Handicapped Parking Placard

[rwsmith]

It's good to have it.......

......IF you need it. I carried one around for a long time and used it about twice.

 

[Evil Dog]

I have handicapped plates and I'm not afraid to use them..... just don't always.

 

[Tyrod]

I have a comment to add to the discussion/rant. I worked at a factory in Florida that could accommodate the cars of a thousand employees. Same old ADA thing. The factory was required to change the best 100 slot for cars displaying the placard. The thing is, the company didn't hire physically disabled people (no lack of mentally disabled though). Employees did become disabled because of an ageing workforce both permanently and temporarily. I never saw any more than about a half dozen spots being used. Then, they moved our work to Southeast Asia and closed the factory down. Now that I'm old and decrepit, I have my handicapped placard. I'm rarely able to use it because the places I go have their limited handicapped spaces available used up. Hmmm....something ain't right. A place that only needed 20 spots MAX that is required to have 100, yet a retailer like Walmart (in Florida no less) is only required to have a dozen. I do use my placard whenever possible even if I'm having a good day. I figure I've earned it for having to walk past all those empty spots at work for all those years and for retailers not being required to have more available.

 

[7shooter]

There is a Harley that I sometimes see at the grocery store that has a handicap plate. I didn't know there was such a thing. I asked a friend who rides and he said he thinks it's legit.

 

[BC38]

I have a comment to add to the discussion/rant. I worked at a factory in Florida that could accommodate the cars of a thousand employees. Same old ADA thing. The factory was required to change the best 100 slot for cars displaying the placard. The thing is, the company didn't hire physically disabled people (no lack of mentally disabled though). Employees did become disabled because of an ageing workforce both permanently and temporarily. I never saw any more than about a half dozen spots being used. Then, they moved our work to Southeast Asia and closed the factory down. Now that I'm old and decrepit, I have my handicapped placard. I'm rarely able to use it because the places I go have their limited handicapped spaces available used up. Hmmm....something ain't right. A place that only needed 20 spots MAX that is required to have 100, yet a retailer like Walmart (in Florida no less) is only required to have a dozen....

Of course the system is screwed up. It is a goobermint administered arrangement and common sense isn't allowed to enter into it.

I agree with the rest of your rant 100%. I also work for a company where the physical nature of what we do precludes anyone with a significant physical disability from being able to do 99% of the jobs. I think we have ONE administrative employee with a placard - out of about 300 employees at our site.

But in our 200-space parking lot we have our 20 empty reserved spaces - right up front - just like the ADA says we have to....

 

[TTSH]

I'm going to voice a different opinion. If you've got the sticker or plate, use it.

This is a tough one. I get your point and I am well aware of certain parking lots where there are no general use spots available much of the day while, at the same time, there are many unoccupied handicap spots put there by law which get nearly zero use due to the nature of the particular business. If early arriving handicappers are parking in the general use spots just it order to feel better about themselves, that is kind of silly. They are actually unknowingly putting other people out. And yes, my own elderly, handicapped mother used to do exactly that until I stopped her.

Conversely, through a strange twist, certain of my elderly mother's doctor's parking lots have relatively few handicap spots with a very great need. For those handicappers not in wheelchairs, parking in one of the general use spots is doing your "good deed" of the day.

Go figure.

 

[forindooruseonly]

I never thought much about it one way or another, until I shattered my pelvis. The placard was a life saver for me for the next year. I would not have been able to be nearly as self sufficient during the recovery process had I not had one.

It was also at that time I developed a deep, bitter hatred towards those who abuse the system.

 

[lrrifleman]

Snubby, I can appreciate where you are coming from. I was confined to an electric wheelchair for almost 10 weeks, and I despise that contraption.

Concerning the placard and tags, get them and use them. I have good days and bad days. When I go to the store (especially), I use the h/c parking, even though my legs may be ok when I go in, I don't know how they will be on the way out.

