In my column of Monday April 24, I wrote about an effort underway to establish a citizen's patrol in Raleigh to keep tabs on folks who park illegally in handicap accessible parking spaces — without the appropriate plackards or tags. Lots of interesting response, most from handicapped folks who are sick and tired of having to duke it out for parking spaces with nonhandicapped drivers using the spaces "just for a minute."
A representative one:
Thank you for bringing attention to this problem. After suffering a stroke in 1999, I am permanently disabled, and have a legal handicapped parking permit.
I can't count the number of times I've observed the misuse of this priveledge. I've even seen people pull into handicapped spaces at the health club I attend, reach into their vehicle to get their workout bag, and walk briskly into the facility. Hello!
I often wonder if the same mentality exists for those that abuse handicapped
parking spaces with those that litter our highways.

Others suggested expanding the patrols:
My hope is that while this is being studied that
they will consider the problem of parking in the fire
lanes. To me this is a growing issue of safety for
children, mothers with strollers, older people and
others who must weave between illegally parked cars
and are dumped into the traffic without being able to
see from the right or left. Sooner or later we will
read the inevitable will happen.
With all the parking spaces at our shopping
centers not being used I cannot believe that I see
cars in these spaces with unattended children with
motors running while the adults run in the store just
so they may save a few steps.

And then, this, which speaks for itself:
Check to your heart's content.  Set spies on every corner, at every Wal-Mart, Sam's, Kroger's, Food Lion, Harris Teeter; there is an immutable fact; namely, in a land which promotes itself to be "Democratic", where each of us is equal under the law, and when that is "perceived" to be true;then  any time   the government makes a law which allows special privileges for one group over another - for whatever well- intended reason -   there is a problem.
 
Do you recall a few years ago seeing stickers on the rear windows of autos, "Baby on Board"?  That mentality is an extension of the "Special consideration"i.e., the driver concludes that her/his child is suddenly not only the responsibility of others who use the public streets, but must be their primary focus.  It is smug.
 
Finally, if the "Handicapped" provision had ever been policed, then the problem might have revealed itself for what it is: excessive  pampering in our society and too little responsibility taken on the part of those asking for the pamper.  What ever happened to Emerson's "Self Reliance"?

Yikes.

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