Unfortunately, even though the tag has an image of a person in a wheelchair, having a handicap is not limited to those in a wheelchair. Many times people have problems with arthritis, memory problems, cancer, kidney failure and other diseases, which impairs them from walking long distances or even remembering where they parked their car.
According to the last U.S. Census, there are approximately 60 million people or nearly 20 % of the population that have a disability in this country. When you think about how large that number is compared to the number of spaces, it’s really shocking that there are not that many handicapped spaces per lot. Most states have their own requirements for parking tags and typically there is one handicapped spot per every 25 regular spots.
Many times we have practice restraint when we see someone parking in a handicap spot and remember that there are invisible handicaps that even though you can’t see their physical pain, they are struggling to get through their day. While there still may be people that often borrow the cars with the handicapped tags, you should probably cut them some slack because even living with someone with a disability can be a difficult task.
Next time you see someone that looks perfectly normal, think about what they may be going through and give them a smile and wish them well. Be grateful that you are perfectly healthy and able to walk long distances because sometimes the long walk is worth the trip.
