# "You know, that's handicapped parking spot!" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 13, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328 "2011-06-13T17:13:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/381 "2011-06-20T02:56:17Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > An acquaintance wrote a piece about accessibility for people with disabilities; she was specifically addressing snow/ice removal but her larger point holds:When you use reserved parking spots to which you are not legally or ethically entitled, when you block access ramps, when you keep people out of places where they need to be, you’re engaging in an overt and intentional act of discrimination. This brings to mind another flagrant abuse issue regarding handicap parking. In those areas that experience cold winter months, unbelievably, MANY establishments, when plowing snow and removing ice, will push the end-pile of snow INTO THE HANDICAP SPOTS!! This make sense, right? Because no one ever parks there and it’s a good use of space. I mean, it’s hard finding areas to dispose of all that snow, isn’t it? On MANY occasions, when this happens, I have no choice but to park my car out in the middle of the parking lot. If I were to try parking in a regular spot, more likely than not I would have found myself unable to get back into my car because another car had parked next to me, making me unable to fit my wheelchair in between the two cars. And when this happens, ESPECIALLY in the brutal winter months, with inches upon inches of snow on the ground, you do everything you can to make sure it never happens again. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/382 "2011-06-20T16:21:15Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > This brings to mind another flagrant abuse issue regarding handicap parking. In those areas that experience cold winter months, unbelievably, MANY establishments, when plowing snow and removing ice, will push the end-pile of snow INTO THE HANDICAP SPOTS!! This make sense, right? Because no one ever parks there and it’s a good use of space. I mean, it’s hard finding areas to dispose of all that snow, isn’t it? On MANY occasions, when this happens, I have no choice but to park my car out in the middle of the parking lot. If I were to try parking in a regular spot, more likely than not I would have found myself unable to get back into my car because another car had parked next to me, making me unable to fit my wheelchair in between the two cars. And when this happens, ESPECIALLY in the brutal winter months, with inches upon inches of snow on the ground, you do everything you can to make sure it never happens again. I hope you sent them a strongly worded letter, at the least. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/383 "2011-06-20T21:39:05Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > First of all, I keep using the word “convenience”, and I don’t want that to be misread as necessarily implying triviality. Handicapped spaces are there to make life easier for handicapped people, not to make life fundamentally possible. Handicapped people survived without them, but they make their quality of life better Remember, cripples: being able to leave your home at all “makes life easier.” You can survive without it! People should be able to take that ability away from you if they make a personal judgement that it’s more convenient for them to save a minute’s walk to get an iced beverage. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/384 "2011-06-20T23:45:26Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Remember, cripples: being able to leave your home at all “makes life easier.” You can survive without it! People should be able to take that ability away from you if they make a personal judgement that it’s more convenient for them to save a minute’s walk to get an iced beverage. I know, I don’t need groceries, or feed for the chickens. Everybody knows you can just pick up a phone and stuff magically gets delivered out to the middle of nowhere. And specialists like my cardiologist, endocrinologist and orthopedist make housecalls… ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/385 "2011-06-21T00:27:20Z")
It’s so much easier if us freaks stay at home and out of sight, I understand, that means you don’t need to think about anybody but yourselves and what’s more you don’t have to explain to your innocent children that some people are physically different than they are. It also means you can park in _any space you want!_ Ooh, that’s what’s really important in life! ---
**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:** [June 21, 2011, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/386 "2011-06-21T12:47:31Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Remember, cripples: being able to leave your home at all “makes life easier.” You can survive without it! People should be able to take that ability away from you if they make a personal judgement that it’s more convenient for them to save a minute’s walk to get an iced beverage. You do know that these parking spots are still outside, right, just like the regular spots? What’s the percentage of handicapped people that drive up to the store, find no handicapped spots and say “Well, I guess I gotta go back home”? ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/387 "2011-06-21T12:53:09Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > You do know that these parking spots are still outside, right, just like the regular spots? What’s the percentage of handicapped people that drive up to the store, find no handicapped spots and say “Well, I guess I gotta go back home”? Don’t you think the fact they are qualified for handicapped parking means that they sort of need the access/load space that handicapped parking spots provide? I mean, yeah, in a parking lot at least, there’s plenty of spots that, say, a wheelchair user can find to unload. But then he does his shopping or whatever and comes back to see that the previously empty spot next to him is now occupied by another car, as it is meant to be. What’s his option now? ---
**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:** [June 21, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/388 "2011-06-21T14:25:23Z")
> [@sugaree](#): > > Don’t you think the fact they are qualified for handicapped parking means that they sort of need the access/load space that handicapped parking spots provide? > > I mean, yeah, in a parking lot at least, there’s plenty of spots that, say, a wheelchair user can find to unload. But then he does his shopping or whatever and comes back to see that the previously empty spot next to him is now occupied by another car, as it is meant to be. What’s his option now? I guess if you really need the extra space guaranteed, take up two normal spots when you park. But it really depends on the disability. Some can get out of their chair for short distances so they could just back out and load up. Many others (in fact mostly, from what I see) who can legally use the parking do not require the extra space at all, they’re driving normal cars. I just think it’s over-the-top hyperbole to say we are banishing handicapped people to their homes by taking up one of the spots for 15 minutes - in the majority, it really does come down to a level of convenience. And honestly, I don’t think I ever remember all the handicapped spots being taken up. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/389 "2011-06-21T14:25:28Z")
