OSH '05 Comments

Paul Tomblin wrote:

In a previous article, (Paul Tomblin) said:

In a previous article, Matt Whiting said:

Paul Tomblin wrote:

Think about people like me next time you dismiss somebody as "really
aren't handicapped" just because you can't see anything wrong with them.

Read it again, for comprehension this time. I didn't say people I've
"seen", I said people I "know." There is a big difference. These are

Yeah, you were talking about people you know. But there are a lot of


Oh, and by the way. I bet fewer than 10% of the people who think they
"know" me know that I have this pain. I bet a lot of them "know" that I
don't really need to sit when I'm sitting.

I can't speak for folks who know you. I guess the question is to they
see you playing golf, mowing the yard with a push mower, etc. I've
known a number of people who do these things and more and then park
their car in the handicap slot at Wal-Mart. If someone can push a mower
or walk a golf course, then they certainly can cross 200' of flat
parking lot.


Matt

In a previous article, Matt Whiting said:
Paul Tomblin wrote:
Oh, and by the way. I bet fewer than 10% of the people who think they
"know" me know that I have this pain. I bet a lot of them "know" that I
don't really need to sit when I'm sitting.
I can't speak for folks who know you. I guess the question is to they
see you playing golf, mowing the yard with a push mower, etc. I've
known a number of people who do these things and more and then park
their car in the handicap slot at Wal-Mart. If someone can push a mower
or walk a golf course, then they certainly can cross 200' of flat
parking lot.

Like I said, I can "spend" the pain if it's worth it - so I can walk
around the field at Oshkosh for 5 straight days, providing I don't have to
walk at all for the following week or two. And I can mow the grass,
although I prefer my self propelled mower to a normal one. And I carry my
own kayak to the put-in from the parking lot. But that doesn't mean I
want to spend my daily pain allotment on walking around the mall.

The reason I don't ask for a handicap tag is that I don't think the extra
few minutes it would save in the parking lot is all that significant
compared to the hour or more of walking and standing a typical trip to the
mall costs me.

When I remember, I carry a cane as "protective colouration" - it doesn't
help me walk, but it does help justify my sitting down when there are
women standing. For really arduous shopping trips (like Christmas), I
sometimes get the shopping mall wheel chairs, but then I have to endure
"assistants" in the shops who ignore me, talk to my wife about me as if I
wasn't there, or who act like I must be retarded because I'm in a wheel
chair.

--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
Diplomacy is the ability to let someone else have your way.

Matt Whiting wrote:

I've known a number of people who do these things and more and then park
their car in the handicap slot at Wal-Mart.

A woman goes into Wal-Mart to buy a rod and reel. She doesn't
know which one to get so she just grabs one and goes over to the
register. There is a Wal-Mart "associate" standing there with
dark shades on.

She says, "Excuse me sir...can you tell me anything about this
rod and reel?"

He says, "Ma'am I'm blind but if you will drop it on the counter
I can tell you everything you need to know about it from the
sound that it makes."

She didn't believe him, but dropped it on the counter anyway. He
said, "That's a 6' graphite rod with a Zebco 202 reel and 10 lb.
test line. It's a good all around rod and reel and it's $20.00."

She says, "Thats amazing that you can tell all that just by the
sound of it dropping on the counter. I think it's what I'm
looking for so I'll take it."

He walks behind the counter to the register, and in the meantime
the woman farts. At first she is embarrassed but then realizes
that there is no way he could tell it was her--being blind he
wouldn't know that she was the only person around. He rings up
the sale and says, "That will be $25.50."

She says, "But didn't you say it was $20.00?" He says, "Yes
ma'am, the rod and reel is $20.00, the duck call is $3.00, and
the catfish stink bait is $2.50."

---

Tbread drifted enough to make the post above ontopic... ;-P

Here are my two cents as an orthopedic surgeon and pilot (attending OSH
tomorrow). In my opinion, I never give anyone a permanent handicapped
parking sticker unless they need a cane, crutches, walker, or wheel chair to
ambulate. This especially includes people who have undergone joint
replacement and have no problem playing 18 holes of golf, but want to park a
little closer at the grocery store.

Besides, most of the others who ask for stickers would do themselves a lot
better if they did more walking rather than riding on scooters. I also see a
lot more abuse of handicapped parking places than I do people using them who
really need the assistance.

