Not all handicapped people are in favor of handicapped parking. In response to my recent article, “The State Conquers the Parking Lot,” a handicapped individual writes the following:
I have a handicapped parking ticket and guess what? I absolutely agree with you.
In fact, I often try to avoid using the designated spots, because it doesn’t feel right. I’ve spent years practicing to walk normally with my funny legs, and if I’m wearing trousers and walking on the flat, most don’t notice my disability. That’s what I want. But when I park in a handicapped spot, I find myself, half-conciously or perhaps self-conciously, deliberately putting on the wobbly boots. How ridiculous is that?
But it gets worse. When there are half a dozen handicapped spots available and not much else, it’s actually in everyone’s interest that I use those spots. Otherwise I’m using a spot that someone else must need. But I still feel guily or judged.
It must have seemed such a useful regulation once. And now it’s in, no-one could dare remove it for fear of being so uncaring. But it ends up creating such a convolution of thoughts and emotions because it is demanded; that it’s just not worth it. And as you say, when we see pregnant women, or women with prams step out from their designated spots, we all generally feel kindly towards that person. The pleasure of giving rather than of having something taken from us.
Every government action involves stealing in some form.
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Having visited a couple of theme parks in the last few years I’ve noticed that there seems to be an awful lot of people showing up with (or renting?) those electric scooter-thingies that handicapped people use. Not only do they get to ride around all day instead of walking, but they and their entire party get to jump to the head of the line at every attraction. And although I didn’t notice this, I have heard some complaints that families have been seen sharing the scooter among their different members throughout the day. Either there is an epidemic of some kind of partial lameness with a strong genetic component, or …
Well, cuz one person feels guilty seems to completely justify your idea….not.
Vedran,
This is an post-script to the other article, full of arguments both ethical and practical against handicapped parking. The meat of the argument can be found there; this is just a note that support for handicapped privileges at the expense of others is not universal among the handicapped.
I think you’re posting here because you’re unable to refute the actual arguments. So you focus on one reader’s anecdote instead, as though one man’s response posted here is what the author is basing his argument upon. Pathetic.
Henry,
When people get special privileges for being “disabled” then suddenly it’s quite the popular thing to do. In Sweden for instance, the sick-rate was 12.5% in 2003. Sweden has a high life expectancy and a low rate of smoking, but it also has big benefits for people who are “sick.”
I have had a handicapped parking permission placard for my car for several years. I got it because I have one of those kinds of back injuries that is sometimes unnoticeable and sometimes excruciatingly painful to the point that I can barely walk around. Can’t always go in for a Chiropractic adjustment, and leading the busy and active life that I do, I use the handicapped parking placard only when I am in lots of pain and need to walk right in to where I am going. I notice people who look at me and assume because I am able to walk that I am abusing this parking privilege. They can think what they want. I am secure enough with who I am and taking care of myself in a balanced way that the opinions of others don’t define or confine me. Thanks for listening.
In the article, you say that with the parking spots designated for expecting women, no one not pregnant would dare park there.
You are wrong.
I was a member of an online community of over 500 women and there was once a heated debate over this. Many women said that because the parking spot was only a courtesy and not enforced by law of fines, they used the spots even when not pregnant.
A few days ago, I was at our local supermarket and saw a car pull into the Stork spot. And if the man who got out of that car was pregnant, I’ll eat my maternity pants.
Good point, jozet, but it’s better to use the power of peer pressure to embarrass and humiliate him for using such a spot than to make a non-crime illegal and divert law enforcement from dealing with serious crimes. Would you rather that a police officer spend the time to ticket him, or be out dealing with robbers and murderers?
hello…
im an exchange student from Chile, South America… all my life i been close to handicap people because my mom is an especial ed. teacher. In my speech class im doing a project where i decided to talk about handicap people discrimination, but in a different way, i want to talk about how we “normal” people wants to make u remember all the time that u are different and u need and special treat, having special parkings, special treats in lines, or other situations…..
i will be really glad if i recieve ur opinion about it to my email adress as soon as u can, thanks
smonsa.fik@gmail.com
Hmmm…obviously none of you had ever had to squeeze a walker or a wheelchair between a car that was parked a foot from your passenger door. There ARE practical reasons for handicapped parking, other than “just being kind”. They don’t make those blue diagonal lines between the spaces for nothing.
Interesting article. There’s just a few problems. First, you don’t have an absolute right to discriminate on your own property in this country. You can’t refuse to serve someone who is black simply because of their skin color, and removing the handicap parking spots would do that for me. I use a chair, and I need those spots. And I do go to Home Depot regularly!
HC parking spots provide me with enough room to get in and out of my car without hurting myself, my chair, or various cars. Actually, I wouldn’t mind seeing a few wide spaces in the back of the lot, maybe then people wouldn’t park in them. Except that they still wouldn’t clear the snow, and the trip from the back of the parking lot through snow would probably finish me off.
And I don’t see the ADA as having made me more of a pariah. Yes, some businesses hate it because they are now forced to do what they should have done all along. But most businesses are still not accessible. Small businesses often fall outside of the law, and so they aren’t compliant. And the cost to many businesses to become accessible are actually fairly small. We’re talking about around $1,000. I have a hard time believing that over 18 years that’s a heavy burden.
The ADA has given me many opportunities. I find that the people who think I’m entitled or given “extra” privileges because of my disability are people who have no idea what my life is like. Generally, inviting them to go grocery shopping with me changes their viewpoint.
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