When a child is the "owner" of a handicapped parking placard.

[floridamom]

mmswm, did you submit your story to Not Always Right?

http://notalwaysright.com/not-all-knights-are-in-shining-armor/24174

I hope so - I'd hate to think there was more than one person out there who'd run over a walker.

That would be me. I mostly submitted it because even after a few months, thinking about the young men that helped me after the old man left still makes me smile, and they really did restore my faith in humanity.  Even though I never caught their names, I hope they see the story and know how much I really appreciated what they did that day. 

On a side note, that's actually my second story that I've had published on the "Not Always" sites.  A few months back I had one on "Not Always Working"

http://notalwaysworking.com/?s=accidon%27t

I was reading the story today and it sounded just what you wrote LOL! I read it daily:)  I was about ask if that was you and saw someone else asked the question:)

[poundcake]

I was coming here to post about that too!

[laud_shy_girl]

I was going to ask too. I had the strongest moment of Deja vu until I remembered where I read it before. I am really glad he was help accountable for the damage.

Accidon’t would be great for the "Never shopping there again" thread.

[Kaire]

I'm working on handling these rude people too.   Just last month I had an elderly man scream at me for parking in a handicapped spot without my hang tag displayed from my rear view mirror.  I showed it to him, calmly said it was on my dash, which was legal and to contact the secretary of state's office to verify this.

He continued to scream, tell me where I could go (hint- I'd need a handbasket) and pretty much terrorize me.

I have now decided my ONLY reponse to such people in the future (this has happened multiple times in 19 years) is "shall I call the police to settle this or would you like to?" as I hold my cell phone out.  I will not try to talk my way out of verbal abuse again.

Just to share, the man who did this last month proceeded to pull into a space across from me, hit someone's car, back out and leave.  I took his plate number and talked to the owners of the car he hit.  Turns out he hit the car in the same place as existing damage, but the couple were so nice to me and the woman gave me a huge hug because I was so upset at the man screaming at me.  The old coot scraped the whole side of his van up, so he didn't get away undamaged.

I'm not sure what kind of world he lives in thought that he could condemn me and verbally abuse me for not displaying my permit how he wants it displayed, but it was ok to hit a car and run.   

[Minmom3]

He's in a terrified world where they're going to pull his license because he's no longer competent to drive.  Bet you money....

It doesn't excuse his actions, of course.

[Danika]

I'm working on handling these rude people too.   Just last month I had an elderly man scream at me for parking in a handicapped spot without my hang tag displayed from my rear view mirror.  I showed it to him, calmly said it was on my dash, which was legal and to contact the secretary of state's office to verify this.

He continued to scream, tell me where I could go (hint- I'd need a handbasket) and pretty much terrorize me.

I have now decided my ONLY reponse to such people in the future (this has happened multiple times in 19 years) is "shall I call the police to settle this or would you like to?" as I hold my cell phone out.  I will not try to talk my way out of verbal abuse again.

Just to share, the man who did this last month proceeded to pull into a space across from me, hit someone's car, back out and leave.  I took his plate number and talked to the owners of the car he hit.  Turns out he hit the car in the same place as existing damage, but the couple were so nice to me and the woman gave me a huge hug because I was so upset at the man screaming at me.  The old coot scraped the whole side of his van up, so he didn't get away undamaged.

I'm not sure what kind of world he lives in thought that he could condemn me and verbally abuse me for not displaying my permit how he wants it displayed, but it was ok to hit a car and run.   

I'm outraged on your behalf! 

And I'm glad that he didn't physically hurt you or it didn't escalate into more because the guy sounds irrational and, at the very least, an aggressive special-snowflake.

[AreaWoman]

OP, I don't know if it is like this where you live now, but where I live, there is a lot of murmuring in the press and elsewhere about alleged handicapped tag abuse, since the number of handicapped tags issued in my state would seem to outweigh the number of likely handicapped individuals based on population statistics.  While that may be true, I fear that it has led to handicapped parking vigilantes who behave in the way many have described in this thread.  (And it is really bad in the city where I live and work, since those with handicapped tags park free at metered parking, which presently runs at up to $6 an hour downtown, depending on demand.)

[mmswm]

AreaWoman, I think you're probably onto something with the abuse of the parking spaces.  I don't think it's a huge problem where I am, but it's likely enough of a problem that people have gotten sensitive about it.

To everybody that posted alternate scenarios: thank you.  I hadn't thought of the other reasons why people might look grumpy.  I'm quite certain I'm over-sensitive. 

