Here we go again. AB booking HC cabins.

[BarbJ52]

Freddie, just having a step UP into a bathroom isn't going to stop water from running into the cabin. I have first hand knowledge of this. A friend of mine forgot he was running the bathtub water, fell asleep and the water came out into his cabin, soaked the carpet and ran into the hallway----and he had a 4 inch step up into the bathroom. To do what you're talking about, the bathroom would have to have a step DOWN into the bathroom to confine the water from a tub or shower. A step up is just a step up, it doesn't work to confine water unless the bathroom floor is recessed downward. And if that were the case, why do all the expensive suites have level entrances into the bathrooms?

 

Any cabins with a step up that Fast Freddie & I have been in had a lip of about 2 inches that would help contain the water. I believe the raised floor is to accommodate the plumbing but the additonal 2 inches is to prevent situations such as you describe. Non-hadicapped suites that we've been in (including a couple that were relatively expensive) had the step up.

[kitty9]

Any cabins with a step up that Fast Freddie & I have been in had a lip of about 2 inches that would help contain the water. I believe the raised floor is to accommodate the plumbing but the additonal 2 inches is to prevent situations such as you describe. Non-hadicapped suites that we've been in (including a couple that were relatively expensive) had the step up.

 

That's interesting because I've never been in a cabin that had an additional 2 inch lip on the inside. Personally, I think that would be a huge hazard if anyone would catch a toe in that extra lip and go flying out of the bathroom.

[Harleycat]

Are YOU physically challenged? Just asking.

 

As for the able bodied walking in our shoes or wheeling around in our conveyances, many schools do that all the time. In the school where I used to teach, we did things like that frequently. We had a week ever semester where the able bodied kids had to live their week as a person with a disability. Some kids were visually or hearing impaired, some had to use a wheelchair, some had crutches, still others had to stop using their hands and arms, while others were given college graduate level studies they had to complete---not being allowed to use a computer or any other help in order to simulate those who are cognitively delayed. You wouldn't believe the change in attitude those kids had when they realized how difficult life is for anyone with a physical or mental limitation. Something like this for the adult population would do wonders for those who are selfish.

 

As for perks, what perks? Parking closer to a building? Having curbs cut out? Providing ramps into public buildings? Making sure a doorway can accommodate a wheelchair/scooter? Providing at least one WORKING automatic door so one can get into ANY public building? Providing devices to assist hearing in a public room? You call these perks? I would give up a whole lot if I didn't have my physical problems for the past 52 years. Believe me, my life is not one filled with perks, only challenges.

 

That is a great idea! I also think that anyone who gets a ticket for parking in a HC spot should have to attend some sort of disability awareness class just like those caught DUI have to attend an alcohol awareness class.

 

Good luck with your knee. I just found out I have to have my left knee replaced. I'm holding off until January so I can get through my cruise (Oct 11) and the holidays. If I have to be stuck at home, I'd much rather do it in the dead of winter. Now I'll be triple bionic, both hips and one knee!

[mdvlprof]

That is a great idea! I also think that anyone who gets a ticket for parking in a HC spot should have to attend some sort of disability awareness class just like those caught DUI have to attend an alcohol awareness class.

 

 

Around here, I'd be happy if AB parking in HC just got a ticket, let alone have to take a class. Great idea, by the way.

[Jesscap5]

Around here, I'd be happy if AB parking in HC just got a ticket, let alone have to take a class. Great idea, by the way.

 

Anytime I see a non HC in a HC parking space..I will confront them and tell them like it is.

[Harleycat]

Around here, I'd be happy if AB parking in HC just got a ticket, let alone have to take a class. Great idea, by the way.

 

I would to but I can only hope!

 

In my town they have senior citizens and some disabled folks that go around taking pictures of offenders. The town provides them with a digital camera and a log book. They get paid a flat rate per day plus a certain amount for every valid ticket issued. They don't have to confront the offender, just take a picture of the plate and write the make and model of the car.

 

It's also a great way for them to make some extra money!

[boating girl]

I would to but I can only hope!

 

In my town they have senior citizens and some disabled folks that go around taking pictures of offenders. The town provides them with a digital camera and a log book. They get paid a flat rate per day plus a certain amount for every valid ticket issued. They don't have to confront the offender, just take a picture of the plate and write the make and model of the car.

 

It's also a great way for them to make some extra money!

 

What a great idea! Every city should do that!

[celle]

Anytime I see a non HC in a HC parking space..I will confront them and tell them like it is.

