# Nonsensical parking lot experience **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 18, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122 "2011-08-18T05:49:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/241 "2011-08-20T22:30:48Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Not only is your assumption that it was the old woman who was handicapped stupid, but it’s also insulting to HER. Not all elderly are weak. Huh? My post was a comment on the notion that such abuse was possible under the law, generally speaking. Nothing about my assumption was stupid. I assumed nothing about this lady’s strength or weakness. I used the context in which I saw her and everything else that transpired to make my assumptions (which, again, had no bearing on my actions). ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/242 "2011-08-20T22:31:57Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > Thank goodness you are around to make sure everyone with a handicapped tag is indeed worthy of having one. Huh? What are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/243 "2011-08-20T22:39:18Z")
Maybe you should quit making assumptions all together. They had a tag, their only error was in not displaying it. Why then did you not let it go? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/244 "2011-08-20T22:49:32Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Maybe you should quit making assumptions all together. They had a tag, their only error was in not displaying it. Why then did you not let it go? I made no assumption when I asked the lady if she had a tag. I noticed a car parked in handicap parking **without** the necessary legal permit. The assumptions that I made regarding the situation were only made _ **here** _, in discussing the incident afterwards, and had nothing to do with my interactions with the ladies in the Rite Aid parking lot. Got it??? ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/245 "2011-08-20T23:18:59Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > I made no assumption when I asked the lady if she had a tag. You assumed she didn’t have one. You also assumed, that by being a guy in a wheelchair asking her publicly about it, that you would shame her into moving. And for 5 pages you haven’t had a lot of support for the idea that your intentions were not motivated by the chip on your shoulder that you have about handicapped parking spaces. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/246 "2011-08-21T00:15:10Z")
When my mother was alive, I would sometimes (maybe 3 times total) park in the handicapped spaces using her placard, even if I was the only going in. For example, coming back from the doctor’s office to drop off her new prescriptions, or to grab a quart of milk. She was blind, hard of hearing and couldn’t walk more than a few steps. I couldn’t leave her in the parking lot alone for more than a very few minutes! ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/247 "2011-08-21T05:52:46Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > You assumed she didn’t have one. You also assumed, that by being a guy in a wheelchair asking her publicly about it, that you would shame her into moving. And for 5 pages you haven’t had a lot of support for the idea that your intentions were not motivated by the chip on your shoulder that you have about handicapped parking spaces. I _ **ASKED** _ her if she didn’t have one, I didn’t assume she didn’t have one. If I were to _assume_ she didn’t have a permit I would have not asked her if she had one. I would have asked her why she was parking illegally. And this whole “guy in a wheelchair asking her publicly…shame her”, is _ **one hundred percent in your head** _. Not to mention offensive as hell. You are projecting your _ **own** _ assumptions into my story. The irony is biting. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/248 "2011-08-21T21:44:48Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > I _ **ASKED** _ her if she didn’t have one, I didn’t assume she didn’t have one. If I were to _assume_ she didn’t have a permit I would have not asked her if she had one. I would have asked her why she was parking illegally. And this whole “guy in a wheelchair asking her publicly…shame her”, is _ **one hundred percent in your head** _. Not to mention offensive as hell. You are projecting your _ **own** _ assumptions into my story. The irony is biting. Underline added. Do you really care why? Once you’ve established she has a card, and that didn’t display it, everything else is just looking for an argument. No answer to “why didn’t you display your card as required by law?” was going to satisfy you, expect perhaps “I forgot.” ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/249 "2011-08-23T16:43:47Z")
> [@Satchmo](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > :eek: > > Can we start calling that the “Help, I’ve been stabbed!” smiley? > Please, please, please? > > \ The “I’ve just been kicked in the 'nads” smiley would be a more appropriate name. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/250 "2011-08-23T16:54:12Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > You assumed she didn’t have one. You also assumed, that by being a guy in a wheelchair asking her publicly about it, that you would shame her into moving. And for 5 pages you haven’t had a lot of support for the idea that your intentions were not motivated by the chip on your shoulder that you have about handicapped parking spaces. > [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > I _ **ASKED** _ her if she didn’t have one, I didn’t assume she didn’t have one. If I were to _assume_ she didn’t have a permit I would have not asked her if she had one. I would have asked her why she was parking illegally. And this whole “guy in a wheelchair asking her publicly…shame her”, is _ **one hundred percent in your head** _. Not to mention offensive as hell. You are projecting your _ **own** _ assumptions into my story. The irony is biting. Yeeeah. I’m gonna go with **ladyfoxfyre** on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/251 "2011-08-23T17:57:52Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > > [@LurkerInNJ](#): > > > > It’s the law, and it makes perfect sense. Plates are issued to a vehicle, placards are issued to a person. The person whom the placard was issued to has met the disability requirements and has the right to be parked there. Nothing in the law says they have to leave the vehicle. > > That does not make perfect sense. The point of disabled parking is to give disabled people a reserved spot that limits the amount of walking they have to do - if the disabled person isn’t getting out of the vehicle, the car doesn’t belong in that spot. It might technically be legal (and I’m not entirely sure about that), but it sure as hell isn’t ethical. :loud applause: What you said, **Cat Whisperer**! My mother is a gimp, and has a gimp mirror-tag, (gimp is our in-joke, so please don’t hate me for it), and I’m her driver since she can’t drive anymore. The tag is usually kept in my car, unless someone else will be driving her. There have been many times I could have whipped that thing out and parked in the gimp spots, but she wasn’t with me, so I didn’t. Or she _was_ with me, but wasn’t going in. There also have been many times when the gimp spots were all full, and she _was_ going in. I never[sup]1[/sup] do a **jamiemcgarry** 😉 and check to see if they are properly authorized, but if even _one_ of the people parked in those spots were abusing the privilege, then “Thanks, asshole, you just caused me and my mother some major problems”, even if they were technically “legal”. [sup]1[/sup] Well, almost never. I have been known to say (loudly, certainly within their hearing) “Funny, don’t look handicapped to me! Must be something mental”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/252 "2011-08-23T23:21:37Z")
