I saw a very healthy looking young man whip into the front handicapped parking place at the grocery store last night.
It was monsoon like weather, and I got drenched running from my LEGAL spot to get to the store.
I see this so often and I have to bite my tongue till it bleeds!!!
I am no saint nor am I handicapped but it just seems so thoughtless for a person to do this?
I often think…Hey there are people who are less fortunate, who literally cannot walk as far as I just did. Who am I to park my car in a close spot just because I done FEEL like walking…Some people dont have a choice!
There are healthy looking people who nonetheless have medical conditions that entitle them to the use of a handicap spot. My sole criteria is: do they have a handicap plate ofr hang tag? If they do, then even if they look ready to finish a decathalon, I will assume they are need of the space they are using. If they don’t, I’m happy to whip out the cell phone and call the cops on their non-emergency number. It’s a $150 ticket, and they often arrive in time to issue it.
If he didn’t have a permit, then he qualifies as an asshole. If he had one, but it was his grandma’s, he’s an asshole but there’s no obvious way to prove it(Louisiana issues ID cards that go with your hanging thingy or your plate to prove that it’s yours, but nobody official ever looks at them from what I can tell after two years here, and I wouldn’t approach a random guy in a parking lot and ask for their ID anyway) so I figure at least they have a permit.
He could have something invisibly wrong with him as well, which means he’s not an asshole (at least by using the spot, he could be one anyway). You don’t have to have a wheelchair or anything to use them, unlike what some people seem to think.
My husband had a temporary permit for a while after he had knee surgery. It was needed as he was supposed to avoid walking on uneven surfaces and how much he could walk was limited, but he was supposed to get out a bit. The permit was small, easily missed if you were looking for a plate, and we got a lot of dirty looks.
My advice to you is to mind your own business. If you really feel the need to get these people, find out a non-emergency police number and tell them about it, and then let go of the matter. Life is short enough without stewing in negative emotions for no good reason.
It sucks that people abuse handicapped parking, and those that do abuse it are jerks. As others have said, if you’re bothered, then you should call the police (non-emergency) and let them sort it out. No matter how healthy a person looks, or how slim the chances of them being the slightest bit handicapped, you shouldn’t say anything to the person. Maybe there’s something that isn’t apparent at first glance, or maybe the person is using the spot because they’re picking up a disabled friend or relative.
I am handicapped, and use a wheelchair. I have been harassed by people when pulling into a spot, before I can even get out of my car. People like to act like big shots, like they’re going to call someone out, because they make assumptions. I’m healthy enough that I don’t absolutely have to have a spot close to the entrance, but it helps when there is bad weather. I also have to be able to open my car door all the way to get the wheelchair out of the car, which is the main reason I use the handicapped spaces. Because I appear young and healthy (which I am), if I’m not in my wheelchair, people don’t realize I’m handicapped. The people that have given me trouble don’t deserve an explanation, and shouldn’t make me feel like I need to give them one.
I think that, in general, it is good that people are concerned about this kind of thing. However, if people are concerned, they should take the steps to let the proper authorities police the situation rather than trying to grandstand or cut someone down.
Yeah, it does suck when people abuse the system. Unfortunately it happens everywhere. I would have to mock the responses by others here, if it bothers you so much, call the police.
On this note, does anyone know of any states that offer temporary handicap tickets for pregnant women? I really think sometimes that could be beneficial, as I’ve witnessed many friends and family having to trudge through snow, ice, and rain at 8-9 months pregnant - it doesn’t look very comfortable or safe. I don’t know, I’ve never had kids. Maybe this is more of a question for doctors (ob/gyns)? Who knows, I was just curious. I have a lot of issues with parking lots anyways, so I thought I’d ask.
As I understand it, if it’s a difficult pregnancy, a permit can be issued, and that during a normal healthy pregnancy, doctors rec exercise, including walking, but pregnancy itself isn’t generally considered a reason for a permit. (According to a co-worker who is currently pregnant)
I’ve also seen a few stores (mostly grocery) with closer spaces reserved for expectant mothers. However, I’m not sure they’re actually necessary for a normal, healthy pregnancy, just more convenient. I’ve never been pregnant, but from what I understand even w/ “good” pregnancies, walking can be a chore due to weight gain, swelling, back pain, etc.
Here’s a question. What if my perfectly healthy self is borrowing my friend’s car, which has handicapped plates, to run to the grocery store to quickly grab a couple of items for our dinner. It’s raining frozen sleet, and there are six empty handicapped spaces near the front of the store. I park in the furthest one from the door, walk in, grab my items, and leave ten minutes later. Am I a jerk even though I have deprived no one of a needed handicapped space?
No, but maybe you’re less of a man when you took that space, than you were when you started for the store.
Handicapped parking isn’t a weather related matter. If you’re not handicapped, you just don’t use those spots - except in a life or death situation, of course.
I went to the post office the other day. The closest post office is behind the mall, and they have exactly 6 parking spots - 7 including one handicapped.
I started to pull into the 7th spot, got in halfway before I realized it was handicapped. Pulled out, and started to drive away - only to see the woman behind me pull speedily into the handicapped spot. I finally got a spot some distance away, passed her car on the way in. Nope, no handicapped sticker nor tag.
Grrr. I told the post office employees, but I don’t have a cell phone.
IMO, yes, though not quite as big a one as if you’d taken the last available spot (usually if there’s only one handicap spot I leave it for somebody who needs it more than I do). Just because the car has the plates doesn’t mean that anybody driving the car gets to park there. Like I said, my plate and my hanging-down-thingy are linked to me personally.
I work as a personal caretaker and have run errands with my employer right beside me and the handicap placard hanging from the mirror but unless she is getting out with me, those parking spaces are off limits, even when it’s pouring rain and the parking lot is completely deserted.
Unless I have someone with me who is disabled, I park elsewhere…I need the extra walking anyways and although I have an arthritic left knee… there are so many other disabled folks more deserving of the space than I.
As for the OP, severe epilepsy can affect even the healthiest looking folks as well.
I saw a huge SUV without any handicapped sticker/decal/place parked in a handicapped parking space at the local shopping center the other day. Someone had put a huge, flourescent orange sign on their windshield that said “Stupidity is not a Handicap.” I thought it was hysterical.
In reference to the parking spaces for pregnant women (and, here in Australia, the parking spaces for people with strollers), please don’t park there if you don’t need it. I see people do that all the time and, even though it’s not illegal, it’s really rude. Plus, you don’t want to piss off a 9 months pregnant chick who is having severe back pain and has one whole leg that’s completely numb (like I did).