Well played sir, well played
HANDICAP PARKING RANT
- Thread starter tlay
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Well played sir, well played
There are three things that are pet peeves of mine and this thread has touched two of them; people that abuse handicapped parking, people that take two spaces in the parking lot and the third is people who ignore leash laws.
To me all three behaviors demonstrate contempt for the rest of the world, it's (IMO) the same a s saying "I don't care if you're inconvenienced I'm gonna do what I want." I especially find it annoying when I'm doing everything I can to keep my dog away from yours and your unleashed dog starts a fight with mine.
I used to think that people that did these three did it because they didn't know any better, but as I got older I realized that they just didn't care. To the people with that mindset you may as well not even exist because you and your handicap/need for a parking spot/ dog are irrelevant in their world.
After getting into a few confrontations of my own I also realized that nothing I did was going to change their behavior, in fact (as with the valve stem guy) they're probably going to make a point of continuing that behavior just to show you that "you ain't runnin' nothin' but your mouth". I used to do security for a parking garage downtown and we were empowered to write parking tickets in the garage for handicapped violations or taking two spaces (because you're depriving the garage owner of revenue by taking a space you aren't paying for) for about three week I was real conscientious about putting those tickets on the cars, until I realized I was putting them on the same cars week after week, IOW I realized I was spitting in the wind and quit wasting my time.
My second point here is that at some point I had to realize I'm not the Avengers and I'm not an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. If I pull your valve stems because I don't like the way you parked it doesn't matter how I feel about it the fact is that in the laws eyes I'm just as (if not more so) guilty as the guy I did it to. Get caught doing that some time and try to explain your rationale to the cop, he's going to tell you it's not your place and he's going to cite you and if the guy you're doing it to catches you at it and starts a fight you're not going to have a legal leg to stand on either.
I do not leave my home unarmed period and that fact has to be taken into account every time I interact with anyone I meet.
In Colorado if I let my mouth write a check that my *** can't cash and them pull a gun I lose all right to claim self defense. In the eyes of the law I am going to be labeled the aggressor and I can't afford to invite that kind of hassle into my life.
So I don't play self appointed traffic/parking/ leash law cop, if I think what you did was that egregious I may call the cops and report it but I ever waste my time thinking it's going to make a difference.
To me all three behaviors demonstrate contempt for the rest of the world, it's (IMO) the same a s saying "I don't care if you're inconvenienced I'm gonna do what I want." I especially find it annoying when I'm doing everything I can to keep my dog away from yours and your unleashed dog starts a fight with mine.
I used to think that people that did these three did it because they didn't know any better, but as I got older I realized that they just didn't care. To the people with that mindset you may as well not even exist because you and your handicap/need for a parking spot/ dog are irrelevant in their world.
After getting into a few confrontations of my own I also realized that nothing I did was going to change their behavior, in fact (as with the valve stem guy) they're probably going to make a point of continuing that behavior just to show you that "you ain't runnin' nothin' but your mouth". I used to do security for a parking garage downtown and we were empowered to write parking tickets in the garage for handicapped violations or taking two spaces (because you're depriving the garage owner of revenue by taking a space you aren't paying for) for about three week I was real conscientious about putting those tickets on the cars, until I realized I was putting them on the same cars week after week, IOW I realized I was spitting in the wind and quit wasting my time.
My second point here is that at some point I had to realize I'm not the Avengers and I'm not an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. If I pull your valve stems because I don't like the way you parked it doesn't matter how I feel about it the fact is that in the laws eyes I'm just as (if not more so) guilty as the guy I did it to. Get caught doing that some time and try to explain your rationale to the cop, he's going to tell you it's not your place and he's going to cite you and if the guy you're doing it to catches you at it and starts a fight you're not going to have a legal leg to stand on either.
I do not leave my home unarmed period and that fact has to be taken into account every time I interact with anyone I meet.
In Colorado if I let my mouth write a check that my *** can't cash and them pull a gun I lose all right to claim self defense. In the eyes of the law I am going to be labeled the aggressor and I can't afford to invite that kind of hassle into my life.
So I don't play self appointed traffic/parking/ leash law cop, if I think what you did was that egregious I may call the cops and report it but I ever waste my time thinking it's going to make a difference.