 

You have good intentions, but be careful! You can't always tell.

 

Our son, aged 35, looks like a fit young man, but he needs handicapped parking. He has had an above-knee amputation of one leg. He can walk well, without a stick or crutches, for a short distance, but he cannot walk far because the prosthesis rubs on his stump.

 

When he is challenged about using a handicapped parking space, he is likely to pull up his trouser leg to expose the artificail leg, and then say: "You want my parking space? Would you like my disability too?"

[boating girl]

You have good intentions, but be careful! You can't always tell.

 

Our son, aged 35, looks like a fit young man, but he needs handicapped parking. He has had an above-knee amputation of one leg. He can walk well, without a stick or crutches, for a short distance, but he cannot walk far because the prosthesis rubs on his stump.

 

When he is challenged about using a handicapped parking space, he is likely to pull up his trouser leg to expose the artificail leg, and then say: "You want my parking space? Would you like my disability too?"

 

So sorry that your son has people react rudely to him. Unfortunately, some people don't realize that there are many physical disabilities which aren't visible. I have a young friend who has cardiomyopathy and is on a transplant list; he continually faces rude remarks because he looks fairly healthy and has no visible disability. He becomes very short of breath and tired after walking only 20 feet or less. I think your son's response is excellent.

[celle]

So sorry that your son has people react rudely to him. Unfortunately, some people don't realize that there are many physical disabilities which aren't visible. I have a young friend who has cardiomyopathy and is on a transplant list; he continually faces rude remarks because he looks fairly healthy and has no visible disability. He becomes very short of breath and tired after walking only 20 feet or less. I think your son's response is excellent.

 

Thank you for your empathy.

 

Our son lost his leg 9 years ago. He has been amazingly brave about it.

[Quampapetet]

As for the able bodied walking in our shoes or wheeling around in our conveyances, many schools do that all the time. In the school where I used to teach, we did things like that frequently. We had a week ever semester where the able bodied kids had to live their week as a person with a disability. Some kids were visually or hearing impaired, some had to use a wheelchair, some had crutches, still others had to stop using their hands and arms, while others were given college graduate level studies they had to complete---not being allowed to use a computer or any other help in order to simulate those who are cognitively delayed. You wouldn't believe the change in attitude those kids had when they realized how difficult life is for anyone with a physical or mental limitation. Something like this for the adult population would do wonders for those who are selfish.

 

That is awesome!!!!!!! :D It should be required in all schools!

 

As for perks, what perks? Parking closer to a building? Having curbs cut out? Providing ramps into public buildings? Making sure a doorway can accommodate a wheelchair/scooter? Providing at least one WORKING automatic door so one can get into ANY public building? Providing devices to assist hearing in a public room? You call these perks? I would give up a whole lot if I didn't have my physical problems for the past 52 years. Believe me, my life is not one filled with perks, only challenges.

 

(Begin sarcasm.) Yeah, that ppl with handicapped parking permits get to park a few spaces closer, you know how hard it is for an able-bodied person to walk a few more feet! And don't forget about the larger bathroom stalls we get to use, lucky us! Those in wheelchairs get to sit all day, too, which must be nice! (End sarcasm.) :p

[Quampapetet]

I don't think anyone who has physical impairments, be it from birth or a later injury/disease, would wish the actual condition on anyone but I do agree that a day, a week, "walking in someone else's shoes" would really wake up some people to the obstacles faced when you have limited mobility kind of like how they occasionally teach teens how hard parenting is by those dolls that require changings or being fed.

 

Exactly. I never said I wished disability or health issues on anybody, as I certainly don't. But the experience of being limited in the things ppl take for granted is what some ppl need in order to realize the hardships of others and, therefore, recognize them, their difficulties, and also not abuse things set up to make life more accessible for them (which, they will find out, is not an extra, but something that is needed in order for the person to use a place everybody else has no problems using).

 

And, yeah, those electronic baby dolls are a good thing for teens, too!

[Jesscap5]

You have good intentions, but be careful! You can't always tell.

 

Our son, aged 35, looks like a fit young man, but he needs handicapped parking. He has had an above-knee amputation of one leg. He can walk well, without a stick or crutches, for a short distance, but he cannot walk far because the prosthesis rubs on his stump.

 

When he is challenged about using a handicapped parking space, he is likely to pull up his trouser leg to expose the artificail leg, and then say: "You want my parking space? Would you like my disability too?"

 

 

No I don't mean it by seeing their disability..I mean by not having it on the actual license plate or the sign that hangs from the inside mirror.

