The BAD dampening your excitement for the GOOD!
Heady with power, my new handicap placard in hand, fresh from the DMV where Hick took my paperwork... I started to town on Tuesday. First place I tried it out was at the Backroads Casey's. I already used this picture, but here it is again:
I didn't walk around the back of T-Hoe to get to their sidewalk ramp, because I could hold onto T-Hoe to step up and down on the curb. There was one normal parking space to my left, and then the door. I waltzed in like I owned the place. Or at least a handicap placard. Did my business. Came back out, and saw that T-Hoe's door was blocked from opening all the way! Ain't THAT a fine how-do-you-do, welcome-to-the-handicap-placard-club!
Parked next to me, fully within the lines, was a mid-sized black sedan. We were both in the middle of our parking spaces. T-Hoe's large door would have opened all the way, had it not been for the side mirror on that sedan! Even if the driver had pulled forward, closer to the sidewalk, my door would have opened. No fault of the driver. I'm sure he wasn't considering his passenger mirror, and T-Hoe's large doors, when he parked.
I had to open T-Hoe's door only to the first notch. Hoist myself up onto the running board. Get my right leg in, sit down, and then try to make my left knee bend enough to get my shoe-toe to clear that door and get my left leg inside. All while holding onto T-Hoe's door so it wouldn't slam the sedan's mirror. It's hard wrestling a large door and a stiff knee at the same time. I finally accomplished the (to me) contortions necessary.
Well. That was not such a success for my handicap placard. I usually park down at the other end, beside one of the worker's cars, where I know I will still have space to open my door when I come out.
Off to 10Box for some groceries. They have six handicap parking spaces along the front of the store, separated by wide, striped walkways. There are also two regular parking spaces at each end of the handicap spaces at the front of the store. All handicap spaces were occupied except one. I did not notice if the cars had placards or plates showing their right to park in them. This place is notorious for regular people parking in the handicap spaces. YOUNG PEOPLE! In sporty little cars!
Anyhoo... I went to the open handicap space, on the far left. There was an SUV in the regular space to the left of it. Well, KIND OF in it. Both the right side tires were over the line. Lucky for me, I had that wide, striped walkway on T-Hoe's right, so I put my two right tires into it. Two can play at THAT game! Not sure why the SUV was parked in such a wonky manner. Maybe the car on its left had been over its line. I didn't look too closely, because there was a person sitting in the passenger seat.
Last stop, the Gas Station Chicken Store. As I rounded the pumps to get to my preferred HANDICAP parking space, I saw that it was occupied by a gray SUV that was facing me. There was a driver behind the wheel. Regular plates, no placard. My own placard was swinging from the mirror. Even though you're not supposed to leave it there while you're driving. I veered right, to loop around the diesel pumps and come in behind that SUV, to park in front of the FREE AIR hose. It's still level there. Not a bad parking space, unless somebody is in a rush to get FREE AIR.
That driver must have had a guilty conscience. Or maybe just ready at that time to leave. Because he drove off as I was parking, and I was able to pull forward into the handicap space. For once, no jackrumpus decided to park in the driving lane and block me in while I was inside. So finally, a success. Even though I have been parking in that handicap space for a while now...
So far, I can see my new handicap placard being of help at 10Box and the Sis-Town Country Mart. And lessening my guilt at the Gas Station Chicken Store. But I'll probably still park like I used to at Casey's. And not use it at the Liquor Store, Orb K, School-Turn Casey's, or Sis-Town Casey's, due to the threat of close-parkers.
Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention my fit of guilt while using my handicap placard at Save A Lot. That's a story for another day.
Good for you on testing your new handicap placard and taking note of where you plan to use it versus where you don't plan to use it:) I agree that not all handicap parking spots are better than where a person would normally choose to park.
ReplyDeleteYes, not having my door blocked by a close-parker is more important than the distance I'll have to walk. Level ground is more important than the risk of door-blocking. Most of all, I should not have to step up or down without a handrail or a wall or T-Hoe to use for steadying myself.
DeleteIts a helpful placard, but doesn't possess the necessary magical powers to move recalcitrant ne'er-do-wells from parking where they shouldn't.
ReplyDeleteYes! I overestimated its magical powers! But I plan to use it on Monday at the Sis-Town Country Mart, to keep me off their hilly parking lot. There are several handicap spaces up top, against the building, where I will have level walking. There are striped spaces between the parking spots, so hopefully no close-parkers.
DeleteI always hope to park next to the striped spaces. I can only get on the curb if there is a car to hold onto or the ramp for walkers. Flat is what I need, too. Tommy has more trouble getting his knee bent. The other day, a car parked so close to him he had to take off a croc to get his foot into the car. He always drives, so I never have to worry about a close parker because he will back up so I can get into my door. My left knee has trouble bending, but not as bad as his knee.
ReplyDeleteOccasionally, there is a nice sturdy sign that I can grab to help me onto the curb. For some reason, Tommy will park facing the curb and so far from the curb that I cannot hold onto the car to get up. I stand there and motion him to move forward.
I hate to admit it, but I thought the striped places were parking spaces, too, so I used to park in them. Yes, I had a handicapped tag and license.
One time, the county woman would not give me a hang tag because I had a handicapped license plate. She said I could have one or the other. She was dead wrong! Eventually, I got the hang tag.
Practical Parsimony.
I understand about the curbs. I CAN step up and down, but I'm afraid I will fall without something to hold onto for balance.
DeleteThose striped places are for a van to unload somebody, I suppose, but I've never seen anyone around here getting out of a van for shopping. Especially at a convenience store. I think that would be more likely at big events, or medical appointments.
Good for Tommy, figuring out that de-Croc-ing would help him get his foot in. I wear regular shoes to town, so that's not an option. Sometimes I try to scoot way back across the seat, and grab my pants leg to try and drag my foot in. T-Hoe's big console limits how far I can move over.
Always look for the "van acessible" spots and park next to the striped lines with the driver's side. Those are meant for vans with the mechanism to lower a wheelchair out of the passenger side. You learn so much after you get a handicap parking pass!! I lamenated ours to keep it from getting too ratty looking. They gave us one for each vehicle.
ReplyDeleteThat one in the picture says VAN ACCESSIBLE, but does not have any stripes on either side. There IS a ramp at that end of the sidewalk, but people park to the left and right of that space without leaving any room.
DeleteThere are SIX handicap spaces at the Sis-Town Country Mart, and all but one have the stripes in between the spaces. But only one has the VAN ACCESSIBLE sign.
My placard must be a new generation. It's made of plastic, and seems to look different that the one my favorite gambling aunt had.