First off I would like to say that this is nothing against people with a handicap. I have no ill will or hatred towards people with disabilities. And Im not an ass when it comes to stuff like that. Now here is my b****: 18 handicap parking spots at Lowe's and Home Depot that are ALWAYS empty. Its almost offensive. I can understand 5 or 6 spots, but 18? I just dont understand the logic behind the need for so many spots. Sure I should probably walk a little further. But when its 95 with 100% humidity and you are carrying lumber, it makes life a little more difficult.
I think there's a law that says a certain percentage of parking spaces must be handicapped. Now, as for the rest, you act like Houston being hot and humid is something new. I'm sure 20 extra seconds of hot weather isn't going to kill you. Also, they DO have carts you can put lumber on, believe it or not... Anybody that parks in a handicapped space needs their license revoked for a month. That lazy attitude is the reason there are so many fat people in this country. Don't even get me started on the parking lot vultures...
What Lazy attitude...are you talking about that lazy attitude that has caused Gyms to have Valet service.....that gets me all the time...your going to gym...yet you still valet your car so you don't have to park far and walk? I understand it when it's raining cats and dogs...but for gods sake...don't go to the gym if your too lazy to walk from the parking lot to the gym...
I had a funny thing happen over a handicap spot the other day.. I was at a full movie theater the other day and the driveway next to the box office was full..We were trying to buy tickets for a show that would start in a few hours so I parked in a handicapped spots (20 total 15+ were empty) while one of my friends jumped out of the car to go buy the tickets (we were waiting in the car with the flashers on) Well, some random lady pulls right behind me to keep me from pulling out and proceeds to write down my plate number.. I proceeded to pull out and she did back up and let me go by all while she gave us the evil eye.. In turn we did have to park hella far away and walk in the rain to buy the tickets... I knew I was in the wrong, but I thought the Handicap Nazi took that one a few steps to far..
You gotta love a guy complaining about walking in extra 30 feet with lumber and such in this heat............when most likely he is going to be outside in this heat constructing something when he gets home......... That being said, they do seem to have a few too many spaces at Lowes.
Another fine example of your goverment at work: The American's with Disabilities Act dictates that 4% of your total parking spaces must be handicap spaces even though only 1/2 of 1% of Americans have disabilities. I would assume additionally that that 1/2 of 1% would not average as many car trips per day as fully capable person. I once designed a parking lot for a golf course and had to have 8 handicapped parking places. So they could park and do what? (I am all for providing for the handicap, it's just the large numbers I find amusing)
I don't mind it, doesn't hurt me to walk a few more feet to get where I'm going. Did you know that at the time it was built, MMP was the most handicap accessible stadium in the country? My wife's high risk pregnancy will probably get us a temp handicap pass soon, then I'll be using those spots at Home Depot!
Realize that that may not account for the large (likely larger than 0.5%) number of people with temporary handicap permits for ankle sprains, toenail removals, knee operations, and every other type of temporary disability that happens pretty often. Even still, I'd think they could cut it at 2% instead of 4..that's crazy.
In a tangental subject, it annoys me that building codes dictate a minimum number of parking spots for your business -- and, looking at everyone's parking lots, it looks like it is greatly in excess of parking needs. Is it any wonder we have such urban sprawl when so much parking is mandated?
this is how i look at it. as long as i don't have a need for a handicap parking space, i'm not complaining.
Wow, people can get handicap permits when they have ankle sprains? That never occured to me when last time I sprained mine playing hoops.
Im sorry, but it annoys the crap out of me. I think its human nature of every Houstonian to not want to walk as far, the problem I have is the lack of USE of the spots. Whenever I am at Lowes or Home Depot there are TONS of empty spots when it seems like the rest of the lot is practically full. Just sucks thats all....
My ONLY defense of that is the 24 Hour Fitness on Post Oak. The problem is that their lot is not big enough if you go after work. You get there at 5:30 and you literally cannot find a parking space in the lot, beside or behind the building. The ONLY option is valet parking because they can park your vehicle in spots you aren't allowed to park on your own - double parked in the delivery zone, for example. I agree with the laziness factor for sure, but I have used the valet at that club just because I'd be driving around for 20 minutes trying to chase down a parking spot if I didn't.
Seriously. Handicapped people don't choose to be that way. I'll give them a closer parking spot without complaining about it.
