Handicap Parking Rant

OK, this might make me unpopular, but WTF is up with temporary handicapped parking permits? I stopped at Target today, and had to walk for half a mile across empty handicapped spaces, freezing my dang butt off. Don't I pay the same prices at Target? Don't I deserve at least one space near the front door? And it would be fine if these spaces were ever filled with actual handicapped people, but they aren't. One or two spaces for wheelchair vans seems to be plenty. The rest are filled up with fat, lazy, chain-smoking rednecks (no offense to any fat, lazy, chain-smoking rednecks on the board) who have a 6-month permit, issued 4 years ago, for bunion surgery or temporary gout or a colonoscopy or whatever. Or worse yet, their dead grandma needed a walker, and they just kept the permit for twelve years after she passed so they could run in and get Ding Dongs and Smokes faster.

Yes, I know there are legitimate reasons to have a temporary permit, but they are really being abused around here and I am going to...well nothing actually. Thanks for letting me vent.

I hate those spots reserved for customers with child/newborns etc.

I park in them. I have children. They're 22, and 24, but they're still my children.

When I was younger If I spotted able-bodied folk in the handicapped spots I would rip the mirrors off their cars. These days I'll probably just yell something like "handicapped - really?" That's just me and kinda take that personally.

one thing to keep in mind is that not all handicapped folk are visually handicapped.... not all the heart patients are chain smoking red-necks

just because they look able-bodied doesn't mean they're not handicapped

my father was one of those (before he died last yr) hated using his card ... but would on occasion ....

In the stores' defense, I think the number of Differently Abled spots is determined by state/local ordinance, based on the square footage and customer capacity of the store. Much the same way that number of stalls/bathrooms/ADA-compliant bathrooms are a product of certain building codes.

Anyway, walking is good for you - keeps you out of the fat, lazy, chain smoking redneck category.

wbjones wrote: one thing to keep in mind is that not all handicapped folk are visually handicapped.... not all the heart patients are chain smoking red-necks just because they look able-bodied doesn't mean they're not handicapped my father was one of those (before he died last yr) hated using his card ... but would on occasion ....

yeah, that's why I'm a little more tolerant these days. I could qualify for a plate - but have never used a handicapped spot. Really pisses me off to see obvious abuses of the temp tags.

when I'm sure (as in I actually know the person) I generally turn in to an shiny happy person ... I've been know to call the cops ... it actually got a ticket issued once... that person still hasn't forgiven me ....

Zomby woof wrote: I hate those spots reserved for customers with child/newborns etc. I park in them. I have children. They're 22, and 24, but they're still my children.

+1 I'll respect the handicapped spots. The rest are BS and up for grabs. "Expectant mother"...yea I expect I could be a mother....Im sure some folks have called me that. "Parent with child" yep I have a child...nope not with me. "Hybrid parking" bahaahahwaahheahaaa.....yeah it runs on air and gas...

Our local grocery store recently blocked off the section I always seemed to park in for "shop at home" customers. Yeah, I shop at home....oh for your crap...well no...but you weren't clear.

One thing to consider, however unlikely, is that there is somebody already in the store who is handicapped, and the driver goes to park in the handicapped spot. Its happened to me driving my great aunt around--dude yells at me (young kid-18 then) when I'm going into the store/hospital/wherever to help her shop.

It sure felt good when he saw me coming out of the store with an octogenarian who could barely walk on her own.

mtn wrote: One thing to consider, however unlikely, is that there is somebody already in the store who is handicapped, and the driver goes to park in the handicapped spot. Its happened to me driving my great aunt around--dude yells at me (young kid-18 then) when I'm going into the store/hospital/wherever to help her shop. It sure felt good when he saw me coming out of the store with an octogenarian who could barely walk on her own.

While I personally dont take issue with this I'll play devil's advocate and say if there's an able bodied driver you can drop them at the door and park anywhere and then go get the car and pick them up when necessary.

I hate the "Fuel Efficient" parking spots. I park the Miata in them all the time.

However handicapped spots? I full respect that people do require them, and the just because I can't see what makes them handicapped doesn't mean they aren't. But when I see an obese person get one, I get a little upset. My brother lost 200+ lbs on his own. Lose some weight, let people who really need those spots use them.

I park in the back anyways and don't sweat the little things.

JThw8 wrote:

mtn wrote: One thing to consider, however unlikely, is that there is somebody already in the store who is handicapped, and the driver goes to park in the handicapped spot. Its happened to me driving my great aunt around--dude yells at me (young kid-18 then) when I'm going into the store/hospital/wherever to help her shop. It sure felt good when he saw me coming out of the store with an octogenarian who could barely walk on her own.

While I personally dont take issue with this I'll play devil's advocate and say if there's an able bodied driver you can drop them at the door and park anywhere and then go get the car and pick them up when necessary.

