# Handicapped parking **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 28, 2006, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812 "2006-12-28T00:13:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/21 "2006-12-28T14:55:58Z")
Sadly, there are also people who use (abuse) other people’s tags. A friend recently told me that his parents still use his deceased grandfather’s tags when they go to big places like Sam’s Club where it’s hard to find a parking spot. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Apparently, grandpa’s tags don’t expire for a few years yet so they thought they could just as well use them. :eek: My reaction was, “Well, I guess if they don’t mind going to hell …” ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/22 "2006-12-28T15:16:25Z")
A friend of mine used to have handicapped plates and sticker on his Jeep. It was because his mother, who used the vehicle before him, had a mild heart condition, and he never took them off. This guy is also black, and gay, so maybe he could have justified the sticker on the grounds of a socioeconomic handicap. I’m reminded of the words of Sammy Davis, Jr. when asked about his golf handicap: “Man, I’m a one-eyed, black Jew! That’s my handicap!” ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/23 "2006-12-28T15:43:14Z")
Dad had emphazema (sp) and could walk the length of our house and get out of breath. He had a handicapped placard. He needed it. Plenty of people with lung/heart diseases have them and need them. When I was newly operated on I had a huge wound on my belly that was left to heal by secondary intention. I was weak and could not walk far and was unable to carry things very far. I had a temporary placard and was glad for it. There were days when I wasn’t sure I was going to make it back to the car. But for those who have them and don’t need them, I too get a little angry. But I know it is hard to tell who needs them and who doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![MovingTarget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@MovingTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovingTarget)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/24 "2006-12-28T15:51:32Z")
My BIL uses this with my MIL’s handicapped tag. Every time she goes to visit, they always swipe her tag when they have to go out anywhere. Really gets me stamed. When my father was alive, he had a tag, and needed it. was a double amputee, arm and leg. He would see a car without a tag and sit there a wait on them to come running out and then yell at them. They would yell back, then he would get out of the car on his crutches. They would always just go all sheepish, get in their car and leave. Good stuff. hehe ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/25 "2006-12-28T16:11:26Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] **Turek** , I think **Patty** actually agrees with you, judging from the rest of the post. Either the whole post is so tongue-in-cheek she’s about to get a perforated cheek, or she’s as much of an idiot as her friend, which kind of goes against my general principle of “assuming people are Ok unless they prove otherwise”. [/QUOTE] Probably. My knee WAS a little twitchy this morning. Perhaps I could get a tag because of that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Caridwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Caridwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caridwen)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/26 "2006-12-28T16:20:59Z")
> [@](#): > > The deal is that Phyllis has MS and has good days and bad days, and on her good days she doesn’t “feel” disabled, and on her bad days she doesn’t come to work–or if she does, SHE DOESN’T DRIVE. Why have the damn plate, then? I was stuck with the space because I was the newest and the one who arrived at work the latest. After a while a couple of people quit and were replaced with just one and somebody retired so I got to move into another space. And then we moved to another office which doesn’t have parking problems. Everyone that has MS isn’t like Phyllis or has the same symptoms as Phyllis. I have a friend with MS that drives but gets extremely tired and needs the plates. All sorts of people have handicapped plates that they’re entitled to that you may not be aware of their handicap just by looking at them. People with COPD’s, Lupus, MS, accident victims, etc. The world isn’t going to come to an end if able bodied people have to walk 5 steps farther. I used to take my aunt shopping. She was in a wheelchair and I’d drop her at the entrance of the store and then go park. I’d constantly get the fish eye from someone who saw me hopping out of the car apparently able bodied but in a handicapped spot. If the day ever comes that I take it upon myself to become a handicapped parking space monitor like those people, I hope someone shoots me. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/27 "2006-12-28T16:21:34Z")
What really gets me is the people at my local grocery store. They don’t park their vehicles there but they have absolutely NO problem leaving there shopping carts in the Handicap space!! What’s even more perplexing: There’s a “Shopping cart corral” (for lack of a better word) not more than five feet away!! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/28 "2006-12-28T16:43:06Z")
**Hilarity** , as far as I know, Phyllis is acting correctly (mostly) - even people with legitimate handicapped tags are expected to self-monitor and not use handicapped spaces if they’re having a good day. Your boss, however, was a big putz. **Patty** , if your friend was my friend, I would have a very hard time not lecturing him on the principles of handicapped parking. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/29 "2006-12-28T17:10:52Z")
A friend of mine looks like a perfectly healthy, attractive 23 year old woman, but if she walks more than a few blocks on a bad day, she’s in great pain. The idea is that by being able to park close, she won’t get to the point where her handicap becomes apparent to others. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/30 "2006-12-28T18:19:59Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] **Turek** , I think **Patty** actually agrees with you, judging from the rest of the post. Either the whole post is so tongue-in-cheek she’s about to get a perforated cheek, or she’s as much of an idiot as her friend, which kind of goes against my general principle of “assuming people are Ok unless they prove otherwise”. [/QUOTE] Yes. Every time I’m a passenger in his car and he parks in a HC spot, I give him hell for it. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/31 "2006-12-28T18:27:41Z")
