try not to judge until you know the facts

[davidc4430]

'Invisible' disabilities: Car park confrontation prompts call for greater recognition

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-17/sa-womans-push-to-recognise-invisible-disabilities/10492880

for quite a few years i had one of those 'disabled' parking things to hang off my mirror when i took dad out and about.

we would often find cars parked in the sopts without them.

once i saw a guy pull in with one but he got out and looked totally normal, my mistake, i had a go at him as on that day i didnt have dad with me so i wasnt in a disabled spot.

turned out he was picking up a family member who was disabled, i had egg on my face.

its easy to judge.

i would however like to see more policing of disabled parking.

[chameleon54]

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@davidc4430 wrote:

not sure if its the same everywhere but there was no yearly renewal or anything and when dad went into care it was totally up to me to hand the thing into the rego department.

it had been in my glovebox for months before i noticed it and returned it.

i'm sure there are many who once they have one would never return it, well its so handy!

its pretty sad that a great idea gets abused.

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In S.A. the parking permits last 3 years and have a large date stamp on them now which is supposed to be easily visible to the parking inspector. ( you are right dave, it wasnt always the case ). The design gets changed from time to time as well.

[zanadoo_56]

There was a disabled space right outside a bank at a small shopping centre, which in the face of it might have seemed very convenient - except that it was a normal sized space (no good for wheelchairs) and the kerb up to the path was still a steep step up.  I can't imagine what the council was thinking.

When I was working, the section moved to another building and my supervisor got permission for me to park in the only disabled space in the parking lot as I could be pretty rickety with the walking stick.  The spot was seldom used so there were no issues.  However, until the council finally sent me the disabled parking card, I was a bit embarrassed to be using the space without 'official proof' I was allowed to park there. 

Ironically the space was close to the only entrance to the building more likely to be used by the public.  It was not so close to the entrance to where I worked.  Those closer spaces were for official vehicles only.  Some mornings I would get out of my car and sigh, as I steeled myself to manage the walk to the other door (the roundabout way from the building entrance near the disabled space from the inside to where I worked was much longer).  Sore and stiff and in pain by the end of the day, I struggled to get back to my car without incident.  i used to wish Star Trek's method ot instantaneous transport wasn't just a scifi story. 🙂