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2008 Soap Box Archives Something We Don't Think About I recently received an email from a friend of mine who, due to illness, spends a lot of time in a wheelchair and he brought up a problem that I really hadn't thought about concerning the handicapped parking places we see in most parking lots. The slots are obviously there for people who for one reason or another need the close proximity to the entrance of the business, hospital or whatever other venue they happen to be visiting. My friend says that people with no handicap at all are parking in these spots for nothing more than convenience or just being too lazy to walk the few extra steps from the regular parking spots, causing the people who they were designed for and who really need them to go the extra distance in wheelchairs, crutches or walkers many times carrying oxygen bottles and other medical aids. I know it is tempting to pull into an empty parking spot at the front of a crowded lot, but really folks that should be unacceptable now because in times past I've violated this trust myself and I'm talking to me along with everybody else. Some people even keep handicapped passes that have gone out of date or belonged to somebody in their family during a temporary disablement. They hang them in the window and walk away on healthy legs, leaving someone who really needs it to walk a great distance on weak legs many times struggling for breath. I had a handicapped permit when I had surgery on my leg and was on crutches and believe me it means a lot to somebody who has any difficulty in walking and I believe that these parking spaces should be totally reserved for those who really need them. Besides it would do America good to walk a little more. We've gotten so used to convenience and speed that we are spoiled when the computer is a little slow or the fast food window doesn't answer right away. My friend says that he watches perfectly healthy people park in handicapped spaces and just get out of the car and bop right on into the place, nothing wrong with them except a serious case of laziness and a false impression that the rules don't apply to them. Now I think most people abide by the rules and don't park in the spots reserved for handicapped people but the problem is that it only takes a few numb heads to gum up the works since there are limited handicapped spaces to start with. I know that to most people this seems like a minor problem, unless you happen to be one of those who has to roll a wheelchair or use crutches through the traffic of a crowded parking lot just because somebody who doesn't need it and just doesn't care has taken the last handicapped spot at the front. Pray for our troops What do you think? God Bless America Charlie
Daniels
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