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> From: SHIGETTE(AT)aol.com
> To: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com
> Subject: Re: FYI - Parking Crusade
> Date: Tuesday, August 11, 1998 10:28 AM
>
> In a message dated 8/10/98 1:26:07 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
RCookHook(AT)aol.com
> writes:
> <<
> Personally, If I am in my wheelchair, I could park further away if
adequate
> parking space was provided for my lift. Leave the closer p[arking for
the
> hip
> replacement and heart problem folks.
> Bob >>
> Bob...
>
> Oh boy... this is a sore subject with me.... Handicapped Parking....
Because I
> am 37, tall, blonde and blue eyes, people just don't see "sick"... I do
have
> that "Steroid Puff", but most people see that as just having a cute
little fat
> face....
>
> Although I am walking slowly, many times with a pronounced limp on my
left
> side... I get ridiculed and hollered at for using those spaces.... One
woman
> actually came up to me in the grocery store while I was buying milk, and
said
> to me while I was in the express line, "If I have a limp can I get one of
> those handicapped plaquards too?" One man even came up to me after I
finished
> parking and shook his finger in my face, saying, "Why don't you park
somewhere
> else and leave that space to someone who needs it?!" I almost
cried....But
> instead took a deep breath and told him, ".... that if he had a life
> threatening illness I'm sure that his doctor would approve a plaquard for
him
> also..." He called me a liar, abusing the system.... Said I looked
healthy as
> an ox...(LOL! That was a good one!) Some people are just unable to
"see" the
> needs of others...When I use the chair (which is most often) I am looked
down
> upon with pity, often stared at, but most frequently ignored. However,
when I
> walk, I am abused....for exercising a "right" that is rightfully
mine....Now,
> when I go to the store for a quick errand, I most often choose NOT to
park
> where I will be ridiculed...it is often easier to park a few stalls away
and
> not suffer the indignity....I make up for it with extra naps, and rest
> periods... it is much healthier for me than being emotionally attacked.
I
> prefer not to be the victim...
>
> Now this is my question.... We have one of the largest malls in the US
about 8
> miles from me...It is only 1 year old... However, the mall has just a
very few
> handicapped spaces (about 6-8 in front of each of the 6 main doors)...and
> literally THOUSANDS of parking spaces!!!!! I was told that the
Disabilities
> Act has a provision that states exactly how many handicapped spaces are
to be
> provided.... based upon the number of parking spots in the lot....(ie...
for
> every 100 spaces 2-3 must be handicapped....) Please note, these numbers
are
> not accurate... this is just an example....Unfortunately, I don't know
the
> actual breakdown, but would dearly love to get this problem corrected....
> Sadly, I have been unable to find the answers....and the city won't do
> anything to correct it, unless I can SHOW THEM!! I'm getting tired of
> parking a quarter mile away from the store... by the time I roll to the
> entrance... I am too tired to shop....
>
> Oh speaking of shopping... Has anyone ever gone into a store... Macy's,
> Penneys, Sears, and had problems in their wheelchair getting thru the
> isles/past the clothes racks?? I am sooo tired of having clothes and
hangers
> hit me in the face, not to mention loosely woven materials catching on my
> chair.... When this occurs, the sales clerks look at me like I am the
one to
> blame, when it is the other way around... Shouldn't they provide enough
space
> for us to get thru the isles safely? One time when I was completely
> paralyzed, I was in the grocery store and had to be lifted out of my
chair so
> that I could pass thru their theft control device.... HOW HUMILIATING!!
Get
> this, they were using their handicapped isle to display potato chips!!!!
The
> manager of the store apologized till he was blue in the face, and the
people
> behind me were embarrassed for me....It was then that I realized certain
> stores place more importance on their merchandise than people!
>
> Janie
>