# Handicapped parking placards: If you aren't disabled, would you ever use one? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 30, 2012, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826 "2012-07-30T06:14:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/21 "2012-07-30T13:26:17Z")
> [@Ecamp1](#): > > …also claims that many disabled wheelchair users can just as easily wheel themselves as we can walk, so they don’t need to be close to the store entrance. They still need a larger than normal space to get in and out of the vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/22 "2012-07-30T13:51:32Z")
> [@Ecamp1](#): > > and also claims that many disabled wheelchair users can just as easily wheel themselves as we can walk Wow! That’s jerky! No, I would not and never have. I’ve never even parked in a handicapped spot! ---
**Author:** ![Ecamp1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@Ecamp1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ecamp1)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/23 "2012-07-30T13:52:28Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > They still need a larger than normal space to get in and out of the vehicle. Yes and I have tried to explain that to this creep. But he gas no guilt or shame and continues to use HC spaces because he is lazy. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/24 "2012-07-30T14:07:22Z")
The only advantage I took with the placard for my MIL was to not have to feed the DC parking meters. ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/25 "2012-07-30T14:07:56Z")
I only use mom’s handicapped parking placard when I go to the gym. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/26 "2012-07-30T17:18:07Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I once circled my MIL’s car (with a placard) for 45 minutes, looking for a parking place - and there was a handicapped spot 50 meters from where I was going. I ended up parking about a mile away and walking. It’s a matter of principle. I would never do it if there was just one spot either, or a couple. But sometimes I see where there are a bunch of empty handicapped spots and those are the only open spots. In situations like that you can be reasonably sure you wouldn’t be taking the space from someone who needs it. Even if I WAS driving a car with a handicapped tag, this would hardly ever come up, because I don’t mind walking if it’s far away, and I usually just avoid going places when parking is likely to be an issue, or take the bus. But say you’re just going to the ATM for 3 minutes and there are 4 empty handicapped spots and 0 other spots and you’re in a big hurry. In that case I really don’t see the harm, and potentially causing harm is the only thing that makes it a bad thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/27 "2012-07-30T17:29:16Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > I once had some vigilante asshole key my car when I parked in a handicap space at the mall, put up the placard, and strode briskly inside. When I got back five minutes later, pushing my 95-year old mother in her wheelchair (I had earlier left her and my daughter to browse in the mall while I ran an errand), my hood was scratched up and there was a very nasty note saying “don’t do it again” under my wiper. Wasn’t me! I promise! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/28 "2012-07-30T17:35:55Z")
July 2012 ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/29 "2012-07-30T17:44:04Z")
I’ve been in the position to need a temp decal before (post-leg surgery), and a tthe rate things are going, I may need one again one of these days (severe post-traumatic arthritis in my left ankle - I am walking with a cane at the moment, but hopefully not for long this go-around), and so no way in Hell would I ever use one fraudulently. ---
**Author:** ![BottledBlondJeanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/0ea827/32.png) [@BottledBlondJeanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BottledBlondJeanie)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/30 "2012-07-30T18:51:01Z")
Back in the day (early 90s) I went to huge college that had almost no public parking or even permit parking for about a 2 mile radius around campus. There were vast tracts of mostly unoccupied handicapped spaces. Several acquaintances specialized in acquiring temp. placards and selling them for so much it paid for huge portions of the very not cheap tuition. Soooo tempting to do, but wrong. Total parking ticket bill over three years? Somewhere around $5,000. I will say that if I thought that illegal activity hampered actual handicapped individuals’ ability to park, I would have put a stop to it. But we’re talking 30 to 40 empty spaces in each parking lot even during peak class attendance time. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/31 "2012-07-30T19:14:56Z")
