A few of you may have noticed that I am a little hot under the collar today. No, scratch that, I think fuming is probably a much more accurate description. Some of you are in groups that I have already put comments on, but for the rest of you, I will explain below:
Yesterday was weekly shopping day, including taking along my 85 year old mother in law. Because of budget we do not particularly want to drive the ten miles to her home, then nine miles back this way to a local market only to have to repeat the same journey again. We always used to shop at Wolverhampton market, but because of mobility issues we have not been able to do that of late. Instead we thought we would use the Lidl that is local to my mother in law; the Finchfield, Wolverhampton branch.
Not any more. Yesterday involved the usual parking in a disabled bay, popping the blue badge on the dash and heading into the store. Now you all know that I am not capable of so much as getting out of bed most days, but now and then - increasingly rare, I admit - I can manage to leave the flat for an hour or two. Come the time to exit the store and get back in the car and there was a ticket on the car saying that it was incorrectly parked in a disabled bay. On inspection, the blue badge was no longer on the dash, but now on the floor - still visible and still showing the correct side of the badge as it is in a holder. I am not entirely sure how that happened, I can only think that someone bumped into the car quite heavily and it slipped off the dash, where it started out. There are no marks on the car, so it wasn't another vehicle, it must have been a pedestrian.
My husband returned to the store and spoke with the assistant manager, Michael, whose reaction told him that this is not exactly the first incident they have had. He apologised, took a photocopy of both the ticket and the blue badge, then said that although he was unable to deal with it, the store manager would sort it out tomorrow (today in other words) and give us a telephone call. Well, yes, we did get a telephone call, but it was to say that he couldn't do anything and to call customer services. However he then said that if they couldn't sort it out to call him back. I must admit that did not make sense to me, because if he had already said he wasn't responsible and wouldn't/couldn't do anything, what would be the point in calling him back? He was also very reluctant to give his name and the store direct phone number.
I then telephoned customer services and spoke to Danny, who appeared very confused by the idea of fine tickets being issued on Lidl car-parks. He went away, a couple of times, and eventually came back to ask me to send them a photocopy of both my blue badge and the fine-ticket. After advising him that the assistant manager had already taken copies - and signed one for us confirming he had done so - Danny stated that they would contact the store and the matter would be investigated. He confirmed that I would hear something within ten working days.
It does not help that this same fine-issuer (£90!!!) turns tail whenever he receives a verbal response from an able-bodied driver who chooses to park outside the bays, blocking access etc. To me, that appears to be a case of picking on more vulnerable customers to make up the numbers.
I have been told that there is no legislation that forces me to pay this fine, as the incident took place on a private car park. I will research this myself to double-check it, but in the mean-time, I will not be paying a penny. I am more than happy to appear in a court though, in my wheelchair, or appear via Skype from bed if I am unable to move.
Had the store manager been just a little more enthusiastic and a little less reluctant to give even his name, I may not be quite so angry. As it is, I am fuming. I admit it. I am, however, also very concerned at the behaviour of the fine-warden on the car-park and would warn disabled drivers in particular to perhaps think twice about visiting Lidl, especially in Wolverhampton, Finchfield.
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