# "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:** 22
**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, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/421 "2011-06-21T20:11:43Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > You’ve been lucky. It’s not at all uncommon for me to have to circle around a lot for 15 minutes to half an hour waiting for a spot, any spot, to open up. I wouldn’t call it so much “lucky” as “along with a majority in my town, voted in a city council such that there’s a bylaw that describes adequate minimum available parking for any new construction.” ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/422 "2011-06-21T20:12:04Z")
A local theater, no longer in business, once had my absolute loyalty. I once saw a bright red sports car, no handicapped tags, no sticker, no nothing, pull up and park in the “right next to the entrance” handicapped spot. Two able bodied young people bounced out and went into the theater. I was grumbling about it to the ticket taker and the manager overheard me. He asked if I could point them out, and I did. They were standing in the refreshment line, and the manager headed that way. So I go on into the theater and a few minutes later those two come into the same show, grumbling and grousing about having to move their car, calling the manager names and saying crap like “but it wasn’t being used!” ---
**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 21, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/423 "2011-06-21T20:14:13Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > 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. If it were a matter of convenience, they wouldn’t have handicapped tags, you fucking idiot. > [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Am I an asshole for blocking loading zones and fire lanes on behalf of my daughter? I’m confused about how stupid you are that you think it’s a problem to use a \*loading \*zone for _loading_. > [@Zeriel](#): > > So if you’re in a life-or-death situation, feel free to park in a handicapped spot. Otherwise, why be a jerk? You may not have noticed \*\*LilyoftheField \*\*before, but she has a history of being proud of not giving a shit about how her own refusal to adhere to laws and/or social contracts severely inconveniences or outright harms others. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/424 "2011-06-21T20:15:13Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > As I said upthread, it’s been explained to me by firefighters that they are trained to just drive right into unoccupied cars in the fire lane, push them out of the way, and bill the car’s owner for any damages to the fire truck. I would so pay to see video of something like this. Hey, what an idea for a new reality series. It could be called “Jerks in the Firelane” or something like that. ---
**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, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/425 "2011-06-21T20:20:15Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > You may not have noticed \*\*LilyoftheField \*\*before, but she has a history of being proud of not giving a shit about how her own refusal to adhere to laws and/or social contracts severely inconveniences or outright harms others. I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Y’know, because I’m all sweetness and light and stuff. ---
**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, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/426 "2011-06-21T20:23:18Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > Then they need to assign more handicap spots. > > I have a disability but am not entitled to a handicap placard, at least so far. If I can’t find a spot close enough to the store I will drive to another store, because it is simply too painful for me to walk very far. What I will \*not \*do is park in a handicap spot. The system only works if we respect it. And how do you propose they do that? On a local level? Figure out how many disabled people there are in a particular area? Or just make it global, which means that is some areas there are always going to be more spots available to the disabled than are really needed? You are one of those people who fall into the category that I already mentioned - able bodied but not to a degree that merits a handicap sticker/placard. Just like there are degrees of disability, there are also degrees of ability. All I am saying is that there may be circumstances under which a normally able-bodied person may decide that he/she is willing to risk a ticket because their circumstances dictate that they have to ‘steal’ a handicap spot. I would do it. I have done it. Granted, it was only once and it was 20 years ago, but yeah - I parked in a handicap parking place. I was briefly and temporarily disabled by illness at the time. And I got a ticket. Which I ascribed to really bad luck, bad timing and a cop who decided to be a self righteous asshole. Nevertheless, I knew when I parked there that I was taking a chance, so when I lost, I lost. I sucked it up and paid the ticket. Doesn’t mean that I believed the ticket was warranted, it was just that from a strictly legal standpoint I was ‘breaking the law’. Luckily I have never had another circumstance in which I needed to do the same. But, looking back - no, I still can’t see that I did anything ‘wrong’ from a strictly moral standpoint. (There were about six other handicap spots available at the time). I was not being an asshole. If I had to do it over again I would do the same thing. And take my chances. I don’t think that the problem here is that people are too willing to deprive the disabled of their ‘rights’. Do we have an obligation to make it up to disabled people because they became disabled? No, of course not. But we are human and we try to make it as easy as we can on the disabled. I don’t have a problem with that. I do have a problem with a global, ‘disabled people, simply by virtue of their disability, are more worthy than anybody else’ mentality. Which is only to say, not that you should park in handicap spots, but only that there may be circumstances in which doing so is understandable. