Illegal Parking in handicap and other spots

I will start with non-handicapped illegal parking.

First, to those of you who think the Fire Zone is run in the store parking or better yet close spot at my kid’s school event parking, you are sadly mistaken. The fire zone is in case of fire!

Someday, because karma loves me, a tiny fire will break out when you are parked there. The fire truck will come and shove your car out of the way, totaling it in the process. You will have no recourse. Your insurance, if you have any, will not pay because you caused the violation and will have been issued a ticket or worse for it. Now is it worth it?

Towns have ordinances, mine has one that says you cannot park on the grass/lawn. This was well thought out, which is more than I can say for my neighbor.

Where we live rain is generally scarce, this year has been worst than most. So Bubba comes home from his job and parks his low rider on the lawn. He later argues with the police that he should be able to park on his own yard. Bubba can’t do the math that a hot car with a hot muffler sitting over dead grass could cause a problem. Calgon, take me away!

Now regarding illegal parking in handicap spaces. It is wrong, and a great disservice to your fellow man. It seems somehow more wrong when the scofflaw has magnetic fish and a “Jesus loves you” bumper sticker, but that’s just me.

Illegal parking can take many forms. Using someone else’s tag, even if you are running their errands, is illegal. Pulling up to the business and leaving the handicapped person in the car is illegal – you must use regular parking for this. And then there are those who never had a tag and are just lazy and ignorant.

It is only legal to park in handicap if you have the person it was issued to in the vehicle and they are going into the business (or you are picking them up from an appointment or after work for instance).

I very rarely utilize handicap parking. Partly because there are rarely any spots, but also because I can take two spots further out and leave the close ones for someone who needs it more. I am in a powerchair and have my husband to help me.

I am also quite dismayed by those who post on social networking about people who “look fine” and people with really nice cars parking in handicap.

Not every disability is visible. You can’t see heart problems and lung problems, nevermind connective tissue diseases. Most disabled people only go out on a good day anyway, so you are already seeing them at their best. Now go home with them and see how they pay for that little trip over the next hours or days.

As for the cars, first of all many, many disabled people work. I did, and my ultimate boss the Attorney General sure does. Everyday, in a wheelchair.

There is no rule that says disabled people must be poor or drive crappy cars. Most I’ve seen are just jealous-the disabled guy has a nicer car than they do. Get over yourselves!