MFFY du jour...

Big Bill wrote:
> There are many handicaps where the person looks fine, and can even do
> some physical activities you can't do, yet still has a problem that
> makes, for example, walking any distance very hard, and yet offers no
> problems with using a manual tranmsmission.

That I can believe. But climbing into a jacked-up truck? Get real.

> In fact, in my own case, you'd probably wonder why I have a
> handicapped plate on my vehicle. No matter, I (and others) don't need
> to report to you, nor do we need to justify our plates to you.

No matter, people like him (and me) do have good cause to call the cops
and let you explain it to them. Because nearly all people who look
like they're abusing their handicap plates, ARE.

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 23:25:16 -0800, John David Galt
> wrote:

>Big Bill wrote:
>> There are many handicaps where the person looks fine, and can even do
>> some physical activities you can't do, yet still has a problem that
>> makes, for example, walking any distance very hard, and yet offers no
>> problems with using a manual tranmsmission.
>
>That I can believe. But climbing into a jacked-up truck? Get real.
>
>> In fact, in my own case, you'd probably wonder why I have a
>> handicapped plate on my vehicle. No matter, I (and others) don't need
>> to report to you, nor do we need to justify our plates to you.
>
>No matter, people like him (and me) do have good cause to call the cops
>and let you explain it to them. Because nearly all people who look
>like they're abusing their handicap plates, ARE.

And you are in the position to make that judgement because... ?
As I said, unless you are a doctor (and, obviously, the person you're
judging is your patient), you're just letting your observations guide
your judgements.
And in such cases, your observations don't count for anything.

--
Bill Funk
Change "g" to "a"

On Sun, 13 Mar 2005, Big Bill wrote:

>>> There are many handicaps where the person looks fine, and can even do
>>> some physical activities you can't do, yet still has a problem that
>>> makes, for example, walking any distance very hard, and yet offers no
>>> problems with using a manual tranmsmission.

> >That I can believe. But climbing into a jacked-up truck? Get real. No
> >matter, people like him (and me) do have good cause to call the cops
> >and let you explain it to them. Because nearly all people who look
> >like they're abusing their handicap plates, ARE.

> And you are in the position to make that judgement because... ?

Because anyone sufficiently hale and hearty to climb up into (and down out
of) a monster truck, and operate its manual transmission, is almost
certainly sufficiently hale and hearty to walk seven additional parking
spaces to the goddamned grocery.

No rocket science here.

John David Galt wrote:
> Big Bill wrote:
> > There are many handicaps where the person looks fine, and can even
do
> > some physical activities you can't do, yet still has a problem that
> > makes, for example, walking any distance very hard, and yet offers
no
> > problems with using a manual tranmsmission.
>
> That I can believe. But climbing into a jacked-up truck? Get real.
>
> > In fact, in my own case, you'd probably wonder why I have a
> > handicapped plate on my vehicle. No matter, I (and others) don't
need
> > to report to you, nor do we need to justify our plates to you.
>
> No matter, people like him (and me) do have good cause to call the
cops
> and let you explain it to them. Because nearly all people who look
> like they're abusing their handicap plates, ARE.

In my case you will find my parking in DP slots quite often. Looking
at me you couldn't tell that anything was wrong. You would be correct,
there isn't. I park in DP spots because my wife is disabled and I am
taking her there or picking her up. Don't assume that a capable person
parking in a DP spot doesn't have the right to do so. That said, there
are too many abuses of the priviledge.

Harry K

Jim Yanik wrote:
> "Skip Elliott Bowman" > wrote in
> ink.net:
>
> >
> > wrote in message
> > oups.com...
> >> Went to the bank today, pulled into a spot next to handicapped
> >> parking. The rest of the parking lot was empty. As I set the
brake,
> >> a large crew-cab pick up pulled right up on my left beside me into
> >> the handicapped parking, over the parking line into my spot, with
the
> >> bumper for the truck actually hanging over where my car would be
if I
> >> backed straight up.
> >>
> >> Slightly pudgy guy hops out and walks quickly for the door of the
> >> bank as I do an eel impressesion to get out of my car. Truck has
no
> >> handicapped placards at all. I think quickly about how long a
city
> >> police cruiser would take to get there if I had a "mechanical
> >> failure" after pulling out of the spot and behind the truck. The
> >> police station is three blocks away. Unfortunately, I do not have
> >> time to stand around waiting for some cop to do his duty.
> >>
> >> Another opportunity lost to give a MFFY his just deserts.
> >>
> >> I did have an opportunity in the bank to say quietly to the guy
(and
> >> he did hear, but didn't do anything but turn around), "thanks for
the
> >> crappy parking job, jerk."
> >
> > I would have spoken louder: "Hey man--you have the whole parking
lot
> > for a spot and not only do you take a handicap spot but you almost
hit
> > my car squeezing in next to it. If my car is damaged at all
because
> > of your poor skills, you'll pay for it--and your insurance carrier
> > won't. In fact, I'm writing down your plate # and make/model in
case
> > you try a little hit and run action."
> >
> > People like this deserve attention for their stupidity and
> > thoughtlessness.
> >
> >
> >
>
> I'd -tell him- I was calling the police.
> They might appreciate the extra revenue from a 'parking in
handicapped
> zone' ticket.
>
> I'd even wait to see it happen. B-)
>
> --
> Jim Yanik
> jyanik
> at
> kua.net

