Hospital anxiety complex.

[otherclive]

Today my wife had an appointment at the Bath RUH for 1330. As parking is difficult we left home in very good time at 1130 for a 30 minute journey. On arrival cars were stacked up on the entry road to the car park with many aimlessly circulating inside. So I did a full 180 degree and delivered my wife to the main entrance. How single patients manage I’ve no idea. Then I drove out of the complex to park up in a side street. No chance as Bath city council have got wise to that and most areas have residents only parking or double yellows. Eventually I found a spot about a mile away within a small residential close. Not ideal as no cafe or facilities. So instead of having to pay parking it cost me 500 ml of new deicing fluid that I placed in the car only last week. 🤣🤣🤣

 

[Jcloughie]

Years ago I had to attend Southmead hospital. The SatNav took me to the wrong entrance. Pedestrians only and no way through. So I needed to drive a long way round. In order to turn around, I had to go onto a new residential estate. There was a group of women out shouting at me and telling me I could not park there, quite intimidating. They did not listen when I told them I was turning round. They must have been very fed up with people trying to park for the hospital. As it happened, there was a sports centre just up the road with loads of free parking.

One advantage of now having a blue badge is hospital parking is both easier and cheaper.

John

 

[Buckman]

Parking issues seem to be a common issue with hospitals in England. About a week or two ago it was taking people nearly 3 hours to leave the hospital at about 4-5pm.

 

[otherclive]

Parking issues seem to be a common issue with hospitals in England. About a week or two ago it was taking people nearly 3 hours to leave the hospital at about 4-5pm.

Oh don’t get me going on temporary road works traffic lights. Those who install them so often have no understanding of what the timings should be. We had some on our bypass set at 30 seconds each way with a 1 minute closed period after each change. Caused mayhem and it’s not uncommon wherever they are set up.

 

[otherclive]

Years ago I had to attend Southmead hospital. The SatNav took me to the wrong entrance. Pedestrians only and no way through. So I needed to drive a long way round. In order to turn around, I had to go onto a new residential estate. There was a group of women out shouting at me and telling me I could not park there, quite intimidating. They did not listen when I told them I was turning round. They must have been very fed up with people trying to park for the hospital. As it happened, there was a sports centre just up the road with loads of free parking.

One advantage of now having a blue badge is hospital parking is both easier and cheaper.

John

Why Southmead wasn’t built further out is beyond me. It was mayhem from day 1. The city Center hospitals are easier to reach by train or P&R.

 

[RogerL]

One advantage of now having a blue badge is hospital parking is both easier and cheaper.

John

Despite having a Blue Badge giving free parking at our nearby main hospital, I find the hospital car parks are always full so we have to park outside on double yellows - unlike our local community hospital where I've registered the Blue Badge so can ignore the ANPR-based system and use their main car park.

 

[Hutch]

My wife has had her Blue Badge for about 4 years now, I only found out the other day that we cannot park in a BB bay, or double yellow lines and leave her sitting in the car whilst I go into a shop or Chemist. You are supposed to use a normal parking bay.
But I can sit in the car and wait for her to Hobble in and out again. Never had to push the rule though.

 

[otherclive]

My wife has had her Blue Badge for about 4 years now, I only found out the other day that we cannot park in a BB bay, or double yellow lines and leave her sitting in the car whilst I go into a shop or Chemist. You are supposed to use a normal parking bay.
But I can sit in the car and wait for her to Hobble in and out again. Never had to push the rule though.

That’s unbelievable. Never ceased to be amazed at what bureaucracy can bring.

 

[RogerL]

My wife has had her Blue Badge for about 4 years now, I only found out the other day that we cannot park in a BB bay, or double yellow lines and leave her sitting in the car whilst I go into a shop or Chemist. You are supposed to use a normal parking bay.
But I can sit in the car and wait for her to Hobble in and out again. Never had to push the rule though.

Right or wrong, I ignore that.

