I am disable but can climb on the roof if I have to. If we get it a handicap space it will be for the wife. I only had one since we been camping and it was at Tuncia, Ms. We did not ask for it they just gave it to us. There was also plenty more avaible. I think that is the only campground where we have seen handicap.Handicap don't do much for us as we use the bathroom in the RV and it don't make the steps into the RV any better.
Tom
Hi Tom! We do too! In fact, I often tell folks I'm more comfortable "inside" my rv than I am in my house ... because I'm only a few steps from the bed, bath and kitchen... with no steps ... and only an arm's length away from my wife and dog!
Hey, some relatives, the Mohn's, are from New Bern. We've been there several times, boating on the river. Really pretty area.
Well, we certainly don't need the rest of the world judging us. We do a great job doing it to ourselves.
Dh, our 2 year old German Shepherd, 15 yr old Beagle/Spaniel and me.
Exploring every National Park (and Monument) in USA, Canada, Mexico & beyond.
3 well-used backpacking tents.
2008 Itasca Impulse, 24'
I never EVER forget that, RV2. The folks I keep in mind in this regard are people I know well and care about. I'm also one of them.
Walking through Walmart is a gamble at best. Sometimes yes, sometimes no way. I did not exaggerate the case in the least. I did go. Did not use a spot (forgot my hang tag) but should have. Barely made it back to the car. On my way out, I and another lady were busy taking issue with a guy who kept cutting us off as we walked and ended up blocking 3 handicap spaces with his big diesel. That guy? THAT'S a problem child. He was just waiting for his passengers to come out of the store. Even if use of a space was justified (I don't know), he didn't need to block 2 others off. I went on, anxious to sit down. She stood there and cussed him roundly and soundly.
My ONLY point to you was that you cannot possibly assume reasonably about a PERSON, based on what you see alone. Not ever. Even if they tell you some about themselves, you get only a tiny slice of what it's really like for them. The more complex or unpredictable the illness, the less established the research and treatment, the harder it is to describe easily - and why waste that effort on a stranger?
FWIW, I spent several years married to a man who had had polio as a child. He claimed PPS later and got bennies he did not need or qualify for at that time, had he been honest. (He does genuinely qualify now, due to other health problems.) I can say that ONLY because I lived with him day in and day out for years, knew his mind, his intentions, and his actual condition. When he tried to collect and then withhold benefits from his own child, I busted him for that, and would just as surely do it again - any time. He really WAS one of those you were trying to talk about. They exist. We all know they do. But that required a level of intimate personal knowledge I could NEVER have about any stranger and ripping off a child.
Since then, I was stricken with an illness that led me to learn a whole lot more about the other illnesses I mentioned here. Had to. I chose to live, and there was no other way but through. I am appalled at what I have seen and come to know over the past few years. And 'mom' is right. We simply CANNOT do this to one another. We just can't. I want those facilities to be there for you AND me, whether we both look all jacked up to the casual observer or not. They make life do-able. I certainly don't wish you or any of us any harm - not even a moment's discomfort.
There's been a lot of talk about re-doing the ADA and getting off the whole blue-guy thing over the past few years. I would support that! It's...look. You aren't your diagnosis, any more than I am mine. Likewise, you are not your assistive devices, either. Right? I simply have to trust you to use whatever you need and for both of us not be a total schmuck about it when you do. If we fall short, then we're short facilities, not NEEDS. And because the planning itself is often done by people who don't have to live with the results. You've seen the numbers. The number of people suffering some level of disability is rising fast. VERY fast. The estimate right now is 50 million. So I'd rather figure new ways to make more stuff accessible than to fight over what's already there, any ol' time. (And I SO wish I had just said it this way the first time!)
I will admit to being a total smartazz, so I may go ahead and get that "I'm just in it for the parking" bumper sticker I saw. And a couple for friends to stick on their vans. We HOWLED! That one-liner probably says more about other people's unfounded suspicions and jealousies than anything you OR I have written here.
I_rv2 wrote: opnyn8d>>do what we can to make each others lives easier.
Thanks, I'm glad you understand. I didn't think what I was proposing was so difficult for some to understand. I sincerely worry that I may be taking up a spot that might be needed by someone worse off than me.
