cranky old dude

Well, I was on my bike so this must be bike related....

As I pulled into the parking lot at the plant I spied a shiney black Infinity parked in the Handicap Parking Space. It had no permit making it illegally parked.

It just so happened that a very nice looking young lady was exiting the plant at this time. She was juggling her car keys, cell phone (mid conversation), and a cigarette all while swiftly striding to the black Infinity. Yep, in she hops and then she quickly sped away still smoking and yakking on the phone.

I guess with driving and life habits such as she has, she must just be practicing using the Handicap Parking spaces in preparation for her future!!

zonatandem

Maybe she's just illiterate/irresponsible????

avmech

We have a temporary permit from the wife's double knee replacement in Feb. I think it has been used a whopping 8 to 10 times.................most of the time she would rather walk the extra few steps. Hate it when someone with a permit parks in a handicapped spot but obviously is not handicapped (someone else in the family has it but they take advantage of it)

Kurt Erlenbach

I don't get too bent out of shape about who parks in handicapped spots. You never know what's going on with them, or whether a healthy driver is parking there for a handicapped passenger.

gmt13

I used to challenge people but don't anymore. Not worth it. It seems that most people think the tag goes with the car. OTOH, the impairment may not be a physical one.

-G

RonH

Around here a lot of the "handicapped" people with a permit aren't really handicapped. They're just over 65.

CraigB

I just assume all those people are mentally handicapped.

trackhub

You must understand, that she is very, very important. She keeps sucking on those cancer sticks, she won't be nice looking for long.

I see this frequently. Watertown is a suburb of Boston. It's not very "suburban" though. You might even say it is mostly an urban setting. Watertown is notorious for its lack of parking on weekdays. So, people who are low in the IQ department just take the handicapped spots. The Watertown PD is quick at catching them, but sometimes they are just not quick enough.

Still, one of my biggest amusements are these characters who basically live for going to the gym. Err.. Sorry, I meant to say "Fitness center". They're in such great shape, and yet, they go totally ballistic when they can't get a space near the door.

Nothing to see here folks, move along.

bikepro

A good comment to people who illegally park in handicap parking: "If you were authorized to park there, you'd wish you weren't."

larwyn

What, are you people jealous of those with handicap tags/permits? I drive an elderly couple to their appointments, the grocery store, etc. The vehicle belongs to them and has handicap tags. Sometimes I drop them off and then go run other errands for them. When I get back to where I left them I will generally park in a handicap parking spot for their benefit, despite the fact that I am seen walking "spryly" from the car to the location at which I left them. I have been challenged for this but I do not feel guilty for my actions. They both get around on walkers and do not need to take any more steps than necessary. Not everyone you see parking in such a space and then walking with no apparent handicap is in violation of anything. I do not park in handicap spaces unless I am picking them up or dropping them off.

waldowales

I dropped my wife and her walker at the door of the supermarket, and then parked in a close handicapped spot and hung the tag on the mirror. As I walked away, some nasty looking man told me me it looked like I got around pretty well. I thanked him and went on into the store. I felt no obligation to explain myself to him.
I volunteer every Monday morning as a driver for the county, driving senior citizens to medical appointments. All the cars in the fleet have handicapped hang tags, and we use them routinely when picking up and dropping off passengers.

JanMM

Yep, often hard to tell what the real story is with what look to be non-handicapped folks in handicapped spots.

cranky old dude

Where did this come from? I'm sorry, I'm a bit dense sometimes. I guess I don't understand. I thought this was a discussion about illegal parking in handicap spots. I didn't see any posts that remotely indicated to me that anyone here wished they had a handicap permit. What did I miss?



What you are doing as a driver for the physically challanged is perfectly legal in New York State.

My wife has a permanent handicap parking permit. She also has to drive with hand controls. These are not automotive accessories that we ever lusted after, but we've got them anyway.

We're fortunate in that she has more "Good" days than "Bad" days. When she's strong enough to shop on her own she usually parks in quieter areas of the lots as she does not like dealing with the high traffic that's always present in the front rows. When she's not I drive and drop her off at the door. Lucky for us I am able to park out in the lot and swoop in to pick her back up when she re-appears at the door. If I choose to meet her inside I still park out in the general parking area leaving the close spaces for those who are in worse shape than my poor bride. I can just run out and retrieve the car as she cashes out and pick her up at the door.

That being said, I fear that soon I too will need to park in the handicap spots in an effort to keep her off her feet as much as posible.

Rowan

Nice comback, COD. Just goes to show that some people should think and check before they post their super-sensitivities, eh?

