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You can't always tell by looking, if someone has heart disease, lung disease like COPD, etc, you won't be able to tell at first sight but they can't walk far. There are always people who are going to game EVERY system, but it's not up to me to judge who needs it and who doesn't, at least not just on sight. if we're going to place blame though, place it on the doctors who are the ones filling out the DMV paperwork claiming they need it.
My Brother has COPD and he doesn't have the handicap license plates, placard or his own street sign. Yes there are people who game the system but they still should have to pay a monthly fee for having it in front of their homes because it's only for them and no other handicap person. I don't like they don't want to pay to have that when everyone else cannot get a designatd off the street parking space reserved just for them. It's not right. Plus everyone else who has their own driveway has to pay extra in their taxes for having that private reserved parking space.
Street parking should be for everyone. I hate that so many people who, even when they have a disease/condition, don't need it get to have that. Not every one with heart disease can't walk up to their home. I find it impossible to believe these people can't walk to their home a block or half a block away yet they have no problem walking around in the supermarket at their own pace with out any need for anything motorized or even a wheelchair. what is the problem that hey have when it comes to parking that they can't be too far away from the door but all of a sudden when in a supermarket or anywhere else they are fine. It makes no sense does their disease all of a sudden disappear? did they make a sudden recovery? what? COPD when parking but get in the house or anywhere else all of a sudden they can walk the distance? When I see them in a wheelchair or in the motorized scooter/gocart I know they really, seriously can't walk the distance.
I have a friend who needs handicap parking for real and can't get when visiting me because all the handicap parking sighs are designated only for the apt the sigh is installed for. It should be a sighn for all handicapped persons They really should have to pay to have that on a monthly basis even if it's ony $30.00 a month.
Yes, because handicapped people tend to have a lot of disposable income, what's another $50 a month? I will bow out, would rather spend my time grateful I don't need a handicapped parking spot than being angry at those who do.
Smart idea using the kids to save the space LOL. I am not against using handicap parking when people really are handicap and I am primarily talking about street parking as I said to other posters. I get that it's not always easy to see they are ligitimate. My problem is how can it make such a difference for them when they walk all through the entire store shopping but all of a sudden when outside and looking for a parking space all of a sudden it's too hard to walk? I don't get that. If they need that spot closer to the door then they should need the cart too so they don't have to walk through out the entire store. At least with the store handicap parking they are all for all handicap people not just designated types or people that are and just claim to be handicapped. I'm sorry to hear about your Dad having to go through that the plates alone should have let people know a vet needing handicap parking is an exception.
I know what you are saying. Hell, I know healthy people who don't try to use the handicapped spots but still will drive around and around looking for a spot closest to the store. Get out and walk! I never care how far I have to walk, unless the weather is horrible.
I get angry when people abuse the handicapped spots and the placards, too. I have a friend who has a terribly handicapped son and therefore a placard to hang in the car to use the spot--but she will use it even when the boy is not with her. That is wrong.
I know what you are saying. Hell, I know healthy people who don't try to use the handicapped spots but still will drive around and around looking for a spot closest to the store. Get out and walk! I never care how far I have to walk, unless the weather is horrible.
I get angry when people abuse the handicapped spots and the placards, too. I have a friend who has a terribly handicapped son and therefore a placard to hang in the car to use the spot--but she will use it even when the boy is not with her. That is wrong.
I was tempted to do that ONE time when I had my grandmother's placard (I took her to Dr's, etc). It was when I was going to school in center city and took the speedline everyday. One morning after a snowstorm, I arrived at the lot to find that everyone seemed to take the train that morning, and the closest spot seemed at least 1/2 a mile from the station....but I didn't do it, because I was afraid that if I tell God or the Universe (whatever you believe) that I want to park in a handicapped spot that badly, maybe He'll arrange it!
I'm all for having your own private handicap parking as long as it's for people who have handicapped children and or in a wheelchair but to be honest I hate that overweight people use it for no other purpose than easy convenience
You're assuming that the person is using it only for easy convenience. You don't know what heart, lung, joint, neurological, or other chronic health conditions someone might have that may prevent them from exercising enough, which has in turn caused them to become overweight.
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yet they have no problem walking, although some just look it, when shopping and browsing around. I know a woman who comes to work in high heels and uses the handicap space because she claims she has a bad back. I'm like ok but what do I see on the weekend but her in sneakers and jogging pants in the park walking around with no problem at all.
How do you know she has no problem at all? I walk a lot but I have severe chronic pain. I hide it well but I am suffering. Walking helps in the long-run because it loosens up my muscles and joints a bit. Sitting all day can make back pain worse and walking can be a nice break from sitting.
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I suggested she wear flat shoes since she has a bad back and she just smiled and said yeah I probably should but of course we both know she doesn't need to. I am so sick and tired of people using any excuse to get close guaranteed parking.
