Handicapped Parking

i don't mind a bit if they have the plates OR a hanging tag. it does frost my nuggets to see someone without either, parked there or sitting idling while someone else runs in.
my in-laws have the hanging tag. i use it if i'm taking them somewhere, but wouldn't dream of skanking a space just for me. and i despise people who do.
in a related question, what about the bathrooms? i've got an acquaintance who uses a wheelchair, and insists that the able-bodied should not use it at all, even if the other stalls are all full and the handicapped is the only empty one. i've presented my own POV that handicapped stalls are there to accommodate the handicapped, not to be reserved exclusively for them. she says i'm demonstrating able-bodied privilege.
khairete
S.

The term is 'people with a disability'. That way, a person is not defined only by their disability or 'handicap'.

I work in this area and many disabilities are hidden - heart problems, chronic fatigue, backs, knees etc. there is a global explosion of an aged population, and this leads to more age-related disabilities, and more need for 'accessible' parking.

This is not to you KM, (*edit or to many of you awesome ladies who responded after I did last night - Diane B. you're always so nice and thoughtful*) but to most who have responded to you prior to me...

I couldn't figure out why my husband, a 42 yr. old disabled (medically retired) Marine, so often refuses to use the handicap parking. He doesn't LOOK disabled, but a walk through the parking lot could be enough to make him have to go back home instead of watching the movie or eating the dinner, and that's on the RARE occasion he feels good enough to sit through a movie or dinner. He says people give him dirty looks when he parks in the handicap spots and that's why he would rather just park far away and suffer from the pain it causes him. I had been telling him surely he's imagining it, that people wouldn't do that.

After reading most of these previous responses, I realize he wasn't imagining it. I wonder what you all think when you see me park in the handicap spot by myself, jump out and run. You probably think just what you said in your posts. You probably don't stop to think that I had to drop my husband and kids at the door earlier in the night and park far away because there were no handicap spots and now, while he's paying hte bill, I've run by myself in the dark to retrieve the car and park it closer so my husband doesn't have to walk far, now that he's in worse pain, and now I'm running back into the restaraunt to help him with the kids.

But it's much easier to assume the worst and give my husband dirty looks.

And I have a handicap plate, not tag, because my car is the family car, and he rides in my car as much as he does in his own.

I don't think these tags are easy to get at all. Most people that I know who have obtained them, even for short-term use, had to go through a lot of channels. One of my neighbors had one for her mother, who had Parkinson's. My neighbor only used the hang tag if she had her mother with her, and never abused the system. There may be some who aren't as ethical, but the penalties are pretty harsh if you get caught.

I do think that people have to get past the "wheelchair or walker" definition of disability. As the nation's health continues to deteriorate, as auto-immune diseases like lupus, MS, fibromyalgia, ALS and many others continue to rise, and as we deal with veterans with PTSD who cannot park in a sea of cars without feeling trapped/ambushed, we have to expect that the need for handicapped parking will increase. I work with a lot of people in these categories, including vets with PTSD who have service dogs to help alert them when someone is coming around the corner "end cap' and heading down their aisle in the supermarket. It's not just about the ability to walk - there are other factors.

I also think that new techniques, therapies and drugs allow people to remain mobile for longer than in the past - so people who would have given up driving in the past are able to continue longer than before. I'm not sure the laws are up to the increases, and I'm sure there are many challenges in getting things updated.

I think it's absolutely essential that we not put ourselves in the position of trying to identify disabilities from the casual vantage point of our own cars. Frankly, I'm more than happy to park farther away anyway for the exercise, and leave those spots open.

I'm also struck by the fact that there is no provision for the shopping carts of people who need those parking spots. They get back to their cars, unload their carts, and then what? They have to walk all the way to the little "cart corral" and then walk back to the car? So many of them leave their carts in the buffer area between the 2 parking spots - and then the next handicapped parker has to work around that cart. I try to make it a point to grab those carts on my way into the store and not wait for the store employee to get out there to do it. It's a little something all of us can do.

It is not always about the driver. My mom takes her mother places. My mom is not in need of the placard. My grandmother is - with her hip surgery and low mobility. And there are also diseases that are not immediately obvious that qualify people for the tag or placard. Mom doesn't use it when she's not driving Grandma. Grandma hands the hanging placard to whoever is driving her that day, so it can easily be used in any car. It can be abused, certainly. But some areas tend toward a more elderly population (example) and more people will have them.

We've got a much larger elderly population than we use to have.

