Nice idea. Terrible UI
The typing is also sluggish as if it’s doing a lookup on the same thread.
I then tried the post code and you are then presented with a zoomed out view of most of the city instead of the actual post code you’ve searched for. Now what do you do? How do you find that post code you’ve searched for?
Well apparently, and very confusingly, to actually find that postcode on the map you have to look carefully for a yellow icon saying “Search town”!
No idea why it would say this as when you click on it, it certainly doesn’t search the town to find the postcode (Glasgow is actually a city anyway, why is it talking about towns).
What on earth does “search town” mean if the button doesn’t do anything?
So once you’ve found this yellow icon with the confusing name you have to carefully zoom in on it to find that postcode. Why doesn’t this all happen automatically? Why make it difficult for disabled people. Why add in the extra steps?
I’m guessing this was written by a non English speaker or someone that isn’t used to doing front end work but it really needs reworked to be of any use.
Response from developer
Hi Is123457. Reply UPDATE So I now have a chance to reply in detail. 1/ Although my app uses Apple Maps it doesn’t include a location facilities as the intension is to find Disable parking in an area using any of the following methods:- a City, Town, Postcode, What 3 Words or latitude & longitude. 2/ The reason it deleted the space in the middle of your search phrase is it ‘thought’ your text was a postcode because it contained alphanumeric characters. In earlier version of iOS searches failed if postcodes had a space, so I added code to remove this spaces. I have now found out following your review that this is not needed now and I have removed the code from my next update. 3/ The yellow search map pin was in my original version of the app but over the years I have added meny search options and never changed the words, I have now revisited this and changed the wording to ‘Search Area’. 4/ I think the reason the “yellow icon with the confusing name you have to carefully zoom in on it to find that postcode” is you have set the ‘Search Radius’ far too large when in a large city, personally, I use the minimum distance which is 0.25 km. If you have any more questions please contact me using the support button. My original reply So many questions I don’t know where to start. What I would like to say is yes my UI knowledge is limited because as a self-taught software developer who’s working life was a mechanical design engineer, so any help you can offer I will gladly accept. I suggest you email me using the support button in settings. I will then try to explain my reasons for the design and work together to improve my app. Two other points, I am Visually Impaired so that may have influenced some of my design decisions and secondly I am British and live in the UK. Andrew
Poor functioning
Response from developer
Hi Benga I have just seen your review and sorry to find out the problems you are experiencing, I will try and help. The app is designed to search an area for possible Blue Badge parking spaces not a particular road. You can type in a town / city name, postcode , latitude & longitude or the new “what 3 words” and if there are any within the search radius you have set, it will display them. If you can find any of these details and there are locations it will find them. If you give me the name of the road you are trying to locate I will try and help. Please email me at supportcaduk@icloud.com with the address. Andrew
Blue Badge Rescue
This app is a life saver
Response from developer
Hi Arnival 99 Thank you so much for your kind review, it makes all the hard work trying to write & improve my app worthwhile. I hope to release an update soon to allow panning in the map tab when I have finished testing it. Andrew
Not reliable
Shame it is so unreliable
Response from developer
Hi Fedezzz The app location data now has over 8000 parking spots in the database but relies on ‘crowd sourcing’ to expand and keep it up to date. Unfortunately there is no central body monitoring or publishing disabled parking spaces in the UK. If you could please email me using “support” in settings tab the location, I will manually add the 5 spaces for you. Andrew supportcaduk@icloud.com
This is so helpful!
Response from developer
Hi Curtisra Thank you for your kind review and pleased you find my app helpful. I hope to release another update soon with a new feature, after I have finished my testing. Andrew
It’s great to have an app!
Response from developer
Hi BBUK2012 I am pleased you are finding my app useful but sorry about its shortcomings. I too am disabled so will do my best to help you. If you email me directly and explain how you would like me to improve the search bar colours, I will update it as soon as I can. As to the other matter about getting map directions, that is already available in the app. My app checks if Apple Maps, Waze (my preferred SatNav) or Google Maps are installed and automatically creates the route from your location when you click on the button in my app. If you use other SatNav apps (Tomtom for example) there is the option to copy the disabled parking location you have found to the clipboard. You can then open the app and paste the location (latitude and longitude) into the destination. When you email me I can explain this in more detail with pictures if that helps. UPDATE Hi. I didn’t know website was down, trying to sort out why now. You don’t need to use copy to clipboard & paste, just click Waze button and app do the rest. Please email me directly at supportcaduk@icloud.com I haven’t forgotten you, I am away at present and still making minor changes to the app. Also it gives me a chance to test the improvements including the Dark Mode problems you had. Hopefully I can release update next week.
Favourite
Response from developer
Hi Lana, thanks for leaving a review and pleased you like the new feature to permanently save a special location. Hopefully other users will also find it useful.
Improved interface and squished bugs make this app outstanding
Don’t be put off by the interface. The app is very easy to use and perfect for finding disabled parking spots. I often need to find disabled parking around University College Hospital in London and so I downloaded this app to help find the spots. The spot I usually use wasn’t in the app but there is a very easy way to submit new spots, which I did. Recommended.
Response from developer
Hi Alastair I am pleased you find my app useful and I am always willing to improve my apps so would value your thoughts on how to make it less ugly. I am a retired mechanical design engineer who has taught himself to program but don’t have any graphics design experience. I have tried to add little touches and blue is my favourite colour but that’s obviously not enough. I should also say I am Visually Impaired which may have a bearing on what I create although I believe that a few of the users also have limited sight but this could be catered for within settings via a switch. Would you be prepared to work with me to improve the app’s visual Impact? Please email me your comments / suggestions and I will see what I can do. supportcaduk@icloud.com Andrew
Not very useful
Response from developer
Hi claudfrien You have hit on the biggest problem with knowing where the parking spaces are located and although I do my best to add new locations (460 so far). There is no governmental or local authority in UK I am aware of that has this data so to grow this database does unfortunately rely on users helping each other. If you contact me directly I will try and find spaces in your home town, failing that you can request Apple give you a full refund. Regards Andrew
Very few bays listed
Response from developer
I am so sorry you are disappointed with my app and would like to improve the situation. The database does rely on Blue Badge users adding locations when they find new spaces as government & local councils no longer publish such data, I think because of data protect. If you would like to contact me directly please to address your particular problem, I will try and add those in your home town to the database. supportcaduk@icloud.com
