Hey - Leave the Spaces for the Real Disabled Folks!

I'm really not going to spend a great deal of time on this topic, but I need to vent. Everywhere I go I see apparently able-bodied people using Handicap hangers to park in spaces reserved for the disabled. Now, this is the height of selfishness.

Yesterday I took my elderly mother out shopping at our local mall. Mom has disabled tags because she can't walk well nor can she walk very far for very long. She recently had a major back surgery to attempt to correct this condition and she's still recovering. In fact, she was particularly wobbly and really needed a parking spot close to the door leading to the store she wanted to visit.

There was one handicap spot left - thank goodness. The door to the van on the right side of the spot, also a handicap spot, was blocked by a man standing with the door open talking to a passenger. As we indicated our intent to part, he jumped up into the van. Hummm. Well, he could have been driving someone who was disabled.

When we came out of the store about 20 minutes later, the people who had parked in the handicap space on the left of Mom's car were coming out too. Not one of them appeared to be disabled. In fact, they were young with small children in tow. Not that young people aren't disabled, but I'd bet my salary everyone in that car was physically fit. Hummm. Wonder how many truly disabled people were unable to park because they took that spot.

I see this all the time, even in the parking garage at work. In fact, one woman whom I actually know, came zooming through the garage and screeched to a halt in the handicapped space closest to the door. She then jumped out and ran up the steps - not even taking the elevator. I doubt if I could run up those steps.

I realize disabilities aren't always visible - I happen to be hard of hearing. But, it's a fact that too many people are using these handicap tags when they aren't disabled. And, that should be a crime in my opinion. I knew another woman at work who got a disreputable doctor to sign her forms requesting a reasonable accommodation to work fewer days and to get handicapped parking tags. My mother - a nurse - knows the doctor and told me he would sign anyone's forms regardless of their actual need. I think this is just another flagrant illustration of someone thinking they are better than everyone else.

Well, in my world such people would end up in jail where they could get plenty of time to ponder their bad behavior. I bet people would think twice before they lied, stole, and cheated old and disabled people out of a privilege they really need to have.

This is shameful. It's that simple, simple.