Handicap parking spot abuse
Can we talk about handicap parking? I know I’ve had blogs about this before, but it’s still a very sore topic for me. I understand that there’s a requirement that a certain amount of spots, based on the size the property and the total number of spots allocated, have to be given to handicap parking. It just never seems to be enough. Why is it never enough? Because everybody seems to get one. It’s not for the truly disabled anymore. It gets abused so often and it’s so unfair.
When I worked in a nursing home, I would see so often the children continue to use the handicap pass when their parents were now in the nursing home. The parking permit was for their parents, but it was still valid and so they’ve used and abused it. I’ve seen this so many times with caregivers. Where able-bodied people get out of thea car in a handicapped spot with a handicap parking pass and go walking up to the store with no problems. Then I come along who can’t walk more than 40 feet and I can’t park. I know you can’t judge a book by the cover. I was once well and could walk more and I had a handicap permit. I just never tried to abuse it. I’d take a regular spot instead of the handicap time and time again. The only time I didn’t was if the distance from the car would be truly more than I could walk.
Each state has a different criteria and this website has the state by state. https://www.myparkingpermit.com/blog/. In NY the criteria for getting a parking permit is:
-use of portable oxygen;
-legal blindness;
-limited use, or no use, of one or both legs;
-inability to walk 200 feet without stopping;
-a neuromuscular dysfunction that severely limits mobility;
-a Class III or IV cardiac condition (American Heart Association standards);
-severe limitation in the ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological or orthopedic condition;
-restriction because of lung disease to such an extent that forced (respiratory) expiratory volume for 1 second, when measured by spirometry, is less than 1 liter, or the arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 mm/hg of room air at rest; or
-any other physical or mental impairment not previously listed which constitutes an equal degree of disability, and imposes unusual hardship in the use of public transportation and prevents the person from getting around without great difficulty.
-use of portable oxygen;
-legal blindness;
-limited use, or no use, of one or both legs;
-inability to walk 200 feet without stopping;
-a neuromuscular dysfunction that severely limits mobility;
-a Class III or IV cardiac condition (American Heart Association standards);
-severe limitation in the ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological or orthopedic condition;
-restriction because of lung disease to such an extent that forced (respiratory) expiratory volume for 1 second, when measured by spirometry, is less than 1 liter, or the arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 mm/hg of room air at rest; or
-any other physical or mental impairment not previously listed which constitutes an equal degree of disability, and imposes unusual hardship in the use of public transportation and prevents the person from getting around without great difficulty.
Inability to walk 200 feet, really!!You know how many people can fall into this with a good doctors letter. I can walk maybe 40 big difference between 40 and 200. Yet we both get the same permit. If they get to the spot first they get it. Sorry this was just my rant, it just goes back to the reason I needed to get my own spot in my own condo. It’s just an epidemic I believe in New York. There’s just more handicap parking permits out there then there are the spots. I think there’s too much abuse with the permits. I also think it’s so easy to renew handicap parking permit The department of motor vehicles has no idea who’s really the one renewing the permit. The only way these people could be caught for the abuse is dumb luck with a policeman. Even then, it would have to be that the policeman looked to see who the permit was register to. It’s not gonna happen. Anyway thank you for listening to me rant this morning. Have a great day everyone.
8 thoughts on “Handicap parking spot abuse”
What annoys me is the fact that I see people park in the spot with the necessary tag and don’t appear to have anything wrong with them. I understand that might not be the case, but I think I can tell from the way a person walks if they are struggling with an issue.
Here’s another issue, and I know I am treading on a touchy subject, but when did becoming obese turn into a handicap?
Omg I was going to write that too. I decided to skip that rant. Really I’m sorry that too makes me annoyed. They can’t walk, please it’s self inflected.
Aghhh…huge problem in the UK too and personal bug bear!! Drives me mad….
It really is so infuriating.
I would like you to take a second and understand why this post and comments are frustrating to people with “invisible” illness such as myself. I have ehlers Danlos Syndrome which causes severe chronic pain and joint instability. I have been judged and even yelled at for using a handicap spot multiple times. Although I look pretty normal on a good day, strangers can’t see the joint braces under my clothes, or the pain that walking causes me. Please do not judge a book by its cover.
On another note, just because a person is obese does not mean they aren’t disabled. In fact, many disabled people have a hard time with their weight due to medications and physical limitations.
I write this in awareness, not anger. I completely agree that too many people misuse these placards. Unfortunately, unless you know the person, there is no way to know what that person might or might not suffer from. Thank you.
I understand your point of view. For many years my issues weren’t when I’d walk into the store but when I’d be leaving due to fatigue of my muscles. I use to get looks and comments back then too so please understand I know that some people have illness you can’t see. I lived that way for many years. However on Long Island where I’m from, it is abused by many people. It is really those people I’m directing this too. Many people get the tags that don’t necessarily need it
thank you!!! I too have EDS and MS, and I look just fine, but I need my disabled parking spot from time to time, and I constantly feel judged, because guess what? I am also obese…so please just know that yes, there are not enough disability spots, and yes people abuse it, but no, you do not know who is abusing it – you cannot tell by looking what a person is going through at that particular time.
I agree you don’t always know and I really should have stated that clearer. I was well once too or better I should say. It is the abuse that bothers me. I see it a lot. It is very frustrating for me who now really can’t walk. It is how easily it’s obtained and how few spots are available that sometimes I can’t go somewhere because I can’t park.