Quadriplegic berated for parking in handicapped bay

[twinkles**stars]

The West Australian Updated October 22, 2013, 9:54 am

Quadriplegic berated for parking in handicapped bay

A quadriplegic has found an anonymous note on his BMW because he parked in a handicapped bay.

London's Daily Mail reports that Matt Milstead parked in had parked in the spot before going to play a game of wheelchair rugby at the YMCA in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

When the 36-year-old returned to his car, he found the nasty handwritten note in the door handle.

"I would love to see your wheelchair! I'm guessing male 25-35 years professional who thinks he's got the world by the ass. But I could be wrong," the note said.

The angry note from a passer-by who saw the Matt Milstead's BMW parked in a handicapped parking spot. Photo: Facebook.

Mr Milstead, who works for the Social Security Administration, said he was shocked by the note.

"I was kind of puzzled why he would leave this note and never met me, didn't know if I was in a wheelchair or not, but he just assumed I was just someone who tried to steal a close and convenient spot," he told Wood TV 8.

His wife Leslie was furious and vented on Facebook.

Matt Milstead (R) with his wife, Leslie, who posted the angry note on Facebook. Photo: Facebook.

"It's kind of ironic the guy was trying to right a wrong. He assumed some jerk had parked in a handicapped spot that shouldn't be, and so he was really trying," Mrs Milstead said. "He probably felt like a good person and thought he was doing a good thing, but the problem is he was wrong."

On Facebook she wrote: "He is a quadriplegic, which for him means that he can no longer move his legs or his fingers in either hand. He has no grip. So, if you are willing to give him your functioning hands and legs for the rest of your life in exchange for his 6-year-old BMW and handicapped parking pass, I'm sure he'd make that trade."

[cherry*135]

I assumed a man who has been quadraplegic for 20+ years would have his disabled sticker on his car. There was nothing in the story to suggest he did not.

Do you think his wife would get all offended and put a rant on FB over the note, if her husband had done the wrong thing by not putting his disabled sticker on his car that day?  I don't.

[cherry*135]

As for newsworthy there are so many stories in the news these days that are a result of a comment on facebook, which has gone viral.

All the newspaper has to do is copy the story from FB and put it on their site or in their newspaper...lame.

[rabbitearbandicoot]

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@am*3 wrote:

rabbbit - there is a video clip of TV coverage of this story in my post above. They stated he did have his handicapped placard on his car.

He works, goes out a lot.. is entitled to a handicapped sticker... why do people assume he wouldn't have it on his car?? He would know he shouldn't park in disabled spots unless his sticker/placard is on his car.

THIS MAN HAS BEEN DISABLED FOR 20 YEARS.. I think he knows to have is disabled sticker on his car permanently!

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My wife has been disabled for 14 years - we KNOW we have to display her permit - sometimes we have both forgotten .... I assume he is only human, and could have forgotten ???

[cherry*135]

Not to his wife Bob. For one, she was just having a rant on FB. She didn't ask or expect the newspapers to run it as a story. The extra attention they got was unwanted.

She felt the man that wrote the note was stupid, as I said above, if someone is in the habit of parking in disabled spots when they are not disabled, receiving a rude note on their car wouldn't have any effect on them at all, they would just ditch it, so what is the point or writing one?

As the note was left for a disabled man entitled to park there, the note could only be insulting.

[cherry*135]

Well he didn't forget his handicapped placard. Why would he need to take it off his own car? (unless he was replacing an expired one with the new one?)

I often find these type of stories copied from overseas newspapers, that the Australian media leave out a lot of details. They print whatever bits give them a sensationalised headline and a few scant details. If you go to the source of the story, more info is usually published.

[siggie-reported-by-alarmists]

People are under the assumption that only people in wheelchairs qualify for that parking space.

"A disability parking permit is granted to applicants when their ability to walk is severely restricted

by a medical condition or disability."

Unfortunately, the ignorant choose to abuse people who have ever right (and permit) to park in those spots, because they can get

out of their cars and walk away from their vehicles.

When a person qualifies.... the reason for their permit is no one's business. 

And yes, I knew a gentleman who was repeatedly abused by ignorant strangers.

[azureline**]

I am a bit curious about how a quadriplegic guy can play wheelchair rugby, drive a car and dismantle the wheelchair and toss it in the back seat???