In essence, I agree with the original post. After recently traveling to
Europe and Southwest Asia on a military deployment it was noticeable how
obese the average American was compared to their European counterparts. It's
a lot easier to ride a scooter that's paid for by insurance than to lose
weight.

On the other hand, for the right person, both scooters and handicapped
permits can really expand the quality of life of an individual, assuming
that they are prescribed appropriately.

In article ,
(Paul Tomblin) wrote:

Yeah, you were talking about people you know. But there are a lot of
people out there who sneer at me in public because I sit while others have
to stand and do what I can to avoid unnecessary walking and standing. I
hear the rude remarks from total strangers, and I was addressing my
remarks more to them than to you.

I think the problem comes in when you have folks who are able to get
around, even if it's painful, but then there are those who really can't
get around even if they want to.

If someone is willing to put up with the pain to walk around OSH or to
go and play 18 holes, why should they be riding a scooter or park in a
handicapped space at the grocery store? Obviously, they don't need it.
There are those with serious disabilities or medical conditions, who
simply can't get around, and then there are those who are just lazy.



JKG

I have a fairly useless left leg (having blown it very nearly off years
ago), chronic sciatica, and bad knees. I also refuse to get handicap
tags, or use a scooter. In fact, I am an actively serving Reserve
Officer in the US Army. I truly believe that the majority of welfare
scum who steal money from us through taxes to fund their little
freaking scooters, might weigh a pound or two less than the 500 they
seem to average if they'd exercise a little, instead of riding their
scooter, paid for by you and me, to the Old Country Buffet.

As for pain, learn to live with it. It has become my special friend,
and it can be yours. I had a very low pain threshold before I went on
this campaign to singlehandedly destroy my body through misuse, but now
I live with it every day, once I learned to grow up and get over it.

Drew

Matt Whiting writes:


I've known a number of people who do these things and more and then park
their car in the handicap slot at Wal-Mart. If someone can push a mower
or walk a golf course, then they certainly can cross 200' of flat
parking lot.

There was some senior Apple person who insisted on parking in one
handicapped spot. So they changed the sign to:

"Reserved for the mentally or
physically handicapped only"
--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

Jonathan

in the spirit of bringing it a little bit back on topic :-)

you wouldn't believe how few airports have handicap
parking spots for aircraft (actually, the only time
I remember I had such a spot reserved was on an AFB,
believe it or not, these guys are great :-)

one of these days I would really like to go to OSH;
snag is, it looks like it involves an awful lot of
walking (as pointed out by another poster) and I heard
that scooters and such were not allowed on the grounds;

anyone out there who has mobility limitations has gone
to OSH (flying that is) and could tell me about it?

--Sylvain

Jim N. wrote:

Here are my two cents as an orthopedic surgeon and pilot (attending OSH
tomorrow). In my opinion, I never give anyone a permanent handicapped
parking sticker unless they need a cane, crutches, walker, or wheel chair to
ambulate. This especially includes people who have undergone joint
replacement and have no problem playing 18 holes of golf, but want to park a
little closer at the grocery store.

Besides, most of the others who ask for stickers would do themselves a lot
better if they did more walking rather than riding on scooters. I also see a
lot more abuse of handicapped parking places than I do people using them who
really need the assistance.

In essence, I agree with the original post. After recently traveling to
Europe and Southwest Asia on a military deployment it was noticeable how
obese the average American was compared to their European counterparts. It's
a lot easier to ride a scooter that's paid for by insurance than to lose
weight.

On the other hand, for the right person, both scooters and handicapped
permits can really expand the quality of life of an individual, assuming
that they are prescribed appropriately.

I wish all docs shared your philosophy!

Matt

Richard Riley wrote:

On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 21:36:15 GMT, Matt Whiting
wrote:

:I have degenerative disk disease. You can't always tell it from
:watching me walk, but some days you can. I could easily get a handicap
ermit, and actually have had doctors suggest I get one. I also have a
:high pain threshold and wouldn't think of getting a handicap permit
:unless it gets a LOT worse. And you'd then be able to tell from looking
:at me that I needed the permit.

Matt, with all due respect - get one. My dad had one for bad knees
(both eventually replaced, which helped some but not enough.)

If you don't need it, don't use it, leave it in the glove box. Then
one long, bad day with lots of walking, you'll have one last errand to
do - and no one will begrudge you.

I just can't see having one when I see people who REALLY need them. I
don't feel I'm at the level of need. Maybe in 20 years. Also, I NEED
the exercise! :-)

Matt