Handicapped spaces at the gym

[QueenCitySouth]

At the gym where I swim each morning, there is this 1 member who always parks in a handicapped space without a handicapped permit, wheelchair logo on license plate, or absolutely no other indication whatsoever he is handicapped.

I have complained to the front desk 5 times, to no avail.

I am tempted to take some photos and go to the police department in the city where the gym I work out at is located and show them the photos.

I have frequent back & neck problems which require me using my own permit, and by virtue of this guy parking in handicapped spots without permits or other indications of a handicap, that is 1 less spot available for others who are handicapped.

Anything on what I can do? Thanks.

[BigPapaKain]

Get some healthy n'er do well to smash out his windows with a bat.

[Sabretooth]

Talk to managements' bosses with picture evidence, perhaps the stuff flowing downhill will cause the vehicle to be towed.

[Rotobeast]

(06-23-2016, 10:47 AM)Sabretooth Wrote: Talk to managements' bosses with picture evidence, perhaps the stuff flowing downhill will cause the vehicle to be towed.

This.
It's likely a private lot.
If it were public parking on the roadside, the I believe you could go directly to the police.

[XenoMorph]

(06-23-2016, 10:47 AM)Sabretooth Wrote: Talk to managements' bosses with picture evidence, perhaps the stuff flowing downhill will cause the vehicle to be towed.

while two wrongs don't make a right it would be funny he that dude had to call the police cause all 4 of his tires were flat.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Call a tow company across town to come and tow the car.

Tow Company: "Thank you for calling Acme Tow, how may I help you?"
You: "Yes, I work for Pump You Up Gym and I need you to come out and tow a car out of a handicap parking space. The car has no permit to park there and we need it towed ASAP"
Tow Company: "Ok, we'll be there within the next hour"
You: "Thank you and don't bother coming it, the car is a blue Pacer, no handicap permit, just tow this jackasses car"

30 minutes pass and the tow truck arrives and tows car.

Guy comes out to find his car gone and goes back into the gym to call the police.

Police Dispatch: "911 what's your emergency?"
Guy: "Someone stole my car! The guy at the front desk said it was towed!"
Police Dispatch: "do you know the name of the tow company?"
Guy: "He said Acme Towing he thinks"

Police arrive and asks questions

Guy is ticketed for parking in a handicap parking space because he admitted it and is on the hook for $350.00 tow fee across town. He's pissed and you laugh knowing he won't park there any longer.

I know that won't happen but it would be cool.

[jfkbengals]

A nail under each tire would be a good start to dealing with it.

But if you're not into vandalism, try taking a photo of the car that clearly shows the license plate and that it is parked without the permits. Post that photo onto Facebook calling out the dbag for doings so, then sit back as it goes viral and dude (or lady) has to deal with friends and family recognizing their car parked this way and the flood of negative publicity online.

Third possibility, my local NBC has "12 On Your Side", where calling and telling your story can get them to show up and interview the gym and propert owner to ask why they permit it to happen, as well as reach out to the individual to ask why they do it (you would be interviewed as well). If one of your local network news shows has a similar feature, give them a ring and ask them for assistance.

[Cure4CF]

Wait by the car until they come out and make them "earn" that permit.  When I say earn, take one of the barbells and shove it through their skull.  May wanna start with the knees first just to make a point.  I'm joking, kinda.  I would confront them and let them know that there are people that really need that spot. If the "talk" doesn't correct the problem, I would do all the above in this thread . Start w/ the police though so you don't end up in jail.

[Rotobeast]

Pee on their door handle.
It always makes me feel better.

[*bfine32*]

Park behind him.

[fredtoast]

Can't believe the most obvious step that no one has suggested.

Leave a simplle note on the car. Just say that you are handicapped and you have not been able to park there at times because his car was taking up the space. No need to be a raging asshole without asking nicely first.

It might be a preganant woman who does not have a sticker but deserves to park in the space or something like that.

[BFritz21]

(06-23-2016, 07:41 AM)QueenCitySouth Wrote: At the gym where I swim each morning, there is this 1 member who always parks in a handicapped space without a handicapped permit, wheelchair logo on license plate, or absolutely no other indication whatsoever he is handicapped.

I have complained to the front desk 5 times, to no avail.

I am tempted to take some photos and go to the police department in the city where the gym I work out at is located and show them the photos.

I have frequent back & neck problems which require me using my own permit, and by virtue of this guy parking in handicapped spots without permits or other indications of a handicap, that is 1 less spot available for others who are handicapped.

Anything on what I can do? Thanks.

(06-24-2016, 02:51 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Can't believe the most obvious step that no one has suggested.

