Ever have one of those days???????

[hollyquaiscer]

Today was a beautiful day. Myself and 2 dd's took our dogs to the off leash park and the dogs had a blast. We were there for about an hour. I was getting tired but needed a few things from the store. We dropped off 1 dd with all the dogs at my home and off to the store the 2 of us went. The parking lot was busy so we finally found a wheelchair spot near the door, we park. I open my door and get out, then I turn to get my purse and to take my permit to hang in my dd's window. This guy comes running over, yelling at me at the top of his lungs telling me to get back in the f...... van and move it??????? I told him I was allowed to park here, that I have a permit. He is still yelling saying that I look fine and that if I did get our van moved that he was going to move it for us, and that people like me don't deserve to live. My dd by this time had lock the vehicle and come around to my side, took my permit and put it in the window and shut my door. She turned to the guy to tell him it was alright and....he shoved me to the ground I'm not sure if this guy was on drugs, or was just really mad because he thought I was doing something wrong. My dd ran in the store and called a man from the store outside. By the time they got back, this guy was gone. We went into the store, I went and washed up in the bathroom and we tried to hurry to get what I needed as I just wanted to go home.

We are in the produce section and a bunch of kids(3 of them) are playing hide and seek. One was hunched over in front of the tomatoes and I needed to get a few. I bent down and asked the child if they could move over a bit so I could reach the tomatoes. Well oiy....that was the wrong thing to do. The childs mother came over and started to belittle me for talking to her child telling me that the child was doing nothing wrong and I had no business asking him to move. Well, by this time, I just feel like . I left the tomatoes, grabbed the bananas and some milk and we headed to the cash. The lines were so long, I guess because it's the weekend. We stood there for about 10 minutes just to get through the 15 item or less lane. When we got outside, dd went to open the van and realized she couldn't find her keys. She started to panic. We retraced all our steps, finally going to customer service when we couldn't find them. Thank goodness they were there. It turns out she must have dropped them on her way when she ran in to get help for me. I am now home and not leaving for the rest of the day....I'm affraid to even peak out the window, lol!

I just wish that people would think before they open their pie hole and start on other people about where they should park or about disabilities. Some of us may look alright on the outside, but on the inside we are fighting for our lives.

[abbasgirl]

Wow...I'm so sorry!!! I don't even know what else to say!
I've read threads from people who consider it their mission in life to berate people who they think are improperly parked in a wheelchair spot and it annoyed me so much that I had to stop reading. But there just aren't even any words for this one!

[alicia]

Oh my gosh, I am so sorry to hear of your day.

What nerve that man had to physically harm you. Is there any possibility of cameras in the parking lot? Since handicapped parking is always close to the building it might be worth a shot. Also, I don't get his self-righteous behaviour to take it upon himself to police this considering you had a permit. Yes it aggravates me when I see someone who looks "physically fine" park in a marked spot but only if they do not have a pass and are being lazy/inconsiderate, but you were putting up the permit and he has no idea what might be going on internally to warrant a permit.

All I can say is thankfully the day is over, but good grief, that's enough to bring anyone down (even for someone who is as upbeat as you).

[couponlovingcanuck]

i am so sorry to hear about this! I CANNOT believe the nerve of the guy to push you down to the floor! Itr made me really maad reading your post LOL! Hope you have a better day tm!

[mama_to_one_in_a_half]

Im so sorry you had such a bad day

[jasperandchar]

what a jerk....he has alot of nerve.....and as for the little brats in the grocery store....wow

[abbasgirl]

OK. Now that I've had a chance to recover from reading the first part of your story, I'll respond to the second. What the heck is wrong with parents these days? Since when is it perfectly acceptable to allow your children to run around the store and get in other people's way? That mother's behaviour was so outlandish, I swear she was related to the guy in the parking lot!

[alicia]

OK. Now that I've had a chance to recover from reading the first part of your story, I'll respond to the second. What the heck is wrong with parents these days? Since when is it perfectly acceptable to allow your children to run around the store and get in other people's way? That mother's behaviour was so outlandish, I swear she was related to the guy in the parking lot!

I know, the complete audacity of the man made me also completely ignore the horrendous mothering in social settings.

[aurora04]

Wow! I am so sorry that you had to deal with that man! You have a permit, you are more then welcome to park there! A family friend has dealt with ignorant people as well with her disability. She had one guy tell her that she looks perfectly healthy and should not be parking in the handicap spots. She stopped and looked him in the eye and said "well at first you looked smart, I guess looks can be decieving" and she walked away.

That mother was completely out of line! I do not allow my kids away from the cart when we are grocery shopping! I don't want other customers to be tripping over them, or for my kids to be getting in their way!

I hope your day gets better!

