leVieux
TSRA/NRA Life Member
>
"DISABLED PARKING"
Reserved Parking for Disabled Persons
Yes, we have all seen the many abuses of these reserved spaces.
But, before making any specific criticism, you should be warned.
Not all disabilities are easily visible to an observer.
A TRUE story, then some details:
Story: some 12 or 15 years ago, a Houston TV Station decided to do a special report on this problem, and sent out an "investigative reporter" & team. The Lady Reporter staked-out the parking lot of a popular Houston grocery and waited. Soon enough, a placarded auto pulled-up, parked, and a normal looking man got out, walked into the store unaided. Reporter followed & video'd from a distance as man shopped, paid, & left.
Videos were edited, and showed up as an evening news "special report" some 2-1/2 weeks later.
Survivors of the man were rightfully indignant. He had been suffering a terminal illness and had died from it a few days after the episode; over a week before it aired on TV.
The TV folks and many others got a big lesson, and the TV Station had to pay after being "sued".
Now some details:
1) Not all disabilities are obvious, and many are intermittent. Some can come and go w/o warnings. Examples are those from internal derangements remaining from cancer surgeries, seizure disorders, and cardiovascular problems. A person can be OK one moment and seriously impaired the next moment. Of course, anyone with uncontrolled generalized seizures should never drive.
2) We should have two classes of reserved spaces; one for those wheelchair bound or requiring other difficult equipment and another for those disabled, but less burdened.
3) Those with NO disability should never take these spaces, permit or not. The point is that this deprives the disabled persons of that space while occupied, whether a "ticket" is issued or not.
4) Never, ever try to enforce these restrictions yourself unless you are a Law Enforcement Officer, or unless you OWN the parking lot.
Now, my story: I have had these permits for some 15 years. I, and many of my Family, suffer a condition known as "Hereditary Erosive Osteoarthritis". My ability to walk distances is often impaired, sometimes seriously. Often, this temporarily gets a bit better with walking, before inevitably getting much worse. There are "bad days" and better days, but never "normal" days.
Folks sometimes ask why I carry a walking cane to Church, but seem to never need it to walk; but, I don't carry the cane into WalMart or HEB Markets. There are valid reasons for this: At any store, I can always grab a shopping cart, which gives enough support. Also, I must park way out back of Church, as internal cancer-surgery derangements make being near the restroom mandatory on most days. From restroom to the pew is about a block. Yes, I don't need the cane inside the Church, as there are many pews to grab onto, if needed.
Lastly, I have a cardiac condition; some two years back an Ambulance crew had to get me out of the pew at Saint Mary's/Saint Alphonsus in New Orleans. I got a pacemaker then.
So, please, don't criticize us unless you "know the whole story", and are absolutely certain.
leVieux
.
"DISABLED PARKING"
Reserved Parking for Disabled Persons
Yes, we have all seen the many abuses of these reserved spaces.
But, before making any specific criticism, you should be warned.
Not all disabilities are easily visible to an observer.
A TRUE story, then some details:
Story: some 12 or 15 years ago, a Houston TV Station decided to do a special report on this problem, and sent out an "investigative reporter" & team. The Lady Reporter staked-out the parking lot of a popular Houston grocery and waited. Soon enough, a placarded auto pulled-up, parked, and a normal looking man got out, walked into the store unaided. Reporter followed & video'd from a distance as man shopped, paid, & left.
Videos were edited, and showed up as an evening news "special report" some 2-1/2 weeks later.
Survivors of the man were rightfully indignant. He had been suffering a terminal illness and had died from it a few days after the episode; over a week before it aired on TV.
The TV folks and many others got a big lesson, and the TV Station had to pay after being "sued".
Now some details:
1) Not all disabilities are obvious, and many are intermittent. Some can come and go w/o warnings. Examples are those from internal derangements remaining from cancer surgeries, seizure disorders, and cardiovascular problems. A person can be OK one moment and seriously impaired the next moment. Of course, anyone with uncontrolled generalized seizures should never drive.
2) We should have two classes of reserved spaces; one for those wheelchair bound or requiring other difficult equipment and another for those disabled, but less burdened.
3) Those with NO disability should never take these spaces, permit or not. The point is that this deprives the disabled persons of that space while occupied, whether a "ticket" is issued or not.
4) Never, ever try to enforce these restrictions yourself unless you are a Law Enforcement Officer, or unless you OWN the parking lot.
Now, my story: I have had these permits for some 15 years. I, and many of my Family, suffer a condition known as "Hereditary Erosive Osteoarthritis". My ability to walk distances is often impaired, sometimes seriously. Often, this temporarily gets a bit better with walking, before inevitably getting much worse. There are "bad days" and better days, but never "normal" days.
Folks sometimes ask why I carry a walking cane to Church, but seem to never need it to walk; but, I don't carry the cane into WalMart or HEB Markets. There are valid reasons for this: At any store, I can always grab a shopping cart, which gives enough support. Also, I must park way out back of Church, as internal cancer-surgery derangements make being near the restroom mandatory on most days. From restroom to the pew is about a block. Yes, I don't need the cane inside the Church, as there are many pews to grab onto, if needed.
Lastly, I have a cardiac condition; some two years back an Ambulance crew had to get me out of the pew at Saint Mary's/Saint Alphonsus in New Orleans. I got a pacemaker then.
So, please, don't criticize us unless you "know the whole story", and are absolutely certain.
leVieux
.
