When grocery shopping, most of us do everything in our power to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible. We have our trusty route down, and we know which cashiers to avoid to expedite our check-out experience. But when it comes to time-saving tricks, parking 50 feet closer to the store’s entrance doesn’t really make that big of a difference. In fact, parking too close might just make you a jerk.

Below, you’ll find the story of how one father expertly enacted petty revenge against a man who decided to arrogantly park his new car in a disabled spot purely for convenience. 

Just because there are accessible parking spots available doesn’t mean anyone is allowed to use them

Image credits: Meruyert Gonullu (not the actual photo)

So after one man felt entitled to steal one simply for convenience, a frustrated father decided to teach him a lesson

Image credits: Timeo Buehrer (not the actual photo)

Image credits: James Lee (not the actual photo)

Image credits: dogswelcomenopeople

“On top of all the pain and suffering people with disabilities have, these people are just adding onto this by their actions”

To learn more about this situation, we reached out to the father on Reddit, Dogswelcomenopeople, and he was kind enough to have a chat with us. We wanted to know how often he sees drivers inappropriately steal these parking spots, and unfortunately, he says it happens all the time. But he usually decides to bite his tongue. “I never say anything unless there’s no handicap license plate or HC placard,” the father told Bored Panda. “If I say anything, it’s only, ‘Do you have a placard’?”

This is not the only time Dogswelcomenopeople has enacted petty revenge in these situations though. “Several times, I’ve just parked behind them,” he shared. “When I’m told, ‘I’ll only be a minute!’ by someone illegally parking in a HC space, I’ll just pull in blocking them in. When they have the inevitable meltdown, I just cheerfully say, ‘I’ll only be a minute!’”

Sadly, many people who don’t have disabilities have no idea how privileged they are. “People have said to me that at least I have parking at stores around holidays,” the father went on to note. “I remind them, A) WHY I have the placard (accessibility), and B) that the spaces are usually taken up by people parking illegally. I’d like for people to understand that when they’ve parked illegally, it deprives someone of the right to have access, whether they’re in a parking space or blocking a ramp.” The father’s wife also chimed in, adding that, “On top of all the pain and suffering people with disabilities have, these people are just adding onto this by their actions. They are just being selfish pigs, and that’s an insult to pigs.”

Image credits: Ivan Samkov (not the actual photo)

Over 30 million Americans have mobility issues that require them to use accessibility parking

The man in this story might have wrongly assumed that there are very few people who actually need those spots, but according to the CDC, up to 26% of adults in the United States have a disability. Not all disabilities present themselves physically, but more than 30 million Americans have mobility disabilities, meaning they do need those accessibility parking spots. And it isn’t always easy to find those spaces, as a study from the Accessible Parking Coalition found that 62% of people with disabilities in the US would be “more likely to drive or ride if more parking was available” and 52% have opted out of making a trip altogether due to concerns about finding accessible parking. Businesses are required to provide at least one disabled parking spot per every 25 parking spaces their lot houses, but that can make spaces fill up incredibly fast in small lots. Parking can also become more complicated for businesses that only provide street parking or no spaces at all.         

In most countries, individuals can receive a placard for their car to signal to others that the driver, or a passenger in their vehicle, requires mobility assistance. But according to BraunAbility, drivers who have these permits must always have them clearly displayed and may not utilize them if no one in the vehicle at that time has a disability. “Never park in a handicap parking space if you or your passenger do not hold a permit,” BraunAbility notes. “If parking adjacent to a handicap space, be sure you do not obstruct the striped aisles. Otherwise, those requiring side-entry or exit cannot use the space.”

Now, when it comes to intervening as a bystander, it can be tricky to determine whether or not someone “deserves” to park in a disabled space. It’s impossible to know simply by looking at someone whether or not they struggle with a disability, so it’s best to keep an open mind and not judge others. “There are often instances where individuals with valid parking permits have disabilities that are hidden or invisible to those around them,” the Disability Foundation explains on their site. “In these cases, permit holders have reported being confronted in parking lots from those questioning their need for accessible parking. These negative experiences can be uncomfortable or even traumatic, lending to many in need of accommodation not using the designated spaces out of fear.”

Image credits: Jakub Pabis (not the actual photo)

Stealing these spaces is not only disrespectful, but is likely to result in hefty fines as well

The father who shared this story online noted that the petty revenge took place in Texas many years ago, so we cannot be sure of the exact laws and regulations in his city and county at the time. But according to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, “People who misuse disabled parking placards are subject to fines of up to $1,250 and/or up to 50 hours of community service.” And while the cost of a ticket for illegally parking in a disabled spot will vary depending on the location where the driver was ticketed, there’s no question that it will be hefty.

Aside from the fact that it’s illegal, stealing accessibility parking when you could easily walk a few extra feet is simply disrespectful, so I hope the driver in this story learned his lesson after his encounter with this concerned father. We would love to hear your thoughts on this beautiful petty revenge in the comments down below, pandas, and if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article discussing why we should never confront people about their disabilities if they are displaying a placard in their car, check out this story next.     

Image credits: Kindel Media (not the actual photo)

Many readers applauded the father for his brilliant revenge, with some even sharing stories of similar, personal experiences

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