Just curious here. Since cops can't enforce traffic stuff on private
property, how can they (I know they do) enforce DP parking??

Harry K

On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 09:44:34 -0500, "Daniel J. Stern"
> wrote:

>On Sun, 13 Mar 2005, Big Bill wrote:
>
>>>> There are many handicaps where the person looks fine, and can even do
>>>> some physical activities you can't do, yet still has a problem that
>>>> makes, for example, walking any distance very hard, and yet offers no
>>>> problems with using a manual tranmsmission.
>
>> >That I can believe. But climbing into a jacked-up truck? Get real. No
>> >matter, people like him (and me) do have good cause to call the cops
>> >and let you explain it to them. Because nearly all people who look
>> >like they're abusing their handicap plates, ARE.
>
>> And you are in the position to make that judgement because... ?
>
>Because anyone sufficiently hale and hearty to climb up into (and down out
>of) a monster truck, and operate its manual transmission, is almost
>certainly sufficiently hale and hearty to walk seven additional parking
>spaces to the goddamned grocery.
>
>No rocket science here.

Also no medical knowledge.
But don't let that stop you.

--
Bill Funk
Change "g" to "a"

On 13 Mar 2005 07:03:46 -0800, "Harry K" >
wrote:

>Just curious here. Since cops can't enforce traffic stuff on private
>property, how can they (I know they do) enforce DP parking??
>
>Harry K

Here in AZ, the law tasks them with that job.
The law also describes very carefully just how a DP spot must be
marked, so there's little chance for someone to say, "Gee, I didn't
know it was disabled parking."

--
Bill Funk
Change "g" to "a"

On Sun, 13 Mar 2005, Big Bill wrote:

> >Anyone sufficiently hale and hearty to climb up into (and down out of)
> >a monster truck, and operate its manual transmission, is almost
> >certainly sufficiently hale and hearty to walk seven additional parking
> >spaces to the goddamned grocery. No rocket science here.

> Also no medical knowledge.

Oh, right, I forgot about the myriad medical conditions that prevent one
from walking 70 feet rather than 40 feet on flat, level ground, but which
*don't* present any difficulties whatsoever in climbing up into a truck
and pumping a clutch. Silly me.

Pfft.

"Harry K" > wrote in message
oups.com...

> In my case you will find my parking in DP slots quite often. Looking
> at me you couldn't tell that anything was wrong. You would be correct,
> there isn't. I park in DP spots because my wife is disabled and I am
> taking her there or picking her up.

That being the case, Harry, if you're driving your wife there and picking
her up, couldn't you just drop her at the door and then park in a regular
spot? Those spots are for people who are driving themselves and can't
handle long walks.

Not criticizing, just curious and asking. I see people who are able-bodied
and driving a car with handicap plates or placards, but they don't need them
themselves; they just think because the placard or plate is there they have
a right to the spot. I'm not saying you're one of those people, mind you.
That description would fit the OP's post.

"Big Bill" > wrote in message
...
> On 13 Mar 2005 07:03:46 -0800, "Harry K" >
> wrote:
>
>>Just curious here. Since cops can't enforce traffic stuff on private
>>property, how can they (I know they do) enforce DP parking??
>>
>>Harry K
>
> Here in AZ, the law tasks them with that job.
> The law also describes very carefully just how a DP spot must be
> marked, so there's little chance for someone to say, "Gee, I didn't
> know it was disabled parking."

Sometimes the blue paint in the spot is faded and there's no sign, so
there's confusion. But a freshly painted spot with a sign, no question.

Can't speak for other states, but here in Portland there's a volunteer corps
that has ticket-writing powers--they're only too happy to patrol lots and
catch obvious scofflaws. If they're confronted by an angry scofflaw, their
instructions are just to take notes and not engage them. So far, no
problems. The cops and city attendants have more time and money freed up,
and more scofflaws are caught and cited.