Schneemann's Rant of the Week: Handicapped Parking

Apparently the state of MD now allows the mentally handicapped to park in the specially designated handicapped spaces in parking lots these days.

At least that's the impression I got yesterday as three clearly strong, able-bodied, construction workers got out of their life sized Hot Wheels car and piled into the local "Buffalo Wings and Beer" (which fails, BTW, to list specifically which beer they serve on the menu posted in their window).

Clearly, considering the driver's excellent walking ability and lack of any other visible sign of disability (and the fact that he was driving a work truck), the only reasonable conclusion is that his disability is mental in nature.

I, for one, applaud the state of Maryland for providing equal access to these specially designated parking spaces, regardless of disability and am happy to see that even idiots are treated fairly.

Sounds like nothing a video from a cell phone can't fix. Show the handicapped idiot walking normally from his work truck parked in a special spot and send it to the DMV.

Maybe he took the handicap pass from his grandmother or something. Im sure there are people like that.

Mirilis said:

Maybe he took the handicap pass from his grandmother or something. Im sure there are people like that.

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I see that all the time. I used to know a kid in HS whose brother was handicapped so they had the pass for when he was with them but this kid used to park in handicapped spots all the time even when his brother wasn't with him.

When I was in Highschool I worked at McDonalds and there was a guy who came in to wash the dishes and he was rather large. He told me if he could gain 5 more pounds he could apply for one of those then he wouldnt have to park so far away.... I see that alot too. Some big people have to have it but some can move well enough they can park with the rest of everyone else.

In a city in Canada a couple years back, the cops had a sting set up where they ticketed those who were using the handicap stickers in cars where there was no handicapped person present. There was a journalist present who intereviewed the people, and the majority of the people had a handicapped person that they used it for...But they also used it when that person wasn't in the vehicle...And was a big No-No...and the judge and the city and the mayor (I think it was Windsor) backed it up.

Slap them until they quality!

I fully understand the need for handicap parking. However, I think that instead of being allotted by percentage, tidal phase, or whatever means they use to calculate how much handicap parking is in front of a business, that the business should be allowed to evaluate usage and make changes as necessary. It is somewhat frustrating to see a big row of empty spots at a store. It's not going to kill me to walk across the parking lot, but for someone who might be older and doesn't qualify for a handicap spot, or someone with young kids it might be nice to be able to park closer.

McKBrew said:

I fully understand the need for handicap parking. However, I think that instead of being allotted by percentage, tidal phase, or whatever means they use to calculate how much handicap parking is in front of a business, that the business should be allowed to evaluate usage and make changes as necessary. It is somewhat frustrating to see a big row of empty spots at a store. It's not going to kill me to walk across the parking lot, but for someone who might be older and doesn't qualify for a handicap spot, or someone with young kids it might be nice to be able to park closer.

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Actually some stores do have "stork parking" available for pregnant women and people with infants (I assume) which is pretty cool

Mirilis said:

When I was in Highschool I worked at McDonalds and there was a guy who came in to wash the dishes and he was rather large. He told me if he could gain 5 more pounds he could apply for one of those then he wouldnt have to park so far away.... I see that alot too. Some big people have to have it but some can move well enough they can park with the rest of everyone else.

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The problem with that guys thinking is that he is thinks he will be better off parking closer and getting more perks for being obese. Shouldn't he be MADE to park farther away to reduce his weight???

I know that he obviously had no interest in losing weight because of his comment and the gov can't make people lose weight as China is trying to do.

That one just annoys me more than the other examples listed. Not sure why...

Maybe it's just me but I think handicapped parking should be reserved for those who cannot walk, not just any old handicapped person. For example, an old GF of mine's mother was diabetic and had handicapped privileges cuz she might need to get to her insulin faster; seemed like a crock to me.

As for basing it on usage I could not agree more.

Only in America would we enable the fatties to get even fatter by making them walk less.

are you suggesting they make parking spots in the back of the parking lot and you are forced to get a Fatticap parking pass where you must park in the back as an attempt to excersize?

Homercidal said:

Slap them until they quality!

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lmao funny. Quality stuff.

TheJadedDog said:

Maybe it's just me but I think handicapped parking should be reserved for those who cannot walk, not just any old handicapped person. For example, an old GF of mine's mother was diabetic and had handicapped privileges cuz she might need to get to her insulin faster; seemed like a crock to me.

As for basing it on usage I could not agree more.

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I can totally understand that some handicapped people REALLY DO need to be close, as they cannot walk far. However, maybe the people below should be removed from the list of "handicapped".

1. Very obese people: your inability to control your eating/exercise doesn't entitle you to special treatment.

2. People injured doing stupid things (like rock climbing, riding a MC without a helmet, diving into a 5' deep pool from a roof). As bad as you may have it now, it doesn't entitle you to things that the normal (smarter) part of the population doesn't have.

3. If you can afford a $50K+ automobile. If you have enough money for that monster of a ride, and the gas it guzzles...buy your ass a nice scooter and park in the normal spaces. You have the means to solve your mobility problem, so do it...don't expect everyone else to adjust on your behalf.

Sorry about the rant...bad day at work!

Being handicapped shouldn't enable you to extra privileges or rights that able bodied people don't get......first come first served...

If you're handicapped you shouldn't be driving any way......and no, mental doesn't count...

homebrewer_99 said:

Being handicapped shouldn't enable you to extra privileges or rights that able bodied people don't get......first come first served...

If you're handicapped you shouldn't be driving any way......and no, mental doesn't count...

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I used to entertain such thoughts, at least when I had trouble finding a spot and there were six blues ones wide open! Then a few years ago, my mother became handicapped overnight (paralysis from Guillain Barre syndrome) and went from healthy and athletic to barely able to walk or use her hands. She couldn't possibly make it across a big parking lot, but walking twenty feet to the door of a building is usually manageable, with a little help from my dad. Being able to park close to a store or restaurant makes all the difference in the world to her...the difference between leading a somewhat normal, happy life or being a shut-in.

Obviously she can't drive, but at least dad gets a handicapped card to display in his Corvette! And like any person with a shred of decency, he removes it when mom is not along for the ride.

BlindLemonLars said:

And like any person with a shred of decency, he removes it when mom is not along for the ride.

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Exactly. My grandmother has had handicapped privileges for years (she's 93 years old) and it would never cross any of my family's (or my) mind to use it when she isn't with us. We just aren't built like that.

Now, the university where I teach is on to the scam. If you need handicapped parking, you go to safety and security and present your paperwork for a special sticker, which is given to you free. Otherwise, if you are just some lazy-ass frat boy with a hanging handicapped tag swiped from your Aunt Millie, but with no special sticker, you are BUSTED and will get a nice long walk to the tow yard. And a fine. And you will NOT get your diploma until you pay that fine.

I love it. Stick it to the bastards. :rockin:

I like it when there are 50 parking spots for disabled people.

Close behind my disgust for the psuedo handicapped are the solo soccer mom's dressed for their trip to the gym that cruise the parking lot for 10 minutes to make sure they get the closest parking slot to the store.

yea along similar lines the costco near where I live has an endless supply of fat people waiting with their SUV engines idling next to the store entrance for a spot to open up. and this isnt an issue of time because Ive seen them wait up to 20 minutes (sometimes still there when I leave the store) so they wait wasting gas and time so they can avoid walking 100ft.