Disabled Parking Abuse (elbow, wheelchair, legs, salt)

[Anna Von]

I have a temporary condition as a result of a broken ankle and complications that required further surgery. My doctor provided me with a temporary permit and I used it when I needed it. (on crutches or in severe pain that even the shortest walk was difficult). I opted to not use it when I didn't have do (prior to my second surgery). It burns me up to see clearly capable people taking up parking spaces. This morning I parked next to someone in a handicapped space who got out of her car wearing high heels. I thought, perhaps she has another condition like a cardiac condition etc. that requires her to park there, but then I noticed that as she was walking into the building that she was smoking a cigarette (not typical for someone with a condition severe enough to warrant a handicapped parking placard (yes, she has a blue placard hanging in the window). She seemed to walk quickly and easliy. It really burned me up, because I have been late to work because there were not enough handicapped spaces where I can get into the building. I wish I could report some of these abusers, I see them all of the time.

[SKB]

I have to say up here in Montreal they have a lot of handicap parking spots.
We have spots for regular handicap, spots for mothers with children and spots for pregnant. Most of the time there mostly empty spots.

Seems like you guys just need more spots.

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by Anna Von

I wish I could report some of these abusers, I see them all of the time.

I have called the police dispatch & given the number on a placard for people who obviously have no need of the placard (teens jumping around, obviously driving someone else's car & abusing the placard).

I called dispatch the other day to report a car parked in the cross-hatch. The police showed up rather quickly & I got a chance to talk to one of the officers. I asked if something couldn't be done - perhapsy having NO PARKING painted across the stripes.

He and his partner said that wouldn't deter people from parking there. He said the majority of these abusers KNOW they are not supposed to park in any blue-lined handicap spots but that they don't care. He advised the best thing to do is just stop and take the time to report the car. $300-500 parking tickets, especially in disabled parking, are not easy to dismiss and are quite a chunk of money. He said that most people who get their first handicap ticket never make that mistake again.

SKB - I don't know if we necessarily have a shortage (well, I guess we do considering the number of placards that seem to be out there).

I think we have a bigger problem with people who abuse the privilege of having a placard or who don't have placards in the first place & are too lazy to park anywhere else.

There's also a problem with doctors issuing placards that simply aren't necessary. An MD friend of mine said she gets frustrated when she sees her partners filling out requests for disabled parking placards to patients who clearly don't need them. They do it to just shut these patients up.

I've also been told by my MD friends that their colleagues also fill out the necessary paperwork for their girlfriends, spouses, friends, etc...even though there is NO medical need for it. They are all just too dang lazy and disrespectful of people with disabilities.

[Evlevo]

Originally Posted by Vicki3455

You forgot the fifth type of person -- fully able-bodied people who park in the handicapped spots WITHOUT placards simply because they are too lazy to walk an extra few feet!!

One of my favorite experiences at the PD was when I gave a guy two tickets for blocking handicapped spots (his car and his wife's). In CA that meant about $700 in fines.

Honest mistakes I can understand (i.e. hanging a few inches over on the "cross-hatching"), but flagrant violations aways got the "thank-you" note!

And yes, people are wimps! I've needed crutches several times for injuries, and have never needed a temp tag!

[No Justice]

It's amazing how many Cadillac’s I see out there with handicap placards. I have yet to notice a single one being driven by someone who clearly needs the placard. Most often I can see that they were simply obtained for a relative and/or spouse but the driver continues to use 100% of the time. It's really SAD.

BTW: Where would you draw the line regarding obese drivers who abuse the system? I see by far too many obese people who are abusing the system. (Of course there are a very small number of those who gain weight due= to no fault of their own). Anyway, I recently obtained a very scathing and threatening email that was sent by the management at my office to all employees simply because someone had anonymously criticized a person who they felt was using a handicapped parking placard without just cause. The email stated that the anonymous employee was a horrible bully of a person, etc, just because they had the nerve to actually imply that the person was actually responsible for their own handicap by being obese.

Although they hadn't mentioned any names everyone knew who they were referring to because there's only one handicapped parking space in the area notied. It is used by a woman who weights about 300 lbs. During almost all official outings, lunches, pot lucks, etc. she is always the first to sit and begin eating, and is always the last to get up from the table. She quite often has three plates in sitting in front of her and regularly returns to fill them up several times more than anyone else. But because this person is claimed to have other medical problems (all most likely related to being obese) the anonymous person was accused of decrementing against a handicapped person. Another case of PC gone insane.

What's your opinion?

[Hatless Wonder]

I'm not disabled myself, but my father-in-law is blind, and my sister went through hell when she was on crutches after back surgery. While I'm well aware that there are people with invisible disabilities, it iks me to no end when non-disabled people park in handicapped spaces

I once worked at a coffee shop in a very wealthy suburb. We had quite a few disabled customers, and 2 handicap spots. If a car without a placard or plate parked in a handicap spot, the penalties ranged from pamphlets to slashed tires.

One day, an elderly woman said she "had" to park in the handicap space because there were no other spaces. Apparently, she didn't notice the large municipal parking lot across the street. I told her we couldn't be held responsible for anything taht happened to her car. She asked if I was threatening her. I explained that I wasn't, but there were parking vigilantes around. She moved her car.

On a related note, my mother works for Amtrak, and she often has to deal with people who bring dogs aboard. Amtrak only allows service animals on trains. However, according to the US Department of Transportation, a dog that provides "emotional support" counts as a "service animal". Customers with seeing-eye dogs are much less demanding than those who have dogs for "emotional support."

[Lisa_from_Debary]

The yankee comes out in me big time when I see someone parking in a handicap spot without a plackard...I come right out and say something to them...its not right. All too often there are not enough spots for people and its not right to make someone who really needs it, park elsewhere.

[michelleleigh]

OOHH, I cant stand it when people abuse handicap parking spaces.

[justone321]

My mother has a terminal illness that causes severe joint pain, attacks her lungs and nervous system. The only slight outward sign that she is ill is (and probably only healthcare employees would notice) a puffy face and slightly bloated stomach from all the meds she takes. She also drives a mercedes and prefers the handicap tag and not the license plate. With all the heartache and pain her disease causes, why should she ever feel guilty about the fact that most people can't tell whether or not she DESERVES to park in a handicapp spot? What gives people the right to judge a book by it's cover when it comes to Disabled Parking? It is between the patient and the Doctor, not the general public.

[natrlvr2]

I did not win my claim until 2003 though.I have fibromyalgia(bad in my legs and neck).I also have DDD in my spine,I have osteoarthritis in both knees,feet,shoulders,etc. Most of the time I can walk,but I am NEVER without pain and there are many days I limp.I asked my Dr. if I could get a disabled parking placard. She said NO you have to be bedridden.Don't bed ridden people stay home? Anyway, I toldher right out,I ONLY want it for my bad days.I am not interested in parking closer if I am having a better day.(exercise for me)My legs are bad,and my back gets so bad some days I cannot even walk straight up,I am hunched over.I refuse to use a cane.Not ready for that.