Community Chat

[mom2four0418]

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@PickyPicky3 wrote:

Yesterday all of the Walmart grocery pickup spots were filled with non-pickup empty cars (rare at my Walmart). So I half-parked in the handicapped area with my flashers on to wait for a spot, ready to move for someone if needed.

Within two minutes an SUV pulled up next to me with the driver signaling wildly. I lowered my window and she SCREAMED at me, "Are you parking in that handicapped spot or not? Where's your placard? Can't you see I have an elderly person with me?" And she points to the 90+ years woman in the passenger seat.

Yes, I could see her. I said no problem, and I pulled out.

The SUV parked, the roughly 40-year-old driver gets out leaving the motor running, leaving the elderly woman in the car, and she walks by herself into the store.

What's wrong with this picture?

Still shaking my head this morning.

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I'm shaking my head as well, but probably not for the same reason.

[Cakers3]

@PickyPicky3   How do you "half park" in a handicap space?

You were wrong and cannot equate the two situations.

What the other driver did is on her.  You don't know the whole story.  She may have forgotten to put up a placard. 

I'd be more concerned that there were empty cars in the pick-up spots.  Wouldn't that be wrong?

Next time call in to say you are here to get your order but there are no designated spaces.  Ask for advice.

[Cakers3]

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@PickyPicky3 wrote:

There was no place to wait anywhere near the pickup spots without blocking the flow of traffic. It was a reasonable decision given the situation. Reasonable, not perfect. The SUV driver was correct in asking those questions -- I didn't need to be screamed at. And her screaming blocked me from offering an explanation. I would do it again.

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@PickyPicky3   You just lost all credibility.

[agb80]

@PickyPicky3 I'm not going to scold or condemn you.  You were in a pickle, one could easily see that and also one could easily see your willingness to immediately move your car from the handicap space when asked which you did.  

I'm sure it was stressful and I'm sorry that this was your experience.  Hopefully, you will not have to make such a choice again.  Maybe talk to the mgr about it?  

[KBEANS]

Seinfeld moment. 😝 

[GenXmuse]

The fact that you think this is okay and actually come here to say you were wronged is what's wrong with this picture. Picky, picky. 

[chickenbutt]

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@World Traveler wrote:

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As someone who had to take her father around in a wheelchair his last year or two of life, this is a pet peeve of mine that someone uses the handicapped space to park when there is no one in the car who is physically handicapped. I have had to park in regular spaces because of it, and they sometimes are not wide enough to open the door completely so I could help him get in and out easily. Plus, I had to push him further and he was not light. It was a matter of inconvenience.

Where I work there is one gal who consistently uses the handicapped space for her big car. Really irks me, but I try to tell myself it is none of my business. She likes it because it is close to the door. She puts up the blue placard on her rear-view mirror, which she used to use when taking one of her parents to places, but now uses it every day for her own use.

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As to your last paragraph - that REALLY incites anger in me.    What kind of person acts like that!      I would not be able to contain myself.

I'm sorry for what your father and you had to go through.  He was lucky to have you.   

[eadu4]

My reasonable decision would have been to find a close spot (NOT handicapped) park and stood outside my car and watched for my order to come out.  I realize there are those that are still nervous to get out of their car for anything but I think this would have been fine.  You knew they would be coming out with your order, you could have gotten out of your car and watched for them.  Once you saw them, wave them over, get back in your car, have them load your groceries and drive off.  No harm no foul.   

[PickyPicky3]

@Cakers3  I wish your suggestion about calling in had popped into my head yesterday.

@eadu4  What you described is what I did at a different Walmart a few months back. It worked out fine, but yesterday there were no open spaces anywhere. I think that contributed to the use of the grocery spots by in-store customers.

@agb80 Thanks for your understanding that sometimes there are no good solutions.

In my 57 years of driving, I have never before parked in or "borrowed" a handicapped spot. In fact, I have been the user of a handicapped placard a couple of times in my life, so I'm not insensitive to the issue. I have even intervened a few times. I remember once when returning from lunch I saw some teenagers park in a handicapped spot. I'm aware of invisible disabilities, so I asked a neutral "Hey - do you know that's a handicapped spot?" The driver said, "Of course! It's my grandmother's car and placard. We can park there." A teachable moment. They had no idea  "handicapped" went with a person, not the car.

This reminds me of scenes in a TV police show when a cop says,"Should I ask for permission to act or just do it and then ask for forgiveness?"

There were so many factors at play yesterday.

I never said I was wronged. I was just pointing out the irony of such an impassioned driver not really understanding how handicapped spots are used. 

[Kachina624]

@PickyPicky3   That was indeed an unusual situation.  I've been doing Wal-Mart grocery pick up every 2 weeks for 4 years and I've never seen an unoccupied car in those spaces.  I did go once on a Saturday and every space was filled with a waiting driver.  What a mess!  They've since added more spaces.