Handicapped or entitled? Not returning shopping cart

[02SE]

One thing to remember: you never know what the person you are looking at may be struggling with.

Having spent time in a caregiver role, this is absolutely true.

 

[Kryptic Mentality]

Will chime in here as it can be tough to judge a book by the cover. I am disabled due to..
Severe chronic persistent allergic asthma
Small airway disease
Survived cryptococcal meningitis that caused 2 strokes, loss of balance, profound hearing loss in both ears
Have now had 3 full tendon ruptures, both knees and right tricep at elbow. The 3rd (left knee) was just repaired yesterday..

I had a placard, but didn't renew it after 5 yrs as I know spots at most stores are overused/abused. Also carts often pushed into those spots by those too lazy to return them and likely totally able. No doubt at times others are worse off than me, so if I can safely walk I gladly do.

 

[dishdude]

One thing to remember: you never know what the person you are looking at may be struggling with.

Totally understand, but sometimes the type of vehicle they are driving makes me really question this.

 

[ammolab]

I may be the ONLY ONE in North America who does this: As I walk into the store I grab one of the dozens of carts in the parking lot and use it in the store. I see scads of folks walking right past them. Maybe the same folks who abandon them in a space on the way out.

If most grabbed one from the lot on the way IN…there wouldn’t be carts scattered all over the place. But no one does, and you need to tell me why.

 

[Kryptic Mentality]

On that note, I personally observed someone no doubt taking advantage of handicap parking. At a local Walmart a woman was parked in one of those spots in a flawless Mercedes AMG, not sure of exact model. She practically jogged out to the car, loaded bags up, pushed the cart into the empty handicap spot and backing out removed the placard as she couldn't stand being seen with it otherwise. Lemme guess, emotional distress entitles this? The system is hugely abused no doubt and little done to enforce it.

 

[Kryptic Mentality]

I may be the ONLY ONE in North America who does this: As I walk into the store I grab one of the dozens of carts in the parking lot and use it in the store. I see scads of folks walking right past them. Maybe the same folks who abandon them in a space on the way out.

If most grabbed one from the lot on the way IN…there wouldn’t be carts scattered all over the place. But no one does, and you need to tell me why.

Actually do the same thing often as it gives me better balance to get inside and saves a car from being dinged.

 

[MrBubba]

Totally understand, but sometimes the type of vehicle they are driving makes me really question this.

View attachment 339046

Why can't a person work their butt off their whole life, retire for whatever circumstances and become disabled but still purchase something nice with the money they earned?.

Don't get me wrong there is still people who park in handicap spots who don't have the placard to begin with but owning a corvette doesn't mean you aren't disabled.

 

[02SE]

Totally understand, but sometimes the type of vehicle they are driving makes me really question this.

View attachment 339046

I recently took my 94 year old Aunt to an eye appointment, in my C7 ZR1. The wheelchair when collapsed fit nicely in the back, we used her Handicapped placard. She is mentally as sharp as can be, she just has a very hard time walking. She's a Chevy fan since her dad (and my paternal grandfather) was, and she absolutely loved it.

I hope that's okay with you...

 

[MrBubba]

I recently took my 94 year old Aunt to an eye appointment, in my C7 ZR1. The wheelchair when collapsed fit nicely in the back, we used her Handicapped placard. She is mentally as sharp as can be, she just has a very hard time walking. She's a Chevy fan since her dad (and my paternal grandfather) was, and she absolutely loved it.

I hope that's okay with you...

Disabled people have a right to have nice stuff too, they aren't all of a sudden less of a person than anyone else because they are disabled.

Continue driving your aunt to her appointment, give her some enjoyment in the C7 and park in that handicap spot for her while doing it using the placard for her.

 

[dishdude]

Why can't a person work their butt off their whole life, retire for whatever circumstances and become disabled but still purchase something nice with the money they earned?.

Don't get me wrong there is still people who park in handicap spots who don't have the placard to begin with but owning a corvette doesn't mean you aren't disabled.

If they need a handicapped placard I'd think they would drive something a little easier to get in and out of.

 

[BHopkins]

From my personal experience, most people that I know with a handicap sticker, only have it because they are very lazy and feel that the system owes them everything for free.
A recent small study down here found that most handicap stickers were being faked.
But they get the closest parking spots!

Keep in mind my sample rate is very small.

Wow!! Either the people you know are different from those that I know, or you are terribly judgmental.

Sure, I know some people that abuse the handicapped parking spots. I used to attend church with a family where an adult daughter kept a handicapped parking permit in her car, for when she took her mother shopping, but she was totally unashamed about using it for her own convenience, when her mother was not with her. But for the most part, when I see people getting in or out of cars in the handicapped parking spots, it is easy to see that they need to convenience of being closer to the store.

One should always remember that an able bodied person might drive "grandpa's car" to a handicapped parking spot to pick them up from inside the building.

If you're not a doctor, if you're not that person's doctor, don't judge someone for "not looking handicapped enough."

Thank you! So true.

I have a long time friend with a serious handicap as a result of several medical conditions. She said that sometimes after shopping she can hardly make it out of the store and to her car. So it is possible that the person hurt so badly that the cart was just left due to that individuals ability to go any farther. We just don't know the particular situation that Gon observed.

This ^^^^ is very similar circumstances to my wife.

Due to a plate in her leg that was put in to repair a femur break, walking is always painful for my wife. It takes her hours to prepare mentally when she goes to the store. Whenever available, she uses motorized carts, but regardless if she uses a motorized cart or a regular cart, it is just too much for her to walk the extra distance to return the cart, so she leaves it at the parking spot. She doesn't like it, as it is not who she is, but the other choice is waiting until I can go to the store with her.

