Agree x100! I am always grateful that I don't "need" to park in a handicapped spot. And I've got some mad arthritis in all my joints, too. Probably just a matter of time.
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Make me leave 8) |
You said it. About a month ago, I was on my way to a fundraiser for cerebral palsy with my daughter, who has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. Her wheelchair was in the back of my car. As I'm stopped at a red light, some genius starts gesturing to my handicapped tag (which I'm only entitled to use when she and her chair are in the car -- but he can't see her chair or her handicap). He rolls down his window and starts asking me why I have the tag. I waved and told him to have a nice day. Why the hell do people act like this? What the hell is the point? |
But in truth there was only one appalling post - the OP's. All of the subsequent posts condemn her perspective. I'm sad that the troll succeeded in upsetting people. She/he should be banned from this site. |
| This was an educational thread for me. I, too, have sometimes wondered whether someone was abusing their handicapped tag. (Ok, I had a roommate who sprained his ankle once and used the tag years later-- so it happens.) It's not a thought I was proud of, and generally I told myself "you don't know the whole story." But I still wondered. So it is useful to me to have insight into the whole story. |
| 19:28 - I am so sorry. Welcome to D.C. - See southern thread. Nosy, nosy, nosy. I would hope not all southerners are so well, stupid. |
| There seems to be widespread abuse of the handicapped parking placards, in general. I think that's why people react so negatively when they see someone who doesn't have a visible disability park in a handicapped space. People are wondering is this someone who is abusing the system or not. If there were no abuse, or very few instances of abuse, then, I think most people would give the benefit of the doubt and assume that the person using a handicapped parking space legitimately needs one. |
Woa! Chipotle mom called me asshat! |
oh the humanity |
You kind of deserved it. |
I think abuse is overestimated because of the invisible disabilities (heart/lung issues, prosthetic leg, back injury, etc). I can't find any current statistics, but these researchers found that the actual abuse rate was much lower than what would be predicted. http://www2.uwstout.edu/content/lib/thesis/2002/2002tierneya.pdf |
These tags are temporary and expire in most cases, how could she use it for years? |
Ditto this. Some handicapps are not obviously apparent. my DH has had 5 surgeries total, 3 for his back and has implants. He cant walk far distances and his dr approved the application for a handicapp tag for him before he even had the surgery. People who criticize those who dont outwardly show their handicapps piss me off. |
I don't know. I was driving and she offered to let me use her hang tag so we could find a parking place. My first response was that I was afraid of getting a towed. Only after she assured me that she did it all the time, did I mumble something about not feeling right about it. It felt bad because I think she was kind of trying to impress me. Maybe she was lying to me. Maybe I'm lying to you. People lie all the time, and like the OP, it's natural to be suspicious. Nevertheless, if we don't give people the benefit of the doubt, things get ugly real fast. OP's post is pretty obnoxious, but I'd like to think it came from a good place-- a concern that someone in a wheelchair (for instance) will not have a space available when they need it?. And to the degree that her post was marred by gratuitous, self-righteous outrage, why respond with more of the same? |