I AM writing in response to the letter from Richard Avery which appeared in October 30’s postbag, regarding the disabled parking spaces.

I am aghast to see him write: “Waiting for the bus outside the cinema is a great place to see people arrive across the road with their Blue Badged cars and hop out of the car with nary a limp or by-your-leave.

“ On occasions it seems there are more able Blue Badgers than disabled.”

Just because someone has a blue badge doesn’t mean they aren’t able to walk a short distance. Some disabilities are not obvious, or come in waves.

Also, if like our daughter who has a blue badge due to her disability but doesn’t drive, we are allowed to use her badge in order to collect things she may need in town.

We don’t do this very often, but sometimes, if she needs her medicine collected urgently then we might. As for the council needing to do more checks on people who apply, and for badges only to be given to “appropriately disabled people”, we already go through hoops and countless pieces of information, currently yearly, in order to be allowed one of these badges. Just because there are some people who abuse the system, do not tarnish everyone with the same brush.

I think Richard Avery, and any other people who believe a disability is only there if you can see it, needs to educate himself on what disabilities are out there. And think himself lucky he doesn’t have one, as what my daughter has to contend with is unbelievable.

Karin Muir

Salisbury