# Is Using the Handicapped Stall Illegal (or Unethical)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-the-handicapped-stall-illegal-or-unethical/165636>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [April 1, 2003, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-the-handicapped-stall-illegal-or-unethical/165636 "2003-04-01T04:31:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-the-handicapped-stall-illegal-or-unethical/165636/41 "2014-09-09T20:01:25Z")

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Hopefully not too much of a hijack, but I read the title as “Is it illegal to PARK in a stall”. Of course, the OP corrected me. But anyway:

I imagine it’s illegal to park in a handicapped stall. Unethical and selfish, sure, but can a car be ticketed/towed if I (non-handicapped) park there?

What about these:

1. Pregnant women stall? Is it merely a courtesy provided by the mall/store?  
Is there anything legally preventing me from parking there?

2. Electric car stall? Same question, can I be ticketed/towed for parking there? Even if it’s a stall without a charging station (and would that make a difference)?

I know they are selfish and rude, but can the police cite me for parking there? Would they check to see if I’m x-months pregnant?

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**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-using-the-handicapped-stall-illegal-or-unethical/165636/42 "2014-09-09T20:54:27Z")

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> [@Chimera](#):
>
> On my floor at work we have about 200 men and 5 stalls, one of which is handicapped. We have no handicapped people working on this floor.

In a situation like this, I see no issue with using the handicapped stalls. However, in a public venue which has people coming and going all the time, it is NOT ok to use the handicapped stall UNLESS all the inaccessible stalls are occupied.

Handicapped-accessible stalls should be viewed (by _everyone_) as stalls of necessity. For the disabled, of course, they are necessary each and every time a trip to the toilet is needed. For the able-bodied, they are necessary when no other toilet is available. For all, they are stalls of necessity, _not_ convenience.

And as far as “oh, well the disabled should be able to wait just like everyone else.” **Yes** , that’s the whole fucking point! To only have to wait the same amount of time that everyone else would have to wait to get to a toilet. If every single toilet is available, _except_ for the handicapped-accessible toilet, there is only _one_ person who is waiting for that stall to become available: the disabled person. No able-bodied person is waiting to pee or poop simply because one, single, solitary toilet is occupied. I wait practically _each and every_ time I need to use the bathroom when I use public restrooms; irrespective of whether it’s “#1” or “#2”, and irrespective of whether the bathroom is full of people or whether the handicapped stall is the only stall occupied.

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