Serena>>In what document is the use of handicap spaces for vans in particular specified
In the mind and heart of anyone who has seen the difficulty of someone trying to open a wheelchair-lift-equipped-van to off load a quad in a reclining wheelchair in the middle of the street because all the handicapped spots are taken by people who could walk into the store.
Serena, I've read your various replies ... I'm sorry you think I'm trying to judge you. I'm not.
I got polio in 1949 ... close to 60 years ago. I've long been an advocate of disabled people and have been on the board of directors of Easter Seals, PARC, and others to mention a few. I've been on telethons for March of Dimes, MD, etc.
You said you were having a good day, and climbed on your RV roof and were going to go to Walmart the next day and would take a handicapped spot.
All I am trying to say is that you should never forget that someone worse off than you might be coming around the corner.
And please try to picture some single parent trying to open the lift-door on that wheelchair equipped van to off-load their Muscular Dystrophied child in a regular parking spot because all the handicapped spots are taken.
If you are truly having a good day ... and can climb on the roof of your RV or walk around Walmart ... please think about leaving that spot open for someone worse off.
And one thing I've learned in my 60 years of being disabled ... you don't have to look too far to find someone who is more disabled than you.
I'm glad this board is finally busy.
And, of course, most of us are considerate and kindly towards other disabled people. We all understand the premise of if others need them more than we.
Tongue in cheek, let's all us disabled folks pass up the handicapped parking so all the Gabbys of the world can park there. (Desperate Housewives episode)
But-in regards to van handicap parking and regular handicap parking-there is a great difference. You all must be aware of that.
In order to unload a wheelchair, most times you need the extra spot next to you.
If you want to get ticked off, guess what Oregon State is doing!
Oregon has passed a new law that restricts a portion of the van accessible parking spots to people who have a special "Wheelchair User" disabled parking permit. It also requires free parking on meters only to people with the "Wheelchair User" permit but allows municipalities to charge other regular disabled parking permit holders for accessible parking.
Even worse, if a regular disabled parking permit holder parks in a
van-accessible stall marked "Wheelchair User Only" is issued a citation at the maximum penalty for unlawful parking in a disabled parking stall.
>>Oregon has passed a new law that restricts a portion of the van accessible parking spots to people who have a special "Wheelchair User" disabled parking permit
I understand and could support that law.
>>It also requires free parking on meters only to people with the "Wheelchair User" permit but allows municipalities to charge other regular disabled parking permit holders for accessible parking.
I would be protesting this. It would be harder for someone with congestive heart or lung problems to trot back to their meters than many folks who can "roll." Meters should be free for all or free for none.
Serena>>got bennies he did not need or qualify for at that time, had he been honest. .... tried to collect and withhold from his children
Sounds like a dishonest bum.
But let me repeat my premise ... when it comes to handicapped camping or handicapped parking ... I don't care whether you are Christopher Reeves (ok, before he died) or some disability con artist ... you and I owe it to those disabled folks who might be pulling in behind us and need the spot more to KEEP THOSE SPOTS OPEN if we have the ability to camp and park elsewhere.
Unfortunately, the spots are usually occupied by folks who .... well, you know ... there's no need for me to repeat myself.
I think we've about beat this issue to death.
And I think we all agree ... in principal ... but have to iron out some small differences.
Deen said : But I have seen some abuses, like a 10 year old severely handicapped boy that had handicapped plates on his parents vehicle. That's NOT legal in that in WA you have to be 18 years old to own a vehicle and the plates are issued to the vehicle who has to be owned by the handicapped person.
Then why am I given a blue placard for use in other vehicles - like when people drive me places? BTW the car is registered in the state of Washington and I think common sense prevails in the eyes of the WA state government when a child is disabled. AND I CAN own a vehicle without having a driver's license in the state of Washington .. just because disability keeps me from driving a vehicle doesn't mean I can't own a vehicle and get a chauffeur.
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.... its learning to dance in the rain!
