Why Are There So Many Mentally Handicapped People?
I’m not referring to those unfortunate individuals born with some debilitating cognitive condition. Those people deserve compassion and care. No, what I’m referring to are people that superficially seem to be normal, fully functioning members of society, but, based on observed behavior, lead me to believe they must be suffering from a mental handicap. How else to explain their otherwise stupid actions. Allow me to explain.
I was out shopping yesterday and again I noticed this peculiar behavior, for about the zillionth time. Virtually all parking lots have reserved spaces for handicapped individuals. These spaces are intended for vehicles in which an occupant has a legitimate handicap such as being wheelchair-bound, or requiring mobility assistance. To legally park in these reserved spaces requires the vehicle owner to obtain a handicap sticker or some other identifying tag typically hung from the vehicle rearview mirror. This is fine. However, more often than not – indeed way more often than not, what I see are perfectly normal people – no visible handicap – taking advantage of these spaces. My observation is that by far the worst offenders are women. Why is that? You would think people in general, women in particular, would relish a few extra steps of exercise by parking in a normal space. But no, they take advantage of the vehicle handicap tag for their own personal benefit at the potential expense of someone with a genuine need. I can only conclude these poor souls are suffering from a severe mental handicap. How else to explain their idiot actions? This really annoys me because, as a general rule, I don’t feel people with a impaired mental judgment should be permitted driving privileges.
No doubt vehicles with handicap tags are owned by people with family members which legitimately have some debilitating condition. However, the convenience of handicap parking only applies when the handicap person is actually in the vehicle. To take advantage of these parking privileges simply because the vehicle has the tag, even though Grandma is at home, is just plain wrong. I don’t care if your trip is to the pharmacy to pickup Grandma’s meds – if you are perfectly capable of walking then stay the fuck out of these reserved spaces.
There outta be a law.
There are many people who have and use handicapped spaces who have no visible handicap, but have a legitimate reason to use the space.
My mother is a perfect example. She has a lung transplant. She no longer needs to use an oxygen tank, but her mobility is still severely restricted.
There are many other kinds of disability that are not apparent on superficial inspection: Back problems, osteo and rheumetoid arthritis, chronic heart and lung diseases, just to name a few.
I used to drive my mom’s car when she had a disabled sticker. I never parked in a handicapped spot.
Your examples are perfectly legit – absolutely no argument there. However, I stand by my gripe because almost without exception all of these people (women, mostly) are young, bouncy and as flexible and mobile as any normal person. Someone with a back problem (been there) or a lung/breathing problems almost without exception move more carefully due to the limitations of the underlying condition. No, what I observe are perfectly healthy people taking advantage of HC parking for no better reason than they are driving a vehicle with the tag. This is plain wrong.