# Where Was Jamie McGarry When I Needed Him? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 30, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405 "2011-06-30T17:26:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/61 "2011-07-09T04:16:04Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > TECHNICALLY-no. It’s not legal. But for all intents and purposes, how is it ever going to be discovered? It’s an example of quasi-legal abuse. Well don’t do this in Irvine Ca. About 10 years ago the police chief there had lunch with a friend that had a handicap tag. The friend bitched about able bodied people parking in HC spaces. The chief didn’t believe the scope of the problem. So his friend bet him $5 over it. The chief had a few officers check at the local mall. A majority of people using the HC spaces were abusing the placard. Chief paid up and established a regular patrol of all the HC spots in his city. They have written tons of very expensive tickets AND taken away a pile of abused tags. 😃 ---
**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:** [July 9, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/62 "2011-07-09T04:20:19Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > I parked and got out, noticing that she was still sitting in her car (which was not running) even though she was no longer eating. I went on in to the gym, only to see her walk on in a minute later seemingly unhindered by any sort of disability. However, obviously all physical disabilities are not visible or obvious (and she DID have a placard), even though she was displaying no problem walking herself into a place one goes for physical exercise and activity. So, several minutes later after we had both been in the gym for awhile, I approach her while she is on a machine. “Hey, how are you?”, I ask her, just to break the ice. She knew exactly why I was approaching and she was trying to avoid looking at me as I had been wheeling her way; “Oh, good, and you?”, is her meek reply. > > “I was simply curious and I don’t mean this as any sort of accusation or anything but can I ask you what you disability is?” She wont even make eye contact with me. “I broke my leg awhile back and I still can’t walk right”. There was nothing on either of her legs but shorts, socks and shoes. “But you walked in here, TO A GYM, just fine.” “Yeah but I’m not running or anything”. “But you still could have had no problem parking in a regular spot and WALKING in to this GYM to workout.” “People genuinely need to park in those spots and you are taking that from them.” “Ok.” “You and I both know that just because you still have a placard from when you broke your leg doesn’t mean you should still use it when you are healed up just fine. Healed up enough to come work out no less.” She had nothing to say. I went on with my day. > > I’m guessing everyone here is going to pile on me for having the nerve to question this girl about her disability. But given the context, I feel like it was appropriate. Wow. That was an extremely shitty thing to do. And quite frankly, if I were said girl, I would have told you, “None of your goddamned business.” ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/63 "2011-07-09T05:42:58Z")
I agree it was a shitty thing to do, it’s not something I would have done, and if I were her I’d have told you to mind your own business. However, I think more public shaming of people abusing the system (whatever that system is) is good. I bet she stops using that placard if she’s not disabled and knows its wrong to abuse it. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/64 "2011-07-09T07:41:12Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > I agree it was a shitty thing to do, it’s not something I would have done, and if I were her I’d have told you to mind your own business. > > However, I think more public shaming of people abusing the system (whatever that system is) is good. I bet she stops using that placard if she’s not disabled and knows its wrong to abuse it. So which is it? A shitty thing to do or a good “public shaming of abuse of the system”? I don’t see how it can be both. And let me just say, this isn’t even a debate. This was total bullshit. This was a blue placard. You dont’ get a blue placard for a broken leg. She had someone else’s placard. She was working out like she’s never suffered from any serious injury ever. You must keep in mind, this is Flint. It’s basically lawless out here and people don’t care. They know there will be absolutely no repurcussions to parking in handicap spots, so it’s everywhere. Like I’ve said, I’ve never done such a thing before; and I most likely never will again. The context made all the difference here though. And I didn’t berate her or yell at her, I simply told her the things I did and went on. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/65 "2011-07-09T07:42:12Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Wow. That was an extremely shitty thing to do. And quite frankly, if I were said girl, I would have told you, “None of your goddamned business.” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/66 "2011-07-09T07:47:46Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Wow. That was an extremely shitty thing to do. And quite frankly, if I were said girl, I would have told you, “None of your goddamned business.” Will you marry me?🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/67 "2011-07-09T07:50:56Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > :eek: Let’s be honest–if someone came up to you and asked you about your disability and how you got it while you were working out, would you smile graciously and tell them or would you scowl at them while mentally composing your next Pit thread? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/68 "2011-07-09T07:54:20Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Let’s be honest–if someone came up to you and asked you about your disability and how you got it while you were working out, would you smile graciously and tell them or would you scowl at them while mentally composing your next Pit thread? OMG, I encourage anyone and everyone I ever meet to never hesitate to ask me any question they may have. I make a point of that. I love talking about my disability. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/69 "2011-07-09T14:20:13Z")
Wow you are obnoxious Jamie. I would have told you to eff off. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/70 "2011-07-09T14:21:15Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > I love talking about my disability. really? We had no idea. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/71 "2011-07-09T16:01:44Z")
Back to the OP … It made me think of a bit by some well-known stand-up comedian though I don’t remember who. Yesterday I beat up some guy in a wheel chair. … (pause for perfect comedic timing) Yeah … I caught him parking on one of \*our \*spaces. Ba dump dump!! ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/72 "2011-07-12T01:49:57Z")
