.
 
#14 ·
I think not

It’s to do with levels of disability

For me a blue badge would mean I could get in or out of the car when parked

Meanwhile Albert stops and lets me out then parks

Me I know longer drive

Even if I park to get out

If someone parks along side

I can’t get in

Sandra
 
#15 ·
I was recently helping a friend with an application and basically it's all about how far and how easily you can walk, including what aids you
might use.

I don't know if the form or the questions differ from one local authority to another but in our area it seems you have to do it online (from home or one of the authority's services (like a library) or by going personally to get someone to assist you. So what you couldn't do was look through the whole form before filling any in. I went through it filling it in as myself to get an idea of what they would ask and it's very complicated. You'd need lots of information about what health specialists you'd seen (names, dates, locations etc.) their diagnoses and prognoses, and treatments, and how long it would take you to walk the distances that you could walk, and so on... Good luck.

Chris
 
#18 ·
I was recently helping a friend with an application and basically it's all about how far and how easily you can walk, including what aids you
might use.

I don't know if the form or the questions differ from one local authority to another but in our area it seems you have to do it online (from home or one of the authority's services (like a library) or by going personally to get someone to assist you. So what you couldn't do was look through the whole form before filling any in. I went through it filling it in as myself to get an idea of what they would ask and it's very complicated. You'd need lots of information about what health specialists you'd seen (names, dates, locations etc.) their diagnoses and prognoses, and treatments, and how long it would take you to walk the distances that you could walk, and so on... Good luck.

Chris
You can actually download the form and print it out to fill in and send in to the appropriate office. You can also phone and ask them to send you a form. There are a lot of people who are not computer literate so must be able to do it snail mail.
 
#17 ·
With respect to all, could we get back to the topic, which isn't about getting a blue badge, but what effect having one will have on keeping your C1 licence at 70.
 
#19 ·
As I said before, there is nothing on the form about C1 only asks if you have a driving licence. If they contact your GP then he/she would have to state whether they think you are in a position to be entitled to a BB, if he/she thinks that you should not be driving a large vehicle then they will state that in their reply to the BB authority. They do contact your GP for information clarity on your health problems, thats why I said get your C1 entitlement first and then go for the BB, don't think they would take your C1 off you then.
 
#20 ·
True

The distance depends on the day

Joints flared up when its nil for up to three weeks

Walk too far and its days to recover

So what can say?

On a good day I can walk twenty minutes

The problem is I don’t know it’s a good day until I’ve walked

If it’s not I can’t get back without excessive pain

So I no longer walk

I no longer drive because unless the door is wide open I can’t get out

And if I can if someone parks close

I can’t get back in

So basically I stay home

Where I’m safe in the environment I know

But I’m lonely

Sandra
 
#22 ·
Yes, Jan, when I applied for one for my nearly blind mum I remember that question coming up. I tried to persuade Chris to apply for one when he came out of hospital but he said he had got me to run the hundred yards for him :)

My mum was a "user" of the system. She could perfectly well walk the hundred yards to wherever she wanted to get to.
 
#24 ·
Yes, Jan, when I applied for one for my nearly blind mum I remember that question coming up. I tried to persuade Chris to apply for one when he came out of hospital but he said he had got me to run the hundred yards for him :)
My mum was a "user" of the system. She could perfectly well walk the hundred yards to wherever she wanted to get to.
I suggested to my mum we get a 'yellow' badge at the time. What do I want with one of those she said. You always drive me everywhere????

Ray.
 
#23 ·
The issue with a C1 licence is that it authorises you to drive ANY vehicle that doesn’t EXCEED 7500kg gross weight. If it weighs another Kg (3501) then you require a full LGV (Large Goods Vehicle) licence. Therefore the “authorities” want to satisfy themselves that you don’t have any health issue that may affect your driving. Having a “medical incident” whilst at the wheel of a 7499kg vehicle could be pretty serious.

There are many trucks that (like some MH’s) can be downplated to just under 7500 kg. That makes them non LGV’s and enables them to be driven by C1 licence holders. They are easy to spot, they don’t have to have the usual HGV reflective panels on the back. Totally daft ‘cos the only difference could be as little as a couple of Kg gross weight from a “full” LGV.

There WAS talk of the U.K. implementing a “Leisure vehicle only” C1 category, but that got shelved, probably because it wouldn’t benefit enough people/earn politicians enough votes.So we are now in the “catch all” situation. Having said that there’s no difference between a 7499 kg lorry and a 7499 kg MH, if either crashes it’s gonna be dramatic!

Andy
 
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#25 ·
The issue with a C1 licence is that it authorises you to drive ANY vehicle that doesn't EXCEED 7500kg gross weight. If it weighs another Kg (3501) then you require a full LGV (Large Goods Vehicle) licence. Therefore the "authorities" want to satisfy themselves that you don't have any health issue that may affect your driving. Having a "medical incident" whilst at the wheel of a 7499kg vehicle could be pretty serious.

There are many trucks that (like some MH's) can be downplated to just under 7500 kg. That makes them non LGV's and enables them to be driven by C1 licence holders. They are easy to spot, they don't have to have the usual HGV reflective panels on the back. Totally daft 'cos the only difference could be as little as a couple of Kg gross weight from a "full" LGV.

There WAS talk of the U.K. implementing a "Leisure vehicle only" C1 category, but that got shelved, probably because it wouldn't benefit enough people/earn politicians enough votes.So we are now in the "catch all" situation. Having said that there's no difference between a 7499 kg lorry and a 7499 kg MH, if either crashes it's gonna be dramatic!

Andy
Think there´s a mistook Andy ?
 
#27 ·
Kev

The truthful answer is that I have no idea.

HOWEVER the Blue Badge is issued, and administered, by your local council NOT DVLA/SA (or whatever they are called this week) so “they” will be blissfully unaware if you do or do not have a B.B. and I cannot envisage them asking every LA about every licence application holder having a BB can you?

Andy
 
#28 ·
Good point Andy, I was also wondering about insurers asking, or our having to mention such things as disabilities affecting certain aspect of the ability to drive.
 
#29 ·
Can't say I can recall ever being asked about disabilities etc. Why not go onto a few insurance company websites, go through the process of getting a quote (use fictitious name at an address within a few doors) and see if any such questions come up. Once you have that information just leave the website.

I a, aware that they ask of you have any issues that you have had to notify DVLA about but that's usually a history of blackouts, very dodgy eyesight, heart conditions etc not a dodgy hip or Three eyeballs!

Andy
 
#31 ·
#33 ·
Beginning to see it that way Barry, but it never hurts to ask. well usually it doesn't.
 
#36 ·
I would say it should/will have no effect.

Our friends current MH was a ex-motability vehicle i.e the previous owner, partner or dependant child was in receipt of DLA, PIP or AA. It is plated at 3.8T.

That said it does beg the question why the scheme would allow a MH to be a motability vehicle.......helping with everyday mobility issues ?
 
#37 ·
You can/could have any vehicle at one point, but they clamped down on it when people were found to be buying top line vehicles then selling them on, it was a VAT scam I recall.
 
#38 ·
Yep, friend in Surrey did it several times with RVs but his son really was disabled and wheelchair bound. It seemed as long as the wheelchair could be accommodated securely within the living area that was all that was needed.

Ray.
 
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