handicapped parking

[brain]

Yes I do park in handicap parking spaces if there
are no bicycle racks, I use the sign post to park
my Trek there. Unfortunately, I've had several
nasty, I mean really nasty experiences with
the handicap people (they are mean)!

1) One fellow shoved me backwards to the ground
and was either yelling or screaming at me but
fortunately the Mall Security Guard happened to
be right there and he got out and dealt with him
and ordered him off the Mall property immediately
and the other Security Guard helped me up. I just
sustained scrapes and a couple of cuts. While they
offered me some band-aids, I declined it. But it
was really sweet of the Restaurant that was in
front of this who saw the event, and seeing me limp,
summoned me in, and let me eat on the house for
free (lunch) - and all I had was coffee and salad.
(I don't eat much) and they also had an ice pack
for my knee there.

2) My son was with me on this event, where once
again we were at the Mall, and the woman was just
cursing at us; and my son was yelling back - while
I didn't know what was going on, she actually pulled
her van right over the bumper into my son's bicycle
on purpose. We had reported this to the Security, and
they got her info from the tag number as one of them
was an off-duty Officer. We were out before she was,
and we saw the ticket stuck to her windshield wiper,
and the hardest part was trying to get my son's own
bicycle out, and the Guard said he didn't care if her
van got scratched, she deserved it ... trust me, he
yanked his bike out hard and it scratched it alright.
But he checked his bicycle and the pedal was bent,
so we headed to the garage where the tools were
and he repaired it. (By this time, we could see this
woman return and she saw the ticket and she was
fuming mad and the Guard there closed the garage
door and told us to stay put and radio over the trucks
for observation on her, and didn't raise it until they
told him it was cleared.)


3) While there were no one there when I parked
there originally (this part is sad) - an 70-80 year
old lady with a cane came blasting at me while
I was unlocking my Trek and she whacked me
with her purse on the back of my head. *owww*
I had to grab her purse and she was screaming
and was raising her cane to strike me, but
fortunately a couple of younger folks who saw
this grabbed her purse and cane and pushed
her against the car. She tried to claim I was
trying to steal her purse? But they were asking
me if I was okay, and yeah, just a little sore,
but I was fine. They didn't like this one bit and
the woman, she was raising (bleep) all over the
woman. And then she took her cane and started
to pound my tire with it? (In a way that was kind
of comical) Anyway, once the Security arrived,
she was just running off her mouth lying like
a fruitcake and he just stood there giving her
a icy cold stare. Finally she "shut-up" after run-
ning her mouth off for about like 3 minutes?
He then called me by my name and asked me
what happened and I told him, and the witness
there were also talking on top of me but more
detailed and specific and he continued with the
icy cold glare at the woman where she just
scoffed it off and got into her car and drove off.


:confused:

Those all happened at the mall - then there's one
more event that was downright scary; this fellow
had to be dangerous!

All I did was come out of the store, didn't find
what I needed so was empty handed - and headed
to my Trek, and my gosh - he blew a fuse! You
would think with all these people around would
do something but no one did, not even those on
cell phones! He kicked my Trek, pushed me back-
wards where I plowed into the grocery cart which
slammed into someone elses' vehicle - a car I think,
but it was a good thing I had my cycle helmet on.
Then he picked me up and threw me over to the other
side which I know was a red SUV because the alarm
went off. By that time the Grocery Store shopping cart
collector boy told him to knock it off or he was going
to call the Cops on him (or something like that).
He called me a retard and I didn't belong in the
handicap parking spot.

For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what HIS
handicap was as I didn't see any handicap label
on his vehicle, but as soon as he departed I quickly
unlocked my Trek and got out of there by going around
a few vehicles and I spied his license tag - he was
a Handicapped Veteran.

I got out of there in a hurry! But we hadn't had
anymore episodes of these events now that more
and more places are having bicycle racks and as
for the Mall - they had granted me the privilege
for us to park at their Security Parking Signs and
that way they can keep an eye on our bicycles and
no more of these handicapped folks bothering us.

We've been ever so grateful for this for several
years now!

[Miss Choccy]

Hi All,

Like many others I don't see that people with epilepsy should be granted the use of using handicap parking - unless you have other health problems or disabilities which has an impact on your mobility. After all most people's epilepsy doesn't affect their ability to walk.

Susan

Miss Choccy

[gigi]

I think these are given too freely, along with the parking places that some grocery store chains now throw in. People with kids, pregnant woman, people with a wart on the side of the nose, etc... Like some of yaw, I have to think about where I park when I go into a business, or I will forget and walk around looking bewildered. (I am!) Before these were issued, people helped each other; neighbors, family - even strangers. My folks are in their eighties, and they still park out in the back forty, and walk. (my Dad has a pace maker!) For individuals who truly need it, I say yes. That includes us folks, if the situation arises. I am just saying that they need to be issued accordingly, but doctors are fearful of turning those requests from patients, even if they are not warranted.

