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i am totally irritated with the amount of people i see that possess handicapped hang-tags, but aren't handicapped! they use them to park wherever they want. as a borough security worker, i just dealt with someone who parked in a handicapped spot. when i approached him and asked him to move his car because he was in a handicapped spot, he said "i'm handicapped."
"where's your tag?" i asked.
he then bent over into his car, produced a tag that looked brand new, not faded, barely used. what choice did i have? "hang it up." i said, and walked away, furious that this perfectly capable young man was getting away with this. he walked off, and later i noticed that he was walking all over our park, no limp or crutch in sight.
why is it that these people are allowed to get away with this? maybe that guy drives his crippled mother around, but to use the handicapped sticker when obviously he was not handicapped should be a crime. i would love nothing more than to see this man's car being towed.
what are your thoughts on this? how, if possible, can it be changed?
Just a thought here. I have know several people who at a glance appear to be healthy, but do have real health concerns. I have a very good friend who has MS. Some days she can walk better than others, but she can't do it for very long. My mother had serious lung problems and also could not walk far. They both look sooo much worse when coming out of a store (or wherever) than they do going in.
i am totally irritated with the amount of people i see that possess handicapped hang-tags, but aren't handicapped! they use them to park wherever they want. as a borough security worker, i just dealt with someone who parked in a handicapped spot. when i approached him and asked him to move his car because he was in a handicapped spot, he said "i'm handicapped."
"where's your tag?" i asked.
he then bent over into his car, produced a tag that looked brand new, not faded, barely used. what choice did i have? "hang it up." i said, and walked away, furious that this perfectly capable young man was getting away with this. he walked off, and later i noticed that he was walking all over our park, no limp or crutch in sight.
why is it that these people are allowed to get away with this? maybe that guy drives his crippled mother around, but to use the handicapped sticker when obviously he was not handicapped should be a crime. i would love nothing more than to see this man's car being towed.
what are your thoughts on this? how, if possible, can it be changed?
I totally agree with you. I was at Price Cutter ( a local southwest Missouri grocery store chain) and had to park quite a ways out in the lot. As I was walking to the front of the store through the parking lot, a young woman pulled up in an SUV with a handicap tag, parked in the handicaped parking spot, hopped out, and RAN to the front entrance. Luck would have it that I was walking out with my groceries when she was and there were a lot of people now in the parking lot around us and I was really close to her as I walked past. I fell to my knees while looking right at her and in a super loud voice yelled: "Praise be Jesus!!!! She's healed!!!!" The other people around started laughing and the woman abusing the sticker turned red and got in her car quickly and drove off.
i know some people may be more handicapped than they appear to be, and its not right to judge; but you bet many people abuse it. and that is just sad!
and the thing that gets me is- what the hell is wrong with walking a little bit anyways!? why are some people afraid of a little bit of excercise? god forbid they would have to walk a little bit farther! i don't understand why people get their undies all in a bunch over a stupid parking space... especially so much so that they take advantage of the disabled! we are such a lazy society.
LMAO!!!!!! That and the fact that it is the ones that need the excercise the most that won't walk. They have to park closest to the door and won't even take 15 steps to return the buggy in the parking lot. But these are also the ones that are just as bad when it comes to their parking abilities. I've noticed that REALLY bad more lately. People just pulling into a spot and parking so crooked that they literally block the car beside them in. Or so close to them that if the other person comes out first they won't be able to get into their car. It's just plain lazy and disrespectful to me.
MoMark, that is too funny. LOL!!!!! Good one. I knew someone that had pretty bad knee surgery and had a temp. handicapped parking pass. One day when she went to the store they were all taken but one did not have a handicapped tag. So she parked where she found a spot as close as possible. Walked, err, hobbled over to the guilty car and propped herself up and waited. Needless to say the guilty unhandicapped person was not to happy and did not have much to say.
This is one reason along w/ the crappy parking habits that I don't park that close to any door anywhere. I find a nice safe spot out away from everyone to park and walk. I need the workout less than most of these other lazy people but that is one reason why. DUH!!! But if all of the handicapped spots are taken even for people that are legit if I don't park in the ones beside them then that leaves them open for those that need to be closer. As far as appearances, it is hard to tell on some people that they truly do need it. I know a lot of people on chemo for cancer can't walk that far and need it. They may look fine (if just starting treatments) but overall they are pretty weak. But for the others, I just say they are mentally handicapped.
I agree with evey that there are some handicaps we may not see visually or understand, but I also agree with those who say that walking is good for you anyway, so what is wrong with doing it? I myself don't get aggravated with people who abuse these tags, because they are not bothering me in any way and I am not inconvenienced in any way, therefore I pay no attention to them. I know this is a selfish outlook, but if I let everything unjust that I observe bother me, I would probably have high blood pressure or a stroke. People who have a true reason for being so upset with these people are those who are truly handicapped, and all of the spaces for them have been taken. Then they have a right to be annoyed with the abusers.
Last edited by robinhood; 10-21-2006 at 05:51 PM..