 

[NYlakesider]

There is a Harley that I sometimes see at the grocery store that has a handicap plate. I didn't know there was such a thing. I asked a friend who rides and he said he thinks it's legit.

A buddy of mine has a Harley Trike and has a Handicapped plate.

He lost his leg due to a MC ( 2 wheeler) accident and found with his new leg could not ride a 2 wheeler that well. Went out and bought a new Trike. It obvious to see him walk that he has a mobility problem.

Was down to a huge Corvette show in Penn a couple years ago and a very nice late model Vette was parked in a designated Handicapped only lot. Was listening to two other people walk by and one made made the rather brash statement about why the heck does a handicapped person need a Corvette to begin with.

I had met the gentleman earlier that owned that Vette. He was a paraplegic and his car had hand controls and was his pride and joy. His biggest problem was getting his custom made wheel chair in our out from behind the seat.

 

[gman51]

I sometimes would see the local cops sitting in a shopping center parking lot and I wondered what they were doing.
One day I saw a lady park in a HC spot and she had no placard or license plate for HC. She literally ran into the store. When she came out of the store she was met by a cop that wrote her a ticket. I knew then what the cops were sitting in the parking lot for.

I really don't understand why so many spots are marked HC though when most of the time most all of the spots are empty. Now many stores even have even added spots for customers with children. Geeze where is the consideration for old folks that their getta long has been shortened? Well I guess it is better we get the extra little bit of exercise but some days that is rough to do. Sometimes I will park in the with children spots because walking is painful for me that day. I don't ever park in an HC spot though, even if there are twenty spots empty.

 

[the ringo kid]

I went and did it. I renewed my handicapped placard.
I wasn't gonna but my bout with sciatica showed me how quickly I can lose leg strength.
About 6 years ago, when my degenerative peripheral motor nerve condition started, my doctor helped me with the paper work to get a placard. He also offered to help me with getting an electric wheelchair.
I got the placard but decided to pass on the wheelchair.
Instead, I made it a point to relearn to walk using the muscles that still work.
Took most of a year to accomplish and now I'm still on my feet.
I thought, "I don't need no steenkin' handicapped placard, that's for handicapped people, I can walk on my own two feet."

In March I had a bad bout of sciatica and spent most of a week laying on the floor. I was amazed by how much leg strength I lost. It was difficult just walking around the house.
When we'd go out for groceries, I could just make it to the store, then I'd sit and wait for my wife.
I was glad for the handicapped placard then.
It was like a reality check.
After a coupla months and lotsa work, I've pretty much got my leg strength back and I have renewal stickers for my handicapped placards.

Not to derail yer thread but--im ASSUMING your talking about the Sciatic nerve? If so? I FEEL yer pain buddy. Last week--seein' as its been over a week since I last did a workout) I got out of bed and was almost floored--having the shooting pains down my right thigh. That told me I had BETTER start using that back-stretching machine again. I did a 75 minute workout fully knowing id be feeling those pains for about 4 days--but I had to do the back machine. Outside surgery--that's the only thing I can afford tod do-that helps any.

I went to work Wed--with little strength in my body--mostly from getting no sleep. Yesterday, damned battery on the car died and I was runing late to begin with. On Wed, the car worked fine. I got to work about 15 minutes late.

Anyway, aside from having to walk to work (no sleep in then, 4 days) lugging my stuff for lunch etc) then being on my feet on concrete 9 hours--didnt help much.

Anyway, hope yours goes away without surgery--mine aint.

Anyway, glad you renewed your card. Im suppose to have one but refuse to get one (while I still can) ) The drs said id be in a wheelchair by the time I was 40--well-im 50 still aint allowing myself to become a prisoner.

