Parking In Handicapped Parking

[calgarydave]

Yes I see you do it and you dont have a sticker thingy I'm going to tell you off.

 

I dont really care if you're just going in for a second. The stalls are there for people who need it not for people who are too fucking lazy to walk an extra 5 feet.

 

Oh and if you're driving a Hummer while doing it, all the better ;) Oh great joy

[little miss sunshine]

There was a debate raging in the editorial section of our local paper last year about people who didn't 'look' handicapped that used the stickers and the people who told them off.

 

One lady wrote in saying she needed it because she has suffered severe head trauma in a some kind of accident and oftentimes forgets where her car is and is prone to emotional outbursts. She explained that she might have a rage fit if you say she doesn't look handicapped. Yeah, I think the MD who approved HER handicapped parking sticker should have just revoked her licence. I mean, if you often can't remember where you car is, do you forget about signalling for lane changes and to shouldercheck and other awesome safety driving techniques?

[Hyphnip]

I saw a guy run into Tim Hortons that parked in the handicapped parking stall today, with no sticker. I would've said something but he looked like a total douche that'd want to fight about it.

[RicardoObviouso]

i currently HAVE a handicap mirror hung sign... but it expires on November 30th.

 

 

its only been a week and someone has already spit on my window. what? handicap people don't drive range rovers?

[LonelyWreckage]

To be fair, our local Asda seems to think half of it's fucking customers are disabled, so the first half's always full and it ends up being a absolute trek to your car. I don't think I've ever done it like, cos I couldn't bare the looks I'd most likely get.

 

There's a problem here in the UK of the disabled stickers being counterfeited; we fine them like

[ToadMan]

I will admit, that at my apartment, when I run to the mail box, I often park in the handicap designated spots. Why? Well it's not because I'm just walking 6 ft to the mail box. It's because I get home at late hours, those handicap spots are there for people going to the leasing office (ironically the building is not handicap accessible). Even if there was somebody who has a right to park in the handicap spots, they are the furthest parking space from any of the building accesses (closest to the leasing office again). There are also two of them which I have never seen a car in. So on the basis that: I don't believe there is anybody who needs them at that time; and subsequently I believe that anybody that does need them would have parked in them already by the time I am there or have parked actually close to their unit; I don't think I'm hurting anybody.

 

I have also been known to park in next to the "no parking" curb and leave my hazard lights on... but that seems to confuse other drivers, they can't seem to figure out how to get around my vehicle, even though the road is 3 car widths...

 

I have never parked in a handicap bay at or near any open facility where there actually might be handicap people.

[Jarrod]

My dad has a handicap tag. Some people look and give him dirty looks because he doesn't look handicapped. He has poor knees and hips (which are all broken) so it's hard for him to walk far distances. But he walks fine, but that's after years of learning to walk properly.

 

Anyway, it pisses me off when people park in handicap spots when they don't need to (ie. no tag)... What if people need it.

[Computer]

I think it's gotten to the point where 1/3 of the spaces remotely close to the entrance are either handicapped or expecting mothers...

[bishopx]

It bothers me that people do park in the spaces with no tags...but at the same time...it bothers me that there are so many damned spaces for them as well. So often, someplace will be packed, and there'll be no parking spaces anywhere remotely near where you're going, but there are 50 spaces open for the handicapped. I still won't park in one of the spaces though...I'll still park in east bamfuck and hike to where ever I was trying to get to.

[RicardoObviouso]

the amount of handicapped spaces available is based on a ratio of total available spots. if there's 50 handicap spots, you must be parking in a rather large parking lot.

 

i try to avoid parking close to any other cars in general, so if it means walking an extra 30 seconds to protect the paint on my car, so be it.

 

i love how some of the newer parking lots have extra wide spaces, so you can open your door fully without compromise.

[Computer]

the amount of handicapped spaces available is based on a ratio of total available spots. if there's 50 handicap spots, you must be parking in a rather large parking lot.

 

i try to avoid parking close to any other cars in general, so if it means walking an extra 30 seconds to protect the paint on my car, so be it.

 

i love how some of the newer parking lots have extra wide spaces, so you can open your door fully without compromise.

but then again, not all of us drive $50k+ cars

[RicardoObviouso]

eventually you will, and then you'll either appreciate my ways, or you'll be too rich to be concerned with something so insignificant as a ding or paint chip on your ride.

[Computer]

eventually you will, and then you'll either appreciate my ways, or you'll be too rich to be concerned with something so insignificant as a ding or paint chip on your ride.

I plan on teaching high school, so you could say I'm not going to be rich enough to not worry about paint chips.

[RicardoObviouso]

my comparative civilizations teacher in high school made over $80,000 a year.

 

thats enough to rock a nice car, if your heart so desires.

