Letter to the Editor
Handicap parking
Published Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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To the editor:
While being on crutches for four weeks this winter and having to use handicap parking, it came to my attention that there are a lot of people in Fairbanks that think handicap is actually “handy” parking.
For example, the young lady I encountered at A&W wholesale. She parked in handicap parking without a placard. I pointed out that she was parked in a handicap zone, and she said she was just running in real quick. This happened to me on more than occasion.
These spots are set aside for people with true disabilities, not people who are truly lazy. Please be respectful of handicap parking spaces.
Community Discussion
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My son is in a wheelchair and we have been dealing with this for years.
The two that took the cake for me was this winter at Safeway in North Pole. A man parked sideways across TWO handicap spaces so his wife/girlfriend could litterally RUN into the liquor store while he waited with all their kids. Why couldn't he have just dropped her off?
And a couple years ago at McDonald in North Pole I took my three kids (including my quadrapelegic son) to have lunch. It was raining and blowing out and the only two handicap spots werte taken (they now have more spots).
I managed to yard my sons wheelchair up the curb between cars and into the building while my other two kids waited. We were soaked.
I went in and complained to the cashier, she told me to talk to the manager so I went up to this man and started to complain. He just smirked at me and actually laughed. HE was one of the ones in a spot. He said he was the manager and did not have to move cause he just picked up produce and he was the MANAGER (big deal).
I chewed him up one side and down the other in front of god and everybody. Then I told him I was calling the police.
Boy that guy moved his car FAST. The cashier came up to me all smiles because she knew it was his car and he deserved it.
I know it is disgusting how lazy people are.
I have never seen a truly handicapped person using a handicapped parking spot. All the truly handicapped people I see have an attendant, or use a van type vehicle. What I do see...is a bunch of fat, lazy, and entitlement dependant freeloaders who think that their lifestlye choices entitle them to special consideration. I know from first hand knowledge that family members use their realatives handicapped stickered vehicles to park in desigated handicapped spaces for their own purposes. The widespread abuse of these stickers is appalling. I have no respect for any of you. In case you decide to reply to this blog, keep in mind I am a disabled veteran myself.
It's extrememly sad to say that sometimes those placards being abused all too easily. What urks me the most is teenagers "borrowing" a vehicle just for that reason. Several times going shopping at walmart or fred meyer's I've seen this happen. Kids will pull the placard up as soon as they get to a handicap spot, and before they leave, they'll put that card back in the glovebox. That really disgusted me.
IF ANYBODY IN THE VEHICLE CAN WALK WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF A WHEELCHAIR, CRUTCHES, OR ANOTHER PERSON, THAN YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE THAT BLUE AND WHITE CARD IN YOUR WINDSHIELD!! It's that simple.
Frozen_North, I'm sorry you have to deal with this kind of people and having done for so many years. Sounds to me that you are very strong and good for you for sticking up to your guns on that manager. He needed to be put in his place! I think lot attendants should pay attention to who uses these reserved spots. I'm not suggesting that they be monitored 27/7, but see who is coming out of that vehicle. What kind of fine is there for this use and abuse??
Jamie,I have never seen more than four cars at once in A&W's parking lot.It seems that maybe the young lady would have moved for you if she was really "putting you out" as bad as you make it sound.Some people "cut corners",however don't do it intentionaly.
Imagine this,
A young, able bodied man parks his truck in a handicapped spot without the privilege and then assists his extremely old, barely ambulatory relative into the building only to be royally chewed out later by a privileged adult who, by the way, stormed all over the building to find him?
Use some common sense people.
"IF ANYBODY IN THE VEHICLE CAN WALK WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF A WHEELCHAIR, CRUTCHES, OR ANOTHER PERSON, THAN YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE THAT BLUE AND WHITE CARD IN YOUR WINDSHIELD!!"
Wow - not judgmental at all, are you?
I have a chronic health condition, and most of the time, my legs and/or feet are in excruciating pain. That is why the doctor gave me the handicapped hangar. Yes, I can walk on my own (shuffle, limp, whatever you want to call it), but so what? Since my illness isn't as visible as someone else's, I should suffer?
Anytime one of you healthy folks want to trade me places, I'll be delighted to. And I would HAPPILY walk across the parking lot, and let YOU be sneered at for having a handicapped hanger and not "looking" disabled.
With a very hard pregnancy, barely able to walk, I sympathize with the handicapped folks. I didnt have a placard, but I wobbled and hobbled into the store, grabbing a riding cart to shop with. I only know of a couple of parking spots in this town for moms-to-be and new moms. They are always taken. Shopping was a chore for me, very very exhausting. Im glad to be mobile again.
To Jadis: Those are the words from my husband. He has ruptured several vertebrae in his spine and now has a 14 inch rod in his back; and he has lost his spleen in a seperate accident. While to this day he is still fighting for his career in the military and walking around like nothing has ever happened. He has been offered a placard on several occasions, but he turned them down because he has morals and respect for those people who need them far more than he does. And you call me judgemental??