7shooter
Member
I have seen a full size HD parked in a handicap spot several times at the grocery store I go to. It has a handicap license plate. I asked some friends I know who are cops and they said they had seen motorcycles with the handicap plate. The other day I saw the bike pull up to the spot again with a rider who I would guess was a Viet Nam vet . He had a child riding with him. When he got off he had to swing one of his legs in a rigid fashion which made me think he was an amputee. Looked legit to me.
Several years ago I had a popliteal ayerusym in my left leg. They saved my leg, but I had neuropathy, nerve damage and foot drop as a result. I got a permit, but I rarely used it unless I could see there were plenty of available HC spaces. I could walk, but not far without pain.
Once at the bank I had parked in a HC space and when I came out there was a woman in a wheel chair screaming at me and calling my pedigree. I didn't catch on right away, but I asked her if she would like to be my doctor? Then I pulled my pant leg up to show her the brace I had on.
I am 6'2" 220#s and don't look to damaged so I try not to second guess what someone else's handicap may be, I'm no Doctor.
Now this year I was knocked down and broke the hip of the same leg. I had a total hip replacement and it's been 4 months and I'm still on a walker and unable to bear weight on it.
I am going to Tulsa this weekend and gimp around as much as I can. I'll be parked in the handicapped area.
Once at the bank I had parked in a HC space and when I came out there was a woman in a wheel chair screaming at me and calling my pedigree. I didn't catch on right away, but I asked her if she would like to be my doctor? Then I pulled my pant leg up to show her the brace I had on.
I am 6'2" 220#s and don't look to damaged so I try not to second guess what someone else's handicap may be, I'm no Doctor.
Now this year I was knocked down and broke the hip of the same leg. I had a total hip replacement and it's been 4 months and I'm still on a walker and unable to bear weight on it.
I am going to Tulsa this weekend and gimp around as much as I can. I'll be parked in the handicapped area.
OP
tlay
US Veteran
I guess I have no problem with anyone who got a placard from their doctor using a space. My problem is with the people who use their relatives placard or plates. I think they believe that gives them the right to use the spot. They don't seem to care that they are putting a hardship on someone else. It is also against the law.
Brian41
Member
I pulled up into the handicapped spaces at a county park once to unload my sister-in-law and her wheelchair and my wife. We left her placard at home so I was going to park my truck in back after I dropped them off.
A park ranger came around my truck and started chewing my butt until he saw me unloading her wheelchair from my bed. He started saying he was sorry until I cut him off and said you have nothing to be sorry about sir and please keep doing your job and I'll park my truck in the lot in a minute. I got a good grin from him and watched him chase some others away from the spots.
A park ranger came around my truck and started chewing my butt until he saw me unloading her wheelchair from my bed. He started saying he was sorry until I cut him off and said you have nothing to be sorry about sir and please keep doing your job and I'll park my truck in the lot in a minute. I got a good grin from him and watched him chase some others away from the spots.
SW_shooter
Member
I agree that people who use their relatives or friends HC card have a feeling that the law doesn't apply to them or they are above the law. I also see people park in the stripped area and run into a store, because they are "just going to be in there for a minute". They can't be bothered to park in a legal spot because obviously they are more important than the rest of us. These are the same people who disregard other laws as well because they just can't be bothered by 'silly' laws and rules they don't believe benefit them. What can we do about them? Not much, they just don't have the common sense or sense of right and wrong that the rest of us do.
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
"CHOOT EM!!!!!!"
Weimar
US Veteran
I agree that there are many idiots parking in the handicapped spots, however, I have several friends that need to park close and looking at them, you would never know it. So, I am much more reluctant to judge someone if I don't know. That said, there sure are a lot of young folks with those plates...
My wife has a degenerative bone disease in both feet. She wears a hard cast-boot style shoe on he right foot and uses a special left foot accelerator pedal to drive. I have lymphedema in my legs, some days they swell so badly I can barely get pants on, and man does it hurt to walk any distance. I take daily 90 minute treatments for this. We both have handicap placards, though we normally try for a close space without using a handicap space.
