Are doctors getting careless who they give out Handicapped tags to?

[roadman65]

I have a mom who is handicapped, and we have lots of trouble finding an empty parking stall as she desperately needs one for her illnesses.

It seems you see people who are being issued the special tags to park in these spots when they are in no major pain or even no minor pain either.  I knew a guy who had a heart attack and for fear of stress his doctor issued him a tag.  The guy did other things stressful including eating fried foods and getting angry (as he loved to yell) and lived many years before passing away 6000 miles away in the Phillipines.

It is obvious that the definition of the word handicapped has changed from when it  first meant those who are wheel chair bound to basically any illness for a person over 50 nowadays.  Do many of you think that doctors are going overboard or do you think times have changed an we need more spaces?  Right now handicapped space numbers  are governed by the amount of units or persons, or even offices in a complex.  For example, if is a hotel, then the amount of rooms tell the law how many stalls are needed.

[J N Winkler]

There might be some inflation going on in issuance of disabled parking entitlement (either hangtags or special license plates), but I doubt it.  I think the underlying story is that we are all getting older and less healthy.  I certainly have no personal experience of a disabled parking permit being given to someone who had no medical entitlement to it.

My grandmother had a permanent hangtag for several years before she died (at the age of 92), and although you might not think she needed it if you watched her walk a few feet, she had balance issues that were serious enough she had to carry a cane when she went grocery shopping.  Her sister-in-law (who died aged 74) also had a permanent hangtag for several years before she died, while she was on supplemental oxygen.  Another relative had a temporary six-month hangtag when she was released from a rehabilitation hospital after a bout of sepsis--when the tag expired she had just graduated from a quad cane to an ordinary cane.

I personally do not think we have enough primary-care physicians in the US to expend more of their time on compliance activities related to disabled parking unless it is clearly shown that issuance of disabled parking permits to healthy people is widespread.

[Brandon]

There's far too much inflation in handing them out, IMHO.  I see perfectly able-bodied people here in Illinois using/abusing them while folks with actual disabilities can't find a spot.  This may vary by state.

[Brian556]

I work at Target. I frequently see able-bodied women (many are midde-aged) using these permits to park in handicapped spaces. I don't know if the permits were issued to them or maybe an older family member.  One time, a police officer witnessed and able-bodied woman park a 65 Mustang convertible in the handicapped space and effortlessly walk towards the store. He said someting to her, so she went back to her car and hang a permit on the mirror, and them walked into the store. the cop allowed this, so I guess it's legal.

[J N Winkler]

No able-bodied person should use a disabled permit to which he or she is not entitled, even if he or she has easy access to it by reason of sharing a car with or being related to the holder of the permit.  But this is a matter of personal ethics and hard to enforce.

Think about this:  when my grandmother died, it was at the grocery store, so her car was still parked in a handicapped space.  I had to pick up her car so it could be garaged.  If you had seen me walking toward the car and driving away in it, you could easily leap to the conclusion that I had been improperly granted a disabled parking permit.

[Duke87]

I think the biggest room for abuse comes from people sharing the tags. My best friend doesn't own her own car. Often she uses her mother's car. Her mother is disabled and has a handicapped parking permit. You do the math.

[ctsignguy]

Both of my parents had the tags on their cars the last few years of their lives. Mom had Parkinsons and was very shaky when she walked (obvious).  Dad, in addition to his cancers and heart trouble, had phlebitis in his lower legs which made ambulation for short distances rather painful at best and limited the long-distance walks as the disease progressed.

So, please be careful, there ARE non-visible medical conditions that necessitate such a tag...

[berberry]

You should at least consider that possibility that the perfectly able-bodied person you see getting out of that car with the handicap sticker at walmart is shopping for a member of their family who is in fact quite handicapped.  

My grandmother was disabled for the last two decades of her life.  She kept her car  - and even traded-in for a newer model at least once - so that she could be driven around in comfort, often by grandkids like me who drove sports cars or pick-up trucks that were inconvenient for her.  As her health began to fail in her last years, and she had moved in with my parents, it was not uncommon for someone to need to run to either a grocery store or drug store to get something that was needed quickly.  Using Gramma's car with the handicap sticker to run the errand was not unheard of.