[hollyquaiscer]

Thanks everyone for your kind words. All I can say is that I'm glad that I'm home. My dh and I just finished a nice dinner, and I'm relaxing now. I feel bad for people who choose to narrow their mind and be so self rightous that they condem others without knowing the facts. I have had this permit for a while now and often feel guilty about using it. My Dr said to just use it as thats what the spots are for, people who are ill and can't walk as far as others. I don't go out often anymore, but today was 22, and I wanted to enjoy the weather, thus talking our dogs to the park. As a result of that, I was extremely tired and felt that it warranted me using a stall and my permit. This entire ordeal has shaken me, I don't think I will go out for a while now, plus I have a nice bruise forming on my hip. I know it's safe here, lol

[Gazpache]

I feel your pain about people being judgemental about the handicapped spots. I'm 28 and can't walk due to knee issues and I CONSTANTLY get nasty looks from people when I pull into handicapped spots, and I've got a tag too. I figure it's just because I'm young. They usually stop glaring once they see the crutches come out of the car though. That guy had no right to physically assault you. Yes, people who park in handicapped spots without passes are annoying.. I wish we could just take a pic of the car where it shows the license plate, the fact it's a handicapped spot and the fact they have no tag and email it to the parking patrol.. but you had a tag. You had every right to be there.

*sarcasm* Oh and how dare you ask little "Billy" to move over a bit. I mean don't you know he's a complete angel and never does anything wrong? *sarcasm*
I swear there's a ton of parents out there that think their child is an angel and has the right to do whatever they want, when they want, regardless as to how it may impact others. All you did was ask him to move a bit. It's not like you yelled at him, touched him, tried to abduct him or even stood there and went "He's hiding here!" and ruined their game! You were far more polite than most people would be.

Sorry you had such an awful day. Sounds like the good weather brought a lot of the crabbies out.

[Dayanara]

I have had a parking pass since I was 25 (almost 30 now) and I constantly get bad looks when they see me get out of the car. My reason - Mulitple Sclerosis. I usually don't need it once I arrive at the mall, but after walking around for an hour or so my legs start going numb and I can collapse at any minute, so a spot close by helps a lot.

If I am having a good day I typically will not park in it but I always have my sticker showing. I even get dirty looks when people just see me with the sticker in the car and not even using the spot! So weird.

Worst thing that happened to me, was I had a crazy woman yelling at me once and kept accusing me that I stole someone's pass, probably my grandmother's, etc etc. I ignored her and went onto the Walmart (just had quick return). By the time I got back I had a $300 ticket for parking without a legal permit...Excuse me? The woman was still around and gloated that she called authorities and told them I had stolen the permit, it did not belong to me (and sadly because I had it on my visor it slipped slightly so a number could not be read properly to verify...sigh...I now keep it on my dashboard). So I had to go down to the courthouse and get the ticket cancelled....VERY frustrating day.

But to physically push you? Wrong for so many reasons....people like that make me sick.

And as for the kids...wow...

[jayne_a]

My mother in Law has no handicaps (mentally yes lol) but physically no. She says b/c she's married to a man who has a permit she has the right to use it when ever she wants. My father in law never leaves the house unless he has to go to the hospital or doctors. So mother in law takes his permit with her everywhere. She actually uses it everyday. For work, shopping everyday! She makes me so mad, b/c there are ppl who actually need those spots. DH has argued with her about it before, and has actually reported her for this, but she lies to get out of tickets. She makes me so mad.

[Dayanara]

My mother in Law has no handicaps (mentally yes lol) but physically no. She says b/c she's married to a man who has a permit she has the right to use it when ever she wants. My father in law never leaves the house unless he has to go to the hospital or doctors. So mother in law takes his permit with her everywhere. She actually uses it everyday. For work, shopping everyday! She makes me so mad, b/c there are ppl who actually need those spots. DH has argued with her about it before, and has actually reported her for this, but she lies to get out of tickets. She makes me so mad.

Oh that is a HUGE pet peeve of mine...

My husband jokes about doing it when he steals the car, but I know he never would because it would jeopardize me having it maybe and we do not want that.

[hollyquaiscer]

My mother in Law has no handicaps (mentally yes lol) but physically no. She says b/c she's married to a man who has a permit she has the right to use it when ever she wants. My father in law never leaves the house unless he has to go to the hospital or doctors. So mother in law takes his permit with her everywhere. She actually uses it everyday. For work, shopping everyday! She makes me so mad, b/c there are ppl who actually need those spots. DH has argued with her about it before, and has actually reported her for this, but she lies to get out of tickets. She makes me so mad.

Im not sure how she could get out of a ticket because the name of the person that the plaque is issued is on a paper that looks exactly like a registration (at least in my province). This type of misuse also upsets me and I see it every day.

i actually have a pass and don't use it that often, I feel bad. I use it when I am really tired, or I have come frotreTment and have to stop to get mess on the way home, that Bout it. I think that walking is good for you and I prefer to if I can. Sme people are just lazy when they use someone else's disability plaque. If your Dr wanted you to have one, he would have issued you one, what is your mil thinking??? So sad