NOW- my rant. My wife and I are both tall and fat. We've battled weight all our lives and have been up and down and up and down. The foot and leg problems screwed us. People assume we have the handicap placards just because we are fat and on welfare. WELL- I work every day and have never been on welfare. My wife worked 31 years and was forced to take an early retirement. We both get verbal abuse from people when they see us take a handicap space. Even worse when my wife needs to use an electric cart in the store when she is having a bad day. Not all obese people are LAZY. Not all obese people are on welfare. We are clean, neat, dress well and drive newer vehicles. Sorry that we have physical problems that may not be apparent!
NOW- my rant. My wife and I are both tall and fat. We've battled weight all our lives and have been up and down and up and down. The foot and leg problems screwed us. People assume we have the handicap placards just because we are fat and on welfare. WELL- I work every day and have never been on welfare. My wife worked 31 years and was forced to take an early retirement. We both get verbal abuse from people when they see us take a handicap space. Even worse when my wife needs to use an electric cart in the store when she is having a bad day. Not all obese people are LAZY. Not all obese people are on welfare. We are clean, neat, dress well and drive newer vehicles. Sorry that we have physical problems that may not be apparent!
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I too am handicapped, walk w/a cane and it is difficult for me to walk very far. For those who park and take these spots, and are not handicapped, I'd like to change places w/them for just a week so they could experience what life is like when your body no longer works like it used to.
Wee Hooker
Member
Somewhere I saw on TV where a person had some large (8x11?) stickers made up that they would plaster on the drivers window of people who illegally used HC parking. The sticker said something like:
" You are a ignorant and self-centered person who got caught putting your own laziness ahead of the handicapped person who truly needed that parking spot. "
As I recall, the sticker was claimed to be made of a heavily glued material that fragmented badly on attempts to peal it off.
I always thought that was a slick solution that got a valuable message across without doing real damage to someones car . I need to get me some
" You are a ignorant and self-centered person who got caught putting your own laziness ahead of the handicapped person who truly needed that parking spot. "
As I recall, the sticker was claimed to be made of a heavily glued material that fragmented badly on attempts to peal it off.
I always thought that was a slick solution that got a valuable message across without doing real damage to someones car . I need to get me some
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My father didn't look handicapped at first either, until you watched him try to walk. he had emphysema and couldn't walk more than 50 feet without having to stop and catch his breath.
I always assume the person using the spot has the right to be there unless there's no placard at all.
I always assume the person using the spot has the right to be there unless there's no placard at all.
mkk41
US Veteran
Bkreutz
US Veteran
I've had a handicapped placard for quite a while (2 artificial hips) and I've worked hard not to show a limp. It varies depending on how I feel on a particular day (good ones and bad ones, never can tell) if I use a handicapped spot. One thing about the placards that hang on the mirror that really bug me, on mine it says on both sides, "Hang from mirror, remove before driving" I don't know if all the states are that way but I suspect so. So you see people driving around with the big blue thing hanging from their mirror and many times they're doing stupid or irritating things like 20mph under the limit in the left lane, pulling out in front of traffic at intersections, running stop signs. It's almost like they feel that "I can do stupid stuff because I'm handicapped" or they're trying to have every one on the road sorry for them. OK, that's my part of this rant. 
mkk41
US Veteran
I've had a handicapped placard for quite a while (2 artificial hips) and I've worked hard not to show a limp. It varies depending on how I feel on a particular day (good ones and bad ones, never can tell) if I use a handicapped spot. One thing about the placards that hang on the mirror that really bug me, on mine it says on both sides, "Hang from mirror, remove before driving" I don't know if all the states are that way but I suspect so. So you see people driving around with the big blue thing hanging from their mirror and many times they're doing stupid or irritating things like 20mph under the limit in the left lane, pulling out in front of traffic at intersections, running stop signs. It's almost like they feel that "I can do stupid stuff because I'm handicapped" or they're trying to have every one on the road sorry for them. OK, that's my part of this rant.
Well , I'm guilty of driving with my placard hanging from the rearview mirror of my truck.
It doesn't block my view of the road or obstruct my vision in any way. And I don't drive under the limit.Most people I see driving 20 mph under the limit are usually texting in the left lane!
Yes, why? ...
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