Handicapped Parking Tags

[RSKY]

My wife and I both have hang on the mirror parking tags. Mine from a knee replacement surgery. Hers from a broke foot. The only time we have used them in the past year has been when we had somebody with us who had mobility problems. There was one exception to that during the last snow storm. We did go to a grocery store that had six cars in the entire slush covered lot and eight empty handicap slots so we took one. On both Thursday and Friday I took a handicapped neighbor to Wal-Mart. There were no spots open so I let him out on one side to go to the pharmacy and parked at the other side by the grocery entrance. When he texted me I pulled up to the door to pick him up. Most of the people parking in the handicapped spots and getting out of their vehicles were in much better shape than I am in. And my friend was hobbling around trying to carry his packages to the truck.

I have another neighbor that has COPD and has a hard time walking from the parking lot to the front doors of the store. He looks healthy but cannot get a breath. But some of those people were parking in the handicapped spots, hopping out of their vehicle, and trotting into the store.

This really irritates me.

Kinda signals the death of common courtesy in America.

RSKY

 

[4570Man]

I won’t get into personal beliefs here but does this look like equal rights?

 

[Tractor Seabee]

My wife and I both have hang on the mirror parking tags. Mine from a knee replacement surgery. Hers from a broke foot. The only time we have used them in the past year has been when we had somebody with us who had mobility problems. RSKY

Technically you were violating the law if you were in WA State. With the Tag you also get a wallet ID card. The Tag is issued to a specific person and they have to in the vehicle to be legal. Here folks have been warned/fined for such violations. Most are caught due to whistle blowers though there are citizen patrols that check parking lots in their territory and issue tickets when plates or tags are not displayed, the a judge sorts it out. I was asked once to show my ID card by the citizen patrol.

I agree that common courtesy has gone out the window in this country. I have the license plates but; seldom use it unless I am on one of my bad days when it is hard to walk. Here there are so many tags out that the required minimum number of handicapped stalls is way short of demand. I can seldom find a spot at our Fred Meyer (Kroger) store and they have 20 of them.

Ron

 

[MossRoad]

Just because someone doesn't look handicapped doesn't mean they aren't. Looking at my mother-in-law, you'd never know she had a liver transplant that just about killed her, she gets weak walking more than 100 feet, gets dizzy easily when she walks, etc... And her husband, who's 90, doesn't show that he has several replaced joints, can't hear, bad arthritis, and probably couldn't find his way back to the car if it wasn't parked right in front of the door (he's not driving).

So, if we drive their car, I'll park in the handicapped spot for them so they don't have to walk so far. I won't drop them off and move the car, because that means when its time to leave, they'll have to find a wall to lean against until I get the car and drive it around. Each situation is unique. Yes, there are some folks that abuse the tags. But you have no way of knowing just because they look fine to us.

 

[Thall303]

I especially like those with lift packages on their pickups with a handicap sticker!

 

[dragoneggs]

I agree that common courtesy has gone out the window in this country. I have the license plates but; seldom use it unless I am on one of my bad days when it is hard to walk. Here there are so many tags out that the required minimum number of handicapped stalls is way short of demand. I can seldom find a spot at our Fred Meyer (Kroger) store and they have 20 of them.

Ron

On the other hand, I go to my local Home Depot often and have to park halfway across the large lot because the close half is taken up by rental equipment, Pro Contractor parking, seasonal nursery items, veterans and employee of the month parking, and of course lots of empty handicap parking. I guess if you handy enough to DIY... you don't need a special parking spot. :laughing:

 

[goeduck]

I figure if a person parking in a handicap spot has a handicap permit that is good enough for me to believe. People that Park in handicap spots without a permit should be ashamed. Same as those that borrow or use a permit not issued to them

 

[Turbys_1700]

I'm sure there is a lot of abuse. I work with a guy that uses his wife's sticker to park in the handicap spots. Not a thing in the world wrong with him. He thinks it's his right. No need to talk to him about it. That's the way he is.

For several years I had a handicap tag for my car and did not use it. I figured as long as I could walk with minimal pain so be it. As my hip got worse and eventually replaced I use it now. I deal with pain daily but that's life as you age. You always have people that game the system. Thank goodness for those who don't.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Technically you were violating the law if you were in WA State. With the Tag you also get a wallet ID card. The Tag is issued to a specific person and they have to in the vehicle to be legal. Here folks have been warned/fined for such violations. Most are caught due to whistle blowers though there are citizen patrols that check parking lots in their territory and issue tickets when plates or tags are not displayed, the a judge sorts it out. I was asked once to show my ID card by the citizen patrol.

I agree that common courtesy has gone out the window in this country. I have the license plates but; seldom use it unless I am on one of my bad days when it is hard to walk. Here there are so many tags out that the required minimum number of handicapped stalls is way short of demand. I can seldom find a spot at our Fred Meyer (Kroger) store and they have 20 of them.

Ron

Those citizen patrols sound like something else. Try as I might I have yet to encounter such people that would have the audacity to approach me and get into my business like that.

Brett

 

[TnAndy]

Those citizen patrols sound like something else. Try as I might I have yet to encounter such people that would have the audacity to approach me and get into my business like that.

Brett

You'd love this one Brett.

Couple weeks ago, local guy with a concealed carry permit approaches some guys loading stuff into their vehicle in a Walmart parking lot here, demanding to see their receipt since the stuff wasn't bagged. The loaders apparently weren't cooperative, argument ensued and one loader pulls out a gun (according to the citizen....loaders still haven't been found). Citizen pulls out his, fires one shot (hit's nothing/anybody). Loaders leave what they were loading, speed off. Someone else follows them, at some point in the following, the loaders stop, point a gun at the follower, and tell him 'stop following us'.

Merchandise did later turn out to be stolen, loader's car also stolen turned up a few days later abandoned.

Johnson City Press:
'Concerned citizen' fires gun at suspected shoplifters in Johnson City Walmart parking lot