The fake handicapped can bite me.

The BBQ Pit
#1

The fake handicapped suck.

I was on a little trip to my local home center today and spotted a large amount of cars parked in handicapped spots. At first glance I thought it was a lot of handicapped people to be out getting home improvement items. A closer inspection revealed the NONE of these cars had handicapped plates or any other type of visible tag that I could see.

I started thinking about last years trip to Disney World.

I saw hordes of people who were “handicapped” as evidenced by the fact that they had to use those lark things to get around. After a few days of numerous near collisions I started thinking that these were some rude and dangerous lark drivers. After some time it dawned on me that they (most) of them did not seem like they were physically disabled in any obvious way but many of them had one thing in common they were fat. I became VERY aware of the lark people and after watching about 50 of them I started to get pissed. I don’t want to upset the real handicapped but I suspect if you are handicapped you don’t like this either.

These lark people were zipping all over the parks, flying right up to front of the lines with their entire party and I watched one after another after another heft their fat bodies out of the lark walk right over to the ride with ease because not only did they skip the line they skipped the 800 miles of walking the rest of us had to make.

I remember thinking it was a sad that so many people were too fat to walk and were living the lark life UNTIL! I noticed that these fat bodies did not own the larks. They had stickers on them from whatever park it was.

Let’s say I were handicapped or compromised in some way that made me require the use of a lark. I paid $,$$$ for my lark and hooked it up to my car to travel to Disney World.
If when I got there I saw loads of people snapping up free loaner larks, driving like maniacs and giving the real lark drivers a bad name I would kick their asses one at a time.

Let me ask you this is it wrong to wish the fake handicapped get hit by a bus and become real handicapped?

Another thing you people with a broken toe are very borderline. I saw you out there as well. I bet the second you felt that toe snap you called your travel agent. If you view a broken toe as winning the Disney World lotto I think you are not a lot better than the fake handicapped, you are just the temporary opportunist handicapped.

Thank God I’m not handicapped but if I ever am you fools better watch out I’m going to build a wicked lark of whip ass that you don’t want to see coming.

#2

Wow, I am sure my severely-asthmatic, overweight-because-if-she-exerts-herself-she-can’t-breathe mother (No, she doesn’t eat sweets) who enjoys taking her kids and grandkids to the amusement park is glad she never let anyone talk her into using one of those so that she could maybe use some of the rides instead of sitting on the bench outside the line (because she couldn’t walk far enough to make it through the line) and watching. She might have offended your sensibilities.

#3

Nope She can ride all day.

she has a “real” reason to do so.

#4

Ah, so you asked all those people using them who weren’t obviously handicapped to determine which ones to detest as fakers?

#5

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=33001

#6

Kat

No. I don’t care what any of them think.

My observation was that a lot of people were abusing the system and because I am not handicapped it made me mad.

If I were handicapped and was being deprived of services like larks, parking spots, etc. because people were abusing the system I would be more than just mad.

Like if I were your Mom and could not park in a handicapped spot (if I needed one) because an 18-year-old soccer player parked across 2 spots with a sports car. I also meant if I walked 20 miles and had to stand in line an extra 30 min. with my family because of the things I mentioned before.

I don’t have a clear plan on getting a positive id on the fake handicapped but it does not make me loath them any less.

#7

I’m sorry, but if you did not ascertain which ones were “fake” and which ones were just not obviously handicapped, I still do not understand how you knew which ones to loathe. Which means, yes, my mother stood a good chance of offending your delicate sensibilities, because you cannot tell that a person is asthamatic by looking at them.

#8

Thanks for the link Green Bean.

The link tells about the same story. I don’t think the Wal-mart guy was interested in performing a medical exam on people to see who had a real problem.

The heart of the matter is in the details like the old guy on a cane while all the larks were all in use, and the “fat” people never, ever, ever, ever using the manual wheelchairs.

My gripe is not about fat people but rather the fake handicapped.
I just noticed a large preponderance of the free larkers were fat and IMHO did not feel like walking but would rather enjoy riding and while they were at it skipping a long wait in line.

These scumbags could have been skinny and I would have felt the same way.

#9

Jesus, did you evern read Green Bean’s link other than the OP?

How do you know those people were not asthmatic? How do you know they did not have knee/joint problems? Or one of the other possibilities mentioned in that thread? You don’t, but you loathe them anyway.

#10

Handicapped people should be ticketed for parking in non-handicapped spaces :slight_smile:

#11

Moderator’s note:

Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between a forceful opinion and a rant. This sounds more on the rant side to me, involving some hot buttons, e.g. weight, “faked” disabilities, etc. to boot. I’m moving it over to the Pit.

