Disabled Parking Abuse (heart, cancer, leg, feet)

[canibeyou]

Originally Posted by 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.

Well.. allow me to be your first! (Sorry, I'm coming to this discussion late)

My husband drives a Cadillac... and is very handicap. However, you wouldn't know that by looking at him or watching him (unless you were the stalker type who watched a little too much). My husband had an accident while at work; he fell off the top of a 5 story building, breaking every bone in his body, except for facial bones. Broken back, broken neck, broken legs, shattered knees, shattered hips (has "fake" hips now), shattered elbows.... you get the idea. By all logical calculations, my husband should be dead right now.
I've endured nasty looks at my husband because, to those who don't know, he doesn't "look" handicap and because he doesn't "look" handicap, they feel he has no right to park closer to the door of an establishment. Someone actually approached him at a post office once, screaming at him that he shouldn't have the right to park in the handicap, blah, frickin', blah. To which my husband (who never gets loud or upset about anything) simply told the man, "Sir... you wouldn't want what I have". And by that, he means, the 2 inch long bone spurs on every vertebrate of his spine and neck; the constant pain from arthrits and the list could go on.

All that said... he drives a Cadillac. And, for the record, when I drive it, I get the strangest looks because I'm not handicap (car has handicap plates) and I park farthest from the door. You'd probably be upset to see that his motorcycle has handicap plates too. My husband has tried very hard to not let his accident define who he is. He has never once complained about any of it; the pain, the nasty looks... none of it. I once asked him why I've never heard him complain, to which he replied, "I don't beleive God spared my life that day, only to have me live the rest of it complaining."


I'm actually glad to see a thread where so many people actually DO care about placard abuse. I thought this was a battle I was fighting alone.

Those who park in the handicap spot illegally have no true idea that it isn't a privilage... there's a price paid to "earn" a placard/plate. I, for one, wouldn't want to have a placard/plate. I love the fact that I don't suffer from anything that requires a placard/plate and I'm very thankful for that. And I give thanks each time I park far from the door, that I have tha ability to walk without problems to get where I want to go!

[Lisa_from_Debary]

I had a disc bulge in my back in my 20s, I walked like I was about 90, I had a terrible limp and was heading toward using a cane...I had a hard time getting through the grocery store. I had a temporary handicap tag...solely because of my age I would get people questioning me about my use of the space even with my handicap tag hanging in my rear view window...

I was offended frankly...even if a cop questions you, you don't have to tell him your medical condition, only show the paperwork that he signed.

[No Justice]

"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?

She shouldn't, and by-the-way... I don't recall seeing any posts stating that she should. What gives people the right to judge a book by it's cover when it comes to Disabled Parking? The same right that allows us all to standup and denouce anything that is clearly unfair and/or wrong. "It is between the patient and the Doctor, not the general public". Nope, providing disabled parking/services is a social/public matter. After all, it's designed and maintained by the use of tax payer money. The informaton regarding a patient's condition should be addressed by the doctor and patient alone. But that's about it. Believe me, We already have more than enough PC nuts out defending who know what, to be worried about every little detail.

[Dick D]

Originally Posted by Yorkie_Mom

I didn't realize how bad it was out there for handicapped parking until I received my placard. You can by no means tell that I am disabled, I have fibromyaliga, RA, and Respiratory problems, I do not use my handicapped parking on nice days, I would much rather walk.
I live in Minnesota, and it gets very cold here, when that happens, I have a very hard time moving at any pace, and with asthma and other upper respiratory problems, I then try to park as close as I can.
I have noticed many of times even at my daughters school, people have taken the handicapped parking spots, I have taken down the lic. plate numbers, turned them over to police, and they still park there, so it does no good to even call in or take down plate numbers. Believe me I understand!!!!

As a former police officer as well as a holder of DP PLates let me explain that the reason that no action seemed forthcoming after YOU turned over plate info to the police .and Im suprised if they didnt explain it to you , is that the police cant take any action IF THEY ARE NOT THE WITNESSES - since it was YOU who witnessed the so called violation it is up to YOU only to go to court to sign a complaint against an offender and it will be YOU who is bringing them to court and YOU will have to appear there at the proper time - This is true for virtually any crime not actually witnessed by THE POLICE - thats why so many husbands are not arrested when the police are called to a domestic disturbance at a home when a wife says her husband just hit her and the police never saw it - SHE HAS TO GO TO SIGN A COMPLAINT - Im talking of course where there is no evidence it happened only her word.

So forget turning in numbeers - If you have a cell phone CALL THE POLICE and hope they get there in time to see it personally and Im sure there will be different results.

