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whacky
my father-in-law has one, which he must renew, courtesy of the VA (I think), every year. He only gets one, but it travels between his car and my mother-in-law's. (her knees are such that she should get one for herself, but that's another story). Once in a while they have been with the "wrong" car, or with an expired tag. They do make mistakes. This doesn't make it right, of course, but just wanted you to know not everyone who does it is undeserving.
Of course, I also sympathize with the comedian who said "you know what they used to call Handicapped parking spaces? Good parking spaces," and I've always believed that you should be able to buy one regardless of your health -- it's just that healthy drivers would have to spend like the cost of a car to get one valid for two years, and the money goes to provide more services for the disabled (making buildings and streets and public transit more accessible, funding lawsuits, etc.). I know that's sick and maybe insensitive. But if some lunatic is willing to pay five figures so he can have a short trip to the Wal-Mart (Wal-Mart?),let's take his cash and do some good with it.
okay i'll duck now.
posted by
tbgroucho
on April 12, 2005 at 5:33 AM
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Whacky - This is exasperating to me too. People who don't need those spots are so inconsiderate of those who do. I don't accost people though because, as you say, you never know who are the crazy ones with guns. These people will keep doing it no matter how much you yell at them.
posted by
TAPS.
on April 10, 2005 at 9:13 PM
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I am disabled...
and the last time I saw an able bodied person parking in a handicapped spot, I parked myself in my wheelchair in front of his driver's side door and waited on him to come back to the car (thankfully he was only running in to get some milk and cookies). When he returned I went into a rant at the guy. He had a handicapped sticker and he was in running clothes and obviously fit. Micheal took down his liscense plate number while I was screaming at the guy and not letting him in his car. Then a cop showed up (probably because I was waving my cane at the guy) and ticketed him. Then the officer wheeled my happy little butt to the entrance of the store and warned me not to verbally accost anyone again.
It pays to bitch
Mike's Goddess
posted by
mikes_goddess
on April 10, 2005 at 9:19 AM
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Whacky, Funny how the Midwest doesn't have that problem. I wonder if the people are more decent or more repressed? Which is worse? Is there a difference?
posted by
kingmi
on April 9, 2005 at 9:32 PM
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If you left a note you might feel a little better -
but how about a letter to the editor of your local newspaper? I know that they have had ads on TV here in Darwin and enforcing the fines as well.
posted by
littlemspickles
on April 9, 2005 at 9:20 PM
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In my City they are enforcing the
no handicap sticker/plate law. If you park in a handicap zone without these then you get a parking fine of @250
Personally, I think it should have been enforced all along.
posted by
StrickGold
on April 9, 2005 at 7:38 PM
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Whacky46
C'mon luv, move to Canada. That is a very heavy fine here to park in a handicapped space. If the sticker isn't posted permanently in the window all you do is call like you did. The fine is $500.00 now I think for taking one of those spaces. Good for you my friend
posted by
WileyJohn
on April 9, 2005 at 7:27 PM
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How true. There's very little one can do about this. Maybe, the handicapped motorist can park in front of that vehicle!
Ann.
posted by
A-and-B
on April 9, 2005 at 5:50 PM
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I have seen this from both sides
when I was a cop I loved to ticket these jerks and if they came out while I was there I made sure they got an earful.
Now I am retired and disabled and need a cane to walk, and I have a a blue handicap sticker that I place on my mirror but I don't always park in the handicap zone because I like to walk when I can for excercise and sometimes if there is a parking spot a couple of feet away, even if I feel bad, I will park there because there are others worse then I.
But did you ever stop and think of this, many of these people who use these spots at the large stores or malls, then walk in and walk miles to shop. Go figure.
posted by
scoop
on April 9, 2005 at 5:00 PM
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Whacky,
I see your point and I also am agitated by people with such total disregard for others. But I am also a humorous fiction writer and I must say that I can see a funny story in you getting arrested while trying to report someone abusing a handicapped parking space. Fiction of course, I here it is hard to post from a jail cell.
Kaelen
posted by
Kaelen-Myril
on April 9, 2005 at 4:35 PM
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Whacky
How about a note on the windscreen. 'The next time you park in this spot I'll make sure you are handicapped when you leave' - signed
kneecapper.
posted by
johnmacnab
on April 9, 2005 at 4:09 PM
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Wacky my friend,
This tale reminds me of an incident that happened to me several years ago. My cousin and I had gone to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things. As we were pulling into the parking lot, a lady in a fancy car pulled in front of us and parked in the slot.
As soon as she emerged from her car, I could see she had no business being there. I didn't have a sticker myself, but I figured someone else may need it. Unable to resist, I opened my big mouth.
"I can't stand people who do this," I said at the top of my lungs. "People who park in these spots who don't need them should get a life and have more consideration for those of us who actually do."
The woman stared at me for a long moment in stunned silence. Without a word, she promptly got back into her car and drove off in great haste to find a new spot.
My cousin, now completely embarrassed, looked at me and said "You shouldn't do that."
My point was I do whatever I like, whether someone else likes it or not. I truly abhore inconsiderate, ignorant people.
You're right, my friend...What goes around comes around and someday, sooner than they'd like, these people will get what's coming to them.
Maybe we'll get lucky enough to witness it!!
posted by
lovelyladymonk
on April 9, 2005 at 1:25 PM
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