Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Mobility scooter and strange looks

Erica, when I park in a gimp spot with my mirror tag, there's no doubt I belong there--I either limp badly with a cane, or my wife and daughter steer my scooter out of the back of our van and down the ramp.

And I've learned to deeply resent and confront it when a completely healthy individual with no handicapped sticker, tags or plates park in one of our spaces. In a lot of cases I've confronted, they don't want the paint scratched on their Hummer or Escalade. Our spaces are nice and wide. I confess I've been tempted to key their vehicles from tailgate to front bumper.

I appreciate suggestions on how to handle the haters out there.

Maybe I should whisk the dust off my Smoky Bear hat and wear it when we go to the store. Then I can roll to within 4 inches and go all drill sergeant on their...toches.

"WHY ARE YOU STARING AT NE, MAGGOT? I KNOW! YOU THINK I'M PRETTY! YOU WANT TO HAVE SEX WITH ME, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW! AM I RIGHT, MAGGOT?"

"Nuh...nuh...nuh, no, dude..."

"MAGGOT, YOU WILL ADDRESS ME AS "DRILL SERGEANT" AT ALL TIMES! YOU WILL END ALL SENTENCES ADDRESSED TO ME WITH "DRILL SERGEANT". YOU WILL SPEAK ONLY AFTER YOU HAVE ASKED PERMISSION! DUDE? DOES THIS HAT LOOK LIKE A COWBOY HAT? AM I OUT OF UNIFORM AND WEARING CHAPS?"

"No, Drill Sergeant!"

"MAGGOT! WRONG ANSWER! DID I GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO SPEAK?"

and so forth. I was a drill sergeant for two years. It's always worked with my youngest daughter's boyfriends. They don't know the teddy bear within me, just the grizzly without. All my kids and my wife say my face actually morphs into Pure Evil when I put that hat on...

If I do it I'll let you know how it goes.

I've already customized my scooter. I bought a set of stick-onLED lights-- the kind you buy to put in your closet. One went on the front of the control yoke as a headlight, and one was made red and attached to the back of the seat.

The other night my friend the local cop pulled me over and told me my scooter has better lighting than a Burlington Northern engine.

So, yeah...loud and proud.

Yay on the scooter! Congratulations on getting out and about now.
I'm looking forward to reading your book. With 7 kids still at home, the isolation you spoke of is merely a fantasy for me. It's hard for me to even imagine it, but I try.

AWESOME!

We have 2 grown married daughters and our 5th grandchild on the way BUT we still have 2 at home our 16 year old Tori and Ethan who is 12..I have never had an issue with our daughters boyfriends telling them I was in the marines and I can hide a body where you would never find it JK of course, but have told them if you EVER step out of line I WILL be your worst nightmare.

We have been lucky so far..lol probly turn out the little mans wife will be the one I have to take down..lol

I love the idea of a scooter! I am not that disabled, yet, although I do get nasty looks when I park in the handicapped spaces. I have had a hang tag for years.

I can understand the cabin fever. When I first came down with ulcerative colitis, I was housebound for 6 months. I didn't leave the house except for doctor visits. My life was spent going from one bathroom to another. My hubby had to do all the shopping. I remember sitting and looking out the window, wanting to go outside, and too afraid to go out the door for fear that I couldn't run back inside fast enough.

To have freedom again is such a blessing. Enjoy!

Donna

The isolation I mentioned is nearly impossible for any writer until we become so fiercely and obnoxiously unpleasant that our loved ones build and lock us in a padded cell they'll gladly design and build.

The location of my book is the link in my signature. I look forward to your review!

Wow, Donna! I'm sure glad colitis has given me a pass to date. I hope you're doing better.

Believe me, the fight to accept that I needed first, a cane, and then a scooter was long and brutal. Now that I have the scooter I'm trying to remember why I fought it.

Must have been the same stupid pride that caused me to leave my AS untreated for thirty plus years, until nothing can be done.

I hope you have a safe and great weekend.

My grandson's sperm donor left the country, leaving all his belongings behind.

I have no idea why...

LOL...I have a feeling we are going to get along fine you and I..lol

Oh it may just be in Oklahoma where I live BUT currently the cost of a ticket for someone who parks in a handicapped spot that doesn't belong there just went up from $300.00 to $500.00 a ticket.

There is a site on FB Exposing People Who Park In Handicapped Parking (and shouldn't) they are trying to bring attention to the people that like you said uses their Hummers or I have even seen a Ferrari, even a UPS truck, the joiners of the site take a picture of the offender in the parking spot and upload it onto their site and expose them with their tag number hoping to shame them into stop doing it. I just wish the police would enforce it, I don't understand why the police would rather write a $10.00 seat belt violation when they can pop dozens of abusers for $500.00 a whack, just think how much that would be in 1 day for their state...

Even though I have a handicapped license plate and a placard I still try to park in a regular spot if I am having a good day, I look perfectly healthy except I walk with a limp but I can tell you I have had countless encounters with people questioning me..almost got into a physical fight one day when this woman went after my 16 year old, Tori was just trying to take up for me by saying don't talk to my Mom that way, and I can't tell you what she told Tori but I got right up in her face and said you say one more word to my child and they will be scraping pieces of you off this sidewalk...all of that because she said I was suppose to have my placard hanging up as I pulled in...like what the crap are you the handicapped police??? Now when I have issues something that scares the crap out of them if they question me at all, I don't say a word and I walk to their car and get their tag number and let them know that I am calling 911 and filing harrassment charges against them, THAT shuts them up real quick. I guess they think the are going to scare me because they don't think the placard is mine but the real jole will be on them when the police get there and find out it is, so far I have only had that happen once and as soon as they saw I had their license and I was dialing 911 they couldn't get out of there fast enough. As crappy as I feel and all the heck I had to go thru to get it the last thing I am going to go thru is harrassment because of it. I don't question other peoples motives even when i see a teen get out running into the store knowing that placard isn't his because I know looks can be deceiving, I try to just mind my own business and expect people to do the same for me.

Don't worry about the looks and stares I get them too, when I do I just think you know your Momma apparently didn't raise you right..lol you know you need it, your Drs. know you need it and thats all that matters.

Lisa