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Politics of Parking �dissemination event

Vera Kubenz, University of Birmingham

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Background

  • PhD research from 2021-2025
  • Wanted to explore the everyday experiences of disability and its impact
  • Interested how wider ideas of disability can impact how encounters play out
  • Focus on how disability is ‘performed’ and we adapt our behaviour in public spaces
  • Experience intensified in parking spaces, which feel particularly ‘risky’

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Research design

Phase 1

    • Media content analysis of newspaper articles on Blue Badges (2018-2022)
    • Survey with 304 Blue Badge holders over 18

Phase 2

    • 20 follow-up interviews with Blue Badge holders

Advisory group

    • Annual meetings with 7 other Blue Badge holders
    • Feeding into questions and design

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Types of encounters (part 1)

Confronting misuse: “Oh, I think you’ve forgotten your badge”

  • 74% had challenged other people in Blue Badge bays
  • Older people were more likely to challenge others
  • Taking a careful approach to avoid escalation – asking rather than taking a direct approach
  • Frustration around excuses and that many people do not care or respect the scheme

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‘Faking’ encounters: “There’s nothing wrong with you”

  • 74% of people had been accused of ‘faking’ their impairment or not needing their badge
  • Younger people and those with non-mobility impairments were more likely to be confronted
  • Visibility of impairment did not matter as much
  • Some people were told they were not disabled enough

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Types of encounters (part 2)

Positive encounters

  • Most people (69%) had also had a positive encounter
  • These were most often with another Blue Badge holder (53%)
  • People with a mobility and/or more visible impairment were more likely to have a positive encounter
  • This was particularly the case for encounters with non-badge holders

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Hate

  • Two thirds of disabled people (67%) had experienced hate
  • Some people felt targeted for being visible as disabled in a Blue Badge bay
  • Hate could occur on its own or due to another type of encounter escalating
  • Participants were concerned about being assaulted or having their car damaged

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What happens during encounter?

  • Staring was the most common interaction experienced 80%, with younger people more likely to be stared at
  • Intrusive questions (“What’s wrong with you?”) were also common (63%)
  • Envy was common, with the assumption that a Blue Badge is a ‘perk’
  • Almost half (46%) had been insulted and around a third (32%) had been threatened
  • Condescending behaviour was also common, with 47% having been patronised or received unwanted help, and 39% receiving ‘non-person treatment’ (“Does she take sugar?”)
  • Physical violence was relatively rare (6%) but some participants had experienced hate crimes

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Why do encounters happen?

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    • Impact of government and media rhetoric – several people talked about being called ‘scrounger’ and sometimes strangers demanded to check the Blue Badge
    • Perception of the Blue Badge as a ‘perk’ or better treatment leads to envy and resentment, and increased policing of who is ‘deserving’

Austerity politics

    • Bays are often not enough or inadequate, leading to more competition
    • Signage sends message about who is expected in Blue Badge bays

Location and signage

    • ‘Looking disabled’ is complex - even wheelchair users were sometimes challenged
    • Disabled people need to be visibly suffering and incompetent to be seen as ‘deserving’
    • Cars, clothes, travelling with children or alone were all sometimes seen as factors
    • It is about behaving in the right way, being grateful and not talking back – we should know our place�

Stereotypes about disability

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Managing encounters

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The most common strategies involved avoiding an encounter, e.g. ignoring the other person (46%) or staying in the car (45%)

Preparing answers was another common way to deal with encounters (46%)

Some used sarcasm or humour to try and embarrass the other person

Some people tried to educate the other person (41%)

Just over a third (38%) had taken a confrontational approach

A lot work is required to manage the frustration and some people struggled to keep their temper

Politeness and treading on eggshells are often key to avoid escalation

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Reporting and impact

  • Only 32% had reported an encounter
  • Of those who had reported, 40% had no action taken and 34% did not hear back
  • Many wanted to see more policing and harsher penalties
  • Some compared misuse of Blue Badge bays to breaking the law
  • Lack of enforcement was seen as encouraging the public to ‘police’ bays
  • Many participants felt like second class citizens due to the hassle of encounter, poor provision of bays, and lack of enforcement
  • 91% worried about encounters
  • Young people and those with non-mobility impairments were more likely to worry
  • Over two thirds (68%) sometimes did not go out because of worry about encounters

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Conclusions

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1. Encounters reflect wider negative attitudes and stigma against disability

2. All disabled people can have encounters

3. Encounters can actively exclude disabled people

4. The Blue Badge does not currently provide ‘equal’ access

5. Solidarity is important to keep going

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Guest speakers

Anjna Patel MBE

Trustee of Disabled Motoring UK

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Christiane Link

Accessibility consultant and transport expert

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