I rmemebr when my mom had surgery on her foot so she got a temporary placard good for several months. Toward the end of the placards tenure she was perfectly fine so she didn’t need it. I remember going to dinner with the two of them and my mom saying, “We can park in the handicapped spot.” To which I immediately replied, “If you do, drop me off on the other side first. Or we could leave it to somebody who actually needs it.” ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/32 "2006-12-28T18:44:49Z")
I propose random inspections/verification. If a person is found to have parked in a handicapped spot without a valid reason, they should immediately be beaten to the point that they do have a valid reason to park there…but not issued a sticker. ---
**Author:** ![tashabot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tashabot/32/6250_2.png) [@tashabot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tashabot)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/33 "2006-12-28T19:04:36Z")
I don’t look like I need handicapped parking (and I haven’t gone through with the exam to get it), but I probably should. I’m 22 years old and I look relatively healthy - a bit overweight, but still pretty strong and fit. However, I have horrible arthritis in my knees, hips, and elbows. It has to be REALLY bad for me to even display that I’ve got the problems, but I’m in pain whenever I stand up or walk. I love driving with my father because he’s on oxygen and has a handicapped placard, and that means less painful walking for me. Do you know how easy it is to get a handicapped placard? I mean, it does depend on your doctor, but a lot of the time if you fill out the paperwork and just have them sign it, the DMV will give you one, no questions asked. The hardest part is getting your doctor to sign it, and if he’s like my doctor you haven’t a chance in hell of getting one, but if he’s like my mom or dad’s doctor, you can get one and still be healthy enough to not need one. Also, if you’re a caregiver you qualify for them, sometimes. Sure, they shouldn’t use them if they’re not taking care of the handicapped person at the time, but I can’t say that I honestly blame them for wanting to take advantage of the good parking. Not that it’s cool, but I still can’t blame them. ~Tasha ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/34 "2006-12-28T19:16:13Z")
[QUOTE=Oakminster] I propose random inspections/verification. If a person is found to have parked in a handicapped spot without a valid reason, they should immediately be beaten to the point that they do have a valid reason to park there…but not issued a sticker. [/QUOTE] When you decide to run for office, let me know. I’m voting for you. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/35 "2006-12-28T20:19:12Z")
[QUOTE=Caridwen] I used to take my aunt shopping. She was in a wheelchair and I’d drop her at the entrance of the store and then go park. I’d constantly get the fish eye from someone who saw me hopping out of the car apparently able bodied but in a handicapped spot. [/QUOTE] Assuming you also pick her up at the door, why do you park in the handicap spot? ---
**Author:** ![Li\_l\_Pluck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ee59a6/32.png) [@Li\_l\_Pluck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Li_l_Pluck)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/36 "2006-12-28T20:20:55Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] This guy is also black, and gay, so maybe he could have justified the sticker on the grounds of a socioeconomic handicap. [/QUOTE] The socioeconomic handicap bit was funny (and I appreciate the chuckle), but, yeah, man, dude is totally not being righteous. [QUOTE=Argent Towers] I’m reminded of the words of Sammy Davis, Jr. when asked about his golf handicap: “Man, I’m a **one-eyed, black Jew**! That’s my handicap!” [/QUOTE] WORD! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/37 "2006-12-28T20:32:14Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] For the record, “handicapped” is considered a derogatory term these days, and frowned upon by _people with disabilities_ (which, also for the record, is the most P.C. term).. [/QUOTE] Oh puh-leeze, spare us the PC genteelisms. \*Handicapped \*was the PC euphemism that replaced _crippled_ a generation or two ago, and now you assert that _handicapped_ is too stark and should make way for _people with disabilities_. Baloney - that’s too much of a mouthful and, anyway, it’ll just be superseded by some other euphemism in a decade or two. I’m sticking to _crippled_. It’s short, to the point and means what it says. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/38 "2006-12-28T20:34:45Z")
[QUOTE=Turek] Assuming you also pick her up at the door, why do you park in the handicap spot? [/QUOTE] I can’t answer for him, but I do the same for my grandmother because she insists on walking back to the car when we leave and I can’t stop her. I \*can \*insist she gets out at the door when I’m at the wheel, but she’ll ignore my pleas to wait while I get the car and bring it back to her. So I do exactly what \*\*BBVL \*\*does, to spare her when she comes back out of the mall. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/39 "2006-12-28T21:04:47Z")
[QUOTE=Mama Tiger] As someone who has a handicapped tag, I see people all too often using the spots who don’t have handicapped tags and apparently don’t care. There’s not nearly enough ticketing of those spots, IMO. When I’m having good days or won’t have to walk too far, I may not use mine, but there are times when I really, _really_ need it. So it’s extremely frustrating to not be able to park because someone has taken the spot who isn’t supposed to. And yes, I’ve been challenged on it, too, but if my doctor and the state think I’m qualified, frankly, I don’t care what anyone else thinks – they’re not feeling my pain! [/QUOTE] I have a valid tag, also, because of a variety of maladies not the least of which is severe RA and OA in my knees and lower back. Like **Freckafree** ’ sister, if I don’t have to walk a lot to the entrance of a building (office or retail or whatever) I stand a better chance of enjoying whatever activity in which I will be engaging therein. My beef is with the deli’s and other delivery vehicles who see the blue spots as an “I’m only going to be a minute or two, so it’s okay” space, or park in front of them, blocking access. Once in a crowed lot, I was heading for the front of the lot to the blue spaces and a car, without a tag, coming from the other direction pulled into the oly open blue space. I rolled down my window and nicely asked the woman if she had a tag (some people only hang them after parking) she swore at me and said “I’m picking up my daughter from work” but never produced a tag. I circled the lot again figuring she’d be gone by the time I got back, but she was still there, and a cop was writing her a ticket. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812/40 "2006-12-28T21:24:26Z")
Two guys at my racketball club use handicap parking. Both have wives that have problems. They are fine. Pisses me off. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapped-parking/385812.md?page=3)