Of course there are people who abuse handicap parking privileges, but don't be so sure that's what you're seeing every time an able-bodied person gets out of a handicap car.

[corco]

I don't think anyone has a problem with people getting out of handicapped cars- I used to drive my Grandma's boyfriend's car that had handicap plates all the time. What I didn't do was park in handicap spaces. I think people do have a problem with non-handicap people using handicapped plated cars and parking in handicap spaces.

[berberry]

I don't think anyone has a problem with people getting out of handicapped cars- I used to drive my Grandma's boyfriend's car that had handicap plates all the time. What I didn't do was park in handicap spaces. I think people do have a problem with non-handicap people using handicapped plated cars and parking in handicap spaces.

But sometimes even using the handicap space isn't as clear-cut as you think.  When you're caring for a very sick and very disabled person in your home, emergencies aren't uncommon.  Sometimes you deliberately take Gramma's car specifically because you can park in the handicap space and save a minute or two.  And if someone has a problem with that, then screw 'em.  Some people have a desperate, perpetual need for something to be outraged about.  When I encounter such people I just tell them to go to hell.

[corco]

Some people have a desperate, perpetual need for something to be outraged about.

I think it's perfectly legitimate to be outraged about a non-handicapped person deliberately parking in a handicap space. Yes, you might be somewhat more likely than the average person to have an emergency, but somebody who actually needs the space could also pull up. Why is your hypothetical situation more important than somebody else's?

The consequence of you in a non-handicapped space and an emergency coming up is that you have to run to your car, costing you seconds at the most- the consequence of an actual handicapped person not being able to park in a handicapped space because you're there instead could be several minutes and a lot of pain on the part of that person.

Look, if Grandma is dying/in serious pain and the thing you buy at Walgreen's is the only thing that's going to save her and you're running straight home from there- sure- park in the handicap space. If you're out running errands and parking in the handicap space just in case Grandma starts dying, that's irresponsible.

[berberry]

Some people have a desperate, perpetual need for something to be outraged about.

I think it's perfectly legitimate to be outraged about a non-handicapped person deliberately parking in a handicap space. Yes, you might be somewhat more likely than the average person to have an emergency, but somebody who actually needs the space could also pull up. Why is your hypothetical situation more important than somebody else's?

The consequence of you in a non-handicapped space and an emergency coming up is that you have to run to your car, costing you seconds at the most- the consequence of an actual handicapped person not being able to park in a handicapped space because you're there instead could be several minutes.

Look, if Grandma is dying and the thing you buy at Walgreen's is the only thing that's going to save her- sure- park in the handicap space. If you're out running errands and parking in the handicap space just in case Grandma starts dying, that's irresponsible.

I don't care.  I did what I needed to do for my grandmother.  Problem with that?  Go to hell!

[berberry]

But somebody has to file a complaint AND show up in court to challenge you.  And my grandmother was suffering.  She wasn't about to die; she was uncomfortable, in pain.  And since I would have been able to prove that, I wasn't worried about some silly fine. 

[berberry]

Look, if Grandma is dying/in serious pain and the thing you buy at Walgreen's is the only thing that's going to save her and you're running straight home from there- sure- park in the handicap space. If you're out running errands and parking in the handicap space just in case Grandma starts dying, that's irresponsible.

Yes, that's exactly it!  She was in pain, not dying, and that's why I used the handicap space.  It was the day before Thanksgiving as I remember - it's been well over a decade ago - and there were no other convenient parking spaces available.  Had there been only one or two handicap spaces available I might have hesitated to do it, but there were about five so I took one.  Anyone watching would have seen that I was in a hurry.  My mom had already called the druggist to tell him I was coming, and when I walked in I didn't even have to wait in the line at the prescriptions counter.  The druggist saw me, waved the white bag he'd already prepared, I grabbed it and ran right back to the car.

Had anyone other than a cop tried to stop me that day I'd probably have flipped them the bird.

