Re: Placard Parking

[Guest guest]

Hello Beata

Boy oh boy, can I relate to your situation in many ways. I was given a

handicapped placard a few years ago, and for the longest time I didn't use it

out of pride and fear of judgement. Like yourself, parking the car in a

handicapped spot and then walking away without any " glaring " deficiency can

bring on stares and comments by others close by.

For the most part, I try to find other spots that are available, unless of

course my feet are really bothering me. Then the anguish on my face more or

less tells those looking on that I really am in pain. Also, having been very

physically active, I try to tell myself that pushing the extra 9 yards is good

for me. For the most part, I can push myself physically most of the time. But

then there are those days when walking another foot is pure hell. Thankfully

those days are few and far in between, but they do occur and the handicapped

placard is a

God send.

As far as drinking and driving is concerned, I rarely partake, and the few

establishments I visit know of my CMT and it's side effects. And ironically, as

previously mentioned on this forum by another contributor, I've noticed that

after one or two drinks my gait tends to improve. Go figure.

Mark

[Guest guest]

I went years without getting a handicap tag much for the same reasons, pride and

embarrasment.  I am 33 and look 25 and I still walk so I get looks and people

have gone as far to ask me to move because there are real handicapped people who

need to utilize that spot. 

I have also been asked for ID several times by police and parking authorities. 

In NJ it is legal to park in any meter parking as long as you put the first

quarter in yet I still get ticketed all the time.  When I call the parking

authority they tell me to go there and show ID each time.  The parking authority

is 3 floors up with no elevator so its a hassle and its unreasonable. 

The only reason I need to use the spot is I work in a city where parking is

extrememly hard to get and even the ones I can get are very expensive and paying

$15 a day is crazy.  There was a 5 year waiting list for employee parking which

I got but its like a mile away. 

I have learned to deal with the stares and peoples comments it's an unfortunate

symptom of the disease.

Andy

[Guest guest]

Andy

I hear you loud and clear. It is unfortunate that most people do not realize

that just because you appear young, healthy and agile, it doesn't necessarily

paint an accurate picture of who you really are. For years, long before I

developed CMT, I used to look with

disdain upon those who parked in handicapped spots and knew they were perfectly

fine to begin with. Often times it was people I knew, and I'd just give them a

razzing for being so blatantly selfish and arrogant.

Now, I often times feel guilty parking in one of those spots,

especially if I return to the lot and see someone elderly or severely

handicapped who in my opinion really needed that spot more than me. Even though

I am entitled to a handicapped spot, I often times wrestle with guilt. It's a

never ending battle. But, when I am in a lot of pain and desperately need a

handicapped spot, I will take it and won't feel guilty. As I said earlier, the

pained look on my face and noticeably different gait basically says it all.

Mark