uk.people.disability

Serena Blanchflower wrote:
> * Palindrome wrote, On 12/09/2007 20:39:
>
>> These restrictions are needed *because* the able bodied driver
>> misusing the bb will claim, if seen arriving without the holder - that
>> they are picking them up - some time in the next n hours. Or if seen
>> starting to leave without the holder - that they dropped them off n
>> hours ago.
>>
>
> I think we're going to have to agree to differ on this. In my view,
> there are too many different needs and situations to be able to write a
> firm set of rules which would prevent misuse without putting extra
> restrictions and limitations on the badgeholder.
>


You might be surprised to read that we may not disagree that much.. I
don't find able-bodied misusers of bb badges cause me any significant
problem and was merely examining possibilities.

However, many bb holders clearly do.

Whilst putting a hologram on will make the badge harder to copy and thus
will eliminate some misuse, it may actually increase the numbers stolen
and the number of vehicles damaged in the process. As bb holder tend to
be very dependent on their vehicle, this could be triply unfortunate.

A National Database will eliminate some misuse, but the badge number
will be easy to change to that of a badge that hasn't been stolen, read
from a car in the street. The hologram from a genuine badge can be
transferred to a forgery with a suitable number..

Ultimately, the main problem is that able-bodied misusing a genuine bb
is a crime where the chances of getting caught are almost zero - as it
needs the detection and evidence of two "half-crimes", one on arrival
and one on departure.. If they are to be caught and prosecuted, I'm
afraid that the crime will have to be re-defined, so that evidence can
be realistically gathered at one instance...

--
Sue