NOS88

Lenny, I see people parking pretty much wherever they please around and in Philadelphia. After watching folks literally park on sidewalks, in crosswalks, and often in the center dividing lane of a street, I believe there may be a level of insensitivity in some cases. Sometimes I suspect people are just not thinking about any hardship they might be causing someone who has need for the additional space or proximity a handicapped space provides. Yet, I've also observed some of these same people holding doors open for other people. Sometimes people just aren't paying attention or thinking all that clearly.

cranky old dude

NOS88, I agree. The whole country seems to be rushing more and more to meet their deadlines and run their important errands. I suspect most of potential results of their inconsiderate behavior is not fully realized by the guilty parties. Pretty sad situation I think.

DnvrFox

Where did this come from? It is essentially a non-sequitur - just doesn't follow in the line of thoughts.

I have two sons in wheelchair, and a wife who occasionally needs to use her handicapped parking sticker (depends on the day and the place). I so wish that none of them had to even know what a handicapped parking sticker was.

Shame on that comment!!

bikepro

I saw a person getting a ticket for illegally parking in a handicap parking spot this morning. I'm not authorized to park in one, and very happy to park in the far corner. About 25 years ago I almost became authorized, but thats another story.

gcottay

Those who park without permit in handicap spots usually have only one spare tire for their vehicle.

NOS88

You're advocating a vigilante approach?

ModeratedUser150120149

Bet I would drive the vigilantes in the crowd crazy. I'm currently using a Temporary Handicap Parking Permit (Red). I drive up to a space then go into a store on crutches, grab one of the shopping carts to use as a walker, stow the crutches, and do my PT; walking. At the end I reverse the process and, like yesterday, literally fall into the car from fatigue.

Could I park further away? Sure, but have you ever tried to navigate a parking lot on crutches?

Plus, this allows me to get the maximum PT for quickest recovery for my comfort and to quit spending Medicare and insurance dollars on my treatment.

Sure there are those who abuse Handicap parking just like there are those who abuse most everything else. But, unless you know the whole story it isn't worth getting your panties in a twist about.

stapfam

Not Handicapped but we also have Child Bays over here. Those with small persons (Kids to you and me) and babies get a similar sized bay. My daughter has 2 kids- 2 1/2 and 10 months. Do not take her parking bay if you do not have kids. She just lets Ferne loose with the pushchair with strict orders not to hit mummys car.

And my Blind neighbour has a walking stick. Park blocking the sidewalk where he wants to walk and he uses the hooked end forcibly to negotiate round it.

Neither are Vigilantes but they do feel good afterwards.

Wogster

I think the problem is that there is so much traffic now, with each and every person needing to drive a 5,000lb land yacht, with just the driver on board, that it takes so long to get anywhere, that they need to hurry the rest of their trip. Although I find that people parking where they are not supposed to is inversely proportional to the diligence of the parking vultures. In some cities, like Toronto where you can illegally park at 2:04:01 come back at 2:04:05 and there is a ticket on it, people are less likely to park illegally. Unless your parked in a bike lane, where you can be parked all day without getting a ticket.

DnvrFox

A few years back, my family was entering a restaurant when I saw a lady parked in the yellow cross hatching between two handicapped parking places. FYI, this is there to allow a person with a van to unload from the van using the drop lift.

I approached the lady, asking her to move. She refused. I called the Sheriff on the cell phone, advising that she had refused to move. In just a couple of minutes, two Sheriff cars arrived and she got a big fat ticket. Did my heart good!!

duceditor

The concept behind the Handicap parking space is a good one -- one that I respect and honor. But the way they are doled out makes ithat at times a challenge. I suppose the law says "x number of spots per ____" And like most laws it is a one size fits all. How was that number come up with? At the places I frequent there are typically a half dozen or more handicapped spaces -- all empty -- and people are driving up and down, back and forth, waiting for a place to park their car.

Where/when this is most annoying to me is at the Medical Arts building. Following my recent surgery I'd have to walk a hundred yards to the door of the building while those half dozen spaces sat empty.

I'd prefer signs and custom to the law we have now. "Please save this spot for someone who really needs it." There was a comparable sign on the buses in Boston when I used to ride them daily and I never saw someone who needed one of those front seats denied them - usually without their even having to ask.

I suppose there will always be some selfish people who it would seem would require a law and penalties. But those people never seem to be stopped by laws either. How 'bout just learning to care and passing that along to our children?

Oh, and if you'll allow me... I find self righteousness, be it people who think they should police these laws or be it from those who have chosen not to drive because of their own value system, just as off-putting (maybe more) than those who for whatever reason use those parking sports when they don't appear to need to.

-don