Comments on: Big Rubber Chicken parked in accessible parking spaces.

By: Lynn W

Lynn W — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 05:35:11 +0000

Chowmom, I would like to say I dont CARE that you were affrivated. I have a plate and I use it when my husband is with me, I am not disabled so I dont use it when he is not since it is against the law. I have more aggrivation than you will ever know. I have to get the ramps out and then set up and then I have to help him get into the car and then when we get where we are going I have to look for a spot that will acomadate him. Most of the time I have to park in the back to be able to get 2 free spaces since even a handicap space is not large enough and then I have to do it over again. SO dont complain to us who have disabled family that you were AGGRIVATED, how about you not be so selfish and think that it may have been the one time they got to go out with some aggrivation.

By: Chowmom

Chowmom — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:01:00 +0000

To the webmaster - I submit there should be a law making it illegal to be *driving* a vehicle with a disabled license plate unless the disabled person is in the vehicle, and it should be considered a violation to park such a vehicle in a non-disabled space. KSM is right - what goes around does come around, and this is one that needs to come around.

Better yet - eliminate disabled plates altogether. You have a disability, get a placard, and remember to have it with you. Because, as God is my witness, the next brainless wonder with a disabled plate who snags the last NON-HANDICAPPED space in the hospital tower, is going to truly need that plate. (Indeed, it was especially aggravating when no fewer than 12 disabled parking spaces were available that particular morning!)

By: ksm

ksm — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 13:25:51 +0000

mtb, What business do you run? I will make sure that I never patronize your business. Until you find yourself in a situation where you need the handicap space to park, you will never understand. I know it seems like a pain in the rear, but more than one space is very good. So what if no more than one space is taken at a time. You could always widen all of your parking spaces so it doesn't matter which one you park in. When my husband, who lost both legs, needs to get out the car and into a business, he needs to fully open the door to the car to get the wheelchair out and assemble it. He does not want to have to try to keep the door from dinging another car while trying to put the chair together. He also can not bump himself up over curbs, etc. Do you want to have an employee come out and assist him whenever he comes? Seems like a waste of manhours to me. Personally, if we go to patronize a business and there are no handicap spots, or the ONE that may be there is occupied, and there is no easy access, we find someone else to patronize. Easy as that.

I hope you never find yourself in a position of needing a handicap space for yourself or a loved one. Don't forget, what goes around comes around worse.

By: Webmaster

Webmaster — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 06:16:22 +0000

mtb, I'm sorry you feel that way. Unfortunately, too many people appear to feel that way. The "fraction" of people with disabilities you refer to are actually one of the largest minority in the US. 20% of the American population identifies as having a disability. Perhaps you perceive accessibility as wasted money, but in fact, studies show that businesses investing in accessibility see increase revenues (don't have the reference on hand, but it was run by something like the American Hotel Association). I would like to remind everyone that the Americans with Disabilities Act is not a "brick & mortar" law, it is an anti-discrimination law. On the same level as the laws that forbid businesses from refusing access to African-Americans...

By: mtb

mtb — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 19:35:24 +0000

I've got to agree with cry me a river. If you don't like it, don't go there. I run a business that is required to have 4 handicap spaces available out front. Very rarely do I have more than 1 handicap vehicle parked at any one time. In an effort to cater to the handicap citizens of the United States we have forgotten about the 100's of million of other individuals who shop and visit our businesses every day. We don't make any special concessions for them and they are the bulk of our clientale. I am so sick of the ADA. It was set up with good intentions but it costs businesses millions of dollars a year because of the special concessions that have to be made for hadicapped individuals who are only a fraction of our overall business.