I was just simply saying that those teenagers hopping, running and dancing in the parking lot had no right to take up a space reserved for someone who rightfully owned that placard. Hence the ending, "what kind of fine is there for this use and abuse?"
And I also agree that some disabilities are not always "visible" to the rest of us "healty folks"!! Talk about turning something positive to negative in a heartbeat!!
I agree with Average_Joe. If the parking lot is normally empty & it's not a busy store what is the harm? I have in the past parked in the handicap spot at the post office when running in to check my mail at 9:30 pm and the janitor has attempted to chew me out for it. It's 9:30 at night and no one else is there!! It's not like there aren't 3 other handicap spots to park in. Now doing that at other stores such as Sam's Club, Fred Meyer, Safeway or Walmart is unacceptable and I would never do it.
Handicap spots are for the handicapped, I think we all agree with that.
However, over the years I've found that the vast majority of places seem to have more than sufficient handicap parking set aside. So, if I pull into a parking lot where I know I am only going to be for a brief time, and, if I see multiple (4 or more) handicap spots empty, chances are that I may park in one. I guess according to this editorial I should feel really bad about that. I'm sorry, but I don't. Again, the reason being that in my experience those prime spots sit empty the MAJORITY of the time.
I guess I'm just a horrible, rotten criminal - again!
My son is a paraplegic. The handicap spaces are wider than the normal parking places. They allow him to transfer from the car to his wheelchair safely. Parking in normal parking places don't allow the necessary clearance to wheel the chair between the two cars.
Parking in handicapped spaces is exceptionally bad at TVC. In the middle of winter I've had to park in the far back of the parking lot to find two empty spaces side-by-side so I could help my son out of the car. Only to find on our return a car parked beside ours, leaving no room for him to get inside the vehicle.
One more gripe our family has is the handicapped ramps and sidewalks. If you don't keep them clear of snow it's extremely difficult for someone in a wheelchair to get through. Plus, last summer we wanted to go shopping....just because you have a handicap ramp doesn't mean he can access your store if you have an obstacle in the middle of the sidewalk (like equipment to hold bicycles in).
And for everyone's information, we do not abuse the handicap placard. The only time we use it is when our son is in the car with us and he needs to get out of the car.
Some of you people are so insensitive to the needs of others. I hope you never become physically handicapped and need special parking. --someone like you might be using the parking space.
I think we all agree in our own ways here that handicapped spaces should be for the those that truly need it... Except for newsreader. Come on man... it's not hard to walk a few extra feet and not risk taking up a spot... but i suppose to each his own.
I no longer live in the Fairbanks area, but the problem with handicap parking abuse is even worse here in Kingman AZ. Go to any big box store and you will find all the spots taken. What I find somewhat humorous is people who feel they need a handicap spot so they are close to the entrance, then proceed to grab a cart and push it up and down the aisles for the next hour or so. And oh, by the way, if you are morbidly obese, which many of the ones I see are, parking at the far end of a parking lot might actually be beneficial for you.
I agree that handicap spaces should be for those who really need them, but do we really have to give them to people who just over-weight??? I know two people who have the placards because of their weight. I would think they could use the distance. And those that are legally blind get placards too! I know one of them. That doesn't make sense, yeah their blind, but it's not a big deal to walk a blind person into the store (I know because I do it!). On another note, I've never parked in a handicap space even when I had a placard (I know a blind person), I think it's wrong.
Who are you to judge? There are plenty of conditions that are a handicap that are not visible to others, severe asthma, sun allergies, arthritis, to name a few. Remember just because someone looks healthy does not mean they should be disallowed the privilege of a handicap spot. Really it is no ones business why I do or if I should be allowed use of a spot. I agree it is not right to use a handicap spot when you are not handicap, but to determine the need by viewable disabilities it asinine.
Concur with fbkreader; there are too many people who are legitimately disabled with ailments that are not visible to anyone lacking radiographic or ultrasonic diagnostic technology. Just because someone "appears" to be in good health, does not mean that he or she is without disability.
If handicap spots are for handicaps then they should limit thier parking to those spots and stop using the other highly sought after spaces in an otherwise crowded town.
I think that if you have the audacity to abuse a handicap parking space you should at least have the decency to fake an ambulatory ailment.
I agree with the postings that if you are handicapped/disabled then only use those spots. I have been in the pregnant and couldn't walk situation as well as the had surgery and shouldn't walk, but did. When it was so bad that the walk was torture I was dropped off with a friend while my husband parked the car since I could not get a temp placard. This is one of several issues all places have...parking in handicap spots illegally, throwing trash out the window of a car, blasting your stereo at full volume at 10 pm in the drive thru next to a home, snowmachiners/4-wheelers traveling down the road and not off road as intended. If we as a person do something we get laughed at or ignored. If we call the cops they may make an appearance but only to "chat" with the offender. We get pissed at drunk drivers, we get pissed at murderers. To me just because it is viewed as a minor offense it is still an offense and it should be dealt with. Three strikes and the person caught with pot goes to jail, well three strikes for parking in a hndicap spot with no placard and you lose your license for 30 days. Punishment to fit the "crime".
