The handicap spot

[tuixiu]

Am I the only one who eyes with much suspicion people who park in the handicap spot then don't appear to have any visible difficulties?

I always give the benefit of the doubt, figuring they probably have some malady that isn't very obvious, but I can't help attempting a discreet visual examination. This is especially the case if someone gets from their car to the front door of the establishment at a faster rate than I'm walking.

Is it just me?

 

[Bestwifeever]

I only notice if the car has a license plate or mirror hanger card authorizing it to park in the space--never have noticed the people using the spot. And I'm thankful not to need the spot, too.

 

[Martha]

My father had a handicap sticker. My sisters or I would drive him to appointments, etc. and park in the handicap spot and help him around. I had several experiences where I went back to get him, parked in the spot, and then had someone yell at me. I understand the concern when you have an apparent young able bodied person using the spot and I would have understood if they asked. But people didn't ask what is up, they yelled at me.

My mother in law when she was dying of cancer had a handicap sticker too. She also reported people questioning her. And they weren't store workers they were busy bodies.

I can totally understand wondering and wondering is fine, but I don't like it when people confront users of the spot.

 

[burch64]

I was at the local park, noticed an "older' man and woman with handicap sticker park their auto and proceed to complete the 2/3 mile walk path.

 

[frayne]

I have a neighbor who has the handicap sticker on his car and motorcycle. He does have back trouble but seems to get along just fine, mowing and working around the house. I think it is wrong.

 

[Alan]

I'm sure the handicap thing is terribly abused. In England, where parking is very difficult most places, they introduced a system of the disabled badges having a photo id and if the person is not present with the vehicle then it is an automatic ticket if it is parked in a disabled slot.

DW made a mistake here when her mother was visiting (we'd also hired a wheelchair). They went shopping, parked in a disabled spot and hung her mother's disabled badge on the mirror. On return she had a ticket, but when she took her mother with her to the police station to protest they were very good about it and cancelled the ticket.

 

[RonBoyd]

I always assume the handicap is... how was it John Lennon put it, "crippled inside"?

 

[Lakewood90712]

Here in Sunny Southern California , the Cheaters outnumber the real disabled. Most Doctors will sign the dmv papers just to get the patient out of the office . The same type of folks who drive a new Lexus they can't afford and then strong arm the bank into a short sale for the house they also could not afford , I'l save that one for another day. I got one across the street . Done with my rant now.

 

[Moemg]

When my 93 year old mother visits me I use her handicapped mirror hanger . I have to drop her off and then get back to her in reasonable speed . One time I did not use it and by the time I returned she had fallen and we spent the day in the ER so unless you know the situation do not judge .

 

[CuppaJoe]

...
I always give the benefit of the doubt....

Sounds like a good plan. If whatever causes their (alleged) handicap doesn't get them, Karma will. I'll meditate on that.

I knew a guy who was diagnosed with heart disease but applied for the farthest out parking area at his company. His job title qualified him for the closest in area but doc. ordered him to walk more. Nice guy. Good karma.

 

[kowski]

I am a paraplegic and have let the air out of tires where people did not have proper id showing. Have also called 911 and the police were happy to respond.

 

[quietman]

I cannot understand why anyone would vandalize a car parking in a handicapped zone because they make assumptions about whether someone "deserves" to do so, or whether someone has the right paperwork. That is criminal and completely unjustified.

I do see many apparently able bodied people use the spots (and placards). Around here they also exempt the parker from paying parking fees, so abuse is really rampant. On the other hand, unless you know the full situation it's impossible to tell if someone is helping pickup/dropoff a handicapped person, simply forgot to display the placard, has a real need for the spot even if they don't have legal paperwork (ie broken leg) or some other situation. While it does bother me to see people who seem to be cheating the handicapped system, I also have not seen any shortage of handicapped spots. Even with the cheaters, there seem to be always a few free.

 

[harley]

I am a paraplegic and have let the air out of tires where people did not have proper id showing. Have also called 911 and the police were happy to respond.

I also used to be young and stupid, but then I heard about a guy getting shot for letting the air out of a car's tires, so I quit. As far as calling 911 for someone improperly parking, I suspect in many localities that would result in a ticket for the non-emergency caller, at least after the first couple of times.

 

[W2R]

Another thing to consider is that conceivably some seemingly healthy people could have a physical condition that limits the distance that they can walk without aids such as crutches or a wheelchair. Having access to the handicap spot may be one reason why they aren't using these devices. Also, pain isn't visible.

 

[harley]

Another thing to consider is that conceivably some seemingly healthy people could have a physical condition that limits the distance that they can walk without aids such as crutches or a wheelchair. Having access to the handicap spot may be one reason why they aren't using these devices. Also, pain isn't visible.

My mom isn't handicapped, but she's in the process of getting a hang tag. She's got a lot of pain in her legs due to peripheral artery disease. She walks fine at first, doesn't carry a cane or walker or anything (yet), but can only go a relatively short distance without feeling fairly intense pain. She recently went to the courthouse and had to park in the perimeter of the lot. She said the walk in took 10 minutes because she had to stop twice and wait for the pain to go away before she could continue. She's under treatment, but this is her reality. It would really suck for her to walk back to her car and have her tires flat.

