Disabled parking permits

[MZMDCM99]

I feel disabled parking permits are being dispensed more liberally than before. Many get out of their car and walk normally without any evidence of mobility problems.

Are there specific criteria for obtaining a permit?

[VikingVR6GTI]

Very specific but some doctors are a little more liberal than others with it. It's not always a mobility issue that would get someone a parking permit though which could explain why you see some walk normally.

[1985Jetta]

My grandmother has one and she just walks very slowly.

My grandfather is older than she is and doesn't have a permit.

[too_slow]

Most 'disabilities' are not detectable simply by observing how the individual exits his/her car.

Maybe the son just dropped off his mother infront of the clinic/ He has every right to park in that spot with a handicapped sign.

The craziest thing I've seen is a 2012 GTR with a Veteran plate + handicapped plate (parked in the handicapped spot of course). He 'looked' normal when he got out of the vehicle, but I am sure you will not go up to him and argue about the validity of his disability.

[PlatinumGLS]

Local news had a video where they went around and "caught" people using passes that were not theirs and/or did not appear to be needed. Most of the people were just lazy and wanted to park up front. But there was a couple they approached in their 30s or 40s that were walking fine - one of them was completely blind though, which is why they had a pass - so you cannot really tell sometimes.

[Preppy]

Local news had a video where they went around and "caught" people using passes that were not theirs and/or did not appear to be needed. Most of the people were just lazy and wanted to park up front. But there was a couple they approached in their 30s or 40s that were walking fine - one of them was completely blind though, which is why they had a pass - so you cannot really tell sometimes.

Completely blind driver?! WTF?

[MFactor]

Who cares. 99% of the time, disabled parking is empty anyway.

[PlatinumGLS]

Completely blind driver?! WTF?

There was a "couple" - meaning two people. The passenger was blind.

[PlatinumGLS]

Who cares. 99% of the time, disabled parking is empty anyway.

The problem is when the disabled spaces are FULL and people with real needs cannot use them.

[Neezy13]

I've noticed that it appears really morbidly obese people are getting permits. I think they should be forced to park at the back of the lot and walk to get some exercise

[helement2003]

The problem is, sometimes they are issued for things you can't see at all. Asthma for instance.

My wife had knee surgery a year ago, which obviously got her a [temporary] pass. Once she was starting the walk better, she still had a valid pass. You wouldn't know she had surgery, as she didn't have a limp anymore. Talk about people staring at you that had no effing clue what was up. Just because she could walk seemingly fine, didn't mean that she could walk fine for very long.

The biggest peeve I have with handicap related passes/parking? The LACK of passes/plates and people who park in spots anyway

I never paid attention to that before, it's amazing how many people just park there without a pass. It's pathetic. I would have loved to slap a $1000 ticket on every car I saw in a spot with no pass or plate when my wife really needed them.

[Spell Check Desk]

My aunt has one. 75% of the time she walks normally but she was assaulted by a patient (she was a psych nurse) some years back and she never knows when the pain will hit her spine and cause her crippling pain. I've seen her walk normally and then all of the sudden......

[PlatinumGLS]

The biggest peeve I have with handicap related passes/parking? The LACK of passes/plates and people who park in spots anyway

I never paid attention to that before, it's amazing how many people just park there without a pass. It's pathetic. I would have loved to slap a $1000 ticket on every car I saw in a spot with no pass or plate when my wife really needed them.

I agree. There is ABSOLUTELY no need for an able-bodied person to park in a disabled spot.

[Lurkin bunny]

I have one left over from my knee surgery last December. It lasts until 2014... Needless to say my knee is almost 100% back to normal now(albeit its basically all metal and screws now). I only use it if I have been driving around looking for a spot to park for forever and there are a bunch of handicapped spots open, and I never use it if there is only one spot left.

[Chris_V]

My dad has post-polio syndrome and wears leg braces under his pants. You can't see them, but they are there and help him walk short distances. So he has a parking pass. But if you saw him get out of the car and walk to the mall entrance you'd think he was able bodied. Until he sits inside the entrance and gets the energy back up to keep going. At least that was the case for the last few years. This year he started having to use a scooter to get around as his legs won't let him even walk the distance from the car to the store. But until then, he was a good case for "appearances can be deceiving."

[Preppy]

There was a "couple" - meaning two people. The passenger was blind.

By couple, i thought you meant a couple of instances... not a pair!

lol

[PlatinumGLS]

By couple, i thought you meant a couple of instances... not a pair!

lol

Sorry, I should worded it differently

[Spell Check Desk]

I agree. There is ABSOLUTELY no need for an able-bodied person to park in a disabled spot.