 

[Buckman]

My wife has had her Blue Badge for about 4 years now, I only found out the other day that we cannot park in a BB bay, or double yellow lines and leave her sitting in the car whilst I go into a shop or Chemist. You are supposed to use a normal parking bay.
But I can sit in the car and wait for her to Hobble in and out again. Never had to push the rule though.

Both of us now have a BB, but we do not have both BB's in the same vehicle. However only an official i.e. council or police can request that you show them the identity of the BB to whom it was issued.

A private car park attendant i.e. at a hospital cannot make you show them to whom the BB was issued. In addition, parking on yellow or red lines at a hospital is not an offence as it is private land.

 

[RogerL]

Both of us now have a BB, but we do not have both BB's in the same vehicle. However only an official i.e. council or police can request that you show them the identity of the BB to whom it was issued.

A private car park attendant i.e. at a hospital cannot make you show them to whom the BB was issued. In addition, parking on yellow or red lines at a hospital is not an offence as it is private land.

Parking on red lines is obstructive and anti-social wherever they are, regardless of legality - and likely to be towed at some hospitals.

 

[Buckman]

Parking on red lines is obstructive and anti-social wherever they are, regardless of legality - and likely to be towed at some hospitals.

I agree and we would never do it unless an emergency. Highly illegal for them to tow away a vehicle on a hospital or supermarket grounds unless authorised by the police and definitely not for the red, yellow or white graffiti painted on the grounds of a hospital. The only time the police will authorise it is if access is being blocked and then only after consultation.

 

[Sam Vimes]

By coincedence we are visiting people in the south about 30mins drive from Bedford. We offered, yesterday, to collect some medication from Bedford Hospital as the multi-million pound NHS IT system can't send the prescription from the Hospital to the pharmacy which is a 5 minute walk away from where we're staying.

We drove to Bedford, which was like visiting another planet after life on Skye. Got within sight of the hospital and its car parkk but got in the wrong lane and had to go around the block. I'm sure we past the Great Wall of China but maybe it was just the all you can throw up chinese buffet.

On getting back to the hospital we queued in the road outside waiting to get in. Once actually in the car park it was still a queue as folks were waiting for someone to vacate a space. Mrs. V had already got out to go to the pharmacy dept. After about 15 mins someone came out of a space and I went in. In was in about 10cm of water but just clear where my door was.

As its Pay and Display I phoned Mrs. V to see what progress she'd made and was told it could be a 50min wait or more. So, I duly paid and displayed at £4 for 2 hours. Got out of the car to go and meet her and guess what - she was just coming out complete with medication. £4 for about 5 mins use of an actual parking space.

As we left I offered the ticket to the person eager to take my place - no reg number on it. For some reason they said no.

 

[otherclive]

By coincedence we are visiting people in the south about 30mins drive from Bedford. We offered, yesterday, to collect some medication from Bedford Hospital as the multi-million pound NHS IT system can't send the prescription from the Hospital to the pharmacy which is a 5 minute walk away from where we're staying.

We drove to Bedford, which was like visiting another planet after life on Skye. Got within sight of the hospital and its car parkk but got in the wrong lane and had to go around the block. I'm sure we past the Great Wall of China but maybe it was just the all you can throw up chinese buffet.

On getting back to the hospital we queued in the road outside waiting to get in. Once actually in the car park it was still a queue as folks were waiting for someone to vacate a space. Mrs. V had already got out to go to the pharmacy dept. After about 15 mins someone came out of a space and I went in. In was in about 10cm of water but just clear where my door was.

As its Pay and Display I phoned Mrs. V to see what progress she'd made and was told it could be a 50min wait or more. So, I duly paid and displayed at £4 for 2 hours. Got out of the car to go and meet her and guess what - she was just coming out complete with medication. £4 for about 5 mins use of an actual parking space.

As we left I offered the ticket to the person eager to take my place - no reg number on it. For some reason they said no.

Sometimes people have received penalty notices for handing on tickets.....cctv.