Had another moment today…This time it was at Meijer (grocery store) where I go to do my shopping. I pulled into one of the handicap spots (it’s probably 10pm, I like to do my shopping later-less people in the store) and notice a car in the handicap spot across from me sitting there idling. There was a man inside, and as I was getting out I noticed that there was no placard on his dash or hanging on his rearview. Well I didn’t see if the license plate had an ID or not, I just let it go and gave the guy the benefit of the doubt and went on into the store. 20 min or so later (I just had to grab a couple things), I come out to the parking lot to see this guy still there, only now there was a woman with him unloading groceries into the car. I came up the other way so I could see the back of his car, and sure enough, there was no ID on his license plate either. He had just been waiting in the spot while his wife went inside to do shopping (and it wasn’t one or two things, it was 3 or 4 bags). I got into my car (where I know they had seen me, and the guy had seen me get out, too) and drove over to their car. I asked them if they had a permit to park there. “No, but we weren’t here very long”, was the guy’s response. The woman was looking at me like it was ME that was doing something wrong. “I would have moved if someone had asked me to.” “I would have moved if someone had asked me to.” I think that statement is the way alot of people who park in handicap spots illegally think. But think of those people that actually make up the majority of the disabled community. It is a segment of the population that is ripe for being walked all over. How likely is it that someone is actually going to ask an illegally parked asshole to please move? Not very likely. I calmly asked him if he could please wait in a regular spot next time, pointing over about ten feet to the regular spots. He was cool. His wife, or girlfriend was not really. She looked like she wanted to strangle me. “We weren’t here for 20minutes!”, she proclaimed (among other things). I just ignored that bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/73 "2011-07-12T02:06:38Z")
I’m sorry, I said “today”, it was last night. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/74 "2011-07-12T02:16:03Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > I’m guessing everyone here is going to pile on me for having the nerve to question this girl about her disability. But given the context, I feel like it was appropriate. I think its pretty awesome! 😃 I admire your courage, which is probably generated from years of having to deal with this BS > [@Guinastasia](#): > > Wow. That was an extremely shitty thing to do. And quite frankly, if I were said girl, I would have told you, “None of your goddamned business.” And you’d be wrong. It is his business, its everybody’s business, and just because some of us don’t have the courage to confront people or are so passive we let these things slide doesn’t make him wrong. Jamie broke conventions, went against what 99% of people would do and did the right thing and confronted the person. He didn’t call the police on her, he had a simple talk and even gave her the opportunity to admit fault. He didn’t roll up and start yelling like her, he went to her as another human being whose disability makes him notice these things when the rest of us wouldn’t. I’d say its a lot more shitty what the girl did, and I’m glad someone called her out on her bullshit ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/75 "2011-07-12T02:19:10Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > “I would have moved if someone had asked me to.” I think that statement is the way alot of people who park in handicap spots illegally think. But think of those people that actually make up the majority of the disabled community. It is a segment of the population that is ripe for being walked all over. \*\* How likely is it that someone is actually going to ask an illegally parked asshole to please move?\*\* Not very likely. I calmly asked him if he could please wait in a regular spot next time, pointing over about ten feet to the regular spots. He was cool. His wife, or girlfriend was not really. She looked like she wanted to strangle me. “We weren’t here for 20minutes!”, she proclaimed (among other things). I just ignored that bitch. And considering some of the responses on this thread, people think you’re being an asshole if you do raise the issue. Its hypocrisy. People want to be able to violate these things without someone calling them out, and they get mad even knowing they were in the wrong ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/76 "2011-07-12T03:32:54Z")
> [@](#): > > I would have moved if someone had asked me to. And so someone who has mobility problems is supposed to get out of the car, ask an entitlement whore to move, and take the chance that said EW isn’t going to flip out? Most people who are actually entitled to park in a handicapped spot are not very mobile. That’s WHY they have the plate or placard. It’s not right to expect someone who has mobility problems to hop in and out of his/her car to tap on the window of someone who’s parked illegally. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/77 "2011-07-12T03:38:58Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > And so someone who has mobility problems is supposed to get out of the car, ask an entitlement whore to move, and take the chance that said EW isn’t going to flip out? Most people who are actually entitled to park in a handicapped spot are not very mobile. That’s WHY they have the plate or placard. It’s not right to expect someone who has mobility problems to hop in and out of his/her car to tap on the window of someone who’s parked illegally. Exactly. Or, even staying in the vehicles, you can’t expect EVERY disabled person to be a confrontational asshole like me and actually ask the person if they could please move. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/78 "2011-07-12T03:58:56Z")
I consider this situation to be like a guy double-parking while his wife was getting groceries. If the other HP spaces were filled up and you needed his, you could just toot the horn; that’s why he was remaining in the car with it running: to be able to move on a moment’s notice. It would have made more sense for him to park in the regular spots 10 feet away and move when he saw his wife coming out. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/79 "2011-07-12T04:34:30Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > Exactly. Or, even staying in the vehicles, you can’t expect EVERY disabled person to be a confrontational asshole like me and actually ask the person if they could please move. DISCLAIMER Tongue was lodged firmly in-cheek during the composition and transmission of this post. (for the people jumping at the chance to say I called myself a “confrontational asshole”, “hey, there your own words”…) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405/80 "2011-07-12T04:51:46Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > DISCLAIMER > Tongue was lodged firmly in-cheek during the composition and transmission of this post. > > (for the people jumping at the chance to say I called myself a “confrontational asshole”, “hey, there your own words”…) 😃 Damn it! Never mind. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-jamie-mcgarry-when-i-needed-him/587405.md?page=5)