No, you don't know that she does or doesn't need to. You are assuming she doesn't need to. Maybe high heels aren't the wisest choice for her, but that doesn't negate the fact that she doesn't have the problem. Some people with diabetes eat dessert, some people with heart disease eat fast food. Just because someone isn't 100% completely responsible about their health condition doesn't mean that the health condition doesn't exist.
Here's an idea. Why don't you focus on your life and stop making assumptions about people you don't know? You'll sleep better at night because judging other people based on your own assumptions takes a lot of energy.
When I had surgery, I had to walk on crutches past acres of handicapped spots, most empty, some occupied by people who could walk better than me. Now I've got arthritis, same thing. The experience has embittered me* and now I figure handicapped people should play the cards as they're dealt as far as parking goes, not demand special privileges from the rest of us. Same goes for pregnant women; your child, your choice, your problem.
* OK, actually I was always this bitter.
That's funny. When a disabled person wants access to the same things you already have access to, that's somehow considered "special privileges". Why the double standard?
I was tempted to do that ONE time when I had my grandmother's placard (I took her to Dr's, etc). It was when I was going to school in center city and took the speedline everyday. One morning after a snowstorm, I arrived at the lot to find that everyone seemed to take the train that morning, and the closest spot seemed at least 1/2 a mile from the station....but I didn't do it, because I was afraid that if I tell God or the Universe (whatever you believe) that I want to park in a handicapped spot that badly, maybe He'll arrange it!
Hahahaha, that is funny.
My sister says that if she sees someone parked in the handcapped spot and they are not, she offers to help them become handicapped so they can park their legitimately.
That is true we can't always judge by looks sometimes. But there are signs to let us know if missing a body part or an illness is the real reason for using the handicap parking.
Sometimes. People see my blindness because they see my white cane. They do not see my severe chronic pain or my PTSD--both of which I find to be 100x more crippling than blindness.
There are numerous medical conditions that warrant a handicap parking space, that are not easily visible. Even prosthetic legs under long pants would be invisible.
Sometimes. People see my blindness because they see my white cane. They do not see my severe chronic pain or my PTSD--both of which I find to be 100x more crippling than blindness.
There are numerous medical conditions that warrant a handicap parking space, that are not easily visible. Even prosthetic legs under long pants would be invisible.
Exactly what I said in my post. MY FATHER WAS MISSING BOTH FEET AND LOWER LEGS and still some woman said "Oh, I guess they give out those cards to ANYONE nowadays..." because they COULDN'T tell he was missing body parts. Yet every step for him was painful. And he lost those legs fighting so that morons in this country could be free to say whatever stupid **** they want to say.
To his credit, my dad, a usually mellow type of guy, looked at this woman and said, "My handicap is MENTAL." She rolled her window up really fast. It was funny.
Sometimes. People see my blindness because they see my white cane. They do not see my severe chronic pain or my PTSD--both of which I find to be 100x more crippling than blindness.
There are numerous medical conditions that warrant a handicap parking space, that are not easily visible. Even prosthetic legs under long pants would be invisible.
They why do they need the handicap parking so they don't have to walk too far to get into the store when they can wall everywhere else in the supermarket without a problem? If a person call wall all around inside the store then they should be able to walk a few spaces down in the freaking parking lot. That is what I am talking about. If I had trouble walking from my car to the front door then how can I justify not haveing any problem walking in the the store. That is what makes it obvious not whether or not I can see their prosthetics or missing body part inside or out. It's the fact that they can and do walk the distance after they get the handicap parking without need any extra help.
I'm not saying all handicap people don't need that space for them I'm saying not all do need it and they know they don't but society just automatically assumes they all do. Anyone can have a handicap and manage just fine but all of a sudden when they don't feel like looking around for parking they have a problem with their handicap. Oh but when roaming around in the store tha handicap is all of a sudden manageable. It's not right because they take spaces from the people who really do need those spaces and it's not right that they get it for free when it's on street parking in front of their home. When I say street parking I don't mean the street parking in front of a chain s of stores that is used for patrons looking to shop I mean the street parking they have for their own personal use in front of their homes. I could see an exception for Senior Citizens because most of them aren't scamming the system but still they do need to pay just with a discount. I am just trying to think of ways to be fair to everyone.
It looks like the best way to stop the scamers is to start making them all pay for that private parking. Not when it comes to the store handicap parking spots but for the private spots designated just for them yes they should have to pay. Too many people all of a sudden can walk when they get in the store they don't need any motorized anything for help so I don't buy into it when I see that.
Last edited by Lolipopbubbles; 03-17-2012 at 10:05 AM..
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They really should have to pay to have that on a monthly basis even if it's ony $30.00 a month.
