It's very poor form to park in a disabled car park, but like most things, most people don't do it. It's my understanding that shopping centre managements can call on the local council to have inspectors patrol, but they probably have to pay for it, so it doesn't happen.

The other thing in shopping centre car parks is people knowing that the pedestrian crossings are not official and not stopping.

Life is full of disappointments, mainly caused by a relatively few arseholes.

Foxy, As you hold a disabled sticker. can you give us a little more information.

Is your sticker exclusively for your car with you driving.

Can it be used by another person to drive you somewhere, in your car or a different car, and then park while you are in the shops.

Is there a visible number and/or expiry date on the sticker.

Can you carry a able person in the car and still park in the disabled parking space. Like can you take a group of friends for lunch and use a disabled parking space.

Is it correct to say the only time your husband can use the sticker is when you are actually in the car. What if hubby had to park and come find you in the shopping center.

I have avoided getting one,because once you do, in this state at least, you need to prove you are ok to continue driving
Without a license life would be impossible here
And long ago lost faith in those pen pushers

One thing stops me, as the parker may not be illegal, just careless.
Hasbeen,
Or desperate ! If we had monorail then there'd be heaps more parking space !

HenryL disabled parking bays are wider than normal parking spots. This is to make it easier, [or even possible] to get someone out of the car, & into a wheel chair.

When my mother was wheel chair bound, long before I needed a disabled sticker, I was eligible to use the bays if she was in the car, & had to get out. This was usually at hospitals & doctors, with only very occasional shopping or legal activities.

I was not supposed to use it if she was not getting out of the car.

Now I have mine, the need is equally great. At a newly built shopping centre someone stuffed up, & the disabled bays are only usual parking bay wide. The mother & childe are wider, as necessary to get small kids out of child capsules & into a stroller.

On one occasion I had to wait 20 minutes for the driver parked beside me to return. The car was not badly parked, but too close to mine to allow my door to open wide enough, without being jammed into the other car, for me to get my non-bending knees into my car. Obviously I have not returned to that shopping centre

Henry, I also got one a few months ago, because I can't walk more than the distance equivalent to 3 or 4 houses, before my lower back starts burning with pain along with all my lower joints, hips, knees and ankles.
Some years ago before I got my 'ACROD' as it is named over here in the West, I had an ex wheelchair taxi, a TOYOTA COMMUTER mini bus, already fitted with the electric/hydraulic rear wheelchair lift.
Along the way I bought myself a 'gopher', then another and they both live in the van.
Not that long ago I bought a half dozen out of service shopping trolleys and slightly modified one to hook onto the back of the larger of the two gophers, like a trailer.
The whole thing from van to gophers to trailer, I can only say, THE BEST IDEA I've seen in living memory.
Now whenever I feel the need, I just hop in the van, which is standing by at all times at the ready, and off I go.
With this rig, I don't need an 'ACROD' but for when I don't need a gopher and my walk is short.
In answer to your questions Henry.
Firstly, every state has it's own legislation on disabled parking.
Here in WA it is patrolled by the parking inspectors, not the police.
The fine is $1,000 but no demerit points.
Ours is not a sticker but a thick paper, that hangs on the mirror or on the dashboard.
The display card usually has a number and your name on it.
And yes it is dated so you have to buy a new one every year, I think it's about $20.
Because I have a few cars I have been meaning to ask or apply for extra's.
As for you having to be the driver or passenger.
It matters not how many people are with you in the car, only that YOU are there and being catered to.
What if you had a carer with you, same thing.
At least that's what it's like over here.