[Ruth]

I do not feel quilty about using the handicapped parking placard. One time I walked to WalMart a distance and fell down and broke my arm. A lot of times the handicapped places are all filled up.

Then, I take out my walker or wheelchair and go to the store. I do not drive. My husband does. He sometimes has to help me to the store. When I fall down, with an atonic seizure, I am dead weight. My husband needs help getting me up.

We are not disabled but they consider it a word for everyone who needs a handicapped place. It is a catch all phrase for everything that is physically or mentally wrong with them.

One time, I was with a lot of other people, at an assembly, who were in wheelchairs. One person got out and walked very well. Then I was asked to move for a person who had to get out of their wheelchair. I fell over everyone. I was the only person there who needed a wheelchair. When I had to leave the moved everyone out of the way to make room for me to use my wheelchair. I do not like my wheelchair, but when I need it I really need it

[Endless]

There are physical disabilities, and mental ones. I'd love a permit. On a bad day (especially when I've had a bad seizure), I have no sense of place or direction. I can't find my way to the front door of the store, let alone find my darn car.

I park my car in the parking lot, and I lose it. I try to remember to write down where it is, but often either I forget, or can't decifer where it is my car is from the notes I do write. You have to be within about 30-40 feet for my remote device to make my car honk. So if it's not close, that thing doesn't help a bit.

My personal record is spending 3 hours looking for my car at the local mall. I was too embarrased to call security and tell them I'd lost it so they could drive me around to look for it.

If I could park my car close to the entrance, at least my would beep at me when I press the remote button. Problem solved.

[JRuner]

I live in a small town so its usually not an issue. My daughter has lung and heart problems, balance issue and, chronic fatigue and drop seizures. I am currently debating having a bone in my right arm shortened and pinned to another or amputating the arm above elbow due to function and pain issues. My right knee has no cartilage left and I am 38 so "E" or seizures in general are a minor reason for me to use my and my daughter's combined permit. If you have chronic seizures, visual impairment or any other daily health hassle and don't abuse it when your having a good day, I say you or your driver should use the handicapped parking as so many able body people "borrow" a placard and cheat the truly disabled making them use their sometimes limited endurance and strength just to purchase groceries. The fines for those people are too low!

[Ruth]

In CA, the police check out once in a while who is using the placard. If a person, besides the disabled person. The disabled person can no longer get a handicapped placard. The law in CA feels that the person who is handicapped, is allowing other people to use their placard.

The placard is not to be in the car without the handicapped person.

[BuckeyeFan]

If there is not an additional issue causing impairment, no I don't think we should use these spots. Leave them for those who have difficulty walking or need wheel chairs / scooters.

There are other ways to help remember where you are parked. I usually park further out so that I am not in the middle of a bunch of cars.
Another option is to carry an antenna flag that you put on when you get out of the car. This will help you spot the car from a distance.

[Meetz1064]

Endless. I constantly lose my van, no matter how close to the door I park. And the funny thing is, I spent a whole day once looking for it at the mall, because I was too stubborn to ask for help.

When my kids called asking where I was.....well, it was found shortly after. They drove out, found me, then found it. And one of THEM drove ME home.

I can laugh now, but I sure couldn't then

[Ruth]

Usually, I am not able to walk very far or I stagger. When I have my wheelchair with me, hubby uses the handicapped parking. Otherwise, he parks in the regular parking lot. I tell him that the exersize is good for me.

To find our car, we look at the letter of the store where we came straight from the car to the store. That way we do not get lost.

[Kareen]

Yes ,my son and I go shopping he is 20,when he gets out of the car spometimes he has a seizure and moves back and forth like he is in a trance,and it is hard for me to pull him out of dangers way and the way people drive he could get hit.

[Endless]

Okay, today I used my disabled parking pass. I just hurt so much. My joints, muscles, etc. hurt so bad it was hard to walk. My lightweight little purse felt too heavy to carry. My head hurt so bad that I thought I was going to lose it. Even with sunglasses my eyes hurt. I admit most of this is probably due to the IIH (idiopathic intracranial hypertension), but some is also due to Lamictal. I was thanking god for that magic parking placard. It made it possible for me to go to the grocery store and get some juice.

Yep, I've got one. Nope, I usually don't use it. Yep, today I did.

[Ruth]

I am sorry that you felt so bad Endless. I hope you get better soon. I was sick from a seizure for a long time. I landed on my face and right leg on cement. I had facial fractures. I am fine now.

Maybe you should see your doctor.