 

Even if you are disabled in some kind of way and DON'T have any kind of sign in or around your vehicle letting others know..then people--including police officers will assume that person is not HC.

 

We had to get HC licensed plates for my sister..otherwise we can't park in HC cause it's the law.

[Jesscap5]

I would to but I can only hope!

 

In my town they have senior citizens and some disabled folks that go around taking pictures of offenders. The town provides them with a digital camera and a log book. They get paid a flat rate per day plus a certain amount for every valid ticket issued. They don't have to confront the offender, just take a picture of the plate and write the make and model of the car.

 

It's also a great way for them to make some extra money!

 

Wow, I'd love to do that! :D

[Quampapetet]

No I don't mean it by seeing their disability..I mean by not having it on the actual license plate or the sign that hangs from the inside mirror.

 

Even if you are disabled in some kind of way and DON'T have any kind of sign in or around your vehicle letting others know..then people--including police officers will assume that person is not HC.

 

We had to get HC licensed plates for my sister..otherwise we can't park in HC cause it's the law.

 

Exactly. Even if your handicapped space permit falls from your mirror/window you can be legally ticketed. Gotta make sure that thing is on to stay on! :)

 

Also, at least in this state, a police officer can ask for you to reveal the photo on the permit to see if you are the person the permit is for. Not sure if a non-officer ticketer can ask that, though.

[Jesscap5]

Exactly. Even if your handicapped space permit falls from your mirror/window you can be legally ticketed. Gotta make sure that thing is on to stay on! :)

 

Also, at least in this state, a police officer can ask for you to reveal the photo on the permit to see if you are the person the permit is for. Not sure if a non-officer ticketer can ask that, though.

 

I'm not sure..but I think in this state (NH) the officer can ask also.

[Arwenmark]

Exactly. Even if your handicapped space permit falls from your mirror/window you can be legally ticketed. Gotta make sure that thing is on to stay on! :)

 

Also, at least in this state, a police officer can ask for you to reveal the photo on the permit to see if you are the person the permit is for. Not sure if a non-officer ticketer can ask that, though.

 

The state or at least one of them Is MASSACHUSETTS. Mine is from there. Most states do not have pictures on there hang tags and I think that is a HUGE mistake. Because I frequently see a young healthy family Hop out of the car and run to the entrance of Disney or some such place and it is OBVIOUS that they are using grandma's hang tag and grandma is NOT there. That is one example but you know this happens all the time.

[Jesscap5]

Because I frequently see a young healthy family Hop out of the car and run to the entrance of Disney or some such place and it is OBVIOUS that they are using grandma's hang tag and grandma is NOT there. That is one example but you know this happens all the time.

Speaking of Disney.. about 12 years ago we were at Disneyworld and we had another couple ( come with us and they brought their two children as well. My sister is physically and mentally disabled and when we go places like Disney she uses a wheelchair.

 

Everyride we went to the couple jumped in front of us, including my sister to tell the workers she's handicapp and they got in first before us! Talk about being taken advantage of.

 

This was my parents friends they met from work and this is the time we also found out they were a bit crazy..well really crazy is more like it and after that trip we were no longer friends with them.

 

The nerve people have :eek: Now that I am older and am super over proective of my sister - that will NEVER happen again.

 

My mom has the handicap picture ON her license plate...which I think is better. We did just recently get the hang tag one..I only take it with me when my sister is with me in my car or I give it to one of her aides to use when they drive her.

[Quampapetet]

My mom has the handicap picture ON her license plate...which I think is better. We did just recently get the hang tag one..I only take it with me when my sister is with me in my car or I give it to one of her aides to use when they drive her.

 

For some it might be better and for others the hang tags are better. Before he passed away, my grandfather had a hang tag (he could barely walk and was blind and hard of hearing, all the effects of old age [95]) and it worked great because when he did go out (which wasn't often), he could go out in any car and with anybody in the family instead of just one person's car.

[FrancescaH]

I have both.. I have the handicapped plate and a hang tag for when we travel. It's the best of both worlds. I started with the hang tag but then flying out to my parents was such a hassle as I couldn't park in accessible parking as the tag went with me. So now I can park in the accessible parking at the airport and still have accessible parking at my destination.

 

But be warned.. at least in Florida we paid for the full price of a new plate despite still having time on the registration so get one when you are up for renewal!