Reason: grammar error
Firstly, I honestly don’t know the criterion for obtaining a handicapped car sign, completely. Does the list of accepted ailments differ from state to state? Is it a citywide determination? Is it federal?
Secondly, at one point I was eligible for one (thankfully that’s in my past) & chose not to have it for the simple reason that I personally didn’t want to view myself as disabled, despite my physical distress. To the casual viewer, I may have appeared just fine. It was important to me, in my healing, that I was not identified by my illness. I have no problem with those who choose to obtain such a sign.
I have a few things to say:
I personally can’t tell if someone’s disabled, just by looking. People with heart/lung conditions or cancer, for example, may be able to jauntily walk - now. I don’t know if they’re on their way to, or home from, treatment. It’s none of my business. Good point from the member who mentioned that someone with MS walked into a store in a heartier condition than when walking out.
I worked with a woman who had a handicapped sign on her car. When I occasionally went out with her for lunch, we did get dirty looks from others. She looked fine. So did I, even during the time that I was labeled handicapped. She said she had a severe breathing condition, but was annoyed with those who “pushed the limits” of their illnesses to obtain handicapped status. Who am I to say she or anyone else is not disabled? I never saw her experience a breathing “attack”. Does it mean she didn’t have a problem or was pushing the limits of her illness? I just can’t make that determination.
In the same vain, in MA I’ve seen signs in front of parking spaces next to handicapped spaces, specifically designated for people with children, making it easier for them to load/unload their vehicles. Several are multi-purpose signs, saying something similar to “for handicapped or those with children”. I don’t know the exact verbiage, as I don’t pay much attention. I have several friends who are incensed about this special preference, saying, “why should people who choose to procreate be given special considerations?!”
As someone who’s been greatly inconvenienced by mothers who are allowed time off/early dismissal/late arrival at many of the jobs I’ve had, I understand the sentiments. Why should I have to work extra hours for those who chose to procreate? Does it matter what I think, because that’s the reality? Back on subject, as a compassionate person, I’ve seen mothers struggling with bundles, car carriers, shopping carts, diaper bags, dropping toys, infants, toddlers & carriages, all at the same time. If convenience is offered to them, why not take advantage of it? Just like leaving work early. It’s acceptable, it’s offered, it’s allowed. I’ve almost decided that for my next job, I’m going to tell them I have kids in case I would like some time off or would like to leave early. And, no, I’m not being sarcastic. Some of my co-workers have pushed the limits & misrepresented their situations. Perhaps like some parkers who are not disabled, but driving a vehicle designated as such. But, how do we know for sure?
I have seen kids driving cars with handicapped signs that they parked in handicapped spaces. Again, I’m assuming the kids are fine & it’s a parents' car, based on the way they bounded out of the car with their friends, but I don’t know. I guess some folks think the car is defined as a handicapped vehicle, no matter who’s driving, but again, I can’t make that determination. I’m completely assuming. Maybe an 18-yr old driver with a disability has a beautiful car & a handicapped sign with alot of friends.
So, how do we determine who is handicapped & who is not, for sure? I’m curious. With the kids who I think look fine & my co-worker who looked fine & me, who also looked fine - I don’t really know, do you?
well you dont really know. its just a given that there are always those that will abuse the system. all you can do is try to be a good person yourself.
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why is it that these people are allowed to get away with this? maybe that guy drives his crippled mother around, but to use the handicapped sticker when obviously he was not handicapped should be a crime. i would love nothing more than to see this man's car being towed.
what are your thoughts on this? how, if possible, can it be changed?
I have one part hanging on the rearview mirror and the other part in my billfold. One is no good without the other. Parking enforcement can and does ask to see the part one has on them and the numbers better match.
I am one of those people who legitimately have a handicapped placard due to an "invisible" illness, in addition to having had open heart surgery. A doctor has to indicate a diagnosis on the application and state medical necessity in order to get one. On my "good" days, I leave the handicapped spot open for someone who can use it more than I can, and I take the next closest spot. On the "not so good' days, I will take the spot.
Once, on one of my "not-so-good" days, this older lady (about 30 yrs. older) stopped me after I had parked and was complaining endlessly, and quite loud, how the younger, healthier people can get these placards, and that she was unable to because her dr. said she was healthy. My response to her was, "Thank goodness you don't have to have one of these handicapped cards". I added that she "was probably healthier than I was anyway" and I really believed that to be true. I also told her that she should "try walking in my shoes for a day". Although I could understand where her anger came from, sometimes I think having an invisible disability is more of a burden than a blessing. If I feel someone is watching me, I will throw in a limp, just to avoid another confrontation. But I do understand the frustration where people try to take advantage of the system.
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But if all of the handicapped spots are taken even for people that are legit if I don't park in the ones beside them then that leaves them open for those that need to be closer. As far as appearances, it is hard to tell on some people that they truly do need it. I know a lot of people on chemo for cancer can't walk that far and need it. They may look fine (if just starting treatments) but overall they are pretty weak. But for the others, I just say they are mentally handicapped. 
number please