[wilddogfeather]

Years ago my aide took me to the grocery store in Rigby,ID.
When we arrived at the store "all handicap" spaces were taken. You see it had snowed
the night before and making it difficult to park.
However I use a wheelchair and we had to park a long ways from the entr-
ance. Crazy cause cars were parked right at the font door. Lots of snow.
I got angry cause I am disable using a wheelchair and have a placard to
park in those reseved spaces.
Well, after we departed from the store I went home and wrote a letter to
the editor of newspaper. Stating anybody parking in handicap spaces with
no placard are violating the law thus committing a crime.
Now that I moved to another state I do sometime see people parking in
handicap spaces without a placard. The police told me to write down there
license plate number .....but you know I don't think that will do any good.

[Jaxson]

I don't hesitate to call the police on my cell phone if I see a violation. Plus in my state you are given a piece of paper along with the tag or plate in the name of the disabled person. If that person is not in the car the police will give a ticket to the driver for parking illegally.

I had a friend that was disabled that would come with me places so she brought her tag. One time I took her Christmas shopping at our mall, she got tired of walking so sat down at the other end of the mall than we parked. I told her I would go move the car and come inside to get her. I did that and when we got back to the car there was a note on my windshield telling me I didn't "look" disabled and I should be ashamed for parking there. I post this for the lady that wanted to print up notes, while it is a good idea I would be sure to wait to see if the person comes back outside with a disabled person first.

[songinthewind7]

I agree that people that are not handicapped should not be using the handicapped parking spaces, but again, who's to judge who is handicapped and who is not?
I can't believe some of you have the time to judge such people. Usually, I get out of my car, go into the store, restaurant, or wherever and don't pay any attention to where others park.

[natrlvr2]

I may need foot surgery now,will know by Wed.And I still will not be able to get a parking permit.I see SO many people have thses permits in my area but not me?Burns me up.Not very many parking spots to begin with for these people.Lot's of parking for Seniors though(not just disabed,and the ones I see have no trouble walking.)

[TXboomerang]

My wife has scleroderma, and when she first got it, it hit her pretty hard, especially her hands and feet. She received a handicapped sticker and used it when she could. The thing was that her issues weren't constantly noticeable, and especially with her feet they would only get bad after her standing for a while. So she could park and jump out of the truck and walk into the store just fine. But sometimes it might be 10 minutes, sometimes and hour, and her feet would just give out with pain. She described it to me as getting a sunburn on the bottom of your feet in 60 seconds, and then every step would become increasingly more painful due to the tightness of the skin caused by her disease. Many times she would have to sit on a bench for half an hour to reduce the pain enough to walk to her truck. Eventually she did get a wheelchair for a period of several months when her disease was at its worse.

Many times she came back to her truck and had nasty letters that nosy and self righteous people would leave, condemning her for abusing a disabled spot. Usually she would already be crying from pain, and the nasty notes and letters only made it much worse.

So I would say unless you can be 100% absolutely certain with no doubt that someone is not ill, you need to respect the fact they may have an unusual disorder. I realize that abuse goes on also, but I think its horrible to judge without even knowing what the situation is.

Once my wife started getting better, she was allowed to keep her handicap placard for a year, but it stayed in her glove box unless she was having a really rough time.

Just be reasonable before condemning someone, or leaving a note, you may be pouring salt on the wound to someone who is dealing with a difficult illness or problem.

[missmousern]

What a great thread! I agree with everyone about the abuse of handicapped parking spots. I also agree that you can't go up to some one and ask their disability if it isn't obvious. It is none of my business. You have to just let the system work as imperfect as it is. I believe different states have different guidelines as far as renewal etc...I have a friend who uses her dead mothers placard. I scolded her, it went in one ear....
I have a question for the cops out there. Yorkie Mom had a good idea except for that problem of not so obvious disabilities. It was mentioned by someone else ( a cop, thanks for that by the way)that they can't write tickets unless they witness it themselves. What about picture? Everyone has a camera in there cell phones now. Could you take a picture of a car, license plate in view and handicapped sign also, to send to the police? They use cameras at intersections and issue tickets by mail. Could this be used to send at least a warning ticket if it isn't quite enough to issue a fine?
I live in a resort area. Each summer they hire a "bike cop" Usually an intern in the law enforcement program at the college. Their job is to patrol town and issue parking tickets and talk to kids about bike safety etc...Mostly a PR job, but they are well loved in town. I think the kids get a free ice cream cone ticket from DQ if they get "caught" wearing a helmet. Stuff like that. But I saw one writing a ticket out for a handicapped parking violater one day.