[Erin524]

Went out for dinner tonight with my boyfriend and my parents.

My mom uses a handicap placard, so we parked in the handicap spot, put the placard up (went in boyfriends van) and went inside to eat.

Came back out, and noticed that someone had parked in the wheelchair access spot super close to boyfriend's car. None of us could get to the passenger side door between the two cars. I dont know how the driver got out of their car.

Boyfriend had to back his car out so that my mom and dad could get into the van on the passenger side. If I had had my car keys with me, I would have run the key down the side of the person's car...repeatedly.

Oh, and their handicap placard, was on the GEARSHIFT of their car...not on the mirror.

Dont people read the paperwork that comes with the placard that tells you how to use it and how to properly park when using a placard, and where to correctly hang the danged thing??

and I want to know how this person got out of the car? Unless they were one of those supermodels that Ralph Lauren uses, I dont see how they did it without crawling over their gearshift and out the passenger door.

I have to remember to ask my boyfriend later today if he has a dent/scratch in his door with red paint on it.

If there had been better light outside at the time, I would have taken a cellphone picture of the moron's car to show you how close they parked to boyfriend's car. (dark parking lot, nighttime...businesses hadnt turned their lights on for some reason)

[Dejibo]

more frequently than not, those who "share" handicap spaces are NOT the ones who the placard belongs to. its someone who is "just gonna run in real quick!" or the child of someone who owns it, and doesnt want to park far away. When I was in a chair, I ran into that all the time! I would come out and find I couldnt get back IN my own car! I would roll back to security and they would take down the plate, and call a wrecker to tow them. A few times I would get someone rush back to their car and DEMAND that they are allowed to use that space because they have the placard! Well, that means you can use a SPACE, not the space between the spaces!

I caught an elderly man doing it as I was getting out of my car, he was pulling up to the passenger side so close I couldnt have gotten out if I wanted to. I told him that was NOT a space! he cussed me out to tell me how he was on O2 and has a handicap license plate and can park where he darn well feels like it. I was on my way into the store and saw him in the cigarette line buying 4 cartons of cigarettes. Now I know why he needs the oxygen. I was just about to report him to the walmart greeter, but since he was leaving, it was pointless.

I even had a sign on my car on BOTH windows that said "i use a wheelchair, PLEASE dont park close to me." people dont care. As long as their needs are met, to heck with yours.

[Erin524]

I think I'm going to start carrying a church key (bottle/can opener thingie) so that I can use the really nice pointed part of it as a door scratcher for the next time I come across a car parked in the access space. (no!...I'm not vindictive!)

My mom isnt using a wheelchair right now (her knees are not as bad as they were before her surgery), but because her back and neck are now in bad shape (she has arthritis and spinal stenosis) she's not agile at all, and needs all the space she can get to climb into a car.

She cant stand for very long either, so having to wait for my boyfriend to back the car out was a little painful for her.

I loved what my boyfriend called the person who did the craptastic parking job. He said the person was a *edit*Too bad the person wasnt there in person to get insulted.

[Abbie]

Did you know...
That if someone blocks access to your vehicle in a handicap spot that in some areas it can be considered that they are holding you hostage!!!!

I found this out from calling the police department when my car was blocked by a delivery truck who was parked in the blue hash marks.... it was parked so close to my car that I couldn't even get my wheelchair between the vehicles let alone open the door so that I could load and go.

They had to come out tow the truck so that I could get into my car.

Many people don't care they have a placard for whatever reason and they are going to use it whether they need it or not. Others without a plate or placard will park there "because they can".

This is a huge pet peeve for me!!!

Abbie

[Chemar]

more reported posts have been removed and/or edited here


members should please remember this is a very diverse community and that many people are deeply offended by posting that is not generally considered acceptable in most polite social gatherings.
That is why the guidelines are in place, and specifically prohibit "obscene, vulgar, ........ sexually-oriented" posting
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=1293

thank you for your co-operation

[Jomar]

I'm sure you are venting/joking about scratching someones car.

According to the TV court shows...you would be liable for the damages if you got caught or seen doing it.

I do believe you can call the police to report illegal handicap parking users/abusers & blockers.

If nothing else report it to the store manager.
Maybe they will start watching for offenders then.

[doydie]

What I love is the little ol' man sleeping in the handicap spot. I'm sure the person who is actually handicap is in the store. So I come out of the store about 45 minutes later and the little ol' man is still sound asleep. So why couldn't he have dropped off the handicap person, gone to sleep and came back later to get the person.

[Erin524]

Originally Posted by Jo*mar

I'm sure you are venting/joking about scratching someones car.

According to the TV court shows...you would be liable for the damages if you got caught or seen doing it.

I do believe you can call the police to report illegal handicap parking users/abusers & blockers.

If nothing else report it to the store manager.
Maybe they will start watching for offenders then.

I'm considering taking the training course for the citizens parking patrol. Here in Nebraska, they have volunteers that are allowed to patrol the parking lots looking for people who illegally park in the handicap spots.

It would be so satisfying to write someone a ticket for a few hundred dollars for being rude enough to block the access spot...much more satisfying than wanting to vandalize their car. (which I didnt do last night...wanted to, but didnt)

[jprinz99]

it's not just car or delivery trucks who park incorrectly... what really irks me is the motorcyclists who feel the hashed area is specifically for them to use.

If only we could all learn to play (park) together nicely. Sigh