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Old 08-05-2018, 12:02 PM
 
160 posts, read 187,154 times
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I should have seen this coming. I got a disabled permit for my dad's car, so I can park close to buildings when I take him places. I can't use it! There are so many old and disabled people here, the spaces are almost always full.
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Old 08-05-2018, 12:18 PM
 
5,687 posts, read 7,113,793 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A Little Hoarse View Post
I should have seen this coming. I got a disabled permit for my dad's car, so I can park close to buildings when I take him places. I can't use it! There are so many old and disabled people here, the spaces are almost always full.
And what would you say is the percentage of people that hold disabled permits that don't really need them for parking?

In the community where I used to live, I'd see residents with disabled permits on their car walking their dog with no problem and quite ambulatory at the local garage sales. No problem loading that patio table on the back of their golf cart, too. But ask them to walk a few yards to the doctor's office and they're practically at death's door.
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Old 08-05-2018, 04:15 PM
 
Location: Florida
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Fortunately you are driving so you can drop him off, park and then pick him up.
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Old 08-06-2018, 11:11 AM
 
160 posts, read 187,154 times
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Not a good solution, but in this county, it may be the best I can do. It's amazing how many disabled people there are here.
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Old 08-06-2018, 11:21 AM
 
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Agree that there are many who don't really need the permits, but their doctors give them out too freely. Pushy patients can push a lot of doctors.... Many people do not realize how healthy they are, relatively.

Being old, a little arthritis, walking slow etc... alone are not reasons for having accessible spaces. Only once you have to care for someone who is severely disabled, where it is not safe to drop them off and leave them alone or where you need to additional space in the cross-hatch to unload them with a wheelchair/crutches/walker, do you appreciate how critical accessible spaces are. Walking across a parking lot is like walking through a death trap for my father. It's not surprising that parking lots are hot beds for accidents. And if you are in a wheelchair, cars can't even see you!

Add to that, most communities do not have enough accessible parking spaces.

OP - is your Dad severely disabled? Do you really need the permit? Or would walking a few extra steps actually be better for your father's health?
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Old 08-06-2018, 11:25 AM
 
10,102 posts, read 19,300,689 times
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Originally Posted by rjm1cc View Post
Fortunately you are driving so you can drop him off, park and then pick him up.
Did it ever occur to you his father might need assistance getting in/out of the car and assistance from the car to his destination? Perhaps he can't be just "dropped off"
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Old 08-06-2018, 11:56 AM
 
Location: Florida
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Originally Posted by MaryleeII View Post
Did it ever occur to you his father might need assistance getting in/out of the car and assistance from the car to his destination? Perhaps he can't be just "dropped off"
Yes that is a good point. But I do not think the rest of us are willing to reserve enough handicap spaces so that everyone can always get a space when they need one. In most cases I observe the handicap spaces are quite popular and as long as you have a legal right to use them it is first come first served.
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Old 08-06-2018, 11:58 AM
 
Location: IN>Germany>ND>OH>TX>CA>Currently NoVa and a Vacation Lake House in PA
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Just be careful.

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Old 08-06-2018, 01:40 PM
 
160 posts, read 187,154 times
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I didn't expect to have to defend my dad, but knowing the Internet, I suppose I should have.

My dad has dementia, and his balance is not great. He shuffles very slowly. It takes a while for him to get into and out of vehicles. If I put him out and go look for a place, he may wander off or stand in the rain. Also, traffic will back up while he gets into and out of the car and while I answer his questions and help him feel comfortable about what we're doing.

His problems are getting worse, so if they're not bad enough to satisfy people now, they soon will be.

Before someone with nothing better to do accuses me of getting the permit for myself, I will add something. I don't care at all where I park when he's not around. I am used to driving a Dodge Ram with an 8-1/2-foot bed, which means I have gotten used to parking a long way from stores and restaurants. The distance means nothing at all to me, and I wonder what's wrong with people who circle and circle, hoping to avoid the trauma of walking a hundred feet.

None of this really matters, since I am generally not able to use the permit.

I'm not complaining or suggesting something needs to be done. I am just making an interesting observation about the huge number of disabled people in Marion County. I don't expect the government to create more spaces or crack down on fraud. The government can't fix everything. I got by without the permit, and I'll get by now that I know it's not very useful.
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Old 08-06-2018, 05:13 PM
 
5,687 posts, read 7,113,793 times
Reputation: 4326
Quote:
Originally Posted by A Little Hoarse View Post
I didn't expect to have to defend my dad, but knowing the Internet, I suppose I should have.

My dad has dementia, and his balance is not great. He shuffles very slowly. It takes a while for him to get into and out of vehicles. If I put him out and go look for a place, he may wander off or stand in the rain. Also, traffic will back up while he gets into and out of the car and while I answer his questions and help him feel comfortable about what we're doing.

His problems are getting worse, so if they're not bad enough to satisfy people now, they soon will be.

Before someone with nothing better to do accuses me of getting the permit for myself, I will add something. I don't care at all where I park when he's not around. I am used to driving a Dodge Ram with an 8-1/2-foot bed, which means I have gotten used to parking a long way from stores and restaurants. The distance means nothing at all to me, and I wonder what's wrong with people who circle and circle, hoping to avoid the trauma of walking a hundred feet.

None of this really matters, since I am generally not able to use the permit.

I'm not complaining or suggesting something needs to be done. I am just making an interesting observation about the huge number of disabled people in Marion County. I don't expect the government to create more spaces or crack down on fraud. The government can't fix everything. I got by without the permit, and I'll get by now that I know it's not very useful.
I hope you didn't think I was implying that there was nothing wrong with your dad. I'm familiar with your situation from that you've posted, so that wasn't the intent of my comment. The intent was to show that perhaps you've been deprived of a parking space because of people who may not need that disabled permit.
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