My mom and husband both have the hanging ones, both for knee issues. They both use regular spots when they are feeling fine, but use the handicapped if they are having issues.

My brother needs one (due to injuries sustained while serving in Iraq and that his leg will randomly give out on him), but he doesn't think he deserves one.

The problem I see is too many people using them when they aren't theirs. I would NEVER use my husband's or my mom's, ever. It's not mine and I don't belong in that spot, so I don't touch them. I honestly think it's more people using them when they don't belong to them, based on what I see where I live.

It seems like it's not super easy to get one here in Florida - I saw a guy at the DMV a few years back yelling because he couldn't get one, and he looked pretty old and had a walker. I could be wrong though. I think you have to get your doctor to sign forms.

My sister is visibly handicapped but you can't tell when she's sitting inside the car. One day she parked in a handicapped spot and a guy tapped on her window to point out that she shouldn't park there. You can imagine his embarrassment when she got out of the car and he saw her brace and crutches.

I do think our population is aging, too, and there are more chronic conditions that people are coping with which are not always visible.

Of course there are those who will take advantage of the system too.

No matter what it is better here than in Europe, generally speaking. We really try to accommodate our handicapped. I'm a major Europhile so that is saying something!

Well, I'm not handicapped, so I don't really notice those spots too much or pay too much attention to if they're full or not.
I think there are people going through all kinds of stuff out there. And I figure if someone has a twisted knew, ankle, etc. and they need to use a handy spot--that's for then to decide -- even if they have no placard.
Getting placards "too easy"? I doubt it. But who knows?
I guess I couldn't care less about the procedure.
I don't like the culture of "someone's getting something I don't," or "I need to make sure someone's not getting something legitimately."
I kind of worry about myself and assume others do the same.
My MIL has O. and it's a Godsend when I take her places.

I think it's just easier to get one, honestly. I know two people (one young and one middle aged family member) that are perfectly able to walk without any kind of assistance. They HAD some mobility conditions that were temporary, but are fine now. Yet, they swerve into the nearest handicap spot and throw up the tag to this day.
Yet, my grandmother who used a cane and walker into her 90s refused a tag. Said that was for the truly disabled. We dropped her off at the door sometimes, but mostly she would walk in by her herself (just to prove a point, I think). She was something else!

My husband has two cards assigned to him because we have two cars. The DMV was the one that did this.

Hubby had hip issues and then he had major medical issues that came up and are still on the horizon so it is hard for him to walk long distances. He does try and at the end of the day, he cannot do much but sit down or take a long nap to recoup.

Sometimes it is frustrating to see all the handicap signs and cars in the spots. I usually try to stay out of them when I am by myself.

After I had my lung surgery this year he made sure that we parked in the handicapped spots when I went out and used the mobile wheelchair in the store. You are weak after surgery and it takes so much to do anything building your strength back but many people don't see that. If we were all injured on the outside there would not be this problem but that is not the case.

I understand how you feel about the full spots. I understand how people feel when they can't move or walk very far. I understand that in my boomer generation there will be more of us using them. I understand that as we continue with our war efforts there will be more using these spots as well. Oh the paperwork that is required to get a sticker is rather lengthy so it is not just push a button or two and your are done.

the other S.

PS I walk and do not use the handicap spots unless I am with hubby. ON my own I use regular spots and walk all around the store or part of the mall.

Well, my dad has a hanging tab for his mother, she's 95. When he is by himself, he does NOT use the handicapped spots.

I know it's REALLY easy to get one from your doctor. And the police truly don't check the dates on them, especially the hanging ones. I know there are people who are truly too lazy to park elsewhere and use the hanging tags for their own purpose instead of who they are intended for.

I know we have a LARGE elderly population as well. I know know my husband and I called the police for our neighbor (now deceased) and his daughters when he was driving. It was SCARY...he would hit his garage and other parked cars. We HATED turning him in, but we asked him NOT to drive - we would take him where ever he needed to go - I understand the freedom and wanting to be able to care for yourself - but it was SCARY to watch him drive. Thank God he never killed anyone.

Do people really need them? I don't know. I know there are people that look pretty healthy jumping out of handicapped spots - but it's not for me to judge. Who knows...maybe they have a bad heart?? I don't know. I just feel that it's being taken advantage of...that's my 2 cents.

