Anyone here with Disabled tags or placards?

[leehljp]

The neurologist that I went to today said I could get a permanent disabled tag or plackard if I brought him the forms. I was a little shocked, but LOML said GET THEM!

My problem is that I have never felt like I have had any disability great enough to deserve the front row parking. The back hurts like the dickens at times but I just bull my way through it, and pay for it later and hide the grimmacing.

I do and have had back problems for about 20 years and the neurologist said the MRI showed moderately degenerative disks in my lower back. He gave me three meds and said if that doesn't help in a couple of weeks to go to "pain theraply", to be followed by shots and or surgery.

I guess I am just airing out my indecision. Am I taking advantage of a situation or am I legitimately entitled to a "disabled" plackard. A moral decision for me. There are times that I feel great and fine and would feel guilty for taking a space that someone would need; and then there are the times with a back ache (or foot ache) that I strongly wished I had a tag to let me park close.

Any experiences and similar decisions as to using disable tags/plackards out there?


As an aside, the neurologist visit came as a result of a foot problem last November. About every 3 months, my foot would swell at one spot and hurt to the point that I needed a walking stick for a week. A med that the local doctor knocked out the inflamation. This happened in early March and again in June. Went to a podiatrist at a recommendation by a friend. The Podiatrist noted some nerve problems in one foot. From there to the neurologist. The tests were strange to the neurologist. He kept shocking me and turning the machine up higher and higher, but nerve response was neglible. The other foot's nerve responded fine. Then the doctor started testing me up my leg to my back. Ah, some disk problems; then to an MRI and back to the neurologist. Moderate disk degenration and inflamation.

The podiatrist said I had neuropathy, which I knew I did not. The podiatrist gave me a prescription that cost about $120 above insurance per month for the neuropathy. But, thank goodness, the neurologist said I did NOT need the neuropathy medicine because I did NOT have neuropathy, just degenerative disks in the back and pinched nerves.

By the way, I have been to 4 doctors over the last 20 years, 2 in Japan and 2 here in the US and each one didn't spend more than a few minutes checking me out. I guess I just didn't "grimmace" enough to show the seriousness of the pain there. I never had problems with leg numbness as most people do with pinched nerves and sciatic nerve problems, just hurting bone on bone feeling. As a result they just dismissed my pain as "normal".

Thanks for letting me rant after the question!

[chopnhack]

Those spaces are reserved for folks like yourself that are having medical issues. Get the forms and have them filled out. When you are feeling well enough leave the spot for someone older. When your hurting use the spot. No sense in making your condition worse by carrying out daily living activities which could be made easier. (closer parking spot, etc.)

[Sweet Willy]

I agree with Chop. I have the plackard that I use when I feel the need physically. That's why I chose the plackard and not the tags. I don't feel the need to advertise that I do have a disability but when I'm hurting, having a vertigo attack from menier's disease, etc., I need it. BTW, there's no guarantee you'll get a disabled parking space when you need one. Trust me.

[gerti]

Why not get it and use it on the bad days and leave it on the good ones (which I hope will be the majority for you)?

[eezlock]

disabled tags or placards

My wife just got one last week. She is facing knee replacement at the end of October this year. Her doctor gave her the necessary forms at the time of her
last office visit, filled them out, sent them to DMV and about a week later
they arrived in the mail. It is good that they are available to people who do need them and can get them. Lee, hope your problems are soon resolved
and straightened out soon....the body breaking down ain't no fun is it?

[phrog]

Hey Hank. I agree with gerti. Get the placard and use it when you need it. My mother has been disabled for several years. On her "good" days, she doesn't use it, but on her "bad" days she is glad she has it.

PS I don't think I want to go to that neurologist who keeps turning the voltage higher.

[Cochese]

Everyone's on the right track here. No point hurting yourself to where you'll need the space all the time.

Use it when you feel you need it.

[Pappy]

In Texas you are allowed 2 have a combination of 2 devices (Plates/hang tags). There is no charge for the hang tags. The wife has hc plates on her van and keeps a tag in her purse for when she is with someone else. When I drive her van without her I just use regular parking.

Get the hang tag and use it when you need it.

[dbhost]

As some of you know, my wife and I took care of my brother in law when he was sick, on dialysis, and through his recovery after transplant surgery. He was well qualified for a placard. During the same time frame I had a foot injury and had to be on crutches for about 3 months. The doctor offered to sign off on a placard for us, but said it was okay for us to just use my BILs since we had the working car with the placard anyway...

Even with the placard, I wouldn't give it much of a though about going to regular parking spaces unless I was dealing with unbearable pain, and even then I usually just muscled through it.

There were some times when the disabled spaces came in VERY helpful. Particularly when going to very busy places with my BIL, he had to limit sun exposure due to his meds, and we could get him out of the car and into the store / restaurant faster that way... But even that was a rare occasion...

I would say if you need it, you need it...

[JSUPreston]

I agree with everyone else. Get it and use it on the days you need it and take the shoe leather express the days you don't.

My wife and I learned about a year or so ago that we could possibly get one due to our 11 y/o being Autistic. We decided against it because we felt that in our case, we would be abusing the system. There are a lot of parents with Autistic children that run off in parking lots or have other difficulties. Although it took a LONG time, we have taught our son not to run off anymore in the parking lot...but we do have to remind him every time to look both ways, stay with us, etc. Plus, we feel like there are folks like you that need the space worse than we do.

Hope your good days outnumber your bad ones, and that the hanging tag stays in the glove box.

[cwsmith]

You guys are ALRIGHT!

I'm very pleased to see so many opinions that I agree with.

Myself, I have a bad neck (three buldging discs) which leaves my left side quite numb at times; and at times my lower back has caused be significant pain, especially in walking. Fortunately, that comes and goes.

I do not have a "tag" and though there are times when I wish I could park closer, I haven't taken those steps to get one. But that's just me and I'm sure I will have to do so at some point when my pain becomes such that it will overcome my stubborness.

I'd go for getting the tag and using it as your disability warrants. No sense in damaging yourself further or ruining your visit to any shop.

CWS

[jaybee]

Side note: If you live somewhere with on street parking in front of your house, some municipalities will put up disabled parking zone signs. Our former neighbour had them put up while waiting for her second hip replacement. Parking enforcement was very prompt in clearing the space when called.

[Habe]

I have the HC plates on the van for both the wife and my self. Just because the plates are on the van does not make it mandatory to use the handicapped spaces. If I'm feeling good park wherever, but on bad days use the space, if they are not all full.

[Pappy]

The doctor offered to sign off on a placard for us, but said it was okay for us to just use my BILs since we had the working car with the placard anyway...

Bad advice from the Dr. If you are using a handicap tag or hang tag that
does not belong to you and an office asked you for the paperwork/authorization he can site you for illegal parking, confiscate the hang tag, and (if he is feeling real nasty) impound the vehicle.

I called the locals on a college girl that was parking her mother's car in a handicap space, using her grandmother's hang tag. She argued the point with the officer and he did all three.

[leehljp]

I downloaded the forms last night and LOML went to my doctor who filled it out. I got off of work an hour early and got back to the tax office (that distributes tags and placards) just before closing. After looking at the doctors write up, the folks in the tax/tag office recommended that I get both placard and tag as they are both permanent. I had just renewed my car tag about 2 weeks ago, and the change to the DB tag (disable) was $10.00, which I decided was worth it. I put the placard in my pickup, IF I need to use it.

You fellows are great. Thanks for your encouragement.