You're not the ONLY disabled person in the world

[Seshat]

It's wrong because he's not handicapped (assuming he isn't). Age has nothing to do with it.

[Mishi]

When my hubby was a kid and went out somewhere with his dad, he always pretended to have a limp when they were walking into the store. He was worried about parking in the handicapped space because his dad didn't/doesn't appear to be disabled, so he walked with a similar gait to his grandpa (a polio survivor) so as to discourage the snide comments that were directed at them the few times that he walked in normally.

[EvilEmpryss]

I absolutely hate the "You don't look disabled" judgments.

Most people aren't doctors. They don't have the medical diagnostic skills necessary to determine whether or not someone's faking. Until they get those skills, they should assume that the person with the handicapped tags is actually certified by a medical doctor to have a legitimate disability.

If they really doubt it, they should call the cops. It takes all of 5 minutes for the officer to verify the person is the person registered to the tag.

[Eisa]

^So do I.

I don't look disabled. But if you take one look at my feet, you can tell they're fucked up. If you looked at my X-rays and had the medical background to understand them, it would be holy shit!

But to just glance at me? I look fine. And I know a lot of people are like that. And sometimes not even an X-ray can "show" it, like when someone has CFS or fibro.

[Seshat]

<waves>

Person diagnosed with both CFS and Fibro here.

[Mytical]

According to the doctors I am disabled, but I certainly don't look it. I mean, for somebody who was supposed to last no more then 2 years in 1995..I look pretty good. Life is what you make of it, and the ones who are disabled that think that makes them 'spechul snowflakes'? It doesn't.

[aniwahya]

I usually only use a walking stick (unless I need the wheelchair which I pull out of the trunk), but I need just as much space to exit my car as someone in a wheelchair. It has to do with my ability to bend my legs and the room I need to get my stronger leg under me requires that the car door be open to max capacity. Same for sitting down since I have to sit sidesaddle and swing my legs in.

When no handicap spaces are available I park across two normal spaces because every time I try to use one space I come back to find someone parked right next to my door. Not fun waiting for random stranger to come back to their car so I can get into mine. Also even if I am in a normal space I hang my handicap placard in the hopes people will notice and make sure I have a lot of door clearance.

Not sure if that applies to what you described, but it is one reason a person lucky enough to not have majorly visible signs of disability might need more space.