Last week, Illinois state police conducted a sting operation in Fairview Heights to catch drivers without disabilities who park in handicap parking.  Here’s a response from a disabled driver who doesn’t look disabled, but she qualifies for a handicap placard. She’s tired of the remarks people make when she legally parks in handicap parking.

“Thanks for your note at the end of the handicapped parking article to remind people NOT to confront those they think are abusing the system.

“I have an AutoImmune disorder called Myasthenia Gravis (one of 144 ‘invisible’ disabilities of this particular type, you also mentioned another, Fibromyalgia, further down on this page, another is Rheumatoid Arthritis).

“Many of us have been harassed by people who look at us and see our placards and make their own diagnosis that since we don’t LOOK disabled, we must not really need that close parking spot.

“Some of my similarly disabled friends have been yelled at, called names, even had their vehicles vandalized by these self-righteous ignoramuses who think they know more than our doctors do just because we’re not missing a limb or something else ‘obvious’.
“Many people feel passionately about abuses of this system, obviously the disabled do, too… but, the point is that a spectator can NEVER know just by looking at someone whether or not they really need that tag. And disabled people have enough struggles to get through without worrying about being HARASSED by some know-nothing every time they leave their homes.”

- Sick and Tired of being Judged ‘Fit’ in St. Louis