There has been a lot of publicity about able-bodied motorists stealing disability car parks and only a little bit about those who are entitled to these spaces yet are accused of abusing the right to it.
A woman in Masterton was accused of ‘not looking disabled’ when she parked in a disability parking spot and showed her permit.
To be fair, the look of the permits has changed. The bright orange permit has been replaced with a more subtle green and white card. Since this change is fairly recent both cards can still be used and not many people know about change. This is causing more questioning to people who have been issued the new card.
There hasn’t been much publicity about the new cards, which is probably the reason for the confusion – I didn’t even know about the change until my old one expired and I got my new permit in the mail.
However, this issue didn’t start with the issuing of the new permits. People with subtle or invisible disabilities have always been accused of ‘not looking disabled enough’ to park there. It’s not really anybody else’s business what somebody looks like. If a person went through the rigmarole of applying for a permit, they obviously need it.
Nobody deserves to be doubted about such a personal and private matter. Nobody is under any obligation to answer your narrow-minded and self-serving questions.
There has been an increase in outrage over real abuses of the parking spaces, which is great. Energy would be better served cracking down on these scenarios rather than interrogating people who are already struggling and are just trying to go about their daily business.
What do you mean noone deserves to be doubted about such a personal and private matter? Why is this? We doubt many others about personal and private matters. Do you want people to be treated differently because of the disability? It seems you want equality when it suits and special treatment as well.
What? She is merely suggesting that if the card is displayed, the cardholder has already gone through the process of application, being assessed and awarded a card by the appropriate authority.
Meanwhile, presumably well-meaning but quite offensive members of the public are requiring cardholders to explain to them why they have the card.
It is undeserved self-elevation to a position of pseudo-authority by those members of the public who do it, and an invasion of privacy for those cardholders that are challenged.
A bit of thought on the part of the challengers should stop them from taking this action.
If you believe everyone displaying and using a handicap placard is using it legitimately you are sadly mistaken. Fraudulent use of handicap placards is rampant. The #1 abuse being people using placards that have been issued to someone else, like a family member or friend. And that’s just one example. There are also many people who fraudulently obtain a placard.
The current system of issuing disabled parking permits is mostly an honor based system. All the DMV/DVS/DPS/etc. does is validate the application form is complete and signed. They do not audit or check to see if the information provided is accurate. So there are many ways to fraudulently obtain a placard. Some simple examples: exaggerating symptoms, forging doctor signature, doctor shopping, stealing, black market purchase, forging/copying placards, altering expiration dates, ….
Your living in a dream world if you think all users are legitimate users.
And that statement takes us precisely where?
If you believe everyone displaying and using a driving licence is using it legitimately you are sadly mistaken.
If you believe everyone displaying and using a car registration is using it legitimately you are sadly mistaken.
If you believe everyone displaying and using a passport is using it legitimately you are sadly mistaken.
If you believe everyone displaying and using a white cane is using it legitimately you are sadly mistaken.
..yep, all great justification for questioning and abusing those whose appearance doesn’t fit with our
personal expectationsignorant prejudices of who should hold these aids and permits (’cause we know the police should always pull over black men driving limousines).Ensuring disabled parking is only used by people who legitimately need it is something that people with a disability should be great fun for. Imagine if we showed no interest in this and people just took advantage of them because they wanted to. The issue is if people are rude and / or aggressive in questioning people’s right to do so. But that is no different from people being rude and aggressive in any circumstances.
All your examples, except the white cane one, have one vital and major difference from disabled parking permits. That difference is all those documents publicly identify the owner of the document. I very much wish handicap placards did contain public information identifying it’s true owner.
In addition to that, your examples do not have an entire group of individuals that are directly impacted when they are not legitimately used. Handicap parking abuse does directly impact an entire group.
Lastly, the fraud associated with handicap parking is way more prevalent than any examples you gave. I wish handicap parking fraud prevalence was as low as any of the examples you gave. Sadly, its not even close.
Sandy, you make the same bigoted arguments as the cops who pull over the black guys in flash cars because they are black.
That difference is all those documents publicly identify the owner of the document.
And no member of the public has a legal right to demand to view without consent the examples I gave, not unless they are are an authorised Governmental agency, the Courts or the police.
Good luck with your amateur Stasi aspirations, may it bring you joy.
These two NatZ trolls are hunting in packs so ignore them and they wil return to the Planet key mother ship soon enough.
All they showed was bigotry and hate for those disabled like me as a chemically poisoned person.
Oh sure I look normal but when you have been chemically poisoned you only then learn the real meaning of disabled, which those natZ trolls would never understand so why bother.
They live in “ignorance is bliss world”
I actually got a letter from the Minister for Disability Affairs today Hon Nicky Wagner who received all my medical history of chemical poisoning in November and it took till now to research and respond 13th April 2015 in the letter admitting vey little support out there for disabled like me, and referred me to “The rights of the Persons with disabilities as Government had ratified that UN convention CRPD.
So she has told me to go to the United nations for assistance now.