[US71]

5 years ago, I broke my ankle. I never had a handicapped parking tag...doctor whouldn't give me one.

My dad had one since he was on O2 for his Pulmonary Fibrosis. Mom kept the tag after we sold Dad's car, but we can never find a parking spot.

[corco]

Yes, that's exactly it!  She was in pain, not dying, and that's why I used the handicap space.  It was the day before Thanksgiving as I remember - it's been well over a decade ago - and there were no other convenient parking spaces available.  Had there been only one or two handicap spaces available I might have hesitated to do it, but there were about five so I took one.  Anyone watching would have seen that I was in a hurry.  My mom had already called the druggist to tell him I was coming, and when I walked in I didn't even have to wait in the line at the prescriptions counter.  The druggist saw me, waved the white bag he'd already prepared, I grabbed it and ran right back to the car.

Had anyone other than a cop tried to stop me that day I'd probably have flipped them the bird.

All right, that's fair- in your initial explanation it wasn't clear what you were doing. There's obviously a big difference between "Grandma is sick and could conceivably call" and "There is an immediate emergency"

[SteveG1988]

My grandmother has Neuropathy, she cannot feel her extremedies properly and cannot drive, she has a handicaped tag for the minivan and a hanger tag for when she goes with family members. I kept it in my glovebox when i had my mercury sable, so that way if i had to take her some place it would be handy, but one condition was that i would NEVER use it improperly, as in if she was not in the car, the tag would be then rendered illegal use and everyone would get in trouble. i do beleive she was issued a handicaped ID to verify that it is being used properly.

My problem with the system comes when people are not honest and have grannys tag like i do, and then use it all the time to park anywhere they feel like. Most people will not question it at all. Having had to drive around a parking lot at the Acme for a spot so mom did not have to walk far was annoying, paritcularly when all the handicaped spaces are taken up by other cars.

That also comes to my next point, increase the quanity of handicaped parking, or add in a special rule where they can park in spaces not normally used for parking, like the white stripe at the end of parking rows, and stuff like that.

[vdeane]

I've found that often there are a lot more handicapped spots than there need to be.  One of the parking lots at Clarkson is an extreme example of this.  There are 7-10 spots... for exactly 0 handicapped people... who would not benefit from parking there anyways because the lot is far enough away from the dorm it serves (those aren't even the closest spots... those go to commuters)... and the dorm is so far away that no handicapped person would want to live there (it's at the bottom of a steep hill as well, and nobody else wants to live there either and few will if given the choice; the number of commuters doubled when these dorms ceased to be freshman housing).  They're just wasted spaces, probably added to comply with some regulation when the parking lot was rebuilt.

It looks more logical from the satellite imagery,  but the imagery doesn't show the 2-3 minute walk to get to an entrance that doesn't require going up stairs to get to the first floor.  What would make more sense would be to change the three "service" (Aramark/Janitor, I assume) parking spaces next to the door to handicapped and have them park there.

I've never seen a lot with all the handicapped spots full, ever.

[Jim]

I'll also emphasize that you never know if someone has a legitimate need to use the handicap spot just by watching them get out of the car.  My father was a heart failure patient for several years and was issued a tag by his cardiologist.  You'd think by looking at him get out that he didn't need it, but the difference it made was huge - he could do quite a bit more for himself if he could limit the extra walk across a parking lot.

I also had a temporary tag myself for a couple months following a knee injury and subsequent surgery a few years ago.  I only requested the tag because one of my employers at the time had no parking anywhere near my building except handicap spaces.  Everything else would involve a long walk, lots of stairs and/or hills, things I simply could not handle for a while after the surgery.  But I rarely if ever used it in a regular parking lot.  I had no problem walking a little extra across a flat parking lot.

[realjd]

I've found that often there are a lot more handicapped spots than there need to be.  One of the parking lots at Clarkson is an extreme example of this.  There are 7-10 spots... for exactly 0 handicapped people... who would not benefit from parking there anyways because the lot is far enough away from the dorm it serves (those aren't even the closest spots... those go to commuters)... and the dorm is so far away that no handicapped person would want to live there (it's at the bottom of a steep hill as well, and nobody else wants to live there either and few will if given the choice; the number of commuters doubled when these dorms ceased to be freshman housing).  They're just wasted spaces, probably added to comply with some regulation when the parking lot was rebuilt.