TVeblen
for IMHO

#12

Well, my gripe is when Handicapped parking is also free or unmetered when the other spaces require a fee. Okay, you get a spot close to the elevator/door because that’s appropriate. It’s a legitimate hardship for you to take the stairs or walk a longer distance. However, that doesn’t mean it needs to be free!

Hell, I’ll bet they’re insulted, too! Like a bum leg or being in a wheelchair automatically means they’re incapable of earning a living. Harumph.

#13

uhhh…did you read the thread that I linked to waxteeth? I wasn’t trying to help you out.

There were manny peoples in that thread who had explained eloquently why the OP was wrong, and therefore why you are wrong. I just figured I’d save us all some time.

#14

This is because many of the people who have handicapped parking permits have a hard time getting around and walk slowly. They often would not be able to get to the meter in time. One also has to PAY to get a handicapped parking permit, not to mention getting a doctor to vouch for the fact that the applicant is handicapped.

It makes life a touch easier for the disabled, and gives them a chance to get around. What’s your problem with that?

#15

Well, hey, Waxteeth, I’m sitting here smiling, enjoying the mental image of all the handicapped do-it-yourselfers, down at Lowe’s or Menards on a Saturday morning.

I was just down at Lowe’s this morning myself, and come to think of it, I did see a guy riding around in one of those motorized shopping carts, in Plumbing. :smiley:

#16

Heh.

Lark People.

I am I the only one who had a picture of some weird half human/half bird type thing (a la Hawkman) flash through their heads?

Maybe it was just the cough syrup…

#17

Hey Green Bean
There is no way I am “wrong”. I don’t care if you line up people across the globe that don’t agree with me. I don’t like people that fake a disability and cause me to wait a split second in line longer than need be.

Kat

If you are saying that I would not know your mother had asthma, and therefore cast an undeserving loathing on her I can understand your point but…

The real thing is that my loathing is of the fake handicapped not those that I suspect are faking but turn out to have a disability. Do you understand what I am trying to say?

Another way might be to ask you if you are in favor of me faking a disability and using a resource that a real handicapped person desperately needed but was now unavailable?

This is the point of my loathing. If you were handicapped and I was not but parked in your handicapped spot would you be ok with that?

It’s not about determining my medical conditions it’s about faking a disability.

#18

It is becoming more and more obvious waxteeth, that you don’t have to fake a disability. If you feel the need to pack your lame brain around on a handicap scooter, you have my support.

Yuck Foo!

#19

Ok, I will finally bite. I kept my mouth shut in Quslings thread but I think I am going to let the fingers loose here because I am starting to get pissed off.

Point #1
No, you cannot tell who really needs a wheelchair or motorized scooter or basket just by looking at them.

Point #2
People that are disabled for whatever reason should be able to use these devices without feeling any guilt. You have a reason for it dammit. Don’t feel guilty, If people are giving you bizzare looks give them a bizzare look right back for being so idiotic to think that a disablity must be visable or it doesn’t count. Fuck’em. They aren’t worth your time.

Point # 3
Unfortunately, there are lazy people in this world. People that think it is neat, or are just too lazy to walk around the store EVEN THOUGH THEY CAN with no problem. People like this are the ones that take the handicapped spots because they are too fucking lazy to WALK ten fucking more spaces. These are the people that make my blood boil. No, I cannot tell who they are just by looking at them. I don’t presume to judge who is who by that value alone. But they DO exist! It isn’t fair when all the handicapped spots are taken by people that DON’T have stickers and or plates denoting their right, and my grandfather has to walk from the other end of the parking lot.

I saw one today, a fucking SUV drivin yuppie who I watched RUN into the store and then twenty minutes later walk VERY fast back out with his twentyseven inch TV and pick it up to put it in his car himself. And guess what, he had no sticker, no card, no plate, NO RIGHT to park in that spot! And I was very happy when he saw the ticket on his windsheld and watched him RUN over to the poice cruiser and hop up and down as he demanded that the ticket was unfair, he was only parked their for a few minutes.

I just would like to take a moment to say here…

“Hey, Mr. SUV drivin’ yuppie! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”
So are we clear? If you need it, use it, you have every right to. If you don’t need it, don’t take away the oppourtunity for others to use what they need, just because you feel lazy today. Ok?

#20

Just to clear something up, in my state and a few others I know of, it’s illegal to charge for handicapped spots. While state fairs and amusement parks may charge everyone, they’re not right, it is the municipalities that are in the right (by not charging for that parking). I believe, although I have no back-up on this, that these laws were designed to help prevent businesses from charging for up-front spots, or charging so much that they are not used, and therefore fewer spaces are required.