Post originally written on 3/7/2021.
Several days ago I had to pick up a prescription from the vet’s office for my cat. Their parking lot has only one accessible space. When I got there the parking lot was full and there were three cars double-parked. One lady was blocking the accessible space and was asking the other cars if anyone needed it. I had just driven up and flashed her my disabled placard and she quickly got back in her car and went to find parking on the street instead. However, before I could even move, one of the double parked cars moved into the accessible spot. If he had needed it previously I assumed he would’ve said so. I had the sneaking suspicion he just decided to take the spot despite being nondisabled.
As it turned out, I was able to double-park even closer to the entrance, but I couldn’t just let this guy go without saying anything. So I hobbled over to his window and asked if he had forgotten his placard at home. The guy was instantly pissed. He yelled at me asking where else he was supposed to park and I told him that he could double-park like the rest of the cars. He got out of the car, without a mask, and got up within inches of my face and asked me, “What are you going to do, hit me with your cane?” I tried to back up and told him that he was the only one being threatening and that I was only trying to help make him a more decent person and that perhaps next time he shouldn’t take the accessible spot if he doesn’t have a placard or disabled license plate. He continued to get in my face, yelling at me, and calling me a bitch.
I was terrified that he was actually going to hit me, or even back up his car into me, he was so angry. I decided at that point to just turn around and get back to the safety of my car. He got back into his car, continuing to spew profanities at me through an open window. Once I made it back to my car, I just started shaking.
There was an entire parking lot full of people who witnessed this. They saw him take the accessible space. They saw me approach him. They saw (and heard) him verbally accosting me. And nobody even got out of their car. No one checked to see if I was okay. No one called out this man on his bullshit. Once again, it was left to me, the disabled person, to fend for myself and even place myself in danger to access the rights that are legally mine.
Some part of me feels like I did something “bad” by approaching him. But how else is that man going to learn? There certainly weren’t any nondisabled people willing to educate him. I’m hoping that at the very least he’ll think it’s not worth the trouble to risk parking in an accessible spot in the future.
So, to my nondisabled friends, if you see someone abusing accessible spaces just imagine it’s me you’re looking out for and go educate them. Though, always check for a disabled license plate or ask if they have forgotten their placard at home. It happens. Sometimes people also just forget to put it up after they’ve parked. Even if they claim it’s “just for a minute”, don’t let it go at that. They need to know that those spots are not for the nondisabled.
Accessible parking spots are not there for their convenience. Period.
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