Yes, you know we all have our passions about pet peeves in our business but, this is truly my #1 and has been for many years! I've been meaning to write this for several months but, today I had an experience that MADE me write this now!
As most of you know, Ray spent the week before last in the hospital--now comes the follow-up doctor visits! WooHoo! He set out and went to his primary care physician appointment on his own, as I had a client appointment that I had to attend. We then met up for lunch and then headed to another appointment together.
When we pulled into the restaurant parking lot, we noticed that all of the handicapped parking spaces were taken. So we parked at the farthest section of the lot to be able to have two parking spots side-by-side (for HIS car alone) so that his ramp could be extended and he could exit his car. He then had to push uphill from his car all the way to the restaurant. While we were eating lunch, we watched as incredibly obese women got in each of the cars in the handicapped parking spaces right outside. NONE of them had ANY difficulty walking.
When we arrived at the hospital parking lot, believe it or not, we had the VERY same issue! As we finally had to enlist security to help us locate a spot for him to park where he could let his ramp down, we saw TWO women nearly jog to their cars and drive--out of their handicapped parking spaces! Again, Ray had to park so far away in order to find a space that allowed his ramp room for him to exit his car, then had to push UPHILL to visit the surgeon--AND we were late due to the parking issue!
Do you have a handicapped placard? If so, I do hope that you sincerely need it. If you do have one and DON'T need it, please keep those in mind who TRULY need that space. You have no idea what struggles you are causing someone who does not have the capacity to push their wheelchair from the bottom of the parking lot to the building. Had I not been there to help Ray, he would not have been able to navigate the hills alone--either time TODAY! And, this is just ONE portion of a day in the life of someone who is handicapped!
I HAVE one of these placards (that is mine above, right) but, the ONLY time (and I MEAN only time) that I use it is when my hubby is with me! I've been out in horrible rain storms and times when I'm in a terrible rush and would NEVER think to use that placard if Ray is not with me.
Here's what I've found about people who abuse the handicapped placards:
1. Their elderly parents need a ride to the physician every few months and are truly handicapped and NEED that placard. The adult children then ABUSE their placard and use them even when their handicapped parents are not with them--and they do so on a daily basis!
2. The driver has gotten a placard from their physician following knee or hip surgery. Come on, your wound was healed YEARS ago--you don't need that parking space ANYMORE! We see these EVERYtime we go to the mall--we drive up, there are no spaces, park far away from the mall; when inside, we don't see ONE single person using crutches, canes, walkers, oxygen tanks (lung disease folks need the cards on occasion too) or wheelchairs! NOT ONE!
3. The BIGGEST (pun intended) offenders are lazy, obese people! Sorry folks, but you didn't become morbidly obese for no reason--you're taking otherwise truly handicapped patients' parking spaces everywhere you go. Perhaps you DON'T WALK ENOUGH?!
OH, one more thing--the blocks with the stripes beside the parking space is for the RAMP of an accessible vehicle, not a compact car! It does handicapped people NO good to have a space when they can't let their ramp down to exit their vehicle. We've been out many times when he got a handicapped ramp spot only to come out of the place of business to find that someone parked their MiniCooper in the ramp area--I have a TERRIBLE time driving his vehicle (hand controls) and I have to back it out and park in the middle of the road while he loads into the car--blocking everyone who needs to drive past--just because someone in a MiniCoop HAD to park as close as they could to the building.
How can you help? Request that your physicians NOT give out handicapped placards unless their patients REALLY need them. If they do need one for a short period of time, make that expiration date within that short period of time on a TEMPORARY handicapped placard--don't continue to renew those placards for their patients who have healed and no longer need them.
If you're not confrontational, gently remind people with a note on their car that they've kept someone who is truly handicapped from being able to enjoy that facility because they could not navigate the parking lot from the bottom of the hill. They would like to participate in the same functions and don't always have someone with them to help them out.
If you're obese, I'm truly sorry if I insulted you because that was NOT my intent--but, my suggestion: put that handicapped placard away and WALK--it's great aerobic exercise and I promise you'll see the pounds start to fall off if YOU park at the bottom of the hill everywhere you go!
Okay, I'm through now! Sorry for the rant but, I just HAD to! It's better than running through the parking lot screaming at people who abuse those handicapped placards!!
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