Traveling down the Road "Side by Side"
2004 Alpenlite TT 28RL
2008 Suburban 2500 Lt
Home Base: Tri-Cities WA - North America
I think those state laws can and probably will be challenged successfully in the end. Neither meets the federal reqs as I presently understand them. But there again - the rules are made by those who don't have to live the results. The hassles fall to those they were supposedly trying to 'protect'.
I was hanging with a friend, trying to come up with some kind of simple device to keep people off the entry to a van. (Philosophical solutions are only one part - practical solutions are about as good in terms of benefits gained.) I thought a couple of drop-down bars with flags on a remote control just might do it. But we weren't too trusting of mechanical devices. And it wouldn't keep people from leaving a shopping cart in the way, or blocking the access ramps. Can't tell you how many times he got stuck just because his electric hoist would hang and leave him stranded. And it was more work loading than I could do most days. So it was a just plain bad solution, based on a disability rating made by the able who...(all together now) didn't have to live with the results, tra-la!
He got a better ride, but would often park out in the boonies and ride in because it was less hassle. (And he prefers leaving the spaces for those who have to hoof it.) After seeing that first getup? I didn't even want that stuff. All I had to do was walk from the car to the store and grab a scooter inside, and I would still expend less energy than he did. Course, not everybody can use one of those solutions. Even I can't, now. Have to park the RV too far out, so the scoot coming in from my site is a better solution AND I can (usually) park it right at the door.
So solving the van hassle remains on the table. I still think a simple pop-out barrier of some kind - but without motors or heavy parts. Something that can work with the existing lifts. Looked at various ideas, but nothing good yet. It really SHOULDN'T be all that tough. I could probably make something that would work well, but ideally it should not require the person in the van to do anything extra in order to use it. That's where I got stuck. This needs a real doh! kind of solution.
I'd just like to say thanks for this thread. I am a disabled vet, mostly confined to a wheelchair since I fell off a missile launcher 23 years ago. SCI with MS for kicks. I can use crutches some inside but not safely outdoors. Not one bit sorry for my road - it is a good one that many of my brothers did not get to enjoy.
Wife and I took our first RV trip to a campground this week - it was wonderful and challenging and fun. Yes - we did forget the can opener, but survived anyway.
I did park in a handicap spot, one of four that were available. This availability was one of the reasons we picked this park for our first trip out. It did make everything easier and to the three other campers I saw who had handicap plates but were not parked in handicap spots, I say thanks.
The law here states that handicap plates or placards are issued to people with mobility disabilities. But I do know folks who have mental issues that have them, who have had heart problems that were corrected long ago but who still have them, and the rude teenager or busy soccer mom who "will just be a minute - you don't mind do you?" who feel entitled somehow.
Yep, we see them all, just park yourself on one of the benches at a walmart entrance and watch how many swing into those nice wide spots close to the door, jump out and almost run in to get a forgotten gallon of milk - which is all the way in the back of the store - and back out in five minutes.
Does that person need the wide space or does the legless vet with a lift equipped van need the extra room to get his wheelchair out. If you don't think this happens come shopping with me sometime.
I have stopped to ask some why they needed the spot, you would be amazed at the responses - "why, I'm old and slow" is the most common", funny I didn't know old age was a disability although it certainly can lead to them. Try getting a handicap parking space at Walmart on the 3rd of the month.
Same issues with motorcycle riders who park in the stripped off area next to the handicap parking. If you park your bike where my lift opens guess what your pretty bike and what it will look like with my lift on top of it - it's happened and the cops wrote the biker the $250 ticket. Judge awarded me $1 for the scratch on my lift and lectured him for 15 minutes.
TO be honest if he had just moved the bike so I could get out of the van it would have been no issue but he insisted he would park anywhere he wanted - free man no ties, no obligations, open road in his hair etc.
We all are adults and make our own choices, sometimes there are no consequences, sometimes there is a crotchety old fart who just might be minding the toll booth.
If you need the spot please use it - enjoy getting out there - so much better than sitting in a house looking out the window at life passing by. If you really don't and can leave it open for me, please do - I'll be along soon and I'll have the coffee pot on, please stop by.
Larry
Larry and Debbie Kruzan
We never turn a corner without wondering in amazement at God's creation!
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