[xxoocruiser]

Handicap placards in any state are coded with the information identifying who the permit is resigistered. DOn't know of any that have pictures . SO what the police officer is asking for is to see Drivers Licence or State ID to check if the information on the Placard matches that on the DL or ID. What most people fail to realize is that the hanging placard is coded and

 

RE Placards : In Illinoios One's birth year, birth month , male or female are all punched on the placard. I

 

RE: Insignia on License Plates - the police officer can pull up all information from the computer.

 

So if the person that the HC placard or HC insignia on the license plates is not entering and exiting the vehicle when parked in a HC space the Police can determine that.

 

I see kids all the time using their grandparents placards. I'm very quick to tell them that they look great for an 85 year old woman because they only look 16. They're very surprised when I do this. I also point out that if caught, they will loose their driver license for a year and pay a $500.00 fine. Not to mention that their grandma will be very upset when she looses her HC parking privileges for 90 days. I've always gotten them to move ajnd even apologize .

[kitty9]

That is awesome!!!!!!! :D It should be required in all schools!

 

 

 

(Begin sarcasm.) Yeah, that ppl with handicapped parking permits get to park a few spaces closer, you know how hard it is for an able-bodied person to walk a few more feet! And don't forget about the larger bathroom stalls we get to use, lucky us! Those in wheelchairs get to sit all day, too, which must be nice! (End sarcasm.) :p

 

 

 

I had an incident the other day in a public bathroom. There were 14 stalls in this bathroom and the only handicappped accesible stall was at the very back of the bathroom. I tooled on down to that stall, with EVERY single one of the regular stalls being empty. All of a sudden, a woman rushes past me and goes into the handicapped stall. Now, I really have to go, if you get my meaning, and I'm sitting there, on my scooter, waiting for this woman to finish up her business. Well, I could see a bit inside that stall and I see her pull out her makeup bag, and start messing with her makeup. Then she pulls out her wallet and starts counting her money (I was at a casino). I timed her and she was in there for 6 minutes. Finally, I knocked on the door and said "Why are you in the ONLY handicapped stall, and I'm sitting here waiting to use it?". Finally, she decides to move her butt and leave the stall. She just looked at me and grinned. What a pain in the behind she was.

[Starr Mtn]

Darcie,

 

I truly know what you mean ! Perhaps there were not that

many vacant stall - but quite a few. After a few minutes

I was able to see clothes on the floor of the handicapped stall.

The woman was changing her clothes.

 

And a couple of days ago I was in my power chair - enjoying the

sunshine - in the driveway of my townhome. A neighbor

stopped and visited for a couple of minutes - and observed

the postman hand me my mail. She asked why I got

personal service when she had to walk a little distance to the

community mail boxes. I explained it was because I was

in the power chair and there were usually vehicles parked in

front of the mailboxes. Her response: "Aren't you lucky!"

Now this is a woman who has been a neighbor for a couple of years

and obviously seen me in my power chair. I don't usually have

a comeback when I received such an inconsiderate remark. However,

this time I told here I'd be able to change places and I'd even pick

up her mail for her !

[celle]

No I don't mean it by seeing their disability..I mean by not having it on the actual license plate or the sign that hangs from the inside mirror.

 

Even if you are disabled in some kind of way and DON'T have any kind of sign in or around your vehicle letting others know..then people--including police officers will assume that person is not HC.

 

We had to get HC licensed plates for my sister..otherwise we can't park in HC cause it's the law.

 

Jess, we do it slightly differently in New Zealand.

 

Our son has a placard (about 10 inches long by 4 inches deep) that he has to display on the dashboard inside the car. It has a registration number and an expiry date (has to be renewed every 5 years).

 

The placard relates to him and not to the car. This means that, if we take him out in our car, we can then use a HC parking space, so that he does not have to walk far.

[uppitycats]

Handicap placards here in the US are assigned to the *person*, not the vehicle. I have them, and can take them (I have 2 -- we have 2 cars) with me when I travel in someone else's car. So long as I am a passenger and get out of the car when parked, whoever is driving is able to park in a handicap stall, hang (or place) the placard in the proper place, and we're on our way. But if I stay in the car -- even my own car -- we technically are not supposed to be parking in a handicap stall. I often drive, drop off my husband (who is not disabled), then park elsewhere in the parking lot and wait for him, then drive up and pick him up -- not parking in a handicap stall.

 

Handicap plates are assigned to the vehicle, and are not transferrable to another vehicle, so the handicapped person has to be riding in that vehicle in order for it to be parked in a handicap stall.

 

A distinction there that not everyone catches -- "not transferrable"...where the placards are.