There are certain things in life that just piss me off: the color orange, the sound of chewing, ties, and, above all else, non-handicapped people parking in handicapped parking spots. My mother is handicapped, so I have been parking in those spots my whole life. Even as a five-year-old I had no qualms about approaching those illegally parked in what I thought was rightfully my mother’s place. I had a pen and pad of paper available at all times and, in my five-year-old handwriting, I would personally write them a ticket explaining that they should not be parked there. 

In our school parking lot, especially now that we have a limited parking lot and a bigger demand for the coveted handicapped spaces, it becomes more imperative that those spots are available to people who need them, not those who think that the blue spaces are convenient places to drop off their kids.

I have heard every excuse: “I’m waiting for my kid.” Perhaps the most common excuse is “I’ll only be here a minute.” If you know my mother, she is not one to pick a fight. She’s the definition of calm, cool, and collected. I didn’t inherit that gene. I tend to get a tad bit heated when it comes to someone taking my mother’s spot.

Last year I encountered such a person.  As I walked to my mother’s car after school I could hear fighting. It wasn’t until I approached my mother’s car that I knew where the fighting was coming from. Some smartass father was parked diagonally across two handicapped places. My mother had politely asked him to move so that she could park there.

My mother’s car is obviously a handicapped accessible car. Not only does it have the placard hanging from the review mirror, but it also has a wheelchair carrier attached to the back.

My mother calmly explained that what he was doing was illegal. That’s when I walked up.

The man started cursing at us and telling us that what he was doing was called “waiting” and to look it up. He stayed in the spot. As his daughter climbed into the car he drove away, still cursing. Behind my mother were other handicapped vehicles that were inconvenienced by this inconsiderate imbecile.

 Handicapped people have hard enough lives as it is and really don’t need anyone else to park in the only accessible spaces. Put yourself in their shoes… er… cars, and be considerate.