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The Brampton Guardian
Always look twice before you leap
Monday November 10 2008
 
This past spring our 26-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. 

Due to her disabling condition, her physician authorized her to apply for a Disabled Parking Permit.  With her therapy and medications her mobility has improved but has periodic set backs.

On Nov. 3 she parked her car in a disabled parking space at the Airport and Queen Wal-Mart store.

She flipped down her visor to clearly display her disabled parking permit.

When she returned to her car she discovered a $300 fine posted on her windshield for parking in a disabled zone without the required authorization.  She was immediately confronted by a very agitated woman who proclaimed that “it served her right for parking in a disabled parking space”.
Our daughter pointed out to her the clearly displayed permit card in her windshield but the woman insisted that it was not likely hers.

Our daughter attempted to explain her MS condition to the woman but the woman was insistent that our daughter was a fraud.

The confrontation lasted for 20 minutes before our daughter realized the futility of the argument and returned home.

Obviously the woman who chose to remain and challenge our daughter’s right to a disabled parking permit has stereotyped what a disabled person must look like.

Yes, our daughter is young and has days when she can thankfully walk without a cane and there are days when she can actually walk without a limp.

However, this disability causes frequent recurrences limiting her mobility.

 While we share this woman’s concerns that there are people abusing the privilege of this permit, we do not agree with her vindictive methods of judging the disabled.

Our deeper concern falls to the methods of the Brampton Parking Authority who issued a fine with a visible permit displayed in our daughter’s windshield.  We believe some discretion and common sense on the part of this woman and the parking authority officer would not have resulted in this unfortunate incident.

With the appropriate documents, we have been able to have the fine cancelled.
 It is sad that neither of these individuals could offer our daughter the benefit of the doubt regarding her need and right to disabled parking.
 
Brian & Lynda Smith