People who misuse “disabled” parking placards steal prime spots away from people with disabilities who really need them.

Again and again I see people with these cards hop out of their cars and stride off to go shopping. They need a disability placard? Really? I think we all know the truth: They may have had some temporary walking difficulty in the past, from which they’re now fully recovered, but the placard still has some time to go — sometimes years to go. So, why not continue to use it and get a prime parking spot? Who will know!

Another excuse? The placard belongs to a relative who needs it when he or she is in the car. But if they’re not in the car, why does the driver feel it’s morally okay to use the placard and steal that spot?

Last week my wife challenged a couple who had a blue placard but who’d hopped out and walked briskly away from their car. She said to them, “But you’re not handicapped.” She got a nasty “What business is it of yours?” in return.

It would be nice — if naïve— to hope these drivers will get challenged more often so they realize other people do notice when they take these disabled spots. And, perhaps, they might realize they’re stealing — yes, stealing — from the genuinely handicapped. And that’s just not right.

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