The Rules

I got my accessible parking tag before I needed it, although I was told to feel free to use it so I could conserve energy. I didn't use it until after I needed to use it - when I did a semi-fall and realized I was being stupid by not using it. Now that I regularly use it, I'm amazed at some of the use of tags. Then I think I'm preaching by telling people what I think, but really, this is life, and how things are in the world of truly needing accessible parking.

- If you have a tag, get out of your car, run up the stairs to the library and down, then I bet it's not your tag.

- The yellow striped lines between accessible spots... guess what? They aren't parking spaces. Isn't that amazing? I know people think why all the extra room? People think... those, those, those people - they get the close up parking AND they somehow need extra room. Yes, we need extra room. When someone needs to get a walker or wheelchair out the side of their vehicle, it does not fit without some extra room.

- Van accessible parking is generally for people who have mobility devices - that's why those spots have the yellow striped lines.

- Just like many people do in many churches, those of us who use accessible spaces, if in a specific place on a regular basis - we kind of have our regular spots. People know I park in this certain spot next to a ramp at work. I find that a bit funny.

- The spots are not drop off spots. I know - people are in a hurry. They drop off their kids and, short for time, pull into the 1 accessible spot, but just for a few minutes. There's a video showing this situation. The person who uses a chair then parks far away because there are no spots. They start wheeling into a store and the big vehicles can't see them, so they get rammed by an SUV as someone backs into them while they are wheeling into a store. So just that 1 or 2 minutes parked to drop someone off - not a good idea.

- You aren't, by law, allowed to use the tag of a relative, just because it's in the car. I think if you do that, you're lazy. I'm embarassed for you.

- Are they giving tags to everyone these days? It just seems that way. And holiday shopping hasn't started.

- If someone reads this who uses a chair, here's a tip. Often there is free valet parking for people with tags at malls and certain restaurants. I resisted this, but then one year I realized it's a good thing, especially at malls during the holidays. I need to shop!

So with this annoyed, tell people what I think blog, I think there may still be some people that think it's somehow not fair that people get these close spots with extra room. Well, it isn't fun to have whatever people have that makes them need the tags. I would love to trade MS and my tag to someone else. What I would really love to do is to park in the furthest spot in any parking lot, and walk into a store. I'd love to be able to freely climb stairs into stores. So, since I can't have any of that, can I please have just one of those spots?

Peace.