When I had a broken leg last year, I had to get a hang tag. It was anything but easy to get it and it was limited to one tag for my two cars and six weeks. Even if someone else was using it in my family, there was still only one tag so only one car at a time could use it, thus taking no more space than one car for the entire six weeks. And I was made to jump through hoops to get it, including standing on crutches in a long line and making multiple trips to get the prescription and then get the tag at the dmv. Furthermore, the dirty looks I got from people, even as I hobbled on crutches, made it extremely unappealing to use. I find it hard to understand how one car at a time using one hard to get tag for a limited time could fill up all the spaces. That makes no sense.

What I notice around here, mostly, is that the number of handicapped spaces has dramatically increased, and that the majority of the time I happen to see them they are mostly empty. And that annoys the heck out of me.

It'll be pouring rain and the closest 10 spaces at least (seriously, 5 on either side of the center "aisle") are labeled handicapped. All empty. Or 102*, blazing sun, the asphalt is sticking to your shoes and the humidity is enough to make a healthy person concerned that they are drowning, and all the spaces anywhere close to the building are empty, labeled handicapped.

Or even on a normal day, the entire parking lot filled to the brim, barely a space to be found, and the whole area right in the front of the store, a dozen spaces, all empty.

I am careful not to make judgments when I see someone who "appears" healthy parking in a handicapped space. Good grief. With today's technology, you could be watching someone with prosthetics and not even know it. Let alone all really invisible types of health problems (heart, back, lung).

But I do admit that I get irritated when I go to the grocery store and, routinely, no matter the time of day, a huge swath of prime spaces are sitting empty... every time. 3 or 4 or even 6 spaces would be more than adequate. But no... a dozen, at least. I think I'll count next time. I swear when they relined that parking lot I thought they made a mistake and miscounted or something.

Never noticed. Where other people park and for what reason is no concern of mine. I like to assume most people are good and reasonable, and that if they're parked in handicapped parking (with appropriate tags, etc), that's where they need to be parked. It's just not up to me to bring my yardstick and measure HOW handicapped a person is and whether they *deserve* the spot. That's just not my business.

Never noticed. But of course I'm one who tends to park further out on purpose, I feel like I don't get enough exercise as it is.
And if people are getting these placards "too easy"? Well I guess that's on them. Lazy is as lazy does.

Sadly, I see people using them that do not need to (not theirs). While I get that there are hidden reasons, it still being used when they should not be.

I see my MIL, who has and has had club foot since birth. refuses to get one. even though she can barley walk.

We use my parents car, that has the handicap licsense plate while in FL on vacation, and have never parked in the handicap with that car (unless my dad was in it).

My mom has the hanging one until she got the plate. Technically I think she could walk a little further than the handicapped spots but that's my opinion. She has some back issues that flares up but generally gets around just fine.

My mini van blew up beginning of the month and I've had some serious medical issues hit me. She's been driving me about 3x per week to doc appointments. She causually mentions to me she's going to pick up the paperwork so I can get a handicapped spot. I'm like really, I'm having issues with my blood cells and I don't even have a car to use the plate on. So in a way, I do think it's too easy to apply and get a spot.

That being said, my BFF is on oxygen, can't walk far at all. We went to a conference, I didn't have a handicapped tag and she forgot hers. OMG, we had to park so far but they had golf cart rides. Then I went to move the van to get closer. It was such a pain and stressful but would have been so nice to just have the tag and park close for her to begin with. JMO. Oh, and we went to the movies at the mall once with all the women from church. Every single handicapped spot was taken so I dropped her off and ended up parking super far away. I think places like malls need to have a ton of spots because the people who REALLY can't walk, really need a close spot.

The baby boomers have aged up and more and more will have health issues. As they age out this is only going to increase. Then when they are no longer driving or going to stores it should level back out.

MORE people are scamming the system, this includes doctors.. I live in the bay area and there are OFTEN and I mean OFTEN ALL handicapped parking slots taken... we tried to curb the situation whereby we voted to start charging for parking, even if handicapped, the idea being that nowadays, with people having smartphones, you can pay from your phone and no longer have to go back and check the meters (which was one of the biggest obstacles for someone who is handicapped) .... BUT voters didn't go go for it.. so handicap parking is still free and as long as it is.... people will scam.... you can go down heavily trafficked streets in many neighborhoods and just about every other spot will have a handicap placard..... such a shame too.. because for those who truly need the spot, they are becoming harder and harder to come by...

My dad got the hanging tag back when he was driving instead of the license plate. Not sure the difference.
It could be that the increase in elderly people as the baby boomers are elderly