Handicap Parking Abusers: Part 2, Top 10 Excuses

Most people have witnessed people parking illegally in a handicap spot, and maybe have even wondered what their disability is? If you have a disabled placard/license plate, you probably have heard some of the excuses I have listed below.

If you have not yet read my blog titled, “Handicap Parking Abusers: Part 1, Excuses, Excuses, Excuses,” then you can see how I have lead up to part 2. First off, I would like to state that if I think someone is parked illegally, I don’t just rush over and rudely ask them what they are doing. I use a nice approach because I understand that people have hidden disabilities. I wait until they get out of the car because, like me, my disability is not visible until I get my wheelchair out. If I suspect someone could have a hidden disability and I don’t see a permit, I will just say, “Excuse me, but I think you forgot to hang up your handicap placard.” This is when I usually catch people, because if their response is, “I don’t have one,” then I will know they shouldn’t be parked there. I find that at this point I can say nothing or try to make a point, and remind them what they are doing is illegal.
Top ten excuses I have heard over the years:
1) My foot hurts!
2) I have a disability; I just forgot my handicap placard.
3) I used to have a disability.
4) I am running errands for my mom, and it is her disabled permit.
5) People that just give you the “blank stare.”
6) Or how about the “nothing answer,” because the person speeds away or ignores you.
7) The best one is just people who say, “I am sorry and won’t ever do it again!”
8) I didn’t see the sign.
9) I will only be here for a second.
10) There was nothing else open.

These are just a few of the excuses I have heard over the years. If you would like to share any with me I would love to hear them.

Tammy Wilber
~To no more excuses, from the handicap parking abusers~

Handicap Parking Abusers; Part 1- Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

I have read many different blogs from people with various disabilities about their frustrations with people who abuse handicap parking. I have wanted to start a handicap parking enforcement program for a long time, and have heard about other communities who have successful programs. I know plenty of people that would volunteer their time to do catch these handicap parking abusers.

Just this past weekend I was trying be a good citizen by going to a local shopping plaza with some other people to remind people to register to vote. As I wheeled around the shopping plaza, I couldn't help but sit near some of the handicap spots to try and catch violators. In less than an hour I had 4 encounters, and here were their excuses:

1) One person apologized.

2) The second person was waiting in the car for his wife, as she returned something in a store. I "nicely" pointed out that he was parked illegally. I told him that the handicap sign does not say, "Please wait here for your wife.” He had the nerve to tell me to loosen up, get over it and he drove off. ( I was very nice to him)

3) The third person just ignored me, so I assumed maybe they had a hearing impairment,

and couldn’t hear me when I tried to talk to them. Or they just forgot to put up their placard. Who knows the real truth behind that person’s situation because I understand people have hidden disabilities.

4) The fourth encounter was with two men who parked their SUV in a handicap spot, only to have it breakdown on them. I asked them why they were parked there in the first place, and both men just started screaming at me. As they raised their voices, and called me very ugly names, a nice man walking by asked the men, “Why they were harassing a women in a wheelchair”. I told the man that they were parked illegally and he called the cops. I didn’t get to see the end result, but since their car had broken down, I hope they were ticketed, and towed.

This has inspired me to want to get some people with disabilities together and go to the local police station to try to start up some kind of handicap parking enforcement program. Being in a wheelchair this is truly when I feel so disrespected by people. Why can’t they just admit they were wrong? When someone parks illegally in a handicap spot and they see someone in a wheelchair approaching them, why don’t they get the heck out of the handicap spot? Some people just don’t care, and when they have the nerve to speak back to you it just boggles my mind.

I could go on and on about this subject, but what I would like to hear from other people is how do you handle the situation with handicap parking abusers?

Tammy Wilber
~Handicap parking abusers, are just disrespectful and wrong ~