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/427 "2011-06-21T20:32:52Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > I wouldn’t call it so much “lucky” as “along with a majority in my town, voted in a city council such that there’s a bylaw that describes adequate minimum available parking for any new construction.” You’ve either been lucky, or you never go anywhere during peak times, or your city requires stores/businesses to provide so much parking that the lot is empty most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/428 "2011-06-21T20:40:08Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > People park in the fire lane at my grocery store all the time. There has never been a fire there as far as I know, so they aren’t doing anything wrong, right? I’m sure that if a firefighter came in and asked them to move they would do it. No harm, no foul. If there’s a fire they might [not](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ckBlasgNSzg/SLXSTPe6-5I/AAAAAAAAHVI/1gMKekxlUhc/s1600/No%2BParking%2BIn%2BFront%2BOf%2BFire%2BHydrant.jpg) [ask](http://api.ning.com/files/1QC7GTbhbPp6gSOQScg7UJgvh63m5qhkwZS1P16EPE0mV-C3bxyHVs9V-mCa5XSvIcueeRMZGXrdLqzUQ*1zu7p2W-jpIY58/FireLaneParking.jpg) [you](http://api.ning.com/files/sndxaZ5O4JNyvqq4PVeSLAOiGFgj2eaNaNZMyFOwgRtHbv5TeSsx2hrIB277Wl3NMb5547jSYlFQHm1gXktM9vuNS3qV1rwX/fdny_parking.jpg?width=500&height=312) to move. I have a friend who’s dad was a firefighter and always had a few stories like this. I don’t think he ever destroyed any cars, but he did mention running hoses through open windows or under cars which means the person can’t leave until the firefighters do. I’d also imagine they’d get a ticket and any news crews that show up probably get a kick out of it as well. ---
**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, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/429 "2011-06-21T20:41:15Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > I’m confused about how stupid you are that you think it’s a problem to use a \*loading \*zone for _loading_. Well, I’m not surprised that someone who can’t read the words, “fire lane” would become easily confused. ---
**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, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/430 "2011-06-21T20:47:08Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > You may not have noticed \*\*LilyoftheField \*\*before, but she has a history of being proud of not giving a shit about how her own refusal to adhere to laws and/or social contracts severely inconveniences or outright harms others. aww…SFG…you remember me! I’m touched. I remember that thread too - you know - the one where you were a self righteous asshole who gave no regard to relevant circumstances? You remember that? Yeah, I see that you do. Of course, unlike you, I have occasionally violated social norms, and I carry no guilt about that - because not only was no one harmed, the potential for someone being harmed was so incredibly miniscule that it hardly mattered. Not unlike this thread. So I guess that makes you more noble than me, but that’s okay 'cuz if you’re my shining example of nobility? Yeah, I think I’m okay with staying where I am. ---
**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, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/431 "2011-06-21T21:08:55Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > You’ve either been lucky, or you never go anywhere during peak times, or your city requires stores/businesses to provide so much parking that the lot is empty most of the time. The parking decks downtown are usually 1/3-1/2 full a good bit of the time, but typically it’s not all that empty in any parking lots outside of normal business hours. The perils of a well-designed town center. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/432 "2011-06-21T21:43:51Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > There are instances when I, as a legal handicapped permit holder, would agree that it’s justified to use the reserved spaces without a permit. None of those times involve moving heavy equipment or delivering frozen beverage treats. > > Moving heavy medical equipment, yes. Delivering needed medication or food to a sick person, yes. I would even go so far as saying it’d be justified to park there _temporarily_ to deliver a large number of hard to corral children (very young, or perhaps kids with autism, etc.) safely into a building. > > But to use a space in order to make your (able bodied) life easier when engaged in optional activities or to engage in frivolity like frozen treats, no, absolutely not. Just no. But once you make that concession… once you agree that there ARE exceptions other than instant obvious life or death (which I think everyone would agree with), then the only issue is where the line is drawn. Once you’ve agreed that enough mitigating circumstances – which presumably include both the availability of other handicapped spaces, the length of visit, the difficulty of loading/unloading the car (ie, heavy/fragile packages, hordes of little kids), particular urgency, shortness of stay, type of venue, temporary health concerns, etc. – can make it ethically acceptable to park in the handicapped spot, then the important issue, as I see it, is whether the person doing it did in fact weigh the issue and make a good faith decision that in this particular case the risk was minimal, etc. That is, they didn’t just do it because they felt like it and don’t give a shit, they did it because they honestly weighed their need vs the potential need of the handicapped and decided that in that particular instance, the balance came out a particular way. And, importantly, that same person would in the vast majority of cases in their life, NOT park in the handicapped spot. If you judge that the particular situation of the OP or the Icee guy were insufficient to justify their actions, you are certainly free to do so, this being the Pit and whatnot (although of course you were not there, and neither was I). Heck, you might well be right in either case… as I said earlier, while the precise circumstances described in the OP don’t particularly bother me in and of themselves, his reaction to the lady there, and the fact that he seems to do this as a matter of routine, are both red flags to me. It’s the absolute exceptionless blanket statements in this thread that I have disagreed with, along with the hyperbolic tone of posts such as #385. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/433 "2011-06-21T23:15:44Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > I’m only ever aware of “justifiable homicide” in cases where it’s a life or death situation. So if you’re in a life-or-death situation, feel free to park in a handicapped spot. Otherwise, why be a jerk? Ambrose Bierce once defined four grades of homicide: felonious, negligent, justifiable, and praiseworthy. The latter category, I think, would apply to able-bodied people who park in handicapped spaces… ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/434 "2011-06-22T00:02:25Z")
> [@LilyoftheField](#): > > Well, yes, I believe that’s true - it is highly regionally variable. I am in one of those regions where I don’t think that I have ever seen an establishment where ALL of the handicap available spaces were taken simultaneously. In fact most of the time, none of them are taken. This is my experience as well. Additionally, the vast majority of people I’ve known personally who have handicapped placards on their cars are abusing the system, either through family members or due to “handicaps” that don’t really limit their movement. This isn’t to suggest that these cheaters make up the majority overall, but I’d worry about their behavior a lot more than what the OP is talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/435 "2011-06-22T00:16:46Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > If there’s a fire they might [not](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ckBlasgNSzg/SLXSTPe6-5I/AAAAAAAAHVI/1gMKekxlUhc/s1600/No%2BParking%2BIn%2BFront%2BOf%2BFire%2BHydrant.jpg) [ask](http://api.ning.com/files/1QC7GTbhbPp6gSOQScg7UJgvh63m5qhkwZS1P16EPE0mV-C3bxyHVs9V-mCa5XSvIcueeRMZGXrdLqzUQ*1zu7p2W-jpIY58/FireLaneParking.jpg) [you](http://api.ning.com/files/sndxaZ5O4JNyvqq4PVeSLAOiGFgj2eaNaNZMyFOwgRtHbv5TeSsx2hrIB277Wl3NMb5547jSYlFQHm1gXktM9vuNS3qV1rwX/fdny_parking.jpg?width=500&height=312) to move… Whoooo boy, I bet they relished that shit! Smash, motherfucker! Hahahaa! One of those pics, it almost looks like it would have been easier to just throw the hose _over_ the car. But nope! Smash, bitch. Hee hee. Classic. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/436 "2011-06-22T00:22:06Z")
> [@LilyoftheField](#): > > Okay, I can see this being an issue for you. Are you going to automatically assume that those other handicap spaces were taken up by ‘able bodied’ people? Do you get out of your car to ascertain that those spots were taken by someone who didn’t ‘deserve’ them? Are you just as angry if all of those spots are taken by people with legitimate handicap stickers/placards? I’m not sure I said I was angry at all, and no I don’t get out of my car to see if each car parked in a handicapped slot has a crip hanger since - duh - it would be highly uncomfortable to painful for me to go park my car then walk up and look at those cars. If I could do that, I wouldn’t need the handicapped parking. > [@](#): > > My point is, just like able bodied people, there are going to be times when you just can’t find a decent damn parking spot! Shrug. Your point has nothing to do with the discussion. Yes, as our population gets older, we are likely to have more handicapped folks so more and more often those spots will be filled with legit cars. OTOH, the problem at hand are those able bodied people who use the handicapped spots because they want to save themselves some steps or some time. If it becomes acceptable for these folks to do this for “just a minute” or because “they are always empty”, it will be far more likely that I won’t be able to find parking. My life is limited enough as it is, thankyouverymuch. > [@](#): > > And if you are disabled and you think that means that life only sucks for you and is always rosy for able-bodied people, then you are just as much an asshole as anybody else. Oh, well, I don’t think my life sucks, so I guess that doesn’t apply either. > [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Well, then I don’t see why what Eonwe did slips from “acceptable but not cool” to “I hope you die in a fire!!!” (hyperbole, calm down). It’s not like he parked in the handicapped spot and moved to Bolivia. I’m sure he’d have moved his car if someone showed up and needed the spot. The difference is, **Eonwe** left his car - he turned it off and walked away. Given his response to the woman who called him out for parking there, I imagine his response to being asked to move would have been less than immediate. After all, he has a right to be 15 feet closer while moving his equipment, right? :rolleyes: > [@Zeriel](#): > > As I said upthread, it’s been explained to me by firefighters that they are trained to just drive right into unoccupied cars in the fire lane, push them out of the way, and bill the car’s owner for any damages to the fire truck. > > I repeat–I think it’d be TOTALLY AWESOME if people with handicapped placards were issued a bulldozer blade or cowcatcher or something for their vehicles, and have the same rights to handicapped spaces as fire trucks have to the fire lane. 😃 > [@5-HT](#): > > This is my experience as well. > > Additionally, the vast majority of people I’ve known personally who have handicapped placards on their cars are abusing the system, either through family members or due to “handicaps” that don’t really limit their movement. This isn’t to suggest that these cheaters make up the majority overall, but I’d worry about their behavior a lot more than what the OP is talking about. They are a little harder to catch… ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/437 "2011-06-22T00:25:22Z")