 

[mrrick]

In March I had a bad bout of sciatica and spent most of a week laying on the floor. I was amazed by how much leg strength I lost. It was difficult just walking around the house.
When we'd go out for groceries, I could just make it to the store, then I'd sit and wait for my wife.
I was glad for the handicapped placard then.
It was like a reality check.
After a coupla months and lotsa work, I've pretty much got my leg strength back and I have renewal stickers for my handicapped placards.[/QUOTE]

Have you considered surgery to correct the problem and relieve the pain. I've had it done and the difference is amazing.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I don't use the wife's card when I am by myself. She had knee replacement several years ago and sometimes it's hard for her to get about, so I use the card when she goes shopping with me.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[vytoland]

i have pain in my legs and feet from time to time and sometimes it is difficult to walk far...but nothing gonna get me down...just suck it up and keep movin forward.....

 

[snubbyfan]

Snubby, You're the kind of guy that would rather walk so my bet is it wont get used unless needed.

With your condition I would recommend you keep it current and hope you don't need it anytime soon.

Keep on chooglin

My condition is affected by temperature. When it's cold out, It makes getting around a bit more of a challenge. I have used the placard then.
In the summer, the warmer the better. When the temps hit triple digits, I feel great!

 

[snubbyfan]

Wayne:

“There’s a storm inside of us, a burning river, a drive. You push yourself further than anyone could think possible. You are never out of the fight.”— Marcus Luttrell

That's the thing. I was always very active and I tended to push myself harder than I should.
When the doctor mentioned an electric wheelchair I actually said, "(expletive deleted) that."
I've come back from injuries doing my own physical therapy before and figured I can get myself back on my feet and wandering around in the mountains again.
Having a wonderful supportive wife is a tremendous help.

 

[snubbyfan]

If you need to use it you have it. If you do not need it you can opt for a short hike.

Sent from my LGL44VL using Tapatalk

I carry a snubby, a flashlight, a pocket knife, a lighter, etc. just in case I need it.
I figure a handicapped placard'd come in handy if I needed it.

 

[snubbyfan]

I'm going to voice a different opinion. If you've got the sticker or plate, use it. All too often I see all the handicap places open and the normal places filled. It didn't bother me until I got stuck with the problem at work. We were informed by the local PD we needed to comply with ADA. They mandated so many places be set aside for our handicapped people. Kind of a problem because we only had 2. And they then refused to use those spots so they'd be open for someone "who needed" them. It resulted in the best parking spots being empty all the time.

I know no one likes to hear economic arguments, but we were short on parking spaces. Some days we didn't have enough. But those reserved spots were sitting vacant. I had to cajole and beg the users to park in those spots. Then had to argue with the local PD to not set aside more places. So now when I go back in to visit, you'd better believe I use one of the spots. By gawd I have the sticker and I'm certain no on will use that spot except some dope smoking person waiting for their job applicant who's inside.

I've been in that situation. "I don't need the handicapped spot, there are others worse of than me that can use it." Took some convincing from my wife but I put up the placard and took a handicapped spot.

 

[snubbyfan]

Snubby, I can appreciate where you are coming from. I was confined to an electric wheelchair for almost 10 weeks, and I despise that contraption.

Concerning the placard and tags, get them and use them. I have good days and bad days. When I go to the store (especially), I use the h/c parking, even though my legs may be ok when I go in, I don't know how they will be on the way out.

Yup, I've had bad days and sometimes I'll have a bit of a set back.

 

[snubbyfan]

Have you considered surgery to correct the problem and relieve the pain. I've had it done and the difference is amazing.

Mine wasn't caused by my back. Since my condition is asymmetrical I have compromised body mechanics.
Even though I do try to keep my stride even, my hip and leg development's uneven along with the atrophy from certain muscles not getting a message due to my faulty wiring.
As a result, a muscle in my butt called the piriformis became irritated and pressed against the sciatic nerve. I ignored it at first then it became inflamed and caused intense pain from ankle to hip.
Couldn't ignore it then.
I just have to pay attention and if I start feeling a pain in my butt, that's a message that I need to back off on the hiking for a bit or at least stick to level trails instead of hiking up mountain trails.