Goin' Parkin'

I have noticed a new phenomenon pop up in the form of signs in parking lots. They are getting common these days, and I see them everywhere! In addition to the legally mandated handicap parking, many parking lots now have signs designating parking for senior citizens and / or mothers or expecting mothers. While I appreciate what stores are trying to do with these signs, I also think there are a lot of problems with them.

First of all, let me point out that these signs are not legal designations. To park in a handicap parking spot you have to have a sticker. These signs are put up by well meaning store owners.

The second problem is similar to the legal issue. These signs attempt to allow prime spots to people who might have difficulty getting into and out of the store. Much like the handicap signs, they are closer to the store and give preference to certain populations. But the problem is that these populations aren't actually handicapped.

Being a senior citizen by name doesn't necessarily make someone disabled or even slow. In fact, many people driving around with handicap parking stickers happen to also be senior citizens. Being one doesn't make you the other.

Similarly, I am not so sure that being an expecting mother or even a new mother makes one in need of a better parking spot. To be sure, sometimes pregnancies require women to take it easy. However, simple exertion such as walking is usually allowable. Shopping carts level the playing field.

In fact, the additional walk from the parking lot to the store can be healthy for anyone involved.

However, the real reason that these signs are well intentioned but missing the point is that they are trying to force kindness.

This forcing of kindness never works. It just makes people bitter. One of the best examples of forcing of kindness is taxes. Who likes to see their taxes go up? Who sees their taxes go up and gets inspired to go out and do something charitable? In the same way, forcing those of us who are "less well" than others to park farther away takes from us a very important choice.

I have a great friend who tries to park far away from the store on purpose. My own personal law is to never drive around in circles to find a close spot (but to find the closest I can on my first pass). I have (before these signs popped up) tried to remember to park farther away, but I make a personal exception for when I am making a quick trip in, and when it is cold. (I think that if there is Senior Citizen or Expectant Mother parking, then 10 or 15 minute parking should be allowable...why not give the best spots to the fastest turnaround? Why should my trip into the store take as long as the entire time I am in the store?)

Now that these signs are up, the choice is gone. If I park far from the store it cannot be out of goodwill for those who may be less healthy than me. By default, I park far from the store because I have to.

And where does it end? Once we healthy people move back to accomodate the handicap, senior citizens, and new and expectant mothers, what new category is going to pop up? 10-15 Minute parking? Cold and flu parking? Should parking lots be sectioned off according to age and remedy?

The point is, there is a reason that for as long as there have been parking lots there have been handicap sections. And only handicap sections. As much as we would like to see everyone park according to need (healthy people in the back), that doesn't happen, and we can't force good behavior on people. It has to come from the heart, or it doesn't mean anything.