Irritations! (parking)

[Duncan Love]

 My tab mate was telling me the other day that he got into a fight at the shopping centre, well I can't see a mark on him and tell him it must not have been much of a fight. So he says 'well the guy was in a wheelchair'  'What! Do you mean you beat up  someone in a wheelchair' I asked " Yeah well the guy deserved it" he said " he was parked in one of our spaces"

The one that really gets me about the parking issue is able people leaving the disabled person in the car while they go and do the shopping. As far as I know these spaces are to allow a disabled person to access a facility, not for the convenience of able bodied carers. As an amputee who is fit and can walk a fair distance, I only ever use my permit on rare occasions, so I get a bit peeved at able bodied people taking advantage of them.

When I do use them I get sick of people (and it seems to be adolescent girls who are the worst) looking at me like I am some sort of scum who is breaking the law (until I get out and they see my leg). They had an advertising campaign here a few years ago that went "Look at the permit not the person" but I don't think that it worked very well!
Duncan
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: TheDunvilles at aol.com 
  To: Amputee Information Network 
  Sent: Wednesday, 26 November 2003 13:07
  Subject: Re: Irritations! (parking)


  Yes, It would be nice to have people respect handicap parking, then again it would be nice just to be respected too. Let me explain what I am saying.

  After a year of being unemployed, having over 150, "thanks you for coming in" interviews, I finally had a shot at a job. The interview was with the Disney Store, at a major mall in my area. One of the managers who knows me as a major Disney Collector, asked me to apply.

   Being on my first leg for only two months, and using a cane, I parked at the mall's Handicap Parking area. During my interview with the district manager, a local police officer requested to speak with me. Please tell me this is a joke, was all I could think.

  It turns out, some very overweight, (Santa doesn't weight as much as this person). Called the local police claiming, I was using someone else's handicap parking permit card. After listening to the officer for two minutes, and this person for over 10 minutes. I asked if this counted as being handicapped under the law, and pulled up my pant leg!

  This was not the first time, and I am sure not the last time. By the way, I did get the job at Disney, and I am loving every second. I am happy that a company finally saw me as not being handicapped, but an asset.

  Dave Dunville



  In a message dated 11/25/2003 9:16:42 PM Eastern Standard Time, esther-l at alumni.virginia.edu writes:
    Depending on your state and local law, it may be possible for your 
    municipality to train
    existing employees or volunteers (school bus drivers or school crossing 
    guards) as a
    "parking posse".  I believe that Prince William county, Virginia did 
    this about 10 years ago.
    When revenue is low because of the economy, this is an option for 
    collecting fines,
    and possibly less controversial than other options.  Training is 
    essential, so that out-of-state
    handicapped parking permits are not ticketed.

    Kevin & Rhonda Wixom wrote:

    >  
    > My biggest (currently anyway) irritation is "handicapped parking 
    > spaces" and the dopes who use them who aren't handicapped.  There 
    > needs to be a god who looks over and protects these areas and zaps 
    > non-handicapped people with lightning bolts.  Hey, maybe the price of 
    > using the space is to become handicapped?   Hmmmm, I wonder how many 
    > candles I'd have to light to get that to happen?  
    >  

    Some people have debilitating heart and lung problems.  I can't diagnose 
    them from a
    distance, when someone has a handicapped parking permit, to tell exactly 
    what their
    disability is.  People have cussed at me, because I look too young to be 
    handicapped.

    Esther Lumsdon

    -- 
    --- 
    Esther L. esther-l at alumni.virginia.edu, 
    Speaking only for myself
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