# Veterans only parking **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 10, 2015, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203 "2015-11-10T16:46:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/21 "2015-11-10T18:33:57Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > How is this different from a business having “Whites only” parking? I thought both race and veteran status were protected categories. I don’t think there’s any law protecting against discrimination based on veteran status by private businesses. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/22 "2015-11-10T18:38:15Z")
Separating true, genuine support of any group, from veterans, mothers, expectant mothers, disabled, senior citizens or what have you, from an attempt at marketing is problematic at best. I suspect that these are more on the marketing ploy than an effort to support vets. I have more issue with the proliferation of handicap parking permits than this. This I couldn’t care less about. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/23 "2015-11-10T18:47:44Z")
I’m still outraged by that restaurant I went to where all the best parking spots were designated for Bears fans only. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/24 "2015-11-10T18:48:28Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > Separating true, genuine support of any group, from veterans, mothers, expectant mothers, disabled, senior citizens or what have you, from an attempt at marketing is problematic at best. > > I suspect that these are more on the marketing ploy than an effort to support vets. > > I have more issue with the proliferation of handicap parking permits than this. This I couldn’t care less about. So you think too much handicapped parking is a problem, but not too much parking for people who don’t actually need special parking spaces? Hmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/25 "2015-11-10T18:53:20Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I was with you on that. I was going to say perhaps it is guilt over the failure to take care of wounded vets when they return. But then you ruined it with this: Yeah - unfortunately, in my job I get to see a great number of completely BS claims that are receiving 100% disab. And these guys have an amazing sense of entitlement. Really tarnishes my thoughts towards (likely the majority of) more deserving vets. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/26 "2015-11-10T18:55:31Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I saw a “Veterans Only” parking sign at a local grocery store recently. It seems to be permanent and not just for Veterans Day. > > Come on. > > I can see giving special spaces to people who need them because they have extra trouble getting around, like the disabled or pregnant or parents with small kids, but veterans? It’s gone from mobility to “employee of the month” parking, giving them something just because they are special. > > I have no problem with honoring vets, and no problem with disabled vets using handicapped parking, but does every person who happens to have served in the military need, or want, special parking at the grocery store? And who is next to be honored for being special? Teachers? They’re mighty important. Police and firefighters? Nurses? They deserve it too. You can honor any group you chose to. If you own a parking lot, you could designate special parking for them provided you’ve met any local, state, and federal requirements for public parking. Are you debating that veterans don’t deserve a designated parking space, or that teachers, police, firefighters, and nurses should be given designated parking spaces? ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/27 "2015-11-10T18:55:34Z")
They should only be for veterans of wars we won. Motivate the troops to greater gallantry that way. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/28 "2015-11-10T19:02:34Z")
Parking only for culturally diverse disabled veteran expectant mothers. Parking for African-Americans is in the red zone, not the white zone. No parking in the red zone. No Irish need park. No Jewish untermenschen. Please fill out the Equal Opportunity form at the parking kiosk before you enter the building. Diabetics not permitted between 2PM and 5PM on Tuesdays. Men are rapists and can’t park in this violence-free white ribbon safety zone. Please display satisfactory background check results on your car’s windshield. Sex offenders must register at least 24 hours prior to passing within 1000 feet of this point. We reserve the right to vandalize gas guzzling SUV’s. Cars with foreign plates must display immigration paperwork. The parking attendant is autistic - don’t talk to him. GM cars only. Thank you for not spreading your AIDS at this parking location. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/29 "2015-11-10T19:03:42Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > You can honor any group you chose to. If you own a parking lot, you could designate special parking for them provided you’ve met any local, state, and federal requirements for public parking. Obviously. > [@](#): > > Are you debating that veterans don’t deserve a designated parking space, or that teachers, police, firefighters, and nurses should be given designated parking spaces? I’m asking why veterans deserve it but the other groups don’t. My point is that, as I stated before, just handing out parking spaces because you like people or want to honor them is nice, but it opens up a can of worms. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/30 "2015-11-10T19:04:55Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > Parking only for culturally diverse disabled veteran expectant mothers. Parking for African-Americans is in the red zone, not the white zone. No parking in the red zone. No Irish need park. No Jewish untermenschen. Please fill out the Equal Opportunity form at the parking kiosk before you enter the building. Diabetics not permitted between 2PM and 5PM on Tuesdays. Men are rapists and can’t park in this violence-free white ribbon safety zone. Please display satisfactory background check results on your car’s windshield. Sex offenders must register at least 24 hours prior to passing within 1000 feet of this point. We reserve the right to vandalize gas guzzling SUV’s. Cars with foreign plates must display immigration paperwork. The parking attendant is autistic - don’t talk to him. GM cars only. Thank you for not spreading your AIDS at this parking location. I am offended! GM cars only? How dare you! ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/31 "2015-11-10T19:05:08Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > That wasn’t directed at me, was it? I hope not, because if so, it’s wrong on so many levels, which I’ll explain if it was. What I stated was basically that is gives rise (to quote another poster) to ‘meh’ on my rage o meter. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/32 "2015-11-10T19:06:52Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > What I stated was basically that is gives rise (to quote another poster) to ‘meh’ on my rage o meter. Mine too. I just noticed it and wanted to talk about it because it’s interesting. No “rage” whatsoever. It’s just a discussion. If you want to participate, feel free. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/33 "2015-11-10T19:17:47Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > So you think too much handicapped parking is a problem, but not too much parking for people who don’t actually need special parking spaces? Hmmmm. A swing and a miss there **lance strongarm** , as I wrote neither of the two things you attributed to me. Not a great average on a post with only four sentences. As I wrote I couldn’t care less about the vets parking. Have it, don’t have - it’s up to Home Depot or whomever. But there is a proliferation of fraudulently obtained handicap or disabled placards throughout the nation. Per the L.A. Times, ~10% of Californians have handicap placards, and they believe that 30% of those are fraudulent. That I have issue with. Two parking spaces out of 1,000 labeled for expectant mothers, vets or people with purple eyes, as I wrote earlier - couldn’t care less. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/34 "2015-11-10T19:35:00Z")
I like the vet and expectant mother parking spaces. It means there’s often some open spots close to the store and you don’t get a ticket when you use them, unlike the handicap spots. spifflog, you didn’t mention fraud in your earlier post. Kind of makes your comeback to lance a little bullshitty. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/35 "2015-11-10T19:39:36Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I’m asking why veterans deserve it but the other groups don’t. > > My point is that, as I stated before, just handing out parking spaces because you like people or want to honor them is nice, but it opens up a can of worms. You need to ask the person who designated the parking space why they decided to do so. If I owned a public parking lot, I would probably designate a spot for disabled veterans in addition to the legally required spots for disabled parking. I would also designate a spot for motorcycles. If anyone wants to open up a can of worms, I’ll refer them to the bikers. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/36 "2015-11-10T19:52:58Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I am offended! > > GM cars only? How dare you! What about our jobs? Shouldn’t we protect them? American jobs are being exiled overseas by abusive manufacturing companies. They need quotas to survive and thrive. ---
**Author:** ![inscrutable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a88e4f/32.png) [@inscrutable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inscrutable)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/37 "2015-11-10T20:30:59Z")
> [@bizerta](#): > > My gripe is disabled permits used to excess. Like when one spouse is disabled and the other spouse uses the permit even when the disabled spouse is not in the car. Or the cars is parked in a disabled spot and then waits in the car when a non-disabled party goes into the store. There are usually plenty of disabled spots, but the real problem is someone with a disabled permit/plate NOT using a disabled spot, but instead taking up a regular spot, especially when the lot is crowded! ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/38 "2015-11-10T20:42:38Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > But there is a proliferation of fraudulently obtained handicap or disabled placards throughout the nation. Per the L.A. Times, ~10% of Californians have handicap placards, and they believe that 30% of those are fraudulent. > > That I have issue with. Two parking spaces out of 1,000 labeled for expectant mothers, vets or people with purple eyes, as I wrote earlier - couldn’t care less. Thanks for clarifying. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/39 "2015-11-10T20:44:32Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > You need to ask the person who designated the parking space why they decided to do so. If I owned a public parking lot, I would probably designate a spot for disabled veterans in addition to the legally required spots for disabled parking. DISABLED veterans, sure. They are disabled. It makes sense to give them special treatment for parking. I’m talking about just plain veterans. > [@](#): > > I would also designate a spot for motorcycles. If anyone wants to open up a can of worms, I’ll refer them to the bikers. 😃 Spots for motorcyclists make sense too if they are smaller - they open up more spaces for cars. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203/40 "2015-11-10T20:45:31Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I’m a veteran and I would not use a veteran only parking spot. I got out of the Air Force 23 years ago with all my parts intact. Got a couple of medals while I was in, got some GI Bill after I got out. When I die, they’ll put a flag on my coffin, then fold it up and present it to my wife after the service. Fair deal. I don’t need or want a parking spot. Give that to someone that needs it. Ditto. The adulation and near worship of our military has tipped over into the crazy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veterans-only-parking/737203.md?page=3)