I once thought I had busted my oh-so-law-abiding mother for parking in the handicapped spot on the street using my dad’s dangle card when he wasn’t with her. She told me to go look again – sure enough, the sign had been covered over by the police for the special event we were attending. (Don’t ask me why – seems dumb – but the point is that it was temporarily NOT a handicap space.)
I think it was on this board that someone described being legitimately parked in a handicap spot at the mall with (?)her seriously ill friend, and getting guff from some yahoos walking by. They followed the yahoos to a nearby Taco Bell, went in, and showed them the various ravages to her friend’s body – terrible scars, missing hair, a catheter I think. Taught the yahoos a lesson about assumptions.
We have two people in our church who have service dogs. Neither one are for sight assistance, and both are welcome in our church. And I don’t think that there would have been a problem even without the legal situation due to the ADA. Actually, one of the members has had her dog since before the ADA…(I think, that is…she had the dog with her in church for so long that they had to retire it from service…she has a new one, and the old one was adopted by one of our church members. When that dog dies I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we give it a memorial service…we all LOVE her! Also a red setter, named Brandywine.)
I also want to note that I work for a dentist, and we have always been fine with service animals coming in with their owners. I bless the ADA for giving us the option of stating to unenlightened patients that we are legally required to allow service animals. Not that it has ever been THAT much of a problem, only once that I can think of. Come to think of it, it was the same lady who had a fit over the lady discreetly nursing her baby in our reception area. I just don’t think that woman likes ANYTHING (for lack of a better way to put it) “out of the ordinary.”
As to the hale and hearty parking in a handicapped spot.
I am a very law-abiding citizen, and NEVER knowingly break said law. But a very long time ago, when I was young and thoughtless (as well as stupid, might as well admit it) one time I was running into a store to pick something up…not something to buy, just to pick something up at the counter. I think I had forgotten my wallet or something, and they knew I was coming. So, no parking spots available, and I knew it would only take two minutes…I parked in the handicapped spot, ran into the store and back out…I even left my car running, that’s how sure I was that it would only take a minute. I pulled out and started to leave…only to see, a bit down the way, a person struggling to get their wheelchair out of their van…on crutches. With no room to maneuver, that van was of necessity so close to the next car. I felt HORRIBLE…I slammed on my brakes, got out, apologized profusely and helped him get his wheelchair out. He didn’t say a word until I had wheeled him into the store. I was still apologizing profusely. Finally he said “Are you ever going to park in a handicapped zone again?” Of course I said I would NEVER EVER do that again. He said “Okay, then I forgive you.”
Boy, if an experience like THAT doesn’t prevent you from parking in the handicapped zone, you are one hard person.
Needless to say, I would park clear across town before I would EVER do it again. One painful lesson learned. Early in life, thank the good God.
Okay, I know I am being extremely verbose here, but after the experience related above, I got very touchy about the whole issue of people using handicapped permits unlawfully. So I would like your opinions on this.
Everyone in my family is a rabid Huskey (U of W in Seattle) fan. Except for me, I am a Mariners girl. Anyway. The year my niece was due to give birth Jan 21st or so, the Huskeys were in the Rose Bowl. (Which is on New Year’s Day.) The pregnancy was not exactly a risky one, but she had had some spotting and a few other danger signs. Her husband wanted to go to the Rose Bowl, my sister and husband (the grandparents to be) were going too. My niece decided to go. I pitched a little (mostly internal) fit and when I calmed down I questioned her about the wisdom of her going. She said that her husband had said he was going with or without her, and she didn’t want him to go withOUT her. So she was going. (Which is a whole 'nother issue, I’m not going to get started on THAT.)
So then my sister told me it would be okay, since they were going to “borrow” my aunt’s handicapped parking permit, so my niece wouldn’t have to walk far and everything would be jake. I said (reasonibly, I thought) that if there was risk involved, if she felt she HAD to go (which I thought was a REALLY BAD IDEA), why didn’t they get her Doc to issue a handicapped permit to my NIECE? Of course, my niece said he wouldn’t give her a permit, he would forbid her to go.
I felt, and said, that in my opinion she had no right GOING if her Doctor would have forbidden it, therefore they had NO RIGHT borrowing my aunt’s handicapped permit. To say nothing of the legal aspect of the whole thing. I was not very popular there for awhile.
What do you all think?
Oh and BTW, the baby was born a bit early but healthy and fine.
Scotticher, I’m with you – it was fraud. Being family members of a handicapped person, they should have known better. Besides, there were FOUR people on the trip, right? The driver could have dropped off your niece with the others at the door and found a regular spot, and then similarly picked everyone up after the game. But yeah, she shouldn’t have gone contrary to doctor’s orders anyway.
Thank you, dear. I got enough flak that I momentarily questioned my stance, but I was pretty sure I wasn’t being a twit. But it is good to know you don’t think I was “hyperventilating.”
I DID bring up the “drop them off and pick them up” thing, but apparently the traffic down there at Rose Bowl time precludes that. Never been there, don’t know, WON’T know since I have no inclination to ever go.
As far as the “family members of a handicapped person” thing, well…I don’t want to bitch about this, and it is going to sound like I am. But…my sister doesn’t live here in the same town as my aunt, dad and I. She doesn’t have a clue, basically, and really never has to deal with any of the stuff that goes along with it. I live here. I deal with it.
And my aunt was HAPPY to lend them the handicapped permit. “But Cheri, she is pregnant, what if she goes into premature labor? They NEED it!” Uh, okay, well what they NEED to do, is for her to STAY HOME. And I am getting dangerously close to ranting about her husband, so I will now try to shut up. Nope, can’t do it. What kind of husband tells his pretty much nine month pregnant wife…“I’m going, whether you go or not?”