 

[quietman]

I have a friend with a leg injury that is severe, but temporary, and should be better in 3-4 months. Because the injury is temporary, he cannot get a handicapped placard for his car. Not only does he have considerable difficulty walking, he cannot drive a normal car either, and has had to rent a hand-control car. When he needs to go somewhere he does occasionally park (without proper permits, so illegally) in handicapped spots. If you saw him, you would know he was very limited in mobility and not doubt that he cannot easily walk long distances. But if you happened upon his car you would see that it is illegally parked in a handicapped spot. I would hope there is enough common sense in the system that he doesn't get a ticket, but if he does, he is willing to explain his actions and if necessary accept a fine. What he certainly isn't expecting is vigilante justice damaging his rental car because an anonymous bystander decided to impose home made punishment.

 

[Alan]

My mom isn't handicapped, but she's in the process of getting a hang tag. She's got a lot of pain in her legs due to peripheral artery disease. She walks fine at first, doesn't carry a cane or walker or anything (yet), but can only go a relatively short distance without feeling fairly intense pain. She recently went to the courthouse and had to park in the perimeter of the lot. She said the walk in took 10 minutes because she had to stop twice and wait for the pain to go away before she could continue. She's under treatment, but this is her reality. It would really suck for her to walk back to her car and have her tires flat.

My Dad has PAD also, can only manage very short distances and refuses to use a cane. While visiting in May (England) my sisters were complaining how far they had to walk when taking him to the medical center or for his weekly trip to the supermarket. It's always extremely crowded so they have to drop him at the entrance and then park miles away. He also gets very confused (he's 85 going on 105) and they worry about leaving him. They hadn't realized that these days the disabled badge is given to the person not a vehicle. While there we applied for a badge for him - they tell us it has made it a whole lot easier for them.

My point is that you can never can be sure of the legitimacy of people parking in disabled slots but there are plenty who really do need it.

 

[youbet]

I have a friend with a leg injury that is severe, but temporary, and should be better in 3-4 months. Because the injury is temporary, he cannot get a handicapped placard for his car. .

If your friend is in Wisconsin, as you are, have him check with the DMV. I believe Wis does issue temporary placards.

 

[youbet]

My favorite is when not-handicapped folks park in a handicapped spot while their passenger runs in to do an errand. They say they'd move if a handicapped person arrived and needed the spot, but that's bs. To the arriving handicap person, the spot simply looks occupied and they're unlikely (esp if elderly) to challenge the other driver to move.

I spend most Wednesdays with my handicapped grandson (cerebral palsy) at an Easter Seals facility. I hear lots of interesting stories from the other care givers regarding issues with lack of handicap spaces, handicap spaces being used by non-handicapped folks, people parking in the striped van access spaces, challenges from vigilante types who don't get it that they're picking up a person in a wheel chair, etc.

to OP........ if you're irked when you see a non-handicapped person using a handicap reserved spot (even if someone stays in the car) imagine how frustrating it is for a care giver looking for a spot to park a wheel chair accessible lift-equipped van to pick up a child from therapy and some bozo is parked in the spot while a buddy sprints in for a pack of smokes......

 

[FIREd]

I think it takes a particularly lazy, indecent and disrespectful person to abuse handicap parking spaces. But I let the police do their job and hope they catch the offenders.

 

[Texas Proud]

I am a paraplegic and have let the air out of tires where people did not have proper id showing. Have also called 911 and the police were happy to respond.

I am with others... this is just stupid on your part... what right do YOU have in vandalizing a car... just because YOU can not see proper ID..

Sure, yell at them when you see them... shame them if they are not handicapped.... but you do not know anything else.... maybe the person was driving their spouses car and forgot to bring the mirror hanger... maybe it fell on the floor.. My wife used one when she had a foot operation... I can say that almost every place we went, there were places to park... so park in one of the other places...

I can agree in calling the police... they can write a ticket and if the person is illegally parked they will pay the fine...

 

[CuppaJoe]

No need to escalate this, folks, the air has gone out of those tires.

 

[donheff]

My favorite is when not-handicapped folks park in a handicapped spot while their passenger runs in to do an errand. They say they'd move if a handicapped person arrived and needed the spot, but that's bs. To the arriving handicap person, the spot simply looks occupied and they're unlikely (esp if elderly) to challenge the other driver to move.
......

I have done this a few times when there are several handicap spots vacant but not when it is the only spot or other spots are not adjacent. I agree that the legitimate user would likely ride by and be forced to park farther away.

 

[cantlogin]

I think it takes a particularly lazy, indecent and disrespectful person to abuse handicap parking spaces...

There is no shortage of those.

 

[DangerMouse]

On issues such as this, all I know is the only persons behaviour I can control is my own. I make the choice to never park in a handicap spot even if it is only for a minute.

I think it is despicable when able-bodied persons utilise a handicapped spot. However, I am not going to become the police patrolling handicapped parking because there are often cases where a handicap may not be visibly apparent and why should anyone have to justify to me what their disability may be. For those who use the spots just because they are lazy, well let's hope that karma gets them in this life or the next. They have issues of some kind, if their judgement allows them to utilise the handicap spots knowing that they are designated for those who have been less fortunate health wise.