Funny thing at the grocery store

[Piper]

People make the world go round. Some just make some days funnier

I'm sorry, but it isn't funny (or fun) to have to defend yourself against people who don't know you and have no idea of your medical condition!!!

Sue, the officer you were "harassed by" (because that is what he did) seems to have been on a "power trip." It should have been sufficient to see your daughter. Even if she hadn't been in a chair, it should have been enough that it was her placard. After all, humans cannot see into other humans lives or feel their pain!

 

[peemagg]

Just as an FYI, I do understand invisible disabilities and would not report someone who I think is "faking". I myself have a invisible disability. That was not what my original post was about, to weed out the fakers, just those without the proper tags.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Sorry Peemagg, I thought utterrandomness was the one that posted about the app.

 

[utterrandomness]

That is bolding is my doing. That is all you do with this app. You take a picture of the space, the license plate, and the front window. Nothing more. No places for comments or anything else. It is only there to target those who park there without the proper identification. Just the information on that picture is submitted. This app has nothing to do with those who you might think is faking. Please look up the app and see for yourself. It is not like people are assuming it is. Here is the website. http://www.parkingmobility.com/how-it-works/

There are some who should be reported for illegal parking even with the proper tags. At our local Walmart, I can't tell you the amount of people who park in the blue hash lines and make their own space, which blocks those on either side if they have a ramp or need the space to unload a wheelchair from the drivers side. Yes, they have the proper tags, but they are still illegal. They need to be educated on what those lines mean. If it takes a ticket from the police to educate them, then so be it.

I did look up the app, before I said anything about it, and what I saw was an option to report people even if they were parked legally, with the proper identification.

 

[SueM in MN]

I did look up the app, before I said anything about it, and what I saw was an option to report people even if they were parked legally, with the proper identification.

On the iPod/iPhone app store, one of the pictures shows the screen scrolled down to show an optional field for Placard.

I was thinking of websites like this one: http://www.handicappedfraud.org/
where people are reporting people who have placards and comments about the person not looking disabled.

 

[utterrandomness]

On the iPod/iPhone app store, one of the pictures shows the screen scrolled down to show an optional field for Placard.

I was thinking of websites like this one: http://www.handicappedfraud.org/
where people are reporting people who have placards and comments about the person not looking disabled.

Thank you for clarifying what I was saying I couldn't remember the exact field I was talking about.

 

[peemagg]

That is two entirely different sites. I agree that apps such as those where someone is reporting someone who "looks" like they are faking have no business being in use.

The app that I was talking about is nothing like that and can't be used that way. All it is is 3 pictures of the car. Nothing else! I have used this app once and there is no place at all to add any commentary.

I think the 2 apps are being confused with one another.

The app that I have been referring to all along is called Parking Mobility. Its website is www.parkingmobility.com. I have looked all over this site several times and see nothing as to what Utterrandomness is referring to.

 

[utterrandomness]

No, the app that I am talking about is the same one, Parking Mobility. I, personally, never mentioned any other site or app.

I took a screenshot of the part of the app that concerns me, which you can find at the following link, because I'm having trouble putting in a picture. http://imgur.com/XVIo7

There is an option to report people with placards. There aren't comments, but there is the option to report people you think are "fakers" and that is a concern for me as someone who is tired of being accosted by strangers.

 

[peemagg]

I think though that because this app is going right to the police, who then mail a ticket (supposedly), the comments section on that app isn't going to make much difference unless it is a comment like: The car is parked on the blue hash marks, not in spot, it isn't even going to be paid attention to. If someone posted that the person didn't look like they needed the spot, even if they had the correct ID to park there, the police aren't going to spend the time to figure out if the person is legit or not. They have more important things to do. They just want to get the ticket to those who are parked where they don't belong i.e. not tags or parked in blue hash marks instead of correct space. The app may not get anyone a ticket by sending in the pictures, but it may alert the police to places that they need to patrol more for these type of parking violations.

I understand your frustration as to strangers questioning you. I have people question me too (mostly by older folks who don't think someone my age who is driving should need it. I have even had them start to open their mouths and start to say something until I got out of the vehicle and either pulled out my crutches or wheelchair (until I got my braces), then get very sheepish. These are probably the same people who granny, who the tag is issued to stays in the car while gramps runs in to do the shopping.) I personally don't care what anyone thinks. I know why I have the tags and that I have a legitimate need for them. Those who think otherwise can take it up with my doctors!

Nine times out of ten those that question us are the ones who are parked illegally themselves. It is their own conscience that is causing them to act that way.

 

[t_daniels]

I found that there is an app for reporting suspected illegal parking in the handicapped places. It is actually called parking mobility.

You take 3 pictures of the vehicle in the spot and it is sent to the local law enforcement agency. Some cities even give a part of the fines to a charity of your choice as a thank you for helping them.

Is it on Android? People always seem to park in the yellow lined area when I take my mom out, who is wheelchair bound... Which makes it almost impossible to get her back in the car.....

Tried talking to one, got told it wasn't my effing business.

 

[utterrandomness]

No one should ever have to "adjust" or "get used to" being verbally abused, and I'm sorry that you feel that you've had to.

Vigilantism is out of control when the kind of people who should be being protected, or for whom the advocacy is intended, are being told that they have to deal with the backlash because it's helping others. Is it really a good thing when things swing so far the other way?

I will not stand for verbal abuse, and I especially will not stand for calls to such vigilantism from within the disability community. These apps encourage people to take a stand against people they think don't deserve accommodations. I'm not saying that every app is like that, but it's part of a greater culture of judgement and division that worries me. Who are we to decide what others do and do not deserve?

It isn't the comments that bother me, ignorant people mouthing off is just a part of life, the part that bothers me is that there is an option to report people WITH placards.

 

[peemagg]

This is an interesting thing that goes along with what we have all been talking about and "fakers" being reported.

I was just on the www.michigan.gov site reading about handicapped parking (this was brought on by us seeing a combat wounded veteran plate. We were looking to see about whether or not only disabled vets or any vet with a veteran plate can use the handicapped parking). Anyways I was reading the general pamphlet that they have posted and at the very bottom was a number and a website to report fraud. Here is the place I am referring to:http://www.michigan.gov/documents/disability_brochure_33616_7.pdf.