> **[Paraplegic man confronts man illegally parked in handicapped spot, gets his...](https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2011/03/paraplegic_man_confronts_man_i.html)** > > FLINT — Jamie McGarry did what he thought was right when he confronted a man who illegally parked in a handicapped spot at Hurley Health and Fitness. I’m sure this will illicit a wide-range of responses. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/390 "2011-06-21T15:00:02Z")
My daughter is handicapped. She gets along on crutches for short distances but uses her wheelchair mostly now. When we go out to the movies or to lunch, I hardly ever bring her wheelchair because it’s a pain to get into my trunk, and she’d rather not rely on it just to get into a building where she’s going end up sitting anyway. So what we normally do is, I drop her off at the front door – usually blocking every loading zone and fire lane that’s there – and then I go park somewhere and meet her inside. Am I an asshole for blocking loading zones and fire lanes on behalf of my daughter? Or is it cool because she’s handicapped? My point being … lighten up people. Fucking melodrama. Eonwe isn’t a psychopath, and most handicapped people I know don’t freak out like their puppy was just kicked when a spot they need is temporarily blocked. Can’t we all just get along? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/391 "2011-06-21T15:04:43Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > My daughter is handicapped. She gets along on crutches for short distances but uses her wheelchair mostly now. When we go out to the movies or to lunch, I hardly ever bring her wheelchair because it’s a pain to get into my trunk, and she’d rather not rely on it just to get into a building where she’s going end up sitting anyway. So what we normally do is, I drop her off at the front door – usually blocking every loading zone and fire lane that’s there – and then I go park somewhere and meet her inside. > > Am I an asshole for blocking loading zones and fire lanes on behalf of my daughter? Or is it cool because she’s handicapped? > > My point being … lighten up people. Fucking melodrama. Eonwe isn’t a psychopath, and most handicapped people I know don’t freak out like their puppy was just kicked when a spot they need is temporarily blocked. > > Can’t we all just get along? Ummmm…why don’t u just park in the freaking handicap spot and go from there? That way you’d have close access to the entrance AND you wouldn’t be breaking the law by blocking fire lanes and loading zones. Everyone wins. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/392 "2011-06-21T15:06:58Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > Ummmm…why don’t u just park in the freaking handicap spot and go from there? That way you’d have close access to the entrance AND you wouldn’t be breaking the law by blocking fire lanes and loading zones. Everyone wins. :smack: Except my daughter who would have to walk on her cruthes three times as far. It is simply easier for everyone involved to do it my way. But then, I guess I am an asshole, huh? I can live with that. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/393 "2011-06-21T15:08:20Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Except my daughter who would have to walk on her cruthes three times as far. It is simply easier for everyone involved to do it my way. But then, I guess I am an asshole, huh? > > I can live with that. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/394 "2011-06-21T15:12:34Z")
What are you rolling your eyes about? It’s easier on my daughter to get from the fire lane to the front door that it is from the handicap spot. And not a single person has ever given me shit for doing that. Except you. Imagine my chagrin. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheField](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@LilyoftheField](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheField)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/395 "2011-06-21T15:12:46Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Can’t we all just get along? In the pit? :eek: What can you be thinking?? As long as my pure self righteous heart still beats in my pure self righteous breast, I will continue to make arbitrary judgments and rain insults and invective about the ever so wrong actions of those less pure and righteous than myself. That’s just how its done here. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/396 "2011-06-21T15:51:16Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Am I an asshole for blocking loading zones and fire lanes on behalf of my daughter? _But what if a fire broke out right then and the fire police came and then there was nowhere to put the fire out and then everyone in the building burned up and died?!_ People rely on those spots for emergencies, you asshole. ---
**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:** [June 21, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/397 "2011-06-21T16:13:06Z")
I’d like to point out that many, perhaps even most, people who qualify for the handicapped hangers/plates don’t have someone available to drive them wherever they go. They have to drive themselves. I’d also like to point out that dropping someone off is different than unloading a vehicle. When dropping someone off, the driver either remains in the vehicle, or at most is right beside the vehicle. When unloading a vehicle…the driver is moving in and out of the vehicle and the building. In the first case, the driver can move immediately. In the second case, the driver usually goes inside a building, to get the equipment secured against theft. ---
**Author:** ![randomface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@randomface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randomface)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/398 "2011-06-21T16:14:03Z")
You are still in the car, able to move it in an emergency. Plus, a fire truck will have no qualms with asking you to move, politely or otherwise. They have the authority of the state. A handicapped person does not. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/399 "2011-06-21T16:18:36Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I DO know that in most places, there are not as many handicapped spots as there are people with legitimate handicapped plates/hangers. I wouldn’t dream of defending the OP, but this is also crap. The reason why there are almost always handicapped spots open for non-handicapped people to illegitimately use is that the supply for the most part comfortably exceeds the need. About the only place and time I frequently see all the handicapped spots in use is at restaurants on weekend evenings. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/400 "2011-06-21T16:41:46Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I wouldn’t dream of defending the OP, but this is also crap. The reason why there are almost always handicapped spots open for non-handicapped people to illegitimately use is that the supply for the most part comfortably exceeds the need. > > About the only place and time I frequently see all the handicapped spots in use is at restaurants on weekend evenings. This is, as I believe has been covered upthread, highly regionally variable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328.md?page=21)