If you see a person parked in a handicapped spot at the grocer's

who is filling up her van looking as healthy as possible but you see nobody else in the fan, would you say she is abusing the handicap license? (in her case the blue sign was hanging from the rear view mirror, the van did not have a fully fledged license plate.)

:shrug:

she has some disability not readily visible, like a heart condition.

Thanks.

I would hesitate to make a diagnosis from ten feet away. Not all handicaps are visible, and even among the ones that are, are not always symptomatic.

There's a long list of conditions that aren't visible from the outside but still merit a tag. In addition to what the other posters mentioned arthritis, sciatica or circulation problems can cause people excruciating pain when they walk more than a dozen yards or so.

Having been a temporary cripple several times, I don't begrudge others use of those parking spaces or seats on the bus or subway.

He had severe diabetes, his kidneys were autolysing, and his heart was so badly diseased that it had grown in size even as it decreased in function, but he regularly avoided handicapped peoples's parking spots and continued to sling groceries into the car like he was a 20-year-old macho dude showing off for the checkout girls.

When he actually did park in handicapped spaces, he got "looks".

--bkl

for there not to be a handicap plate, but instead a placard that hangs from the rear-view mirror--that way even if the disabled person rides in someone else's car, they can get a spot up-close.

Not all disabilities are visable.

...and don't look handicapped or disabled. I have a balance disorder from having my entire left inner ear removed to get at a brain tumor, so I have one inner ear and balance nerve doing the job for both sides. By parking close and in a level spot I can run errands without having to drag a cane along; it gives me much more freedom and mobility as this condition is exacerbated by distance, hills, darkness, ice and snow, and fatigue.

I have gotten many looks and comments from people who feel it's within their rights to scold me and tell me that I "...don't look handicapped." My stock response is "I guess that looks are deceiving then because you don't look rude."

That being said, however, if I feel I don't need the spot I don't use it. And I also always yield the spot to vans with side lifts and to the elderly. I can cope better with a longer distance than they can.

Great line.

All I did was look. Instead of confronting her, I posted on DU.

I suppose that elevates my evolutionary status by one notch, surely?

And while there are many legit reasons for people to park there, there are lots of abusers too. Maybe that's why some people give the dirty looks. They shouldn't be shot down for doing the obvious.

Oh, I have a balance disorder too. I frequently lose my balance. People wonder what the fuck is wrong with me as well, or just dismiss it as "Oh, he always does that, take no notice." It's called HUMAN NATURE.

I wouldn't ever use the spot unless I had to. And I hope I don't have to.

Because I walk into walls and the sides of doors and things. I hope I never get stopped on suspicion of drunk driving because I can't walk a straight line sober!

I can be the same way... it's one reason why I don't go to bars at night. Too tired and I'd definitely look the part of Mr. Sloshed... And don't ask me to walk a tightrope! :-) I'd fall quicker than you could say "Whoops".

(Also, my line about 'witchhunt' is just my unchecked paranoia driven from everyone who responded, indirectly making me out to be the bad guy when they talk about all the dirty looks (which happens to everybody, one way or another... whether it's human or American to have prejudgmental ideologies about people is beyond me) they get.)

I used to do the same thing myself. One day, though, one of my co-workers was suggesting that I go run some business errand for him because "...you have that cushy parking spot" (I work at a University where parking can be at a premium because students resent walking ten or twenty feet between classes).

I replied "If you go have 11.5 hours of surgery, lose your left inner ear, lose the hearing in your left ear, lose the ability to run down a hill with your kids, or swing a golf club, walk down any hill without assistance, climb ladders, or any other huge number of things and then you can have one of these 'cushy' spots too."

He got the message. And ran the errand himself.

She has a handicap placard for many reasons. He's an able bodied 21 year old. he parked in the handicaped space because he's lazy.

just info, probably very few people do this, but it annoyed the hell out of me when i saw him do it.

in the "Vehicles with small children" spots - clearly without any kids.

...and to most I do not look handicapped, but for me to walk any distance is usually very, very difficult. Those added few steps to get into a store where I have to then walk around to get what I need, at times would prevent me from getting out and taking care of what I need to do to take care of myself. So, it could be something like this. I am so thankful at times that I can get directly into a store and back to my car or I would not have made it. It's just one of those things that is getting harder and harder for me to do....so thank heavens for that blue placard that I have.

Thanks to three motor vehicle accidents in the past four years, I now have four herniated discs and constant back pain. Where I used to love to take long walks, walking even moderate distances is agonizing.

Outwardly, no one can tell (except for the times when the pain runs down my sciatic nerve, and I walk with a slight limp). And I ocasionally get dirty looks from other drivers. I've actually had people come up to me and questing my qualification to have that placard. I remember telling one redneck "Oh, I'm sorry - I didn't know I was in the presence of Superman. I guess you used your X-ray vision to examine me. Well, if you DON't have X-ray vision and can't see the herniated discs in my back, then shut the fuck up!!!"

The ones who bother me are the ones with no handicapped plates ot placards that take those spaces. I usually confront them and shame them into moving their cars.

And some states don't require or even have handicapped license plates.

My sister (bless her soul, as she is now deceased from kidney cancer) would use her father-in-law's car (he lived with her family), which had a handicapped tag, so that she could get the choice parking spots. I was constantly berating her about that and would tell her that she was too damn lazy to walk a few steps farther.

by losing most ability of my right hand, i was amazed how many acquaintances said i should get a handicapped sticker. i replied that i had no problem walking, and they said, "well, you still get to park close." what is happening to americans that makes them think that anything they can get away with is alright? i am a self proclaimed parking lot enforcer, and will politely ask a healthy looking parker what is their reason for using the handicapped space. one day i saw a guy with scrubs on take a handicapped space. since he was driving a new mercedes,and the hospital is nearby, i assumed he was a doctor and asked, "whats your handicap, no brains?" he said he didn't see the sign. use of handicapped spaces when healthy enough to walk has long been a pet peeve of mine.

for 10 weeks, during which that temporary disability card was a lifesaver.... Everyone should have to spend 10 weeks on crutches IMO and maybe they too would be ultra sensitive about holding open doors for others needing the help (rather than letting it slam in their faces) and maybe going that extra mile to help with carrying a package to the post office.

But, I could not get rid of that placard soon enough once off crutches. Whether it is a belief in "bad karma," bad luck, or simple conscience, I could not have parked in those spaces unless I truly needed to. I'd probably have brought on my OWN bad luck with the guilt I'd have been carrying!

Having said that, I won't normally pre-judge a disability-- which may not be obvious. Others have mentioned serious disabilities that wax and wane and I truly understand. However, seeing 20 something men or women energetically jump out of these cars at the malls during Christmas shopping season, will likely have me speaking up. Of course they are probably immune to guilty feelings but borrowing a car with handicapped sticker for parking convenience alone is unforgiveable to me....

not being honest, we all know it and judge ourselves.

what goes around, comes around.

Lots of physical handicaps aren't that obvious.

What I do mind, though, is not being able to get at a public parking meter because our city allows handicapped designees free usage of all metered spaces.

http://www.newschannel5.com/content/investigates/1007.asp

When I drive her to the grocery store. She can barely walk but likes to go to the store to maintain her feeling of independence.

that a supervisor of mine has a handicapped sticker, and when she lets me and her kids take her trailblazer to Walmart, we park up close. But it's usually midnight when we do that, and I'm driving, so I like to park up close.
Duckie

but i do know of people who "borrow" their disabled family member/friend's placards.

but what are you gonna do? confront them? :shrug: