None of these vehicles parked in the marked disabled parking spots at the Oshawa GO Train Station had permits, writes Oshawa womanSubmitted by email to cj@thiscrazytrain.com
Good morning!
I found your website while looking for information about GO parking enforcement. What a fabulous website and I'm happy I found it because I think your readership needs to hear from me.
I have celebral palsy. When I was a child, I used to pray to God every night he would fix my body so I could walk straight, talk without a lisp and run like my friends (the very few that I had). That, of course, never happened. But I did meet a wonderful man who accepted me for who I am and because he chauffeurs me around, we are privileged to have a disabled parking permit for our car.
Friday evening, we parked at the Oshawa GO lot to catch a train to Toronto to attend a function downtown.
As I waited in the car for my husband to buy the tickets before coming back to help me out, I was surprised at how many disabled parking spaces there were and how many were occupied by drivers who were just sitting in these cars. Then a train arrived and all these people coming out of the gate began to walk towards these cars (most of these people were young and very able) and climbed in and off the cars drove away.
I was furious. Those spots are not park and rides! When my husband came back to our car I asked him to go to the cars still idling and tell me how many of them had permits. He came back to tell me none.
Shame. Shame on you all who do this. There is a waiting area and drop off and pick up area right near the station entrance. I could see it from where I was. That's where you are supposed to go.
Then, as we waited for our train to arrive, we saw a small sedan pull up with three young people inside and the driver parked right in a clearly marked disabled spot. No sticker. After five minutes, two young people climbed out to take the same train as us and the driver left.
My husband took photos with his phone that I have shared with you.
As my husband pushed me in my wheelchair to the train, I stared at these two young people as they walked and laughed on their way to the train.
I am 64 years old. There was a time when this country was not accessible to me. When I could not go see a movie because my parents could not fit my wheelchair into the theatre.
I have made the best of my situation.
I pity the ignorance and selfishness of today's youth. You have not had to fight for anything but you so easily take advantage of what I, in my youth fought for, without so much as a thank you.
These spots are there to make my life more accessible. Not for you to shorten your walk.
Isabelle Lampion
Oshawa
isabelle, you sound like a very bitter woman. it's not like these people are parking there. there is no park and ride at oshawa go. it's a drop area that is hogged by the cab drivers. the handicapped parking spots should only be near the entrance and if you ask me, there are too many to begin with and confusing for those who don't know the layout of the lot. this is a shortcoming on behalf of go transit not today's youth, not on drivers. if these people had parked there and took the train then it's an issue. people looking to park in these spots can wait until these people leave. it's five minutes. i'm sorry you have a disease. but don't take out your anger on people just being dropped off. take it out on go for not providing better logistics.
ReplyDeleteBoy or boy. Aren't you a piece of ignorant work, anonymous coward. Can't even leave a name!
ReplyDeleteHow much more apparent does it need to be that the two rows banking the front of the station are for disabled permits only?
Do you need someone to stand there with a bullhorn to tell you?
Are you telling me that the driving masses now need instructions on how a parking lot functions?
Isabelle made some valid points. And there is a drop off area that is rarely full. The problem is that people have to line up and god forbid any of these ABLE-BODIED drivers wait. No person with a valid sticker with a valid disability should have to wait for any able-bodied lazy ass.
Secondly, Celebral Palsy is not a disease. Your ignorance is astounding.
Nothing but pure lazyness to not want to walk the extra few steps. That is why people park where they clearly should not. Bet you they were idling their cars as well. People who are that ignorant usually have little regard for most of the laws.
ReplyDeleteAnd their pitiful excuse is usually, I was only using it for a minute. Yeah right!
Isabelle, keep smiling. There are lots of people out here who agree with you!!!
It is tempting isn't it, to park in those spots. I mean, it is only 5 minutes you say to yourself. I'm only one car you say to yourself. I just want to use it for convenience you say to yourself. That is a really slippery slope to start sliding down. Society can't function when we all behaving like self centered, self indulgent folks. It starts to fall apart.