Leave a simplle note on the car.  Just say that you are handicapped and you have not been able to park there at times because his car was taking up the space. No need to be a raging asshole without asking nicely first.

It might be a preganant woman who does not have a sticker but deserves to park in the space or something like that.

Something about him saying it was a guy leaves me to at least assume that there's a slight possibility that it's not a pregnant woman.

However, I do admit that I'd need to do some further investigating there 

I always let it go when people do things like that, but my family or friends will usually at least bring it up to management or something and that person will either see us mentioning it or hear us and then run out to move it like they did it on accident, even though sometimes they'll run out before we even say what kind of car it is or anything, and, if they didn't know what car we meant and they didn't realize they did it, how would they know that we meant them?  

Make it publicly known that you had to struggle since the parking spot was taken (don't sound like you're complaining just be like "holy shit, someone parked in the handicapped spot and I almost fell over having to walk so far," or something similar), and maybe mention the kind of car, and just make him feel like a d bag.  That, and/or call the cops.  You're disabled, so it's not like you're just some rich prick looking for special treatment because you need the spot.

[Benton]

(06-23-2016, 11:38 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Park behind him.

That's pretty good.

I used to have an old Ford Explorer that I didn't care if somebody got mad at. If I went to a store and some jerk was in two (or three or four) spaces, I would park as close to them as possible (within an inch or so, so that I'd have to get out the passenger side), or block it so they couldn't get out.

As it's a private business, my understanding is they don't have to have handicap parking, so it's not fineable.

[SunsetBengal]

Perhaps they didn't have their placard hung in plain sight? We have one of those at my gym. They pull in, place the placard on the dash (when it's convenient to be "handicapped"). I've questioned the validity of this person's "disability" in my own mind, on several occasions. While definitely not a "beast", he seems quite fit and able bodied, as demonstrated by his proficiency at free weights, plate loaded machines, and in the cardio area.

[StoneTheCrow]

Take a handicrap on his windshield.

[*bfine32*]

I would caution to look at his/her liscense plate and make sure it doesn't say Disabled Veteran at the bottom.

[Sabretooth]

(06-24-2016, 03:04 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: Something about him saying it was a guy leaves me to at least assume that there's a slight possibility that it's not a pregnant woman.

However, I do admit that I'd need to do some further investigating there 

I always let it go when people do things like that, but my family or friends will usually at least bring it up to management or something and that person will either see us mentioning it or hear us and then run out to move it like they did it on accident, even though sometimes they'll run out before we even say what kind of car it is or anything, and, if they didn't know what car we meant and they didn't realize they did it, how would they know that we meant them?  

Make it publicly known that you had to struggle since the parking spot was taken (don't sound like you're complaining just be like "holy shit, someone parked in the handicapped spot and I almost fell over having to walk so far," or something similar), and maybe mention the kind of car, and just make him feel like a d bag.  That, and/or call the cops.  You're disabled, so it's not like you're just some rich prick looking for special treatment because you need the spot.

A well thought out and sensible post, kudos Brad .

[*Nately120*]

Violence is always the answer.
- Mahatma Gandhi

[Bengalzona]

(06-24-2016, 02:51 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Leave a simplle note on the car.  Just say that you are handicapped and you have not been able to park there at times because his car was taking up the space. No need to be a raging asshole without asking nicely first.

(06-24-2016, 03:04 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: I always let it go when people do things like that, but my family or friends will usually at least bring it up to management or something and that person will either see us mentioning it or hear us and then run out to move it like they did it on accident, even though sometimes they'll run out before we even say what kind of car it is or anything, and, if they didn't know what car we meant and they didn't realize they did it, how would they know that we meant them?  

Make it publicly known that you had to struggle since the parking spot was taken (don't sound like you're complaining just be like "holy shit, someone parked in the handicapped spot and I almost fell over having to walk so far," or something similar), and maybe mention the kind of car, and just make him feel like a d bag.  That, and/or call the cops.  You're disabled, so it's not like you're just some rich prick looking for special treatment because you need the spot.

^ Best two options. 

Vandalism is passive-aggressive and won't get a point across. Violence is, of course, violence and there's no need for that (at this point anyway). 

Leave a note and/or go to them gym people and ask them to just make an announcement about someone parking in the handicapped space. Those are the best first steps.

If those fail, get some of the burliest muscle guys to walk out and physically move the dude's car across the parking lot. It is a gym after all. Most dudes would be glad to do it.

[BengalHawk62]

Maybe he's the owner of the gym or the owner's son, who thinks that's their parking spot, like Sheldon Cooper has his spot on the couch.