When I go shopping with my wife, after putting our groceries in the car, I drive the motorized cart back into the store. More than once I have gotten snide, judgmental comments from other shoppers, who didn't see my wife struggle to get off the cart and into the car, but only see me as a healthy man who has no need for the motorized cart. I really hope that none of you are ever in a position where you depend upon the convenience of handicapped parking spots. And if you do, I really hope that no one judges you for it.

 

[CKN]

My wife, with signicicant knee osteoarthrits has a handicapped parking permit. To get one in South Carolina the doctor has to write the prescription and that is presented in person to the. DMV

I am also a rheumatologist and I wrote a number of those prescriptions over the years for my arthritis patients. I suggested that walking was better for exercise, but most were just not able.

My wife should have knee replacement but just hasn't made up her mind. She certainly qualifies. (I did not write her prescription, a colleague who is her rheumatologist, did).

We have local Pubix super markets and the Publix definitely have employess who gather the carts left outside. But there are corrals to place the cart in outside the stores. The bagger will offer to roll the full cart out to you car (I always decline but I found out from one that walking outside for a short break is better than continous bagging so they want to do it}

One thing to remember: you never know what the person you are looking at may be struggling with.

That's the rub-I do know the issues and their abilities. See my post ( #12-I believe-again) above. I stand on my statement-SOME Doctors hand them out like candy.

 

[BHopkins]

If they need a handicapped placard I'd think they would drive something a little easier to get in and out of.

I would too. But circumstances aren't always what you or me think they should be. Sometimes handicapped placards are for temporary injuries. And often, as @02SE described, handicapped people are just happy to get a ride to the store, even if it is in a car that could be hard to get in and out of.

 

[dishdude]

I would too. But circumstances aren't always what you or me think they should be. Sometimes handicapped placards are for temporary injuries. And often, as @02SE described, handicapped people are just happy to get a ride to the store, even if it is in a car that could be hard to get in and out of.

Which is why I quoted post #5. The older folks I've personally known with HP plates and placards could barely get in and out of a midsize SUV, a Corvette would have been impossible as a driver or passenger.

 

[02SE]

Wow!! Either the people you know are different from those that I know, or you are terribly judgmental.

Sure, I know some people that abuse the handicapped parking spots. I used to attend church with a family where an adult daughter kept a handicapped parking permit in her car, for when she took her mother shopping, but she was totally unashamed about using it for her own convenience, when her mother was not with her. But for the most part, when I see people getting in or out of cars in the handicapped parking spots, it is easy to see that they need to convenience of being closer to the store.


Thank you! So true.


This ^^^^ is very similar circumstances to my wife.

Due to a plate in her leg that was put in to repair a femur break, walking is always painful for my wife. It takes her hours to prepare mentally when she goes to the store. Whenever available, she uses motorized carts, but regardless if she uses a motorized cart or a regular cart, it is just too much for her to walk the extra distance to return the cart, so she leaves it at the parking spot. She doesn't like it, as it is not who she is, but the other choice is waiting until I can go to the store with her.

When I go shopping with my wife, after putting our groceries in the car, I drive the motorized cart back into the store. More than once I have gotten snide, judgmental comments from other shoppers, who didn't see my wife struggle to get off the cart and into the car, but only see me as a healthy man who has no need for the motorized cart. I really hope that none of you are ever in a position where you depend upon the convenience of handicapped parking spots. And if you do, I really hope that no one judges you for it.

Busybodies who don't know the situation, but that isn't going to stop them from rushing to judgement...

 

[02SE]

Which is why I quoted post #5. The older folks I've personally known with HP plates and placards could barely get in and out of a midsize SUV, a Corvette would have been impossible as a driver or passenger.

Which is why I had to really assist her to get in and out of the car. It was worth it in her and my opinion.

Maybe stop to think BEFORE you decide you know the situation.

 

[dishdude]

Which is why I had to really assist her to get in and out of the car. It was worth it in her and my opinion.

Which is exactly why I stand by my post.

 

[MrBubba]

If they need a handicapped placard I'd think they would drive something a little easier to get in and out of.

You are assuming all qualifying disabilities involve getting in and out of a vehicle? ever hear of heart conditions, COPD, in many states conditions that cause you to stop and rest within 200 feet qualify.

I think they should drive whatever they feel like driving that they are able to drive instead not what you or anyone else thinks they should drive. Also ask yourself how old is that corvette in the picture you provided, and then ask yourself is it possible that the person bought and paid for that corvette prior to becoming disabled and even if they bought it after being disabled oh well that is their money not yours it doesn't all of a sudden lessen their disability of which a doctor agrees they have.

 

[GON]

You are assuming all qualifying disabilities involve getting in and out of a vehicle? ever hear of heart conditions, COPD, in many states conditions that cause you to stop and rest within 200 feet qualify.

I think they should drive whatever they feel like driving that they are able to drive instead not what you or anyone else thinks they should drive. Also ask yourself how old is that corvette in the picture you provided, and then ask yourself is it possible that the person bought and paid for that corvette prior to becoming disabled and even if they bought it after being disabled oh well that is their money not yours it doesn't all of a sudden lessen their disability of which a doctor agrees they have.

Are individuals diagnosed with PTSD disabled, and if so does PTSD diagnosis qualify for handicap parking?

 

[shortyb]

Interesting twist on the leaving of carts. I'm one of those that will round up loose carts around where people leave them. Good exercise. However, at the local Walmart Neighborhood Market that I frequent, I saw a woman leaving the cart next to her handicapped parking space and offered to take it back into the store. She thanked me, but said she leaves it for other handicapped folks so they have something to hold on to as they go into the store. Evidently it is an expected practice as I've seen the cart "exchange" happen on several occasions afterwards. I now leave the ones near handicapped spaces alone. There are plenty more throughout the lot for me to chase down.