People ignoring handicap parking signs

[Callie]

When my grandmother was still alive, I would notice people parking in these spots without hang tags or plates. It would make me mad, because often times it would force my grandmother to walk forever when we went out places.

I recently had foot surgery, and was not able to walk until a few days ago. Even so, I still can't walk far, and without being in some pain (its normal).

The amount of people parking in these spots has gotten worse! My apartment complex put up a handicap spot by my building to help out, but I keep coming home to people parking in it without any permit. It forces me to park REALLY far away. If they had a permit, I'd be perfectly fine with it being occupied.

Tonight just set me off. I was hobbling out my car 30 minutes ago, and a group moving in saw me get into my car and asked how I was doing. I come back, and they've parked in the ONE handicap spot with no permit. They see me hobbling in from far away, and can't even bother to offer to help open the door to our building.

I know this sounds spoiled, but I just need to rant. I would never think of parking in one of these spots unless I had a permit, or the person with me did.

 

[tigercat]

I find it frustrating as well. When I was well I used to park far away and walk in and would never have thought of using the handicapped spot. Now that I use a walker and have a hard time walking I often see cars using the spot without a tag. At one hospital I finally found a handicapped spot and was able to get into it but a car was parked in the lined part just beside it. I took a picture of the car with the licence and when I was going in showed it to the security people. It was towed away. I don't like doing things like that but I am getting sick of people using the spots when they don't have the tags. Be thankful you don't need it.
tigercat

 

[Callie]

I would LOVE to be able to walk like a normal person right now. Even when I have gone places since the surgery, if there is something that is pretty close (only a few spots further away) I try to park there instead of using the reserved spots. I figure even as crappy as shape I'm in, I know a little old lady or some little kid might need it a lot more.

 

[Patch'sD]

I will never ever park or obstruct a Handicapped Parking Spot. However, I know many people who had the tag for another family member and use the Handicapped space when the family member is not in the car. The spot should only be used when the Handicapped person is in the car, otherwise they are just as bad as those who park there without a sticker or tag.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

I was walking out of my son's school last week after the Halloween party. We were walking with DS's best friend and his parents. The dad is a disabled Vet, who gets around, but suffered a closed head injury and injury to his left leg in combat in Afghanistan that causes him limp and be unsteady on his feet. He is about 35 years old. He has a cane he uses on occassion, and a disabled vet/handicap plate. He tries to only use the handicap parking on bad days. The rest, he walks because it is good for him.

He walked a block and a half to his car last week instead of taking a handicap spot right in front of the school.

Class Act.

ETA: I don't want anyone to feel bad about taking a handicap spot if they need one! I only told this story because I was impressed with how this person *can* take a handicap spot if he wants to, and deserves to, but doesn't if he feels he is stable enough to walk farther. There are still some "good guys" out there!

 

[Callie]

^Wow, props to him!
I would love to be able to walk further, but besides the fact it hurts, I also have to be careful. The less weight and walking the better as the incision is still getting better.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

^Wow, props to him!
I would love to be able to walk further, but besides the fact it hurts, I also have to be careful. The less weight and walking the better as the incision is still getting better.

As we passed the handicap spots, his 9 year old asked "Which car did you bring?" and the dad responded "the truck"

The 9 year old says "You should have brought the Buick!" (the one with the handicap plates) LOL

The dad just smiled.

 

[manning]

Best comment I heard was when a healthy young person parked in one. The man yells out to him "handicap parking is reserved for the physical handicap, not the mentally handicap" .

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I believe you can actually lose your drivers license for a period of time if you use the handicap spot if the person to whom the placard belongs is not with you.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

How can you tell like with dh you have to look at him closely to tell that one leg is shorter then the other

For example when I first meet him I could not tell but it makes walking harder

 

[Squirlz]

I accidentally parked in one one time in Florida. I did a 180 into the spot and it was not well marked. As I walked into the grocery store I hear some guy yelling "You don't look very handicapped." Get this, he was parked right by the door in the fire lane. So I said "And you don't look like a fire truck."

 

[minnie mum]

How can you tell like with dh you have to look at him closely to tell that one leg is shorter then the other

For example when I first meet him I could not tell but it makes walking harder

Were you referring to Manning's story? It likely had nothing to do with how the young man looked, and everything to do with the lack of a Handicapped tag on the vehicle.

 

[Callie]

In this case, these people don't have a handicap sign or plate....

 

[Callie]

I know not to judge appearance, but if I see someone running on a treadmill at full pace after parking in a handicap spot something is off.....
When I went to the store with my mom after my surgery I got some weird looks when I was driving a cart around. If I'm sitting you can't tell anything is wrong.

 

[Sabeking]

This drives me nuts as well ! My mom has been in a wheelchair for the past four years of her disease. Trying to get her out of the car without the room to get the chair beside the passenger door is tough. I have seen people pull in with no tag and I will have to park at the end of the lot where ther are no other cars because I need room to get the chair out. I can do it but it's just disappointing that some people don't care. Speaking of which, that would include my mother in law. My father in law needs it but she parks in a handicap spot even if he is not with her. This has been a point of contention between the two of us for 20 years.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Were you referring to Manning's story? It likely had nothing to do with how the young man looked, and everything to do with the lack of a Handicapped tag on the vehicle.

Might have quoted the wrong person but someone said up thread that a drivers license can be taken if the handicapped person is not with them and I was just saying that would be hard to police

 

[Callie]

Not really, I watched a special on it earlier. The placecard/plates all have unique numbers that tie directly to a drivers license/state ID card. They sit and wait to see if that person comes out.

 

[SueM in MN]

I will never ever park or obstruct a Handicapped Parking Spot. However, I know many people who had the tag for another family member and use the Handicapped space when the family member is not in the car. The spot should only be used when the Handicapped person is in the car, otherwise they are just as bad as those who park there without a sticker or tag.

There is a situation where a person can use the handicapped parking permit with the handicapped person not in the vehicle.
It is allowed if the driver is dropping that person off or picking them up. If I am picking up or dropping off our daughter, I need to park in a van accessible handicapped parking space so there is space to put down the wheelchair ramp. That is permissible, even though she's not with me for part of the time.

I believe you can actually lose your drivers license for a period of time if you use the handicap spot if the person to whom the placard belongs is not with you.

In most states, the handicapped parking permit can be confiscated and the person who used it can be fined.
I've not heard of the possibility of losing a driver's license, but it might be possible in some states.

 

[tvguy]

At least in this part of California, the spots are pretty much respected. However, there are estimates that about half the handicapped placards are being used by people who don't have a medical need. About half got the placards fraudulently, and the other half are using placards issued to other family members who are not with them....a big chunk...issued to people who are deceased.

 

[Domo]

I recently saw someone park over three handicap spots, believe it or not. And the person who got out and ran into the store was definitely NOT disabled.