Where Was Jamie McGarry When I Needed Him?

[Broomstick]

This is one of those bizarre aggravations that insert themselves into my life:

By way of background, my spouse is disabled. Thus, our car has a handicap plate on it. Now, MOST people know that such plates are for the use of disabled people, NOT their able-bodied loved ones. Thank goodness I am not required to swap out the plate prior to driving off on my own. Alright, got that?

OK, I went shopping recently, my usual rounds. Outside the local K-Mart, this little nosy busy-body apparently noticed that not only does my car have the wheelchair on the plate, but I am parking way the bleep on the end of a row far away from the door. And why not? Despite the plate I am not legally permitted to use the blue spaces unless the disabled family member is with me. He isn’t, he’s at home. Nothing wrong with my legs, no reason I can’t walk. The exercise is probably good for me anyway. Well, Ms. Busy-body comes up

“You know that there are handicapped spaces available?”
Yes, yes I know. I attempt to explain that since I am able-bodied I’m not supposed to-
“But you have handicapped plates! You HAVE TO park in the handicapped spots!”

:smack:

I have to wonder if this is the same lady I encountered some years ago in this thread.

Anyhow, she continued to insist that I park in the handicapped spot. When I finally convinced her that no, I didn’t have some hidden disability and was really able-bodied she THEN tore into me for driving a car with handicapped plates on it! Um… I’m co-owner of the car? But apparently once the plates were on ONLY handicapped people where allowed to drive it or something. According to her.

THEN she goes off to look for mall security!

Teh Stoopid was getting thick and deep, let me tell you.

Anyhow, Mall Security Guy tried to explain to her all over again that yes, able-bodied people ARE allowed to drive vehicles with handicap plates all by themselves without the disabled people on board, and no, I don’t have to park in the blue spaces. In fact, even if my disabled spouse was driving HE wasn’t obligated to park there, either!

All of which made me think of our very own Handicapped Rights Crusader (HRC) Jamie McGarry, who along with his buff body-building physique might perhaps be called HRCules. Oh, how I wished he had been there to take on this clueless busy-body. I mean, gosh darn it, I’m doing my part to keep reserved parking spaces open and be an honest and upstanding citizen and THIS little harpy has to butt her nose in and hassle me for doing the right thing.

Some days you feel like you just can’t win… And I’m beginning to wish we had stayed with just hang-tags instead of getting the plate sometimes.

[curious11]

You should have pulled out a No Whinning sticker. Once she saw that, she’d have to be quiet!

[Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge]

HRCules made me LOL. That’s all.

[emmaliminal]

Wow.

[aruvqan]

LOL I have the plates on my car as well, and have had exactly the same run ins with busybodies when I have run hubby to the store and I’m sitting in the car enjoying the windows down and sunroof open, music and a book while poor hubby does the grocery shopping :rolleyes: [I usually toss my crutches in the back seat whether or not the wheelchair is in the car or not.

[Ambivalid]

@Broomstick

This is one of those bizarre aggravations that insert themselves into my life:

By way of background, my spouse is disabled. Thus, our car has a handicap plate on it. Now, MOST people know that such plates are for the use of disabled people, NOT their able-bodied loved ones. Thank goodness I am not required to swap out the plate prior to driving off on my own. Alright, got that?

OK, I went shopping recently, my usual rounds. Outside the local K-Mart, this little nosy busy-body apparently noticed that not only does my car have the wheelchair on the plate, but I am parking way the bleep on the end of a row far away from the door. And why not? Despite the plate I am not legally permitted to use the blue spaces unless the disabled family member is with me. He isn’t, he’s at home. Nothing wrong with my legs, no reason I can’t walk. The exercise is probably good for me anyway. Well, Ms. Busy-body comes up

“You know that there are handicapped spaces available?”
Yes, yes I know. I attempt to explain that since I am able-bodied I’m not supposed to-
“But you have handicapped plates! You HAVE TO park in the handicapped spots!”

:smack:

I have to wonder if this is the same lady I encountered some years ago in this thread.

Anyhow, she continued to insist that I park in the handicapped spot. When I finally convinced her that no, I didn’t have some hidden disability and was really able-bodied she THEN tore into me for driving a car with handicapped plates on it! Um… I’m co-owner of the car? But apparently once the plates were on ONLY handicapped people where allowed to drive it or something. According to her.

THEN she goes off to look for mall security!

Teh Stoopid was getting thick and deep, let me tell you.

Anyhow, Mall Security Guy tried to explain to her all over again that yes, able-bodied people ARE allowed to drive vehicles with handicap plates all by themselves without the disabled people on board, and no, I don’t have to park in the blue spaces. In fact, even if my disabled spouse was driving HE wasn’t obligated to park there, either!

