Handicapped Parking

[Nuts]

Three times in the past week we've found wheelchair ramps from a street or parking lot to a sidewalk blocked by cars, and TWO of them had handicapped placards hanging in the front windshield! Seriously? At one resturant, the ramp is painted yellow, but the paint is faded and it does not say no parking. I guess people who have trouble walking any distance are more important than those who can't get out of their chairs. In the other case (at the VA Clinic), the ramp is in front of the area with white stripes--you know--the area used by our wheel chair vans to deploy the ramp? I guess the truck with the hang tag didn't find the parking spot next to the lines to be wide enough, so he parked half in the spot and half on the lines, competely blocking access to the ramp. I left a suprisingly level-headed note and passed on having the truck ticketed, but I just don't know how much longer my "understanding" is going to last. I've decided to print cards that I can leave so that I don't have to search for paper each time--I'm just not sure which version of the message I'm going to print:evil: My drafts range from "Dear fellow handicapped vehicle driver" to "Hey A$$hole". Hey, maybe the passive-aggressive me will print a sheet with all of the drafts x'd out.

 

[bigmark1954]

KUDOS... your LAST SENTENCE makes me very proud....I am finally starting to rub off. May I SUGGEST you carry a little hammer with you to break the mirrors out on each side. Or if that seems to messy or noisy, you could take a key and run it on the doors, hood, or trunk of the offenders car.

 

[GregK]

Now, now. That's destructive. Simply carry a pair of dikes and clip off the top of the valve stem.

Be careful, I had to draw my pistol on a 30-something who took offense at my telling him I was calling the cops on him for parking in an HC spot.

 

[gooseberry]

Recently tried to park at a hotel and no handicapped spots.available. 2/3 vehicles parked in the spots had no tags and no plates.

 

[Diane H]

I guess people who have trouble walking any distance are more important than those who can't get out of their chairs.

Actually I do believe that the "walking wounded" should take precedence over wheelchair users. Just thinking about the days when I struggled to walk makes me shudder.

 

[swalker]

I have seen too many abusers of handicap parking spaces.

How about the full-size tour buses in Yellowstone that occupied TWO van-accessible handicap spots behind the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone? There were different tour busses parked overnight for 3 consecutive nights. On one of the days, a ranger stopped in that parking lot to inform me that my handicap placard was not visible enough!

Or the folks that pulled into the striped area next to us as we were starting to deploy the wheelchair lift? Just so they could wait to pick someone (not handicapped) up? There was a parking spot less than 20 feet away they could have used!

Or the motorcycle that parked in the striped area next to the van on the lift side?

Or the vehicles with no handicap plates or placard taking up the the last van accessible spot? The occupants were reading a map.

I am sure everyone has similar stories.

As long as I can get my wheelchair out of the van, I am fine with whatever parking spot is available. On numerous occasions I have used non handicapped spaces in the back of the parking lot. But, sometimes, the only practical spot is the van-accessible spot that is occupied by someone without a plate or placard.

OK, enough of a rant.

I now gently remind my non-wheelchair-using handicapped friends to please park in the non-van-accessible handicap spot if one is available. Leave the van accessible spot for those with lift-equipped vans.

Steve

 

[Nikki J]

My sister has a van and I totally agree about the unloading space being sacrosanct. Steve's comment made me think. It won't happen but it would probably solve this if the van spaces were moved away from the entrance area. They would not be so tempting and being in a chair the extra distance should not really be a burden.
I am going to hijack for a second for a related rant as a walking wounded. I am quite sure none of you do this. The grocery store I go to has an inordinate number of customers in scooters and several of them zip around and expect everyone to scramble out of the way. I can no longer scramble. I have taken to going very early ( fewer people and definitely fewer scooters) and always wearing a skirt instead of slacks so my afo is more obvious!

 

[Nuts]

Nikki, I am in TOTAL agreement with moving the van spaces to the back of the parking lot.; in fact, I suggested it just last week to a friend who is in the process of putting up a commercial building so she can open a quilting store.

Diane, the walking wounded should have precedence over those in chairs--for parking. My complaint is when they pull up into the ramp area and block access for those in chairs. I'm even ok with them parking in front of the ramp if they leave enough room to get around the front of their vehicle and up onto the sidewalk.

With the PWC, it's easier for us to get across the parking lot than many other people. When I'm driving I don't mind parking in a normal space, and I've even moved the van sitting on my knees when he was driving and I was with him, but if he's alone he's stuck. Thanks to someone's suggestion here I now have an orange cone in the back of the van for him to use if he's alone.

Mark, I thought of you while I was drafting that note in my head--you're a great influence!

Greg, I remember the story, and I now have my concealed carry permit. Most people have been wonderful, but unfortunately you never know.

So here's a GREAT story--one I should have remembered while ranting: at the resturant when the access was blocked three men jumped up from an outside table to help us. They offered to find the driver and have the SUV moved, and then kept the chair from scratching the vehicle as he drove around it. Once we're past, one man says "you're Becky and he's Matt, and I'm his former brother-in-law". He was my SIL's first husband, and he and Matt had recently connected over Facebook. He and his buddy were here for a fishing tournament the next morning and were about to start looking for a hotel. They followed us home and spent the night. They hadn't seen each other in over 40 years. So, now that I'm calm, I'll add that sometimes great things come out frustrating situations AND most people are good.

 

[bigmark1954]

Now, now. That's destructive. Simply carry a pair of dikes and clip off the top of the valve stem.

Be careful, I had to draw my pistol on a 30-something who took offense at my telling him I was calling the cops on him for parking in an HC spot.

Greg...I don't get it, how could you carry two large masculine women with you:shock:
Another thing crosses my mind, on pulling a gun in an argument.......if you do that in Utah, and can't prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that your life was in danger, you loose your CCW and get fined with possible probation....just sayin!
Nutz......copy this illustration and put it under their windshield wiper!:twisted::twisted:

 

[vickim]

Here ya go

https://youtu.be/y7fWYxRq34g

 

[davbo49]

vickim you beated me to it lol. here we don't get to use those spots. even the cops takes them so who do you call.

 

[gooseberry]

Steve, we had the same experience at yellowstone. I asked an abled body couple to leave a handicapped spot when they were just sitting and talking and we couldn't park . They were offended but I sweetly explained my spouse was in a wheelchair and they were in a wheelchair space with no placard or tag. I got sworn at but they moved.

 

[djbailey]

I went over a got a police office who was near by to address someone with a placard parked in the stripped area. He basically told me the guy was wrong but it wasn't marked very well so he won't do anything about it. A real "cop out"! Not like I was asking them to shot someone for not having a front license plate, just give them a ticket.

 

[DreamsEnd]

I loved the video! And share the gripes. I've not seen anyone park on a wheel chair ramp - yet!

I get frustrated at Home Depot where the contractors use Handicapped placards to load their trucks! If they're that handicapped, they shouldn't be working and lifting heavy stuff.

There are magnetic signs you can get or order that say "stay back 8 feet" for a side loading ramp van and stick it on that outside of the van.

Since I'm loading my pals in the van with the attendant control, it's now a bigger challenge. Especially at our neurologists office on clinic day. There are 2, TWO handicapped parking spaces in front of his building!

Sherry

 

[gooseberry]

Sherry, that is just crazy!