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Just to add a Western Australian experience of parking permits to the picture. I have held a parking permit for about 5 years now. It was originally issued after evidence of need was provided by my GP. It is renewed on application, every two years, without need of medical input. At no time has anyone raised any issues regarding my ability to drive. TRAVELLERS TALE - two years ago I visited England with my family. We took along my West Aussie Parking permit (a white wheelchair symbol on a dark blue background) on the off chance that we would be able to use it. I never actually found out what the official position is but I used the permit throughout southern England without incident, despite the Brit permit being a totally different design and colour. This included on one occassion having the gates opened especially and being allowed to use the reserved parking area within the grounds at Hever Castle. ETHICS - I had some reservations about using a parking permit as in my "on" condition I can walk with the best of them. This lead to me at first using the reserved bays only if I was "off" when parking the car. This situation lasted until the day I parked way out on the edge of a parking lot whilst "on" - and went into "off" mode before heading back to the car. The return journey was a nightmare of "parkivating" (navigating parkie style - i.e. pointing yourself at where you want to go and shuffling off with a whisper of "stand aside I'm coming through") through parking lot traffic. The distance to the car, a mere inconvenience when "on", had became a journey to rival Captain Cook's voyages. I reached the car an emotional and physical wreck. Since then I use disabled parking bays what ever my condition on arrival. If this leads to some strange looks from passers by, so be it. If on occassion I arrive and leave whilst "on" thats the way it goes. I didn't invent this game or its crazy rules, I am just forced to play it. One rule I did invent - If there are free parking bays near the disabled bay(s) I will always use them, in order to leave the disabled bay free for some other permit holder. Dennis. ************************************************* Dennis Greene 48/10 [log in to unmask] http://members.networx.net.au/~dennisg/ **************************************************