Now those stupid stork parking spot.... I call open season on those

[Tiny4cyl]

I used to own an RSX-S that I bought new and at the time I was living with my grandmother and taking care of her.

She'd leave her disability tag in my car for long periods of time and HELL YEAH I USED IT ALONE

[rich!]

one my neighbours uses one - had a mild heart attack about 4 years ago (he is perfectly able and works everyday) but he also steals gas from his company's truck for personal use

[Uberhare]

I feel disabled parking permits are being dispensed more liberally than before. Many get out of their car and walk normally without any evidence of mobility problems.

Are there specific criteria for obtaining a permit?

Define "normal". I technically can get a handicap permit because my lower back is really screwed up. My doctor said she would be willing to help me get it but I declined on moral/ethical grounds. Back surgery, scar tissue build up, constant severe pain, etc limit what I can do. But if you were to watch me walk you'd think I was perfectly fine. You learn to tolerate a certain level of pain and discomfort for the sake of dealing with everyday life. I'm on pain management meds, one of which is a pain patch, which makes my life much much better in terms of pain. It allow me to function and walk like normal.

Would I like a handicap permit to make my life easier? Not really. I believe it should go to someone more deserving like a disabled vet or maybe someone who is paralyzed.

[VikingVR6GTI]

I used to own an RSX-S that I bought new and at the time I was living with my grandmother and taking care of her.

She'd leave her disability tag in my car for long periods of time and HELL YEAH I USED IT ALONE

That's just not cool at all. My mom has COPD and I have had to walk from the other side of the lot with her before because the spots were full. I HOPE that the spots were being used by people who deserved them and not by people like you.

I can't believe you openly admit that on a public forum to be honest.

[helement2003]

I used to own an RSX-S that I bought new and at the time I was living with my grandmother and taking care of her.

She'd leave her disability tag in my car for long periods of time and HELL YEAH I USED IT ALONE

[Mike!]

I used to own an RSX-S that I bought new and at the time I was living with my grandmother and taking care of her.

She'd leave her disability tag in my car for long periods of time and HELL YEAH I USED IT ALONE

And you see no problem with this?

[deagle]

remember, not all disabilities are physical ....

but i think physical types are implied

sure, the permit can be misused but to each their own

[VikingVR6GTI]

remember, not all disabilities are physical ....

but i think physical types are implied

sure, the permit can be misused but to each their own

Right, but to get a parking pass, the disability almost always has to be a physical one. They don't typically ever issue disabled parking passes for mental disabilities.

[BMP_3918]

Is obesity a disability? I've seen more and more instances at Wal-Mart where extremely fat people park there just because they're fat. To make it worse, they don't even walk to the store, they have a mechanical wheelchair.

[Old Windy]

Completely blind driver?! WTF?

There was a "couple" - meaning two people. The passenger was blind.

The way some people drive I would assume the driver too.

Not sure if it happened but I remember years ago that there was a movemet to clasify the obbese (not morbid) as a dissability to be able to qualify for the permits.

[Old Windy]

Right, but to get a parking pass, the disability almost always has to be a physical one. They don't typically ever issue disabled parking passes for mental disabilities.

They don't but they still get drivers licenses issued to them....

[VW1.8Tsunami]

Random CSB:

A local bar has it's handicap right at the front of the parking lot. The problem? You have to go up 2 flights of stairs to get inside the bar. Otherwise you have to walk up a fairly steep hill to the other entrance.

[VikingVR6GTI]

Is obesity a disability? I've seen more and more instances at Wal-Mart where extremely fat people park there just because they're fat. To make it worse, they don't even walk to the store, they have a mechanical wheelchair.

To the letter of the law, no, obesity is not a disability. However, a lot of things associated with obesity (knee and back problems, COPD, hypertension etc) are considered disabilities which is why you might see a lot of obese people with parking passes.

[valfaw]

remember, not all disabilities are physical ....

as proven by this douche...

I used to own an RSX-S that I bought new and at the time I was living with my grandmother and taking care of her.

She'd leave her disability tag in my car for long periods of time and HELL YEAH I USED IT ALONE

[Eightysixturbo]

To the letter of the law, no, obesity is not a disability. However, a lot of things associated with obesity (knee and back problems, COPD, hypertension etc) are considered disabilities which is why you might see a lot of obese people with parking passes.

[Old Windy]

OMG!!!!
That watch is strangling that poors man arm!!! It's swelling up!

[Spell Check Desk]

ewwwwwww!!! if I ever get that fat, I'm just going to jump off a bridge.