> [@5-HT](#): > > This is my experience as well. > > Additionally, the vast majority of people I’ve known personally who have handicapped placards on their cars are abusing the system, either through family members or due to “handicaps” that don’t really limit their movement. This isn’t to suggest that these cheaters make up the majority overall, but I’d worry about their behavior a lot more than what the OP is talking about. Not me. If the only abuse that took place regarding handicap parking spaces was the “psuedo-legal” variety of ppl using placards they didn’t really deserve (or wasn’t issued to them) and NOT the outright flagant abuse that is everywhere, I’d be ok with it. I CANNOT go to a parking lot with more than 20 overall spaces and NOT encounter someone illegally parking in the handicap spots. Every single day of my life. Usually multiple ppl. And the entitlement ppl feel to park there is aggressive and startling. “Oh, I just didn’t want to get robbed, so I parked close.” “There are other spots, what fucking business is it of yours?” “Go ahead and call the police, I’ll just be gone by the time they get here anyway.” I could go on for pages. No, if it was just people abusing placards, it’d be a helluva lot better. ---
**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 22, 2011, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/438 "2011-06-22T00:29:51Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > You’re right about ADA guidelines. Here’s the fun part: there’s no enforcement arm for the ADA. And no mandate that local laws and ADA requirements are congruent. In order to force a building owner/business to comply with ADA requirements (especially if they’re already in line w/laxer local laws) the only mechanism available is a lawsuit. Or a threat of a lawsuit that you need to be ready to go forward on when the business owner says (and they almost always say) screw off, I don’t care, it’ll cost too much and crips don’t come here anyway. > > So I really can’t be bothered much with the ADA. It’s a toothless husk of a thing that’s great for reference but plays little to no part in day to day issues. But the [enforcement of the ADA is the responsibility of the Department of Justice](http://www.ada.gov/enforce.htm). A lawsuit brought by them, not you, wouldn’t be toothless. Maybe you should be writing them a letter. It isn’t my impression that local municipalities can just set their own lax standards. [http://www.ada.gov/adata1.htm](http://www.ada.gov/adata1.htm) > [@](#): > > The ADA creates new requirements for van accessible parking spaces. The ADA Standards for Accessible Design or Standards cover public accommodations, commercial facilities and certain State and local governments. State and local governments may choose between these Standards and the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS). However: > [@](#): > > Because UFAS does not specify how many van accessible parking spaces are required, only those State and local governments that have chosen the Standards as their ADA accessibility standard have specific, numerical requirements for van accessible parking. So there is a dodge, so I guess you’ll have to wade through the [UFAS](http://www.access-board.gov/ufas/ufas-html/ufas.htm#4.6) to see if they are in violation. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/439 "2011-06-22T00:30:57Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > Not me. If the only abuse that took place regarding handicap parking spaces was the “psuedo-legal” variety of ppl using placards they didn’t really deserve (or wasn’t issued to them) and NOT the outright flagant abuse that is everywhere, I’d be ok with it. I CANNOT go to a parking lot with more than 20 spaces and NOT encounter someone illegally parking there. Every single day of my life. Usually multiple ppl. And the entitlement ppl feel to park there is aggressive and startling. “Oh, I just didn’t want to get robbed, so I parked close.” “There are other spots, what fucking business is it of yours?” “Go ahead and call the police, I’ll just be gone by the time they get here anyway.” I could go on for pages. No, if it was just people abusing placards, it’d be a helluva lot better. Well, I guess I’ll have to take your word for it, because that’s the opposite of my own experience. I’m far more used to seeing the spots sit empty. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328/440 "2011-06-22T00:41:49Z")
> [@5-HT](#): > > Well, I guess I’ll have to take your word for it, because that’s the opposite of my own experience. I’m far more used to seeing the spots sit empty. I think part of this is due to geography. Where I live, the enforcement of handicap-parking abuse is 100% non-existent due to highly depleted police and law-enforcement depts. And the tricky way the whole thing just IS, enforcement is difficult even WITH good police response. It really does take a concerted effort on the part of business owners, security guards, watchful public and timely police responses to make enforcement (and thus adherence) a success. See, if a person is seen illegally parked in a handicap spot, a person is advised to call the police (calling security is pointless because they aren’t empowered to DO anything). But how likely is it that the offending vehicle will remain in the spot until police arrive? Not very likely. Some suggest taking down the license plate #. But what good will that do? No good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-thats-handicapped-parking-spot/585328.md?page=23)