 

[Beachball]

Neighbour next door had fallen and my wife took her to hospital manage to find a parking space in the car park went to the A & E reception she was checked out by the doctor and then paid the fee for the car she realise she been there for 4 hours +

 

[borderbilly]

At the BGH Melrose just now waiting for the wife, sitting in overflow car park, 5 minutes walk to hospital, loads of space.

 

[Buckman]

Sometimes people have received penalty notices for handing on tickets.....cctv.

They are definitely not penalty notices unless a council car park, but even then almost impossible to prove.

 

[otherclive]

They are definitely not penalty notices unless a council car park, but even then almost impossible to prove.

Perhaps I should have added Parking Charge Notices too.

 

[Buckman]

Perhaps I should have added Parking Charge Notices too.

Again almost impossible to prove.

 

[otherclive]

Again almost impossible to prove.

I hope I’m never in the position where I have to consider such action as being a boring type I endeavour to not transgress T&Cs, regulations and laws.

 

[Beardy]

Sometimes people have received penalty notices for handing on tickets.....cctv.

I never knew this was contrary to their T's and C's (checked and you're right it is). Seems highly unfair though. If I pay for the use of a parking space for 3 hours and only stay for 1 hour why shouldn't allow someone else to use the space I've paid for, for the other 2 hours?

 

[Buckman]

I never knew this was contrary to their T's and C's (checked and you're right it is). Seems highly unfair though. If I pay for the use of a parking space for 3 hours and only stay for 1 hour why shouldn't allow someone else to use the space I've paid for, for the other 2 hours?

Chances of being caught are probably zero and another silly unenforceable imposed by a private parking company that has as much power as the car next door. By the way if you are invited onto the land through a letter asking you to attend an appointment on the land, then how can they charge you anything?

 

[otherclive]

Chances of being caught are probably zero and another silly unenforceable imposed by a private parking company that has as much power as the car next door. By the way if you are invited onto the land through a letter asking you to attend an appointment on the land, then how can they charge you anything?

So do you not pay parking if visiting a hospital? Or are you BB’d ?

I for one have no wish to test your knowledge of civil law as life’s too short. Bath RUH car park is crammed full most days with cars parked along double yellow lines within the parking area, and up on verges too but that has been accepted without penalty for some years as new facilities have encroached on parking areas. From our direction the P&R doesn’t go to the hospital as large vehicles are banned from a very steep hill where some years ago a runaway truck killed several people.

Inserting registration number is not required as its now all ANPR controlled and you pay prior to leaving or by app. In my case yesterday by going off site whilst my wife was attending it cost me the replacement of 500ml of screen de-icer. 😂

 

[Buckman]

So do you not pay parking if visiting a hospital? Or are you BB’d ?

I for one have no wish to test your knowledge of civil law as life’s too short. Bath RUH car park is crammed full most days with cars parked along double yellow lines within the parking area, and up on verges too but that has been accepted without penalty for some years as new facilities have encroached on parking areas. From our direction the P&R doesn’t go to the hospital as large vehicles are banned from a very steep hill where some years ago a runaway truck killed several people.

Inserting registration number is not required as its now all ANPR controlled and you pay prior to leaving or by app. In my case yesterday by going off site whilst my wife was attending it cost me the replacement of 500ml of screen de-icer. 😂

Not sure why you would need civil law as no crime has been committed? The ANPR does not work for BB holders as daughter found out when taking OH to visit a supermarket. A real hassle getting them to cancel the invoice and had to resort to threats. ANPR has numerous drawbacks when it comes to holders of a BB.

 

[otherclive]

Not sure why you would need civil law as no crime has been committed? The ANPR does not work for BB holders as daughter found out when taking OH to visit a supermarket. A real hassle getting them to cancel the invoice and had to resort to threats. ANPR has numerous drawbacks when it comes to holders of a BB.

Civil law is not about crime it is about resolving disputes. As I said above my aim is to avoid getting into that situation in the first place.