Once again, it’s not certain that it was the woman sitting in the car who needed the tag. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/253 "2011-08-23T23:41:17Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > :loud applause: > What you said, **Cat Whisperer**! > > My mother is a gimp, and has a gimp mirror-tag, (gimp is our in-joke, so please don’t hate me for it), and I’m her driver since she can’t drive anymore. The tag is usually kept in my car, unless someone else will be driving her. There have been many times I could have whipped that thing out and parked in the gimp spots, but she wasn’t with me, so I didn’t. Or she _was_ with me, but wasn’t going in. > > There also have been many times when the gimp spots were all full, and she _was_ going in. I never[sup]1[/sup] do a **jamiemcgarry** 😉 and check to see if they are properly authorized, but if even _one_ of the people parked in those spots were abusing the privilege, then “Thanks, asshole, you just caused me and my mother some major problems”, even if they were technically “legal”. > > [sup]1[/sup] Well, almost never. I have been known to say (loudly, certainly within their hearing) “Funny, don’t look handicapped to me! Must be something mental”. 😉 My actions in this incident keep seeming to be characterized as more than simply asking a person who parked their car in handicap-accessible parking _without_ displaying the necessary placard if they indeed had such a placard. If that is what is now called “pulling a jamiemcgarry” then the phrase should have no implicit malice or intrusion or prejudice. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/254 "2011-08-23T23:55:30Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Yeeeah. I’m gonna go with **ladyfoxfyre** on this one. Really? Do you care to back up that ridiculous assertion with one single thing that transpired in the actual event in the parking lot, as detailed in the OP? Or are you basing it on what has been said (via my speculations) _ **afterwards** _, in this thread? ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/255 "2011-08-24T01:15:38Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > I have been known to say (loudly, certainly within their hearing) “Funny, don’t look handicapped to me! Must be something mental”. 😉 Would you mind sharing how you came upon your amazing diagnostic ability? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/256 "2011-08-24T01:37:00Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > :loud applause: > What you said, **Cat Whisperer**! > > My mother is a gimp, and has a gimp mirror-tag, (gimp is our in-joke, so please don’t hate me for it), and I’m her driver since she can’t drive anymore. The tag is usually kept in my car, unless someone else will be driving her. There have been many times I could have whipped that thing out and parked in the gimp spots, but she wasn’t with me, so I didn’t. Or she _was_ with me, but wasn’t going in. > > There also have been many times when the gimp spots were all full, and she _was_ going in. I never[sup]1[/sup] do a **jamiemcgarry** 😉 and check to see if they are properly authorized, but if even _one_ of the people parked in those spots were abusing the privilege, then “Thanks, asshole, you just caused me and my mother some major problems”, even if they were technically “legal”. > > [sup]1[/sup] Well, almost never. I have been known to say (loudly, certainly within their hearing) “Funny, don’t look handicapped to me! Must be something mental”. 😉 .. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/257 "2011-08-24T01:54:28Z")
She then opens the glovebox and takes a placard out. I look at her incredulously, “why wouldn’t you just put that up, like you are supposed to?” She looks at me with a blank stare and says “I don’t know.” And then, she opens the glovebox back up and puts the placard back inside. “Ma’am, you realize that your daughter (i made the assumption) is breaking the law by parking there and not displaying that placard?” “But I have a permit.” The old lady _ **did** _ say that _ **she** _ had a permit. This would also somewhat explain her reasoning behind leaving it in the glovebox originally and then putting it back right after showing it momentarily. When someone says “I have a permit”, it’s common sense to reason that they are referring to _themselves_. \* \*What I am discussing here is my _discussion-based speculation_ only. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/258 "2011-08-24T02:06:24Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > Really? Do you care to back up that ridiculous assertion with one single thing that transpired in the actual event in the parking lot, as detailed in the OP? Or are you basing it on what has been said (via my speculations) _ **afterwards** _, in this thread? This assertion? > [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > You assumed she didn’t have one. You also assumed, that by being a guy in a wheelchair asking her publicly about it, that you would shame her into moving. And for 5 pages you haven’t had a lot of support for the idea that your intentions were not motivated by the chip on your shoulder that you have about handicapped parking spaces. That’s why you asked to begin with. I don’t think you were fueled by mere curiosity. You’re a self-promoting parking lot vigilante and this was another mission report, just like the one you provided us (and the news) regarding Operation: Gym Parking. Of course, not all your nights spent on the beat in [del]Gotham[/del] Flint end in justice being served. This time the perp was innocent… but you will remain vigilant. You’re the hero Flint deserves. But not the one it needs right now. So we’ll hunt you. Because you can take it. Because you’re not our hero. You’re our silent guardian. A watchful protector. Our dark knight. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/259 "2011-08-24T02:09:14Z")
Forget it, people. It’s **Jamietown**. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122/260 "2011-08-24T02:35:23Z")
Dude, get over it. You’re utterly failing to make yourself out to look as innocent as you perceive your actions to be. You enjoy drawing attention to yourself by confronting other people, and sometimes you’re right, sometimes you’re wrong. But still can’t imagine why people think you were the asshole in the situation. If it wasn’t this issue, you’d have some other bugaboo, maybe not wiping the machines down after use or putting an empty milk carton back in the refrigerator. But we’ll have another almost identical thread soon anyway, I’m sure. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonsensical-parking-lot-experience/593122.md?page=14)