I typically do, but that also involves leaving the car unattended in the fire lane for a brief period of time, then it is still in the fire lane when I am berklying around with the walker trying to get it to fit in the trunk.

mtn wrote:

JThw8 wrote:

mtn wrote: One thing to consider, however unlikely, is that there is somebody already in the store who is handicapped, and the driver goes to park in the handicapped spot. Its happened to me driving my great aunt around--dude yells at me (young kid-18 then) when I'm going into the store/hospital/wherever to help her shop. It sure felt good when he saw me coming out of the store with an octogenarian who could barely walk on her own.

While I personally dont take issue with this I'll play devil's advocate and say if there's an able bodied driver you can drop them at the door and park anywhere and then go get the car and pick them up when necessary.

I typically do, but that also involves leaving the car unattended in the fire lane for a brief period of time, then it is still in the fire lane when I am berklying around with the walker trying to get it to fit in the trunk.

Like I said, just playing devils advocate. When my ex and her handicapped mom lived with me I'd use the spots 2 if I just had mom with me alone. If we were all together then Id drop ex and mom at the door and go park elsewhere. I commend you for being there to help family in need.

I had knee surgery about 12 years ago. Crutches, the works. Even in snow, I wouldn't ask for a placard. There's enough ju-ju out there not to temp the Gods into making you need one for real.

I qualify for one with my intestinal issues... I don't have one.

My father is looking fowards to hip number 7 soon.. he enjoys parking NEXT To handicapped spaces with his Handicapped plated car..

I've got a permanent handicapped parking permit. There I said it. I look normal (although I've been told that's up for debate), not obese, not a shiny happy person, but a severe asthmatic. I mean 50 feet of swift walking, and it's time for the inhaler. So, as mentioned, not all who look "normal: are abusing the permit. I had one guy go off on me about parking in a handicapped spot: vein bulging out of the neck, 8 inches from my face, etc. Store manager thankfully called the police who sat him down in their backseat for a while. No, I didn't persue it, but a lesson was learned.

I STRONGLY agree with everything said about those with temporary permits who use them after experation date.

I typically park in the back 1/3 at all but winn-dixie and thats because of how the lot is setup, they have 2 front row spots that used to be handicapped but repainted them for normal parking... they have a sign tower in front of it for the spaces adjacent from those spots... so I snag one of them... everywhere else I don't see the point in fighting traffic so parking in the back 1/3 gets me in and out quicker even if it does mean walking a bit more... and for those that know me i'm a BIG dude lol.. a little walking is nice... only time I regret that is when it decides to become hurricane rain just as you leave the store ;-)

all that being said... I've got a handicapped hanger tag sitting in my glovebox... was my grandma in laws before she went to the nursing home... it stays untill she dies... just in case she needs a ride (not likely but hey)...

and yes the fat people in handicapped spots is always funny... just like when they drive around in the electric scooters at walmart... sad people.

for the expecting mothers and young kids... when my kids where under 2y/o i used em if they where around...

never seen one of the fuel efficient spots... did a search and found a university that had an excel spreadsheet of all the cars... funny how any of the cars i've owned that regularly got 30mph or better aren't on the list... oh thats right they are older than '98...

I am one of those people who park in the back too. Keeps my cars from getting (more) beaten up.

And yes.. I park in the fuel efficent spots.. my BMW gets 30some odd MPG even thought it is not "on the list"

yeah my mom qualifies (arthritis, plate in her spine, and some knee injury) and only used her card for the first months after her neck surgery. Heck, her knee injury was a break that the doctor couldn't see on an xray (real idiots), and walked around on it for a month before a (smarter) doctor did an MRI to see if she damaged anything else in her knee, and said "whoa, you broke it!"

I got nothing against handicapped parking spots myself, (though the sheer number of them can be overwhelming at times) and I don't sweat the hybrid spots either. I just get anti-hybrid smugness knowing that the unneccesary amount of fuel my old van burns on it's way to the back of the lot more than compensates for the fuel savings of the hybrid on their way to the store.

my wife works in group homes where all the residents have disabilities, parking close is a blessing when dealing with 6 people in wheelchairs who also have delays.

fatasses should have to park as far from the door as possible.

we've been taking full advantage of the expectant mother spots, which i still think are dumb.

wbjones wrote: one thing to keep in mind is that not all handicapped folk are visually handicapped.... not all the heart patients are chain smoking red-necks just because they look able-bodied doesn't mean they're not handicapped

Quoted ForTruth.

My best ex-girlfriend has Multiple Sclerosis. On the outside, she's still a hot (to us middle-aged guys) blue-eyed blonde with a pretty face, & a great figure above and below the waist. On the inside, she's half-blind in one eye, and has short-term memory problems. Her husband & I are trying to get her to just stop driving, but for the moment I'm glad she has that permit.

I thought a handicap sticker or plate is for some mobility issue. I work with a guy that has handicapped plates on he crew cab dually.

He's deaf.

In reply to pinchvalve:

As one who has a handicap permit, the only thing I have to say is shut the hell up. You obviously don't know what it's like to be in pain. I would love to have the ability to walk all the way across a parking lot to a store. You don't know how fortunate you are.

Kohl's has an "Associate of the Month" spot and it is always empty. I almost want to argue if they were such a great employee, why aren't they at work putting in extra time? This is the spot I take.