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noirvault Asked December 2010

How can you deal with citizens who thing handicapped parking spaces can be used by anyone?

I know I'm far from alone with this, but every day I see people using those spaces who by all outward appearances have utterly no physical limitations other than obvious laziness. Many are using relatives placards and many just use the spaces without them. The temptation to raise hell on the spot gets to me sometimes, but then the notion of taking a needless beating stops me because this is a violent society like it or not. Once upon a time I did raise hell, but now that a gallon of milk is heavy, well...fighting is way low on my list of my favorite past times.
I walk with a cane and move at a snails pace and really need to be in a wheel chair, but I live in a place where a w/c would be tougher than the cane with roots, rocks and assorted junk in my path not to mention I don't have the physical strength to load or unload a wheel chair anyway.
So what's the solution aside from the obvious of living with it? I've asked the store to do some policing of their lot, but that's fallen on deaf ears as they only care about making money and peoples needs always take a back seat to profit. If they had their way there would be no handicapped spaces in any parking lots.
How do you deal with these jerks? Throw nails under their tires?

PirateQueen Feb 2011
CALL THE LOCAL POLICE and have them check it out...great way for them to make extra monies to give out a ticket.

toadballet1 Feb 2011
Most of handicapped parking signs come with a warning that states the fine if they are caught parking there without a placard or special license plate. Here it is $200. Just call the local authorties and let them take care of it. I can't imagine that anyone would do it again after paying such a steep fine.

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195Austin Feb 2011
When I am having a good day I might not look handicapped and have been questioned at times and when I am having a good day I do not use the handicapped spaces. They need to put a large fine on people who do not belong in those spaces like $1000.00 or something or have them have to perform community service.

lesliecobb Feb 2011
I'm sorry but people have all sorts of handicapps.
One of my friends looks like SHakira and can still were tall heals. She has a deginererative nerve disease and she looks good but it is gonna get worse. She lives all the way down in Miami where there are tons of old peple.
What gets to me is that the ones who give her a hard time are the ones who do not even HAVE a handicapp sticker. THEY have yelled at her. They have said stuff like What do you think YOU are doing and then give her the riot act. I dont think she should have to defence herself. Do you?
And she does wear heals because she is a profesional and has to lug around some heavy stuff. She is still trying to make as much money as she can before she has to stop workin and I think that's smart. Because one day she is not gonna be abel to work. She is so much smarter than I am and I always wanted to be like her since I'm not that smart. But she always tells me that she wouldn't wish her illness on anyoen.
She has people yell at her for taking aparking spot she DESERVES and just because she is young and pretty peple think she should not park there? I don't think that is fair. Not at all. So when she gets yelled at but makes it a lesson on how those peopl are just ignorant.

tmaux Dec 2010
Let me add one more concern to this post. The individuals that need a close parking spot that take the spaces for the wheel chair accessible people without regard for the individuals who cannot park in a normal space and dismount the vehicle. Please think twice next time that you are tempted to take one of these spots.

ChristinaW Dec 2010
I cannot resist an opportunity such as this to give advice. You have to be ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that the person is NOT handicapped who is doing this, as one never knows the reason for the placard or license plate. It could be an artificial limb, or a disabled family member, a vet; however, you can figure a couple of eighteen year olds with surf boards, or a ditsy blond in 5 inch heels running in to 7/11 to get smokes, are probably offenders.
Anyway, this is what I have done a few times. It is such FUN and does my cynical heart good: You go up to the person when they are getting out of or into their car and say: "Oh, excuse me. This space is for PHYSICALLY handicapped, not MENTALLY handicapped." Usually, they don't get it right away.
But, seriously, noirvault, don't worry about it too much. There are mysteries out there. Take care of yourself. Hugs.

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