I assume someone else was driving and the passenger was the legally blind one.
No faster than the dog is comfortable with.
Can you walk carrying heavy bags of groceries?
Can you push a cart full of groceries all the way to the end of the parking lot?
Riding in a golf cart, getting out and swinging a club, and getting back in to the cart is a pretty low energy, low stress activity.
Disability is not a “yes / no” light switch.
If he is handicapped, he can use the handicapped parking spot.
Even outside of this one guy’s case, disabled people can vary in the amount/kind of things they can do in a day. (An example is that some people who often use wheelchairs can indeed sometimes walk, and that doesn’t make them “less disabled,” and they’re certainly not “faking being disabled.”)
Disabled people are also often tired of putting up with abled people trying to police them and decide whether or not they are “disabled enough.”
Sadly, there’s still so much ableism in the world.
I think the only way this question can make sense as a moral question is for it to be about yourself. How disabled would you think you should be to use the placard? Any judgement of another person doesn’t work, since we can’t know their level of disability.
My guy has a severe claudication in his leg. He doesn’t golf, but he could I suppose. What he cannot do is walk more than 100 feet without resting until some blood flow returns. Golf is not sustained walking, it is walking and “resting/playing” I voted yes
Maybe they qualify due to some other condition. Being Deaf doesn’t mean you can’t have, say, a heart condition.
I voted yes. The state law entitles him to that permit for a condition that meets the requirements of the law. What a person can and cannot do is likely different for different people and, here’s the kicker, it’s none of my business what his medical condition is. All I’m entitled to know is that the state issued him the permit.
IMHO, the outrage against supposed misuse of the parking permits is ridiculous.
Outrage? What outrage?
A friend of mine could walk forever but had a fused knee so needed to be able to open the door fully to swing her straight leg out. The spaces are wider to allow that.
100% disability is not something they easily hand out. I have two seriously screwed up knees that are service connected. I have a 20% disability.
In a hypothetical situation where we have perfect knowledge that the guy in the OP doesn’t need the placard at all under any circumstances, I agree. It’s a real shit move to abuse it because it’s potentially preventing somebody else from accessing businesses or services.
In real life, we never have that knowledge about strangers and so “mind my own business” is the only correct reaction to seeing anybody using the handicap space.
Exactly. A similar thing. But, not really — I’m sorry that you’re fighting your battle and I’m sending good vibes and good healing energies your way
I’m not a doctor. And even if I was a doctor, I haven’t examined this person. They were seen by a doctor who decided they were entitled to handicapped access. I have no basis to feel my judgement is better than theirs.
I agree but with a minor addition, bolded here.
I really, really don’t care. I agree with QtM that it’s not for me to decide, or judge, it’s up to the person’s doctors and the agency that approves the placards, and the integrity of the individual applying for and using the placard.
It could even be the case that he can walk but for a limited amount of time. So any added walking to the golf course would cut into the time he was able to spend on the golf course. I think it’s more than fair that people get to spend their “walking time” on thing that are productive or fun, not getting around.
If he really did get better, then he’s a jerk and shouldn’t be using it. The spots are for people who are currently handicapped, not everyone who was ever handicapped at some point in the past.
Here in Canada, we can issue temporary passes in such cases, is this not a thing in the US?
Every place is different and it depends on what you mean by temporary. Neither NY State nor NY City permits are permanent in that they have expiration dates and a medical examination is required in some circumstances. The state permit can be issued on a temporary basis but it’s issued for six months regardless of how long the disability is expected to last.
Now as far as the OP goes , I don’t know what medical issues a stranger or even an acquaintance might have - but if I have perfect knowledge and the person no longer needs the permit or doesn’t need it today , I’m going to open my mouth. Just like I tell my mother to put hers away when I drive her- I’m dropping her off right in front closer than any parking space , picking her up from right in front and the only person walking to and from the parking space is me. But there is a very limited group of people I will have that sort of knowledge about.
It is. It’s quite common with things like broken legs. My friend had one while undergoing chemo.