O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love.

I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: TMats,

Been festering with you for several days? Not much goes on up in WY I take it.

My wife has handicapped parking tags and drives my lifted truck to the store sometimes. Don't assume you know their story because disabilities come in all forms.

I had a motorcycle riding chum in Pennsylvania who had a "Disabled" License plate on his BMW motorcycle.

He had a hip replacement.

He got lot's of angry stares.

Can’t always judge a book by it’s cover.
No way to know if their permit was issued for a disablement that impedes walking, or if it’s due to some other medical issue, like requiring an oxygen bottle for something like COPD.

I myself have a temporary disabled parking permit issued after my ankle surgery last October.
After nearly 2 months of therapy I still get to a point about mid work week where I get to hobbling around if I don’t brace it, as it just doesn’t have the strength in it again yet.

I’ve had a run-in with a coworker that kept bitchin’ about me using a handicapped spot when I first returned to work after the boot came off.
I made sure I got my point across that it wasn’t appreciated, and that the reason I parked there was because I could not walk normally sans a brace, and without a brace, it hurt like a mf-er.

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
Several days after the fact I’m still thinking about, so I guess it bothered me more than I realized at the time.
...

I think you might qualify for your own permit.

Joking aside in all fairness we probably have all looked at certain vehicles and thought the same thing as the op.

quote:

Originally posted by Ryanp225:
Joking aside in all fairness we probably have all looked at certain vehicles and thought the same thing as the op.

Yep.

For example, for months I walked past a low to the ground Firebird (didn't look stock height) parked in one of the handicapped spots at work. Struck me as odd, and hard to get into. However, one day I finally saw the guy getting out of it. Really long doors meant he could reach behind his seat and grab the wheelchair, and the height of wheelchair and car seat was pretty close too. No need for an expensive van with a ramp or lift. Really slick and well thought out vehicle choice, and my initial impression was completely wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
Several days after the fact I’m still thinking about, so I guess it bothered me more than I realized at the time.
...

I think you might qualify for your own permit.

quote:

Originally posted by Ryanp225:
Joking aside in all fairness we probably have all looked at certain vehicles and thought the same thing as the op.

It might help if there was a symbol other than the wheelchair to signify not-so-obvious handicaps, such as a heart condition.

I used to think the same thing until I realized that.

Another of these threads. Our first return question should be what qualifications does the questioner have to make him an expert judge. Back when I was younger and stupider, I sometimes asked the same question. Not that it matters much. The person has the sticker/hang tag, or whatever. I'm not aware of any process to remove the tag or judge it not appropriate.

He's got it, and can use it as he/she wishes. I agree that person might be an asshole. But questioning the person might make the questioner a bigger one.

My doctor offered me one last June right after my aortic valve replacement. I accepted his signed "prescription". We use it. 9 years ago after open heart surgery, my then jerk surgeon turned me down, saying that I wasn't handicapped and he wanted me to walk. Nearly killed (kilt in sigforun style). Sure in good weather I could usually walk into a store or restaurant. But then we got a couple of feet of snow. I had a problem balancing myself, and nearly fell about a dozen times. They don't want you to fall.

My gun show partner used to drive another of our friends to the show. Glen didn't have his left arm or leg, removed in his youth due to an accident. Their process was to park, then wheel Glen inside. Then he'd come back out and bring their goodies inside. Anyone who saw Glen understood the handicap designation. But not Joe by himself. The proper response to anyone asking would be to tell the questioner to go fuck himself. But that would maybe be confrontational. Kind of surprising that police and mall cop types mostly don't get offended. Its the ones who want to be appointed "God" that are the worst.

Let's not kid ourselves - not everyone follows the rules.

I should have known I needed to be a qualified expert to make that post. Mea maxima culpa

I've decided over the years that I control the narrative. In the OP's case you see a lifted truck with a handicap plate. Every other detail is made up.

Since I'm making up the story I can have the driver be an self centered faking douch and let it bother me or I can have the driver have a heart condition that prevents him from taking his truck up to the hunt camp anymore and just feel bad for the old guy.

I can choose how these things effect me.

If there's a handicap tag visible I never questioned it (until I saw my uncle, who plays 18 holes then uses my aunt's tag when he needs to park when she's not with him). That pisses me off.

Years ago I had a paraplegic friend (hunting accident when he was 16). We went to dinner one evening and he parked about three rows out from the restaurant in a mall parking lot. I told him there were handicap spots. His response was "Those are for crippled people" as he was pulling his chair from the back seat.

