I'm so sick and tired of seeing well-bodied, healthy, and able people parking in handicap parking spaces. These days, I look for and at handicap license plates and parking tags that hang from rearview mirrors. I know the difference between the red and blue ones. I also know what it means when a car has nothing on it and is parked in a handicap parking space.
I'm annoyed by people who think it is "alright" to sit in a spot designated for people who have trouble walking because they will only be there for a few minutes. I'm bothered by people who have had a hard day, but they are too lazy to get up and walk a few more feet to get to their destination. I can't wait until I'm walking without a leg brace. I'm perplexed that I must always have back-up plans in case it rains, snows, or if there is ice on the ground because I may fall and hurt myself. I'm upset that store owners, libraries, shopping centers, and other municipalities don't enforce the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding handicap parking spaces because they don't have staff to help police areas. You (the handicap person)have to call the police to report someone parked illegally in a spot. Most businesses won't do it. I'm also concerned that these same people really don't plow the entrances, sidewalks, and surrounding areas of their businesses to make sure people with disabilities can enter safely. Shopping carts in stores could be bigger, but they aren't. There also needs to be more of them. Forty-eight parking spots and only four carts...you do the math.
As a temporarily handicapped writer-author-journalist, (I had a stroke nearly two years ago and through rehab things are coming back), I need a parking space that is accessible to me. I have confronted business owners, written letters, called human resource managers, posted blogs about the subject, and included my non-friendly ADA experiences in my memoir, When You're The Mommy. I'm sick of society's response. It's apparent some people just don't care.
Considering that stroke victims are becoming younger because of societal stresses and our population is aging, this is going to be an even bigger issue soon. I really hope no one else EVER has to walk in my shoes.
Posted By: Marsha Jones
Friday, November 13th 2009 at 8:26AM
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