All of which made me think of our very own Handicapped Rights Crusader (HRC) Jamie McGarry, who along with his buff body-building physique might perhaps be called HRCules. Oh, how I wished he had been there to take on this clueless busy-body. I mean, gosh darn it, I’m doing my part to keep reserved parking spaces open and be an honest and upstanding citizen and THIS little harpy has to butt her nose in and hassle me for doing the right thing.

Some days you feel like you just can’t win… And I’m beginning to wish we had stayed with just hang-tags instead of getting the plate sometimes.

Jesus Christ. :smack: Wow. I’ve never heard this one before. It’s people like this lady that make all genuine efforts by those with real concerns that much harder to discern from the crap that shouldn’t even be addressed.:smack:

[Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge]

@jamiemcgarry

Jesus Christ. :smack: Wow. I’ve never heard this one before. It’s people like this lady that make all genuine efforts by those with real concerns that much harder to discern from the crap that shouldn’t even be addressed.:smack:

But would you have blocked her into her parking space as payback?

[needscoffee]

Did you tell her that you don’t even use the handicap bathroom stalls, and make her head explode?

[Brynda]

Wow. Some people genuinely don’t get it.

Nothing to do with the thread, really, but I can’t stop myself from telling this story:
One day my mom, who had (and deserved) a handicapped hang tag stopped by the truck of a young man who had just pulled into a handicapped space. She said “Don’t you hate it when people use these spaces who don’t need them?” (Yeah, she was passive aggressive.) He said “Yes, ma’m, I do” as he swung his one-legged self out of the car. One of the few times she got what she deserved.

[Ambivalid]

@Brynda

Wow. Some people genuinely don’t get it.

Nothing to do with the thread, really, but I can’t stop myself from telling this story:
One day my mom, who had (and deserved) a handicapped hang tag stopped by the truck of a young man who had just pulled into a handicapped space. She said “Don’t you hate it when people use these spaces who don’t need them?” (Yeah, she was passive aggressive.) He said “Yes, ma’m, I do” as he swung his one-legged self out of the car. One of the few times she got what she deserved.

Ha! I can relate to this story. I get mean looks and passive aggressive comments all the time from people who see a young man pulling up into a handicap space driving a sports car. I never say a thing; I simply go and get my chair out and then laugh when the accusing eyes immediately go darting off in another direction or the nasty comments get replaced with awkward silence.

[Contrapuntal]

@Brynda

Wow. Some people genuinely don’t get it.

Nothing to do with the thread, really, but I can’t stop myself from telling this story:
One day my mom, who had (and deserved) a handicapped hang tag stopped by the truck of a young man who had just pulled into a handicapped space. She said “Don’t you hate it when people use these spaces who don’t need them?” (Yeah, she was passive aggressive.) He said “Yes, ma’m, I do” as he swung his one-legged self out of the car. One of the few times she got what she deserved.

Any idea why he didn’t have a handicapped sticker?

[Ambivalid]

@Contrapuntal

Any idea why he didn’t have a handicapped sticker?

Yes, I forgot to ask that myself. Sympathy aside, there really is no excuse for a permanently disabled person to NOT have a placard/permit if they are planning on using handicap parking spots. It is their responsibility.

[needscoffee]

@Contrapuntal

Any idea why he didn’t have a handicapped sticker?

I assumed he had one but didn’t look obviously disabled at first?

[Contrapuntal]

@needscoffee

I assumed he had one but didn’t look obviously disabled at first?

Then why did Jamie’s mother confront him? Who looks disabled sitting in a truck?

[Cowboy8467]

@jamiemcgarry

Yes, I forgot to ask that myself. Sympathy aside, there really is no excuse for a permanently disabled person to NOT have a placard/permit if they are planning on using handicap parking spots. It is their responsibility.

Well, she never stated that the young man didn’t have the stickers. Her mom might have assumed that he was a young guy abusing a handicapped parking permit.

[Contrapuntal]

@Cowboy8467

Well, she never stated that the young man didn’t have the stickers. Her mom might have assumed that he was a young guy abusing a handicapped parking permit.

So she berates him before he gets out of the truck? Really?

[Cowboy8467]

@Contrapuntal

So she berates him before he gets out of the truck? Really?

Seems to me that it happens frequently, at least according to Jamie.

@jamiemcgarry

Ha! I can relate to this story. I get mean looks and passive aggressive comments all the time from people who see a young man pulling up into a handicap space driving a sports car. I never say a thing; I simply go and get my chair out and then laugh when the accusing eyes immediately go darting off in another direction or the nasty comments get replaced with awkward silence.

[needscoffee]

@Contrapuntal

So she berates him before he gets out of the truck? Really?

I think that was the point of the post.

[Ambivalid]

@Contrapuntal

Then why did Jamie’s mother confront him? Who looks disabled sitting in a truck?

Whoa, whoa. Huh? How did this get spun into being MY mother???

[Contrapuntal]

@jamiemcgarry

Whoa, whoa. Huh? How did this get spun into being MY mother???

Absolutely my mistake. My apologies.