It looks more logical from the satellite imagery,  but the imagery doesn't show the 2-3 minute walk to get to an entrance that doesn't require going up stairs to get to the first floor.  What would make more sense would be to change the three "service" (Aramark/Janitor, I assume) parking spaces next to the door to handicapped and have them park there.

I've never seen a lot with all the handicapped spots full, ever.

It's the exact opposite here in Florida. One of my friends is in a wheelchair, and because of the elevator on his van, he literally can't get out of the car unless he's able to park in a handicapped spot. I've been with him numerous times when every handicapped spot is taken so he literally has to turn around and go home.

He jokes a lot about how unfair it is that the people with wheels get the closest spots

[Duke87]

Semi-related.

My great uncle, before he died, was handicapped but still driving (even through he probably shouldn't have been). He had no driveway or any other place to park other than the street. Finding a place to park near his house wasn't always easy. So what did he do? Well, he unilaterally went out, bought blue paint, and painted a spot on the street in front of his house as a handicapped parking spot. This was of course not in any way legally enforceable, but he still was adamant that it was his spot and would flip out if he found someone else parked in it. One time someone else was parked in it who even had a handicapped tag... he still flipped out.

[1995hoo]

I very strongly agree with Jim that you can't always tell whether a person has a handicap simply by observing them. My father had a mild stroke some years back and has had balance issues ever since. He doesn't use a cane or other device anymore (he did at first), but he has a handicapped parking pass because he frequently does have issues walking the longer distances. To me it's very obvious, but I've known him for 38 years and I can also readily tell how gaunt he looks compared to the way he looked prior to the stroke. But someone who doesn't know him and who just sees him getting out of the car might very well say "why does that guy have a handicapped pass?"

I never park in a handicapped space unless my father is in the car with me. But I don't hesitate to park in the spaces that have signs like "parking for parents with babies" or the like if the weather is crappy and those spaces are substantially closer than the other available ones.

[formulanone]

But I don't hesitate to park in the spaces that have signs like "parking for parents with babies" or the like if the weather is crappy and those spaces are substantially closer than the other available ones.

If I'm taking the two kids with me to a store...I steal the expectant mother/have-baby spots at the shopping centers. I gladly accept women as my equal on the road, now let me park and deal with my progeny with some ease. They're not enforced by law, as there's no state statute number beneath them. Driving alone, or with just one of them, then I don't steal those spots.

I never take the handicapped place...but I can't understand why they don't pay for parking at several local municipal lots, though. It's idifficult to truly draw the line between a handicap that's going to mean injury or sickness from walking an extra 200 feet to the store entry, and someone who's on crutches or in a wheelchair. The 400-pound scooter pilots irk me, because they generally need the exercise.

[NWI_Irish96]

I once saw a pick-up truck jacked up on monster truck tires with a handicap hang tag parked in a handicap spot.  Somebody please tell me what medical condition allows you to climb in and out of a truck like that but necessitates that you have a handicap spot.

I'm pretty overweight and out of shape but otherwise able-bodied and have never even thought about applying for handicap plates/tag, but I'm not sure I could have climbed into this truck.

[SteveG1988]

I never park in a handicapped space unless my father is in the car with me. But I don't hesitate to park in the spaces that have signs like "parking for parents with babies" or the like if the weather is crappy and those spaces are substantially closer than the other available ones.

Oh..i was tempted to take some spots on a military base like that, Reserved for Honor Guard,Col+,etc until i found out that they will tow your car and treat it like a handicaped space violation, with the same fine..plus you get into military trouble with it.

But yeah i normaly leave the expectant mother spaces alone, even if they are the best spots mostly out of respect, but if it ever came down to, my grandmother being in the car and there only being that spot that stands between walking all the way across the parking lot and just walking a quarter or less, that spot will be taken by me with the placard in the window.