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Man Arrogantly Parks His Brand-New Corvette In A Disabled Spot, So A Father Comes Up With A Brilliant Act Of Petty Revenge
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Man Arrogantly Parks His Brand-New Corvette In A Disabled Spot, So A Father Comes Up With A Brilliant Act Of Petty Revenge

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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

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Image credits: Timeo Buehrer (not the actual photo)

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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’?”

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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.”

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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.         

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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.”

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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.     

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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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Adelaide Ross

Adelaide Ross

Author, BoredPanda staff

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Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about two years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

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Adelaide Ross

Adelaide Ross

Author, BoredPanda staff

Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about two years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

Rasa Žilinskaitė

Rasa Žilinskaitė

Author, Community member

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Rasa is a photo editor at Bored Panda, they have a college degree in photography and are currently studying sewing. Ever since childhood Rasa was interested in visual arts, including painting, photography, knitting and so on. When not at work or studying they like to knitting, cooking and spending quality time with their cats.

Read less »

Rasa Žilinskaitė

Rasa Žilinskaitė

Author, Community member

Rasa is a photo editor at Bored Panda, they have a college degree in photography and are currently studying sewing. Ever since childhood Rasa was interested in visual arts, including painting, photography, knitting and so on. When not at work or studying they like to knitting, cooking and spending quality time with their cats.

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LK
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Please remember that not all disabilities are visible. A person might appear to be healthy, have the usual number of limbs, etc, but they might have a condition or illness that means they can't walk far. If you are going to challenge someone about where they are parking, be gentle and kind. If they show themselves to be abusing the parking space, then do what you think best. ;o)

Apps
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep! My stepmother was a jerk and made an assumption about a guy who had no visible disability who was walking to his pickup truck in a handicap spot. She yelled at him and he said hold on a minute and proceeded to balance himself on his truck while he rolled up his pant leg and took off his prosthetic leg. He did it so fast, that she just stood there in confusion. Then he took his prosthetic leg and started waving it in the air and yelled "Is this disabled ENOUGH for you?!" Never assume someone doesn't have a problem just because you can't see it.

Load More Replies...
N Miller
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm fully able-bodied, but have used a badge and space to collect my significantly *not* able-bodied grandparent (years ago, they've since passed) because I was their carer. The amount of evil looks I received collecting said grandparent from hospital appointments, the respite centre, etc.

I just work here
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I appear able bodied, but have multiple health issues. Have handicap placard. I don't park in handicap frequently, but sometimes when I have I get glares from idiots! I like how they think they can judge. Pretty sure I had to go through my doctor and the dmv to get the placard jackwad..

Load More Replies...
PeepPeep the duck
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had a ute steal a wheelchair parking spot off me whilst trying to park, ended up having to park 3 minute walk away if your able bodied and young etc. long 20 minute walk with an elderly lady in a walking frame and the person was a random tradie guy, I got inside and made a polite point of showing him the 92yr old woman (who when he looked over was struggling to just stand) explained that his actions had made us walk from the back of the carpark and asked how he would like that done to his mum or grandmother, and he just hit a realisation, I gathered from his reaction and answer he’s never done it again. Some people don’t think, they are easy to deal with thankfully compared to this egomaniac

Load More Comments
LK
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Please remember that not all disabilities are visible. A person might appear to be healthy, have the usual number of limbs, etc, but they might have a condition or illness that means they can't walk far. If you are going to challenge someone about where they are parking, be gentle and kind. If they show themselves to be abusing the parking space, then do what you think best. ;o)

Apps
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep! My stepmother was a jerk and made an assumption about a guy who had no visible disability who was walking to his pickup truck in a handicap spot. She yelled at him and he said hold on a minute and proceeded to balance himself on his truck while he rolled up his pant leg and took off his prosthetic leg. He did it so fast, that she just stood there in confusion. Then he took his prosthetic leg and started waving it in the air and yelled "Is this disabled ENOUGH for you?!" Never assume someone doesn't have a problem just because you can't see it.

Load More Replies...
N Miller
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm fully able-bodied, but have used a badge and space to collect my significantly *not* able-bodied grandparent (years ago, they've since passed) because I was their carer. The amount of evil looks I received collecting said grandparent from hospital appointments, the respite centre, etc.

I just work here
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I appear able bodied, but have multiple health issues. Have handicap placard. I don't park in handicap frequently, but sometimes when I have I get glares from idiots! I like how they think they can judge. Pretty sure I had to go through my doctor and the dmv to get the placard jackwad..

Load More Replies...
PeepPeep the duck
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had a ute steal a wheelchair parking spot off me whilst trying to park, ended up having to park 3 minute walk away if your able bodied and young etc. long 20 minute walk with an elderly lady in a walking frame and the person was a random tradie guy, I got inside and made a polite point of showing him the 92yr old woman (who when he looked over was struggling to just stand) explained that his actions had made us walk from the back of the carpark and asked how he would like that done to his mum or grandmother, and he just hit a realisation, I gathered from his reaction and answer he’s never done it again. Some people don’t think, they are easy to deal with thankfully compared to this egomaniac

Load More Comments
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