i feel terrible (OT)

[Coll0610]

Until I began working with someone who used an ECV and had a van with a lift and special controls to drive, I never realized why there some handicapped spaces had the extra space with the hash marks in it. I honestly thought that maybe some handicapped people had trouble parking and needed extra space! I know that sounds horrible, but I had never noticed a van with a lift before.

 

[Alaska]

Sue and Nanajo 1,

We share your frustration. Even if everyone is parked appropriately (i.e. no one is in the hash-marked area), we still have trouble with not having enough room between the end of our lift and the car next to us to get the wheelchair off the lift and we have a minivan with a small lift! I often wonder what model was used to determine how to mark the "van accessible" places. We have noticed that there is very little consistency in the markings for wheelchair accessible parking places.

Luckily some of the newer lifts allow the wheelchair to be loaded from the front or the side to help alleviate this problem.

Each time we have gone to Disney we have relied on their transportation in order to avoid any problems with parking (we did not know if there would be any problems, but given our track record we decided just to remove potential parking problems from the equation). When we went to Disneyland last Spring we rented an accessible van, but stayed in a hotel across the street from the Disneyland entrance so that we were able to just walk to the park. That way we did not even have to rely on Disney's trams. It was much easier for us.

 

[TINKERBELL4EVER]

My mom is handicapped and I would like to know how I can tell the difference between a van handicap spot and a handicap spot for a regular vehicle. I don't want to park in the wrong spot for my car even if I park in handicap zone. Please advise as I will be starting my holiday shopping with my handicap mom.

 

[BuckeyeBelle]

Up until a few years ago, I thought the hash-marked spaces were there to allow more room to bring the wheelchair around to the car door, and still have room for someone help the disabled person out of the car and into the chair if necessary. Some of the standard spaces are so narrow that if the next car parks too close, you just about can't get all that equipment alongside the car, let alone a helper. We've been in that position before. Thankfully my son can walk a little bit now and it is no longer a problem, but my MIL needs a lot of space to get in and out of the car and not all spaces are big enough. I wish they made ALL the handi spaces a little wider for this reason.

 

[TINKERBELL4EVER]

Thanks for the advice. I will be more concious now when I take my mom shopping. Come to think of it I have seen spaces that say "Van Accessible" I guess that is what the message means-meant for handicap vans.

 

[Nanajo1]

Van spots should be labled on the upright post "Van Accessible". Many are not. Sometimes the are marked on the ground which is not very helpful paricularly in the snow. A couple of months ago I literally saw the light go on for one fellow. He was parked in the only "Van " spot he had a minivan but did not need access. When we backed into the adjoining spot so I could use the walkway to get my chair out I saw him do a double take as if to say I get it now!

 

[itscc2u]

The "QUEEN OF MEAN" when it comes to people parking in handicapped spaces without a permit or in the "hash" marks.

I always am armed with 3 things in my van 1) being the cell phone and the local police # on speed dial 2) Bright Pink "parking tickets" that the disability board gives out that you can put on cars in handicapped spaces that dont belong. 3) A wiffle ball bat ~ that as of yet i havent had to use to fend off people who want to kill me for reporting them not that a wiffle ball abt would do much damage I feel protected and my DS loves to hit me upside the head with it to get my attention when I am in a fog or ignoring him

Dont feel bad you did the right thing . I suggest something I have did only 2 times park directly behind them and tell them "Oh I'll only be a minute" then take your sweet time getting out of the van/car getting the wheelchair/child/whatever out and let them see how it feels.

My husband who is the non handicapped one of us has been known to play this to the hilt and act like he is going to fall flat on his face when he gets out of the van. While I am sitting there trying very hard to not laugh and at the same time figure out how to get myself out of the van without going face first into the blacktop because my legs give out or the laughing has paralized me.

 

[seashoreCM]

90% of traffic and parking violations are intentional and done by incorrigible people. Therefore pink parking "tickets" do not do any good unless they adhere to the windshield.

I am not yet ready to suggest that if someone parks in the hash marks and keeps your door from opening you should call AAA for road service. But I think you should call the police right away.

To Mean Queen: You need to be accompanied by a mean king unless you are prepared to do everything a mean king might do yourself. Or maybe you need mean king anyway to stay in the car and defend it against the scofflaw should he return.