Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

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tjtops
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Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby tjtops » Sun Aug 17, 2014 11:14 am

Does a bona fide 'blue badge' entitle one to park free on the streets in towns etc as it (usually) does in the UK? I'm not planning to park in silly places, or obstruct anyone (that'll put me totally out of kilter with the natives, then, :lol: ) and I DID ask a Nazi in town last time, but sadly my Spanish wasn't good enough to understand the entire answer -- I did grasp that my UK-issued one IS valid tho...... Help please?? :think:
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chrissiehope
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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby chrissiehope » Sun Aug 17, 2014 1:20 pm

/ny hubby had a blue badge, and it could definitrly be used in Spain as in UK.

He also had sign, in Spanish, that he could put in the window that 'explained' what it was ! I'll see if I can find it online (it's a couple of years now...)
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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby ebbnflow » Sun Aug 17, 2014 1:23 pm

Here's a quote from

OCU La fuerza de tus decisiones

Run it through google translate and scroll down to Malaga you'll find;

"In all reserved parking for other vehicles, provided they are parked during the time necessary without hindering maneuverability and running other vehículosy not intended for public safety services."

Hope that helps.

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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby chrissiehope » Sun Aug 17, 2014 1:44 pm

Found the website :D

http://www.fiadisabledtravellers.com/en ... /spain.htm - scroll down to the bottom of the page & there's a link to the 'info card'

This might also be of use - if not to you, then someone else http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/to ... /spain.pdf

Happy Motoring (& parking :wink: ) :thumbup:

Edited to add: we laminaterd a couple of copies :D
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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby Nimrod » Sun Aug 17, 2014 1:51 pm

Chrissie ,did you ever get ticketed even though you had the badge and the explanation in the windscreen?

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chrissiehope
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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby chrissiehope » Sun Aug 17, 2014 3:30 pm

No :D - mind you, we didn't often park say, in town, but it was never a problem :thumbup:
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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby tjtops » Sun Aug 17, 2014 5:02 pm

Thanks guys :thumbup:
That's been a big help! Still not sure about the 'free' parking tho.....in UK it does vary slightly between boroughs (ie some give free parking at council-owned car parks as well as on-street etc while others don't).........? :crazy:

PS..followed the link to the reciprocal 'information card' and printed it off....thanks!!!
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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby olive » Sun Aug 17, 2014 7:34 pm

We use the mother in laws blue badge widely when she is here.

I don't mind actually paying the parking even though I am assured it is free. The disabled spots usually are well located and wider and getting her out along with all the mobility aids is great. I feel a fraud when I go back with say shopping (on my own) however have never had a problem. Last year we took her into the centre of Granada for some festival. The centre was closed off but flash badge and we got parked right in the centre and saw the Belens and got robbed (but that is another story.!) :)

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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby scotty » Mon Aug 18, 2014 9:18 am

I had my mom (94) recently in San Pedro. We asked in the tourist office and the girl was very clear in her answer, its only free in designated marked parking spaces. Everywhere else you must pay. Even with the badge displayed.

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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby chrissiehope » Mon Aug 18, 2014 1:32 pm

Yes, that's what it says in my first link :)
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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby Manchesteral » Sun Aug 24, 2014 9:04 am

I'm not questioning anyone's integrity here, just an observation, if you have a blue badge issued in for example, England and you use it in any E U country, how does that country verify wether or not the badge is genuine ? it would seem to me that this system would be open to abuse, I have seen some very nice fake blue badges produced in Bangkok, how do the authorities check ? or do they just believe in the honour system ? ie they trust the user to be truthful ?

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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby Julie » Sun Aug 24, 2014 10:38 am

I think I have only ever seen one blue badge that belonged to a spanish person, all the ones i have seen have belonged to brits, don't think they give them out like sweets in Spain, doubt they check them officially :( Having said that, the spanish don't always respect the disabled parking bays either .
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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby chrissiehope » Sun Aug 24, 2014 11:44 pm

They're pretty hi-tech these days - none of that "glue a photo on a bit of card", Hubby's photo was 'embedded' in the plastic, with assorted squiggles & holographic doodahs - bit like a passport really :)

But yes, I expect an expert forger could produce a convincing version, but I wouldn't have thought there would be much of a return on it, if any - not compared to, say, a credit card :wink:
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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby elusive » Mon Aug 25, 2014 10:59 pm

They seem to give anyone over 70 the blue badges in the uk .it seems to be more a case of being old rather than disabled gets you one. whether it get policed much i dont know. its not like the police police any parking in most places. ive seen uk badges years out of date been used here. and inconsiderate bleepers parking their scooters in a disabled bay right upto a car parked in it. i do wonder though if the spanish police would book ppl for using out of date uk etc badges

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tjtops
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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby tjtops » Tue Aug 26, 2014 7:20 am

I'd just like to clarify that they most assuredly DON'T give 'everyone over 70' a blue badge in the UK!!! You have to prove physical disability, WITH a doctor's report usually....and the badges are very hard to come by! Just saying...... :wtf:
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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby Nimrod » Tue Aug 26, 2014 9:37 am

And they are policed in the uk,any abuse,ie,your old Mum dies and you carry on using it and you're nicked.

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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby chrissiehope » Tue Aug 26, 2014 1:21 pm

I must admit, the temptation to hang on to hubby's after his death was quite strong ... :oops: :lol:
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Re: Blue badge (disabled). What is the situation?

Postby gus » Wed Sep 17, 2014 9:31 pm

The terms of use of a "blue badge" varies according to local authority in the UK.
I agree with the concept of disabled parking bays (for close access) but do not understand why disabled parking should be expected to be free.


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