[Sparq]

I mostly have a problem with expensive cars being parked diagonally across two spaces, provided they aren't a bloody huge vehicle ina parking lot with abnormally small spaces.

 

No, I have never used a handicapped space and I doubt I ever will unless I myself am handicapped. Same goes for parking/idling fire routes.

[calgarydave]

thats the other group that pisses me off. The jerks driving an really expensive car that take up 4 spots to protect it. Granted doesn't piss me off enough to actually go up and tell them off ;)

[RicardoObviouso]

i cant stand that shit either.

talk about a false sense of self worth.

 

 

the other day we were trolling a parking lot for a spot, and i see this woman walking away from an H2. the fucking thing had HUGE rims and shit, and was parked right up against the line. i stopped and rolled down my window and said "is that your giant hummer?" she responds all proudly with a "yes!!!" and i said "can you move it over so i can use that parking spot? thanks" and rolled up my window before she could respond. she moped back to the truck and proceeded to take about 2 minutes to straighten out her shitty parking job.

[little miss sunshine]

but then again, not all of us drive $50k+ cars

Even in my 1999 Sunfire, I still try to park far away because even if I own crap, I want it to look nice and not get dinged.

 

I have parked in handicapped spots before but only with my handicapped grandmother to load her in and out of the car when taking her to WalMart.

[Lauren]

i would like to extend this discussion to elevator use. in a few of the buildings on my university's campus, the elevators are either broken or busy as fuck when a wheelchair person needs them because stair-capable people are using them. i guess the debate comes from the fact that i pay (to some degree) to have those elevators operating, and if i want to use them, i should be able to use them. as well, just because i can walk up 5 floors doesn't mean i should have to. on the other hand, using them so much means more maintenance work will be necessary (aka more of my money goes to 'waste') which makes it difficult for some to make it to class on time, if they can even attend.

[AnOceanPearl]

Anyone else think of Dennis Leary when they saw this thread?

 

Sometimes I park in handicap spaces and handicap people make handicap faces, I'm an asshole!

[RicardoObviouso]

maintenance has to be done whether they are used heavily or not.

 

they are there for convenience, no one should have to feel guilty using them, nor should they have to justify using them. if a disabled person rolls or hobbles into a restuarant and there are no seats available, it doesn't mean someone who was there first has to relocate or wait for a table. it's all about timing and/or courtesy.

[Lauren]

but when you have an alternative and someone else doesn't.. it does make you an asshole. i can take the stairs, they can't. i will still make it to class [on time], they wont.

 

and maintenance once a week vs. once a month means a lot when tuition fees are skyrocketing.

[RicardoObviouso]

people who suffer from physical disability are are explained quite early on in conditioning/counselling (whether its mental or physical) that they have to compensate for their disability by providing themselves with more time to get from point a to point b.

 

on a personal note, i try to avoid elevators whenever i can because i think standing around waiting for one is a complete waste of time and provides a great excuse to get a little blood flowing.

[Lauren]

the way classes run, at least at carleton are like this. they end on 25s and 55s of every hour, depending on the length of class, and start on 05s or 35s. say a disabled student finishes a class at 1125 and needs to get to his/her next class, say in a different building, by 1135. they have to wait until the rush out of class is over so they can get out of the door, then they have to get to the elevators, they have to wait who knows how long for that elevator to arrive, they have to use the elevator with who knows how many stops in between where they are and their destination, then they have to move between buildings, using the random wheelchair ramps IF the place has them, then they need to use the elevator and go through all that trouble in a new building. 10 min is not enough. their option is to be late for the second class or leave the first one early... neither of which is much of an option. and while university class scheduling and help with this, some courses, especially in upper years, run infrequently and may only have one section... they have no choice in college, where schedules are made for them by admin.

 

of course i'm not suggesting that capable people should be forbidden from using elevators, nor am i suggesting that doing so would fix the aforementioned problems... but it would certainly make a difference. and most people could use the exercise (not to mention the practice of taking other peoples' needs into consideration).

Edited October 27, 2008 by Lauren

[calgarydave]

Lol a couple things.

I too park far away. Not cause I really care if my car gets dinged, but I always laugh at the people who sulk around the parking lot looking for a spot thats close, when it would take less time to go where there are spots for sure and walk.

 

My philosophy with being an able-bodied person and elevators is: 1 floor up or 2 down and you should take the stairs.

 

Its frustrating when you have to go to the 20th floor and then have to stop for people going down 1 floor. GRRRRRR

 

 

When I was at uni there was a lady who had one of those scooters for people who have a hard time walking. Which is fine. Except she'd get uber pissed at people for not jumping immediately out of her way. Just because you have a scooter doesnt then mean that we all need to jump outta your way.

 

 

(If you can see a common theme here, its that when people think they are more important that everyone else, or a few inconveniences a lot, it annoys me!)