People who use disabled parking spaces usually have a reason to do so. More often than not, if you are the owner of a disabled placard, then you have been determined by some form of governing body to be, as some would put it, requiring special needs.

Why is it then that I constantly see perfectly able-bodied people parking in spaces supposedly reserved for the disabled, simply because they are in possession of a placard which has been borrowed or otherwise obtained by somebody of a lesser physical capacity than themselves?

The fact of the matter is that people are lazy, and the topic I’m discussing today emphasizes that fact to the greatest extreme. I find it absolutely amazing that people are willing to go to the lengths required to obtain these placards, but are somehow incapable of simply walking a few extra feet.

Now, as with any given rule, there are a few exceptions that can be made. According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, a placard can be issued for various reasons which one could not tell simply by looking at a person. Such reasons include heart and circulatory disease, lung disease, or visual problems which, if you have, should probably keep you from driving a car in the first place.

Besides that, how many people in the college-age group do you know with heart and lung disease?

If I haven’t convinced you yet then let’s try this bit or trivia on for size; the South San Francisco police department informs me that the fine for parking with a disabled placard that does not belong to you is 325 dollars. That’s almost as much as an entire semester at Skyline for most students. Do you have 325 extra dollars that you’d like to fork over to the government? Then why run a risk you don’t have to which inconveniences actual disabled people who really do need the space?

You really can see it at Skyline all the time, I can’t remember on how many occasions I’ve parked in the upper levels of lot 2 where, at 10 a.m., you can find all the parking you would ever need, only to walk down the hill to find 5 or 6 cars stopped in the parking lot waiting for somebody to pull out.

What is wrong with you people?

Are afraid you might trip on your way down the hill? If you’re one of those people who will sit there behind building 1 until that perfect spot opens up, then think about this: What exactly are you doing? Is walking a little farther going to kill you?

No. It’s called exercise, and it’s a very small amount at that.

If you happen to be one of those people who own a disabled placard but for one reason or another you don’t actually need it, think about why you use it.

Are you disabled, or are you just lazy?