I might use one if the alternative is walking a huge distance. For example, if the choice was use my mom’s card and park next to a building I have to get to or walk 2 miles, I’d probably use the card. If ever single regular spot in a lot is full, I think the next person looking for a space should be allowed to use the handicapped spot, or the new-mother’s spot, or at least the expectant mother’s spot. Yes, I know that would be a pain to enforce. We went to an event once where my sister and I both drove. I took my mom who has a handicap permit, so we parked in the absolute best spot, 20 feet from the front door. Tons of empty handicap spots in the area. My sister had to walk 2 miles from the overflow parking lot. She isn’t handicapped but that is a whole lot of walking for her. What purpose does that serve? ---
**Author:** ![BottledBlondJeanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/0ea827/32.png) [@BottledBlondJeanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BottledBlondJeanie)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/32 "2012-07-30T19:40:21Z")
Oops, to clarify, having such a placard was occasionally tempting, not obtaining and selling the placards. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/33 "2012-07-30T22:10:57Z")
What kind of vile excreasance would do such a thing? I had to drive my dad’s car (with handicapped license plates) periodically and if he was not with me I just took a non-handicapped spot. If it was still too far for him I would simply have him wait at the entrance and I would retrive the car and pick him up. That happened a few times where there were no available handicapped spaces. No biggie. I can understand the vigilante attitude, but damaging somone’s property is over the line. Damaging _them_ in person would be preferrable. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/34 "2012-07-31T01:34:07Z")
My college roommate and I did, once, when we were driving her parents’ car (placard for her grandmother) and there was no other parking whatsoever available where we were going. We were young and stupid, is my only excuse: nowadays we’d wait, or park a block away, or whatever. Nowadays, no. I had a hard enough time when taking my mother places: she genuinely could not walk that far and we had a lot of instances where there were no spaces available. Annoying as hell. And my own recent experience with a broken bone - spaces were simply not available on several of the times I truly needed them. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/35 "2012-07-31T01:39:06Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > I did use disabled parking spots (_sans_ a placard) a few times in 2010 when I had crippling flare-ups of calf-ankle tendonitis. I felt guilty about doing so, but there were a few times that I could barely walk, even with a cane, and had to haul groceries or a big sack of dog chow back to the car without assistance. > > I think these few instances of using disabled parking were defensible. Prior to this I had never parked in a special space (and never will, unless I’m incapacitated). You were lucky you didn’t get some very expensive parking tickets! If it happens again, contact the doctor and ask for a temporary placard, for heaven’s sake!! ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/36 "2012-07-31T01:46:17Z")
The car I drive is registered to my dad and has the disabled tags on it.I have never parked in a spot reserved for the disabled and never will.IIRC,it is illegal(in Michigan) to use the spots if you aren’t handicapped, even if you have the tags on the car you are driving. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/37 "2012-07-31T01:48:05Z")
> [@Hbns](#): > > I only use mom’s handicapped parking placard when I go to the gym. 😃 JamieMcGary is gonna hunt you down. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/38 "2012-07-31T03:11:01Z")
> [@Hbns](#): > > I only use mom’s handicapped parking placard when I go to the gym. 😃 > [@MadTheSwine](#): > > JamieMcGary is gonna hunt you down. Imma silent assassin baby…(well, with some wd-40 I _will_ be silent) 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/39 "2012-07-31T03:42:31Z")
I would never park in a handicapped spot. I think it’s a terrible thing to do. I have a friend who uses his mother’s handicap permit. She died over a year ago which makes it worse. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/40 "2012-07-31T03:44:22Z")
> [@Ecamp1](#): > > Yes it is true that people who are truly disabled may not be obviously disabled. But if they genuinely have a disability then they should have a placard, and I really try not to judge people with placards, but because I KNOW this guy I know does NOT have a disability it really irks me! So he and others like him, along with those without placards ate real assholes in my opinion to use a HC spot. And after that one time of being in his car I never rode with him again. I have never, ever used a HC spot. Even when I was desperate. [I already posted this in another thread](http://www.freep.com/article/20120730/NEWS01/307300111/-1/7daysarchives/With-video-parking-lot-people-plenty-excuses-hidden-disabilities) but I figured it may be relevant here, too. You may find it interesting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826.md?page=3)