So all you NatZ turkeys out there please listen up, your government cant help us and want us to go to the UN.
I will post her letter on the windscreen and every time a smart alec comes to hustle me I will tell them to read the letter.
How have you been “chemically poisoned”?
When will you learn to make a point without framing it as a loaded question?
Since you asked,
Workplace exposure caused by lack of ventilation while construction was carried out.
Confirmed by other Federal Authorities that we don’t have within this Government so you see why we disabled are left to die in isolation.
Have a good day.
If anyone is being bigoted here it is you Richard. Whom do you think I am being bigoted towards? As a permanent power wheelchair user I certainly have no bigotry toward those, like myself, that absolutely require the features provided by accessible parking. My bigotry, if you want to call it that, is directed at anyone who is fraudulently using accessible parking, which directly impacts my ability to stay independent.
Call me what you will. But I stand firmly against the fraudulent use of disabled parking permits. Apparently your opinion differs and you choose to support and encourage fraudulent use of disabled parking. That is your right, but I would deem that as an anti-disability stance.
They have evidence Gosman in the form of a disability parking permit.
Hassle from the ignorant in society who doubt they holder of a permit actually does have a disability is what Latifa is talking about.
Reading comprehension 101 fail Gosman.
What an utterly idiotic response from you Gosman.
The subject is is respect for the permit, if the user displays one, assume its valid not otherwise, as your judgement as to medical condition is likely based on pure ignorance.
For example, can you tell by looking at someone what state their lung capacity is in? Sufferers of COPD and emphysema don’t use wheelchairs, yet can be rightly described as crippled by their condition.
Well,well,well Gosman . Not only are you a disabled, linear thinker , you’re a cruel little fucker to boot . I bet you fiddle around with other peoples money to get your kicks . Oh , yes ! I remember ! You do !
When you write to Latifa ? Show some fucking respect !
Disabled people DO need to be treated differently, on all levels . Do you have children Gosman ? Do you treat them differently to how one might treat adults ? Or do you have infant-units whom you have in employment about the dwelling station to minimise the risk element to Profit balanced against loss ? Did you convince your female breeding partner to charge womb rent and suckling fees to the infant-unit ? Did you catch the ‘ being born into debt ‘ idea off your fantasy lover Yankee Doodle Jonky – Stien ?
I’m freaky serious when I sometimes wonder if aliens are not already here , quietly going about their nefarious business . Clammy, linear thinkers feeding off the creative energy, love and empathy that we humans are so well known for . Is that why ‘ House and Garden is such a popular coffee table choice for the rich and soulless ? Because they couldn’t think spherically to create an original home environment if they had a ray gun at their head-part .
This is a film just for you gasman . Enjoy . Or should I say ‘ Misery ‘ .
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808185/
” What do you mean noone deserves to be doubted about such a personal and private matter? Why is this?”
Well they don’t deserve to be doubted by you- because you are probably not qualified to recognise a disability, even if you think you know it all. That is why.
Some people have disabilities which manifest severely and rapidly if they have to walk, say 200 metres, on a hot day. So parking right outside enables them to do their business pain free like most people. So they pull up to the disability space- hop out merrily- run into the shop- run out- get in their car and leave- without exacerbating their condition.
It actually can be preventative.
You don’t think anyone should question people’s use of disabled carpark spots unless they are qualified do you? That would tend to lead to anyone just parking in them because they know the chance of being shamed is now minimal.
Gosman, in which of your wardrobes do you keep your inspector of carparks cap and truncheon?
Does it hang next to your conical cap, the hat marked bigot or is it in with your rope and lynching gear?
I gave Gosman the benefit of doubt with his first comment. I thought he was being ironic. He wasn’t. He was really the idiot I thought he was only pretending to imitate. When Gosman needs to use a public loo, would Gosman object to removing its knickers in order to publically demonstrate proof of gender? We don’t want dirty old men wandering into the girls or dirty old women perving at boys.
Yes…and I get told to tone it down by other bloggers and even the moderator for pointing out what a smelly old pair of underpants Gosman is.
I’m starting to think he is a fabrication set up to start vigorous discussion rather than a real right wing knucklehead….
Surely not….
Disability can be invisible, but you can rely on those disability cards that people display in the windscreen, although that would mean believing in those whom have the authority to issue them. With the lack of respect for those in authority displayed by some on this website, I just pity the disabled. If its parked on a disability park , and it does not have a card in the window, the people who enforce parking , which some on this site will also hate, should just tow the offending vehicle.
I worked with disabled people some years ago, so I am familiar with the challenges that they face. A certain family member, however was very unsympathetic and didn’t really comprehend how much of a daily struggle being a disabled really is, especially in a world designed solely for the fully able. Well, this person had a serious stroke which has left him in a wheelchair, although he is able to move a short distance with a stick. He has a disabled parking badge. He is now humbled, because he finally understands how hard it is for others not as blessed as he was. I would have preferred him to develop this sensitivity in a less distressing way, but he has learned a bit of compassion, albeit rather late in life.
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