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VickiesPath · Sep 14, 2009 at 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emilyjeanne

I understand that you are shaken up by this experience. But I have to disagree with everyone here.

I had extensive surgery on my foot in April. I was given a temporary handicap parking permit. I didn't see the importance of not parking in the handicap parking until I tried to find parking. Everytime I tried to park there were people parked in the spots who were not handicapped. Once I went to Walmart and all the spots were taken. One SUV was parked with the driver sitting in the car while they were waiting for someone. They received a ticket and continued to park there because "they had already paid for the spot." I was not able to park that day. Even though the person knew I was waiting and I was handicapped.

So now that I have had the experience from the other side. I will say something to people who are NOT handicapped but are parking for their convenience.

I wasn't necessarily disagreeing that people shouldn't park in handicapped parking spaces unless they have a permit. I do have a permit. What I was illustrating was an incident whereby someone felt it his privilege to be annoying and intrusive when policing who did or didn't have permission to park in a handicapped space. As an individual who routinely parks in handicapped spaces due to physical disabilities, I often find all the spaces at places like WalMart or the grocery store are already taken and I end up taking another spot. This happens quite often in Phoenix. But I don't go down the row of handicapped parking spaces (in some parking lots, there are dozens of them) and make sure every car has permission to be there.

I am not on a personal mission to detect and destroy. I am not bothered by anyone who kindly points out any error I make which may be against the law or cause a hardship to someone. But if they get in my face and are rude about it, then look out!