[lollylegs]

mmswm, did you submit your story to Not Always Right?

http://notalwaysright.com/not-all-knights-are-in-shining-armor/24174

I hope so - I'd hate to think there was more than one person out there who'd run over a walker.

That would be me. I mostly submitted it because even after a few months, thinking about the young men that helped me after the old man left still makes me smile, and they really did restore my faith in humanity.  Even though I never caught their names, I hope they see the story and know how much I really appreciated what they did that day. 

On a side note, that's actually my second story that I've had published on the "Not Always" sites.  A few months back I had one on "Not Always Working"

http://notalwaysworking.com/?s=accidon%27t

That story made me cry sad tears and happy tears.

[Pigeon]

I've some sort-of-personal experience with a similar situation, as I have friends whose daughter has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and a parking placard as a result. When she was having a "good" day, they faced the same disgusting behavior described by the OP.

In dealing with the harassers, they employed the same great suggestions offered throughout this thread. Their daughter, too, was very upset by this. They found the best way to deal with it was humor - a little catchphrase they could whisper between themselves that never failed to make their daughter laugh.   

In their case, the daughter was a major Monty Python fan. When someone was behaving in a particularly deplorable fashion, they would whisper to their daughter, "Their mother was a hamster and their father smelt of elderberries."    Obviously, it didn't change how poorly the harassers were acting, but it did put a smile on the girl's face.

[Ambrosia Hino]

I've had to deal with it a few times, but the cases I had were actually a bit amusing.

First story. Hubby and I (well, then he was DF...it was about 4 days before the wedding) were driving late at night and stopped at a fast food place for a snack. Hubby pulls into the only open parking space (handicapped), hangs his temporary tag from the mirror (just came off crutches, major ankle sprain), and gets out, walks over to the trashcan and throws away a brown glass bottle. And says "good evening" to the police officer standing next to the trashcan The officer understandibly wants to double check DH's liscense/ID and match it to the name on the permit, and examines the glass bottle (IBC root beer!)

We had a GREAT laugh about this, on multiple occasions later.

Second story. DH and I pulled into a parking spot (handicapped) at our local movie theatre. DH hangs my temporary tag (back injury) and we get out of the car. An elderly couple walks past and the man starts grumping to his wife "they don't LOOK handicapped." She glances at our car and sees the tag hanging from the mirror and shuts him down with "well, they ARE" as they finish walking away.

Not as funny, but it was nice to see his companion shut him down before he started making a stink to us...I probably would've started to cry, I was on so many medications at the time.

[nayberry]

AreaWoman, I think you're probably onto something with the abuse of the parking spaces.  I don't think it's a huge problem where I am, but it's likely enough of a problem that people have gotten sensitive about it.

To everybody that posted alternate scenarios: thank you.  I hadn't thought of the other reasons why people might look grumpy.  I'm quite certain I'm over-sensitive.

your tag story made it to the NAR fb feed

[Cheapie]

This is beyond the pale!  I can't understand how some people can have absolutely no common sense or decency when it comes to this type of situation.  Do people really believe that the driver of a car should be the handicapped one?  Of course a handicapped passenger has every right to use a handicapped spot!

I agree with the previous posters that advise an 'icy stare' and no comment.  None is necessary.  Focus all your attention on your lovely boys and tune out whatever comments are directed toward you.  Those are precious seconds of you life, lost, when you let those 'types' of people have control over your emotions.

I myself, have never understood the 'attractiveness' of parking as close to a building as possible.  I park waaaaaay in the back for a number of reasons.  There are tons of open spots so I can pull in quickly and drive through so I am facing out ... no having to back out, and no one ever gets mad cuz no one else is parked back there.  There are never any cars around me so I don't have to worry about getting or giving door dings ... especially when my boys are getting out of the car.  My heart and butt can use the added exercise of walking the length of the parking lot.  And, in the winter, there are way fewer 'frozen ruts' to drive over so my filling stay in place nicely.  A lot of times, I am parked and entering the store while other cars are still looking for a close spot.  I have nothing against people looking for close spots though ... means my favorite area to park is always available! 

[TootsNYC]

I wonder if you'd get less hassle if you had your son draw a picture of the handicapped-access symbol and write, "My mom has a parking card for me! Thanks, Mom!"

And put that on the car or other visible places.

[Barb3000]

If the local media in my area was running clips about people abusing HP spots and placards, I would suggest to them they ALSO run spots about how not everyone who needs HP parking has visible handicaps. Spend a few minutes letting the public know what it is like to have a bad back, chronic pain, shortness of breath, etc.