HANDICAP PARKING ABUSE

by Howard Melamed

I am tired of seeing someone  in a 1998 lincoln continental  park in a handicap parking spot and then jump out of the car and run into a store. Obviously this person is abusing that Handicap parking priviledge given to them by our government.   Those that are responsible seem to hand out  Handicap Parking permits like candy at a party.

This is not to say that there are no qualified citizens requiring a close parking spot to ease their suffering and reduce the distance of traveling from the car into a location.  I am not am not talking about them. I am talking about those idiots that seem to feel that they should have a privileged parking spot because they were either able to con their doctor into giving them a note, pay off some county official, or abuse the privilege given to them after they have  been ‘healed”.

Handicap parking abuse is everywhere. Sometimes all of the handicap spots are filled with people not needing them.  This prevents those that truly require the proximity spaces not to be able to use them.

So what kind of scoundrel pretends to be handicap only to get a ‘preferred’ parking location? Let’s profile this ‘Joe Schmuck;’ for a second and see if you know of this person:

1.  They believe that society owes them something.  If that’s the case then why can’t they just give us a bill like every other business and we’ll pay them off? What did we do to them?  Ok…. I apologize., now Joe, can you leave the handicap spot for someone else.

2. They are Lazy! They don’t want to make the trek from the fourth spot.  Hay, Joe! This ‘Fat’ attitude only reflects the ‘couch potato’ syndrome that you are probably suffering from.

3. Joe Schmuck is inconsiderate! Listen, there are real handicap people in this world….not fakers like you. They need the spot. It is for them. Not for you…schmuck!

4. You are a Hog! You covet anything and everything. You probably collect stuff to.  You must have a pile of old newspapers lying in your closet. You probably love to collect free stuff. You keep old coupons and then try to use them.

5. You are the first person to step on the little kid at a baseball game just so you can have that baseball fouled into the stands.

6. Hay Schmuck! you must be a sinner! I mean if you are going to hell because you are a liar, make the lie a BIG one.  Can you imagine telling everyone down in hell that you are here because you lied about a parking spot?  Lie about murder, or about your golf score, that they will understand. But a parking spot?

DON’Ts… Incorrect use/abuse of a disabled parking permit. 1. Don’t use someone else’s permit (including relative). 2. Don’t park in Access Aisle (Stripped Area). Fine for parking in Access Aisle is $250.00 even with a permit. 3. Don’t drive with permit hanging on rearview mirror. 4. Don’t use expired permit. 5. Don’t put permit on dash with expiration date covered up. 6. Don’t let anyone else use your permit including close family members and relatives. (Permits are registered one permit per name. Permit registered to person not vehicle).

What can be down to prevent Handicap Parking Abuse? Here are a few ideas:

1. Enforce the laws that make it illegal to abuse handicap parking.

2.  Hold the doctor  responsible for writing the letter allowing the person to obtain the permit.  Treat it like writing a false prescription…like it really is.

3. Provide direction to local police to scrutinize handicap parking stickers in the same way they scrutinize drivers licenses.

4. Make the public aware that even though you driver of a handicap person, if that individual isn’t in the car you are not entitled to park at a handicap location.

5. Shout at them. If you see someone park in a handicap spot, and they run out of the car, shout ‘Schmuck! “. It won’t do any good but it will make you feel a lot better.

I am tired of seeing Non-Handicapped People using . Listen Joe Schmuck! Give up the handicap spot. Heal thy self!