Thanks to all for bringing up this issue. This is something I have dealt with for as long as I can remember and is naturally a touchy subject for a lot of people.
I am now a 26 year old female that from first glance you would never know I was disabled. I have Arthrogryposis Multiple Congenita. Its symptoms are very similar to severe arthritis(my joints freeze up). And I do have constant severe arthritis due to the condition in my spine. Which, when it swells and becomes inflamed...pinches 2 seperate nerve cores and the left side of my body starts spasming and then freezes up. I cannot bend my knees or ankles more than a few degrees and my calf muscles are not developed nor are the tendons needed in order to take a full step normally. But I can walk...after years of physical therapy mind you...and can do so without limping if I really concentrate on it. This does not mean that it is easy and it hurts like hell. So anyone saying that if you can walk, you should therefore not be using a placard obviously have never walked those extra 50ft in my shoes. All of my physical abnormalities are things that are not visible if I am wearing regular ole jeans or long pants.
Yet, so many times I have been confronted by people angrily accusing me of using someone elses placard or of stealing it. And then you have the people that just glare at you and watch you walk into whatever store you are entering or exiting..sometimes even following you in some strange intimidation technique. lol I honestly cant say which is worse. It is humiliating and very frustrating to feel like I have to defend myself on a continual basis. Like it isnt already a pain in my whatever to have a disability.
Now, on the flipside...I always make it a point to NOT park in van spots....I understand that people in chairs or w/ lifts need that extra room. My brother in law is a quadrapalegic and I know from 1st hand experience how frustrating it can be to circle a parking lot for 30 minutes waiting for a spot that he can even get out to open up. If I am feeling good that day and not in pain, I always park in regular parking and leave the handicap spots open for others that may need it more than I do that day. I'm pretty sure this is an old-fashioned concept that a lot of people now-a-days scoff at called common courtesy. Go figure....dont judge those you dont want judging you, treat others as you want to be treated...yada yada yada.
Though I am realist and know that an opinion thread of the local paper is not going to actually make some kind of drastic change in the communities perceptions...I hope maybe my situation can shine a little light of understanding and compassion onto those out there that wish to sit in the dark of their parked vehicles and self-righteously judge me and others like me.
I'm not speaking from personal experience here in terms of disability but I do have a good friend who has one of the blue placards. Now, to the folks in here who are apparently able to diagnose ailments just on sight I am sure as she gets out of her car and walks about with seemingly no problems she is a malingerer, a fake, they would say. However, having known her for many years and knowing her very strong, deep streak of honesty I would say she has that placard because she deserves it. She is in a fair bit of pain most of the time and extra distance in walking, especially if she has to carry anything above a few pounds, exacerbates it considerably.
Sometimes I drive by those reserved parking spots, see them all empty, and have to go park farther away from a store than I might want to, especially at -40. But I do it because I think of her and others with those placards who may look fine but are paying for every extra step they have to take. I can afford to walk a few extra yards (heck, it probably does me some needed good). It's not going to kill me. I doubt it would hurt anyone objecting in this discussion. If you think someone is abusing the intention of the placards...and I don't doubt there are folks who do....call a police officer. But don't think you can diagnose someone's need just by a quick, casual observation of how they are apparently doing. You might change your mind pretty quickly once you've walked...or tried to walk...in their shoes.
Some of the comments on here are totally ridiculous, if not a bit childish, especially coming from those of you who don't require a handicapped placard. Be THANKFUL you don't need the priviledge of parking closer to the store, and give thanks for those few extra steps you have to take. I'm sure the folks with handicapped stickers would love to trade places with you.
The solution here is quite simple folks! If you dont' have a handicapped sticker, then don't park in a handicapped slot, even if it's late at night and all the slots are open. How many steps are you saving yourself anyway? 20? 50? 100 maybe? Have a little compassion on your fellow human being and stop being so judgemental. In other words, grow up!
Newsreader,
I don't think you are a horrible, rotten, criminal. But it does appear that you have a pretty strong desire to reject authority, and may be a little selfish.
"IF ANYBODY IN THE VEHICLE CAN WALK WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF A WHEELCHAIR, CRUTCHES, OR ANOTHER PERSON, THAN YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE THAT BLUE AND WHITE CARD IN YOUR WINDSHIELD!!" handicap doesn't always fall into those categories. my grandfather is legally blind, and while he can walk, and even see, w/o help from grandma, it's easy to get lost if you aren't near the entry of the store and can't see very well. she, on the other hand, could easily park in any handicap spot, whether or not she is with him, but usually removes the placard from the windshield and parks in a "normal persons" spot.
After thinking about it, you all have convinced me. It seems that I can not, in good conscience, park in these spots anymore. As I stated, I always thought there seemed to be plenty of them open. What I'm hearing here is that is not always the case. I stand corrected. Besides, I really could use the exercise!
And, yes, websurfer, I ALWAYS question authority - I think it is my patriotic and intellectual duty. Somebody has to - since it seems like most sheople do not.