To Bark or Not To Bark!

The standard subject about handicap parking spots – perfectly-able people persisting to park without a permit – is getting as tire-worn as those few cars still on the road that pre-date the iconic blue sign. And the self-centered argument that everyone should have the right to park where they want is as flat as the spare tire in the trunks of most of those old cars.

That's not to say, that it’s as simple as “no permit, no park”, for today’s sophisticated society. Ignoramuses from all walks of life are quick to snag those big fat spots saddled up real close to the sidewalks to save themselves a step or two across the parking lot. Character - or lack thereof - attitudes and human indifference are not as easily repaired as bridges and boulevards.

But what I find to be a more interesting social experiment falls to the innocent bystander – not the perpetrator, not the victim, but the witness. That's when "to park or not to park" becomes "to bark or not to bark." Who comes to the rescue of the “abused” when a shiny corvette or blistered chevette occupies the hallowed ground of the permit holder. Under what circumstances does the casual observer take a stand on behalf his fellow mobility challenged man or woman? And why? Personal connection? Moral compass? Humanitarianism? Pity?Dudley do-gooder? Maybe just looking for a fight to fight?

ABC News tackled the "to bark or not to bark" cause when it comes to misuse of “handicapped parking spots”... funny name when you think about it. Featured on a segment of “What Would You Do”, the show documented some interesting reactions of some valiant (not meant to be a car pun) onlookers. But lest we forget, the show shows us what it wants us to see. The majority of disinterested do-nothing-types doesn’t make for good TV. The language of the show host is atrocious too... archaic... “our handicapped actor”... “the handicapped driver”... etc. Hey ABC... person first... and let’s leave “handicap” to horse betting and golf swings. “Actor with a disability” reads, sounds and says something so much better.

Nonetheless, good show. Check it out ... What Would You Do?

What would you do?

P.S  .   Lone Rangers. Texans may have solved the “no permit problem.” A smartphone app may soon be all that’s needed to crack down on illegal parking in handicap spots. Officials in Austin, Texas, are set to vote this week on a resolution that would allow residents to use an app to report handicap parking violators directly to law enforcement. Under the plan, app users would take a photo of the offending vehicle and submit it to city officials who could send an officer to issue a ticket. “The only way we’re going to be able to address the problem is if we enlist help from ordinary citizens,” Austin City Councilman Chris Riley told the Austin American-Statesman.

 - Jeff Tiessen, Executive Producer