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.

[imastawka]

I have one of those hanging disabled thingies.

Daughter often gets yelled at when she comes to pick me up from wherever.

I've had a go at some young ones who say they're only going in for some smokes!

They'll only be 5 minutes, they say.    Meanwhile disabled people need the spot.

'Car keying' used to be a thing.    Often feel like it when a spot is taken without the permit.

edit:  a young bloke I know has a permit, but looks absolutely normal - he gets abused.

But he has a broken back from a car accident and can't walk very far.

[ecar3483]

I've been told "You can't park there" by miracle psychic doctors... They must be miracle psychic doctors if they're able to diagnose my condition, at a glance, ha ha.

I have my good days, I have my bad days.

Mostly I park in the general carpark, and struggle from there.

I can still walk, albeit with a stick... Some people don't have that luxury.

I'm not ashamed to say that sometimes I've raised an eyebrow at the people I've seen using disabled spots, but what's the bigger picture with regard to them?

They look fine, able bodied, fit and healthy but are they parking there for them, or is it for the benefit of someone who is disabled?

Or are they just some freeloader, taking advantage, unfairly, of an empty, convenient spot?

Who am I to say? I have my own troubles to face... I have to go into the mall... walking in a crowd, with a stick....

I know how those ninepins feel, at the bowling alley... ha ha.

People are inconsiderate, sometimes deliberately, whether it's out in the carpark or inside in the shopping strip.

🙂

.

[davidc4430]

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.

[imastawka]

You're right Ecar.

Trying to get around in a shopping centre, you're fair game for anyone to kick your stick out from under you.   Happened to me too many times.

Until recently, daughter would get a free wheelchair and wheel me around instead.

And then I found a wheelchair for $50 at the opshop!

Goes in the car boot now, in case there's a fair bit of walking to do.

edit:  David, here in Vic they need to be renewed every 3 years.

Dunno about handing them in.

[zanadoo_56]

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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.

---

In Vic they last for 3 years and where I live it's the local council that handles them.  You have to apply by submitting a form, give the reasons you need it, and specify whether it is required for a driver, passenger, or both circumstances, and get your GP to sign the application form as well.  When mine exxpired I applied for a new one.  Getting the GP to fill out their part was a real hassle. 

When I got the card the council also included a map of disabled parking spaces in the main shopping precinct, and info that if I parked in a timed non disabled space I could park there for twice the time specified on the parking signs.  The new card is a different colour and the text sizing has changed.  Both cards had the expiry date clearly printed on them.  Sadly I have made the decision not to drive any more so I will have to sell the car.  Goodness knows where the current disabled parking card is at the moment as I haven't needed it, being unable to drive.

I didn't look too decrepit when I first had the card (can't walk far) but these days once I'd get out the walking frame I probably wouldn't get 'the stare'. 🙂

[davidc4430]

its been quite a while since i had one, the rules may have changed.

[go-tazz]

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@imastawka wrote:

You're right Ecar.

Here in Vic they need to be renewed every 3 years.

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Unfortunatle in Vic there has been a rorting of these at times,(a number of years ago they were given to

people that "qualified" but they sold them to people in certain high priced districts so that they were entitled to

park on their street if they had a second car).

This has also being caused by doctor's given them to people that don't need them,(up this way disabled

people can't get parking spots because they have been taken by people that are known for not being disabled

in any way and at holiday times the people that come up just don't care and will park in those spots).

Some here will claim they are over 70 and so are entitled to one and even when you explain that it's not age

related they take no notice,(most will beat you up the stairs as they are fit and healthy and they get some real

filthy looks but they just don't care),

Council response is that the doctor has signed the form so nothing they can do,(there needs to be something

put in place that if they lie on the form they can be fined and the sticker removed).

Once again this has been partially caused by people and doctor's that do the wrong thing and it punishes

the people that do the right thing,

[travlyn2012]

I knew of a guy who had a disability parking permit on his car, both his parents had mobility problems, they didnt

drive and he had a sticker on his vehicle..

This guy was not a friend, just someone I knew.

Every day he would park his vehicle in a designated disabled spot, that was outside a health services business,

and there was only one designated parking spot.

I contacted the council and reported it, sometime later I found out he was issued a fine, it was either $300 or $600.

Then he had the hide to whinge about what a scumbag the ranger was that booked him.

He couldn't care less about the disruption or inconvenience he caused to the honest people.

I have noticed in the past couple of years, around my area,  that parking spots for people with strollers

have been put closer to the shopping centre entrances, and the mobility parking zones have been moved further away.

What is that all about, some mother with a stroller gets a better parking space than someone with a mobility problem.

[chameleon54]

What can be even more annoying is when the pretty, young things pop into the disabled toilet for ten minutes to fix their hair and do the lippy because its cleaner than the female loos . Meanwhile you have a disabled person who has been searching or walking for 20 minutes to find a disabled toilet and then cant access it. This is a regular occurance for people who genuinely need the disabled loos.