This morning, while entering Starbucks, I noticed a large SUV parked halfway on a handicap spot and halfway onto the access aisle. The car engine was running, and I did not see any handicap placard or license plates.
As I stood there, a woman rushed out of Starbucks and attempted to open the passenger side of the vehicle. She was stymied by the locked door and jogged to the driver’s side, found what she was looking for, and ran back inside.
Disabilities are often invisible, so I can’t say if she needed the spot or not. I found it frustrating that she chose to park in such a way that blocked the access aisle. As someone who uses a mobility van with a ramp, I know firsthand that if someone parks in the access aisle, it can make it impossible for me to get my son out of the van via the ramp.
It’s like a game of Tetris, where every block needs to fit into its designated space. By parking in the access aisle, the woman was like a misplaced block that made it impossible for other blocks to fit into their spaces. In other words, she wasn’t just taking up two spaces; she was taking up three.
There is a saying that goes, “If you knew what I know, you would believe what I believe.” I can’t figure out what she believes. I can’t see this through her eyes. How do you park in a way that will make the life of a disabled person harder?
Notes For Kevin 