I've had a handicapped parking placard for several years now due to my bad knees. Since getting one, I've come to appreciate the issues handicapped people have to deal with. Let me share some of what I've learned with you.
I've learned that some people are very kind and are willing to help you if you are handicapped. They will hold the door for you, make sure you are able to get in and out of areas and will ask if you need help, yet others won't blink an eye to help or acknowledge you.
When I'm on my mobility scooter, I've had people get out of an elevator (taking their time) and then let the elevator door close before I am able to get my scooter into the elevator. Do I get an "Oh, I'm sorry"?... Uh, no. Usually they just keep walking and don''t care. Others will hold the door for you to make sure you get on before letting go of the door. I've even had someone yell at me while I was riding on my mobility scooter because he turned and almost walked into the scooter because he didn't see me and the scooter (we are lower to the ground than someone walking). I guess that's MY fault for not being vertical and in his line of sight?
I've seen people park in handicapped spaces when they clearly do not have a permit for parking there. See the photos above. Twice, this car has parked in the handicapped spot at my office building. Notice too how he parks... not just in the space, but on a diagonal across the space and the reserved space with the diagonal lines. Those lines are reserved for those with handicapped vans that have ramps for people in wheelchairs to exit their vehicles. If you block those ramps, they can't get out. (By the way, I reported this vehicle to the building's property manager who in turn said she was going to report it to the police. Since then, I have not seen this car parked there again.)
I've seen a lot of parking lots where shoppers will leave their shopping carts in those diagonal lined areas. Well if you do this, a handicapped person can't get out. While I am at it, one of my pet peeves is that the shopping cart return stalls in parking lots always seem to be really far away from handicapped spots. Think about it. If you are handicapped and struggling to walk (we often use the carts just to lean on to help us walk), to return those carts, we really don't want to walk a distance to move those carts to the cart returns that are far away and then have to walk all the way back to our cars. I think parking lots should be re-designed so that the cart returns are next to handicapped spaces!
Finally, people have said to me when getting out of my car in a handicapped space, "You don't look handicapped!" Uh, how am I supposed to look? Some have said, "You aren't old enough to be handicapped!" Really? How old do you need to be?
I've learned to "hobble" out of my car after parking in a handicapped space, just so that I don't get stares from people or questions from people who don't know that my pain happens after walking, not after riding in a car. Really, I don't need the closeness of a handicapped spot when I first arrive to a shopping center. But I will need it when I return from shopping because I've been walking for a while and NOW my knees hurt. They don't hurt when I've been sitting for a half hour or more driving to get there! Many handicapped persons need it for the return trip back to the car, not when first leaving the car! But to avoid the comments and stares, I often will "fake" hobble out and then when I am in the store, I will walk as best I can without a limp. I try my best to walk as normal as I can. Believe it or not, I really look like I walk perfectly fine on short distances, but you can bet I'll really be hobbling after walking any distance over about a city block in length. And when I have been walking in the store for a while, you better believe it when I tell you that I'm glad my car is parked close by in a handicapped spot to avoid more walking and more pain!
These are just some things to remember that handicapped people go through the next time you see handicapped spots in the parking lot or when you see a handicapped person. Remember, sometime they need your help, sometimes they don't. But we always appreciate those who are considerate enough to ask if we need any help.
(The sign and the illustration were borrowed from the internet.)
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