ReplyDeleteA quote I thoroughly enjoy: "Ethics means doing the right thing when no one is watching".
Anon, you have a lot to learn. My husband has muscular dystrophy. He and Isabelle go through more in a morning to just get ready to go out the door than you and I go through all day. You should be ashamed of yourself trying to defend someone using a handicapped spot when they don't need it.
ReplyDeleteStephanie
Fabulous post. This sense of entitlement shocks me as I ease my way back into the city to visit.
ReplyDeleteWe have to speak up and speak out.
Some do not care.
I have found a flyer that speaks to anti-idling. Perhaps we need a flyer to place on the windshield of people who park in these spots?
Isabel you're quite judgemental, and I don't think being in a wheelchair entitles you to pass judgement like you do. Sorry that the kids were happy. Would you raher they be morose? You really have NO idea of their own struggles. Are you sure that the kid that was happy is not a cancer survivor? Or living in an abusive home? Give the kids a break, and don't assume that they have such an easy life. Not really sure what you expected them to do?
ReplyDeleteIf you want to be pissed off, fine, but direct it to the right people-the driver who was in the handicapped spot.
I too have a complaint about abuse of handicapped spots, by people who have a handicapped parking permit, but the handicapped person isn't in the vehicle. I see it all the time. Just because they have the permit, they park or idle in the spot, but they shouldn't be using it. And yes, I'm not talking about someone with CHF that can't walk far.
The able bodied people in these cars could easily ask the drivers picking them up or dropping them off not to park there. Done.
ReplyDeleteWhich way to the IParkWhereIWant Blog? My beef is with people who park in front of the doors at stores like Wal-Mart. They're too lazy to park in the lot like everyone else. Then there are the visually impared drivers who can't see the lines on the ground marking the parking spaces, which we've seen a plenty here. Which is the reason this blog exists: to air out our dirty turnips.
ReplyDeleteI like to tap on the car windows of these people parked in these "fire routes" and politely point out why it says there's no parking. Sometimes I wish there was a huge fire at the Walmart or Sobeys so I could watch in glee as the firetrucks park overtop of these people.
ReplyDeleteLaws are for everyone. Just like the no smoking signs on the platform. It means you, too.
My boyfriend has the same problem at Pickering Stn. He has a fused knee and a disbility parking permit and it's incredible how quickly the 4 spots in front of the west tunnel fill up every day with lazy inconsiderate a-holes waiting to drop off their coffee sipping husband/wife/etc. They don't understand that the fact they are even sitting there for 5 mins is taking up a spot he could use to get on the exact same train they are waiting to take!! When meanwhile the rows just in front of the disability spots is for the "reserved" parking and is always empty - why not park there? An extra 6 feet to much for your tender tootsies? Incredible. It's for physical disabilities people not MENTAL!!!
ReplyDeleteFamily members who use the permit for their personal use or gain and not for the reason intended are also in violation of the by-laws.
ReplyDeleteThat permit is not your ticket to ride.
I am curious though. Isabelle, does your husband park in disabled parking when you're not with him because the permit allows it?
It's tempting I could see that.
We know of friends who will go with a relative's car to shopping malls so they can get a prime spot, even if Auntie Jo isn't with them. Shamless, really.
Ontario Parking Definition:
ReplyDelete“park” or “parking”, when prohibited, means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when standing temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers; (“stationnement”).
So while I agree; A car just sitting there for 5 minutes is not acceptable and actually illegal. Pulling in, unloading and leaving is completely acceptable. You don't like that.. fight for the law to change... don't bitch at those following the letter of the law.
But, on a bitch worthy level...there seems to be a LOT of unused Accessible Parking spots available in that picture.. are you just bitching to bitch?
I completely agree "PARKING" and leaving your car - not cool. sitting there for 2 minutes to keep warm when a lot of other spots are available.. not awesome.. but hardly bitch worthy! Pick your fights people... this just sounds like whining to me.