# 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:** 6\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/101 "2012-08-04T02:09:06Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > I think you are referring to the permanent handicap I.D.s that are part of the license plates; this is an option for anyone who has a permanent disability. A person can still opt for the transferable placard while having a permanent plate (in order to have access when not in their own car). I don’t _think_ any state makes it policy to only offer one or another. Here in Indiana we used to have two placards. Last time we went to renew they told us they were moving to plates as the default but since we had two vehicles we could plate one and placard the other. Probably should have plated the truck, since he drives that one most often, but for some reason we plated the car instead, which is mostly driven by me. So our plated car is almost never parked in a handicapped spot, because unless he’s with me I’m not allowed to do that (and wouldn’t anyhow, since I don’t need the spot for me). I think if there’s just one vehicle they want it plated. I think it’s to cut down on passing placards around but I’m not sure. I don’t this it’s _mandated_, just strongly encouraged. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/102 "2012-08-04T03:46:34Z")
My mother’s doctor approved a handicapped placard for her. She had back problems, and although she didn’t need a wheelchair or crutches, all but the shortest walks caused her pain. I did borrow her car on a number of occasions. I used the placard twice before realizing that it just wasn’t the right thing to do, and I never used it again. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/103 "2012-08-04T03:57:24Z")
Ohio’s BMV warns against the handicapped licsense plate as it might make you a target. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/104 "2012-08-04T10:13:31Z")
I probably wouldn’t use one if I had one unless I needed one. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/105 "2012-08-04T12:49:44Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > I probably wouldn’t use one if I had one unless I needed one. Good on you! ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826/106 "2012-08-04T15:20:45Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > So this was a parking lot which had no official legal enforceability, but rather just an area “cordoned off” by concert organizers? So you weren’t really abusing the placard, in the official sense. You weren’t depriving a handicapped person of their legally-established rightful parking place. I mean, yes, you were parking in an area that was meant to be reserved for those needing close proximity _as well as_ be reserved for those who pay a little more for their tickets. I’d say these organizers were the ones really letting the ball drop here by NOT marking the appropriate spaces handicapped. I’d say you were being more of a cheap ass then an asshole. Yes and no. The lot had 10-12 official legal spots then they added about 200 non-handicapped spots to the area. I would park in one of the non-handicapped spots. I agree I was being a cheap ass [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking-placards-if-you-arent-disabled-would-you-ever-use-one/629826.md?page=5)