Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

These tags are temporary and expire in most cases, how could she use it for years?

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?

Anonymous wrote:OP, people like you make me sick. I look ok, but my heart condition makes me not able to walk long distances. I have a handicapped tag and I get crap comments like yours all the time. If she has a tag she got it from a dr. No need to justify it to YOU. She has enough problems. Leave her and her poor child alone. Haven't you got anything better to do?!

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.

Anonymous wrote: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.

These tags are temporary and expire in most cases, how could she use it for years?

Anonymous wrote: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.

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

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This has to be Chipotle mom. No one is this mean.

"Chipotle" mom here.

You jerk. I might be crazy for singing out loud at the grocery to entertain my tot, I might be too sensitive for getting upset with a random guy at chipotle but I'm not a heartless stupid aashole like OP. BTW, I'm the first PP who pointed the congenital heart defect being common with down syndrome.

Get a clue asshat.

Woa! Chipotle mom called me asshat!

oh the humanity

You kind of deserved it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This has to be Chipotle mom. No one is this mean.

"Chipotle" mom here.

You jerk. I might be crazy for singing out loud at the grocery to entertain my tot, I might be too sensitive for getting upset with a random guy at chipotle but I'm not a heartless stupid aashole like OP. BTW, I'm the first PP who pointed the congenital heart defect being common with down syndrome.

Get a clue asshat.

Woa! Chipotle mom called me asshat!

oh the humanity

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This has to be Chipotle mom. No one is this mean.

"Chipotle" mom here.

You jerk. I might be crazy for singing out loud at the grocery to entertain my tot, I might be too sensitive for getting upset with a random guy at chipotle but I'm not a heartless stupid aashole like OP. BTW, I'm the first PP who pointed the congenital heart defect being common with down syndrome.

Get a clue asshat.

Woa! Chipotle mom called me asshat!

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.

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.

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.

Anonymous wrote:This thread makes me sad too.

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.

Anonymous wrote:

This is such a judgmental and sad geographical area - as if handicapped or health threatened people actually owe others an explanation? No way! Are people that lonely and nosy to think they are due anthers health records? For real? The nosy ones are the ones that need help.

As if when you tried to explain a condition, the nosy would actually have the brains or where with all to understand the medical diagnosis? Yeah right.

Nosy people are not bright, in my experience.

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?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This has to be Chipotle mom. No one is this mean.

"Chipotle" mom here.

You jerk. I might be crazy for singing out loud at the grocery to entertain my tot, I might be too sensitive for getting upset with a random guy at chipotle but I'm not a heartless stupid aashole like OP. BTW, I'm the first PP who pointed the congenital heart defect being common with down syndrome.

Get a clue asshat.

Were you at Wegmann's in Fairfax on Saturday? Singing to your kid about everything you guys were doing in the bathroom? I thought that might be you.

Nope. I don't live in DC area. Sorry to disappoint you.

Then why oh why do you post here?

DCUM has border patrol now?

Yes. No annoying people. Get out. Leave. No one likes you.

Make me leave 8)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone with a handicapped DH + tags, please please know it is not easy to get and doctors DO NOT take the request lightly. My DH waited as long as he could (probably way too long) and now we get the dirty looks and I just give them right back.

Good for you, PP!! You go! Seriously.

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.