ASDA TOPS DISABILITY-FRIENDLY TABLE, BUT BLUE BADGE BAY MISUSE STILL INFURIATES DISABLED CAR DRIVERS.
A press release:
Asda is the most disability-friendly supermarket chain in Britain, but nearly 95% of disabled drivers say they are impacted or obstructed by able-bodied driver blue badge bay misuse across all the major retailers’ car parks – presenting a massive customer relations dilemma for the stores.
Those are some of the key findings of Blue Badge Mobility Insurance (BBMI) – a mobility equipment rescue, recovery, insurer and adviser – which surveyed mobility equipment users and their experiences of trying to live a normal life.
The survey indicates that while some big retailers could improve disability access, a key point is that stores are caught between a rock and a hard place in policing matters such as disabled parking bay usage while not upsetting able-bodied customers.
“The stores try very hard to accommodate disabled shoppers – from parking spaces to checkout aisles. The issue seems to be that too many able-bodied people don’t fully understand the nature of the challenges faced by people on sticks, crutches, in wheelchairs or using powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters,” said Mark Effenberg of BBMI, whose son is a wheelchair user.
“When we examined the issue and spoke to disabled drivers, it became apparent that the vast, vast majority of supermarket car parking problems were down to fellow able-bodied shoppers misusing disabled parking bays.
“But while many able-bodied drivers did move on when asked, some unfortunately accompanied their exit with a tirade of abuse aimed at disabled shoppers waiting for a space, while others simply refused to move for reasons as varied as ‘I’m waiting for a friend’ and ‘You don’t look disabled’.
“However, quite often the issue is not the proximity of a disabled space to the entrance of the store, it’s the need to open doors fully in the wider blue badge bays.
“We were surprised how many disabled drivers drove to a supermarket but eventually gave up and went home – sometimes after up to an hour of waiting for a space. Able bodied people have options, but disabled people don’t. Waiting becomes an accepted part of their lives.
“The supermarkets are fighting for market share, and should be mindful of the value of the ‘disabled pound’ as part of that mix – but also that supermarkets are in many areas the only place disabled shoppers can access, so they have a responsibility to provide that access.”
Mobility equipment users placed Asda top of the disability-friendly table on 27.8%, followed by Tesco on 15.7% and Morrisons on 8.7%. The survey was conducted online in January 2015, with between 115 and 169 respondents per question.
Hampshire-based Blue Badge Mobility Insurance provides mobility equipment rescue and recovery, insurance covering use, protection and liability relating to scooter, wheelchair and home equipment, care-related insurance products, as well as advice on sourcing and use of mobility equipment.
Same Difference 
Not my ASDA they have just put in all self service till that can be operated as self serve or by a cashier last report had it as dead in there. Bet most people use the other shops in the centre.
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I always seek out the Asda manager and advise them how much money i’ve spent in Tesco that week because I couldn’t access a disabled space. I also advise Tesco how much i’ve spent in Asda for the same reason.
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I never go to Tesco any more because of this. I tweeted them and got a reply within a few minutes, telling me to take it up with the store security. I did that already and was told that the management of the store had told security not to intervene in parking-related issues like people parking in disabled bays.
I sat there one day and noted that most of the people parking during the hour I spent, were not disabled. Quite a few were obviously care workers who had badges but no personal need to use the bays.
The highlight was watching a police van drive into a bay, two police got out, sauntered into the store, and came out about ten minutes later with sandwiches, drinks and papers in hand. They then sat there and ate their sandwiches. The police station is the other side of the road from the carpark. Too lazy to walk and utterly disrespectful of disabled people.
That said it all. Nobody cares any more.
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I used to shop at Tesco one day a BMW M3 convertible cut me up to get a disabled bay to use the cash point. I left the adapted van right across the back of his car for over 2 hours while the wife and I did the shopping the store repeatedly gave out the registration number which I constantly ignored on returning to the vehicle the owner started an argument with the wife to which he faired very poorly, in short he was left covered in blood on the floor. I stepped in and gave him 2 options he decided to fight throwing the first, and his last punch, all mine connected and left him covered in blood in a pile on the floor.
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I’d fall over if I swung a punch!
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For asda to claim they are clamping down on misuse of disabled bays (2008) is a joke, just been tonight to Owlcotes Leeds Asda and counted three in five minutes who park in them “because its cold or because its raining”selfish people who think of no one but themselves.
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