I got my tag last summer after 4 hospitalizations in two months for heart and COPD. The day I was discharged from the hospital I had to pick up prescriptions at my local Wal Mart. I could barely stand up, but had nobody to go for them. I printed up a note to put in my window, saying that I had just been discharged, on oxygen, and my tag had not yet been received. Used that for a couple weeks until my tag came in. Now, I only use my tag if I'm having a bad day.

quote:

Originally posted by rburg:
Another of these threads. Our first return question should be what qualifications does the questioner have to make him an expert judge. Back when I was younger and stupider, I sometimes asked the same question. Not that it matters much. The person has the sticker/hang tag, or whatever. I'm not aware of any process to remove the tag or judge it not appropriate...

Very well put RBURG...

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:
I've decided over the years that I control the narrative. In the OP's case you see a lifted truck with a handicap plate. Every other detail is made up.

Since I'm making up the story I can have the driver be an self centered faking douch and let it bother me or I can have the driver have a heart condition that prevents him from taking his truck up to the hunt camp anymore and just feel bad for the old guy.

I can choose how these things effect me.

You too SpinZone...



I liken the folks who assume no one is worthy for whatever reason to be roughly equivalent to the left-lane rangers who feel compelled to do no more than the posted speed limit to make everyone else on the road “follow the law”.

I am curious how many of these folks even know what the “qualifying” conditions are. For example, in WA state:

Types of conditions that qualify

You may receive disabled parking privileges if you have a disability that meets at least 1 of the following criteria:

-You can't walk 200 feet without stopping to rest.
-Your ability to walk is severely limited due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition.
-You're so severely disabled that you can't walk without the use of or assistance from a brace, cane, another person, prosthetic device, wheelchair, or other assistive device.
-You use portable oxygen.
-You're restricted by lung disease to such an extent that forced expiratory respiratory volume when measured by spirometry is less than 1 liter/second or the arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 mm/hg on room air at rest.
-You're impaired by cardiovascular disease or cardiac condition to the extent that your functional limitations are classified as Class III or IV under standards accepted by the American Heart Association.
-You have a disability resulting from an acute sensitivity to automobile emissions which limits or impairs your ability to walk. Your physician, physician assistant, or advanced registered nurse practitioner must document that the disability is comparable in severity to the others listed above.
-You're legally blind and have limited mobility.
-You have acute sensitivity to light associated with a form of porphyria that would significantly benefit from a decrease in exposure to light. Porphyria refers to a group of inheritable metabolic disorders in which exposure to light can result in burning, blistering, swelling, and scarring of the skin.


My mother-in-law and father both have placards (can't walk without the use of or assistance from a brace, cane, another person, prosthetic device, wheelchair, or other assistive device). I have DP plates/placard as well (orthopedic condition). People probably question my placard and dismiss me as they see me get out of my low to the ground Mustang or climb up into my F-150 4X4.

You’ll note in the list above, ability to climb/bend is not mentioned. I am sure others assume that since I am fat my “disability” would be cured by losing weight - yet my weight has nothing to due with my arthritic/orthopedic condition.


I get concerned when a car uses the DP spot that doesn’t have a placard or DP plates. Otherwise, I don’t care. I also don’t look at random people and assume they cheat on their taxes, beat their spouse, or fuck goats.


Get over it, many more things worthy of concern in this world.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 911Boss,

My Father-in-Law (deceased now) had a 94 Impala SS. He'd get some off looks pulling into a disabled spot, but then they'd see him get out with his oxygen tanks and walker, and usually look down to avoid their mistake.

I asked him why he chose the Impala, and he said that he needed the full-size car for the ease of getting all of his stuff, and the Impala had the best ride of any that he tried, which made his back not hurt as much.

I'd often bring him to a store, and after dropping him off at the door, I'd take a regular spot to save the disabled spot for someone driving themselves. Then I get the comment from some jackwagon "Why do you need to take this spot, there's a whole section for you up front!"

quote:

Originally posted by 911Boss:
I am curious how many of these folks even know what the “qualifying” conditions are. For example, in WA state:

The qualifying conditions in Colorado are very similar.
Even though I’m not the one with the permit myself, I wish I didn’t have to know that.

I got a handicapped placard before my left knee replacement surgery. When I got out of my BMW with a stick, I never got dirty looks. If somebody would have said anything, I would have told them to FOAD, as I had a prominent limp. Driving an automatic now, not renewing the placard when it expires in July. It has served its purpose. Next car will be a stick.

One of the guys in our hunting camp drove a F350 jacked up. Had the handicap tags.

You'd be pissed if you saw that sitting in the handicap spot...until he walked out with his one leg and all. He drives and F150 now.

Since he is disabled he can hunt from is ATV or even his truck. But until recently he still climbed tree stands.

Is this a battle you want to fight?