It’s Christmas time, which means colourful lights, peppermint, and baked goods. Unfortunately it also brings out the worst of humanity as we all flock to shopping malls and factory outlets. One of those people that I am going to address today is the disability police. Random people with no authority or insight deciding that just because they can’t immediately see the reason someone has a parking pass, that they must not need it or deserve it. So here I am going to list fifty reasons why someone will have a pass, but are invisible to see to the average bystander. Just because the symbol is someone in a wheelchair doesn’t mean that’s the only reason to park there.

- Lower limb prosthetic – if they’re wearing pants and have learned to walk without a limp, you would never know
- Osteomyelitis – pain caused by bone infection
- General chronic pain – could happen as result from a trauma or injury and then persist
- Hip replacement – especially immediately after the operation
- Scleroderma – build ups of collagen in the muscles leads to stiffness and decreased movement
- Organ transplant – as the body copes with the new addition, limited movement and difficulty breathing can happen
- Partial recovery from trauma – a person who was severely injured may have progressed from a wheelchair, to crutches, to walking alone, but it still causes pain
- Anemia – can cause light-headedness and fatigue
- COPD – reduces lung capacity
- Emphysema – if severe, shortness of breath and fatigue
- Multiple Sclerosis – affects balance, movement and vision
- Endometriosis – intense pain and cramps, especially during menstration
- Vision loss or impairment – this can sometimes lead to a special pass for use as a passenger if they can’t drive
- Sarcoidosis – cough, fatigue, stiffness
- Peripheral Vascular Disease – damage to blood vessels, usually in arms or legs
- Myotonia Congenita – caused problems with relaxing muscles after contracting them
- Rheumatoid Arthritis – pain and decreased movement in joints
- Parent of disabled child – if they have to carry them or their medical gear, it could be debilitating
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease – lack of blood flow to hip causes easier injury and slower healing
- Lupus – can cause decreased movement
- Cancer treatment – while not all cancers effect the use of legs or lungs, receiving treatment such as radiation may debilitate
- Diabetic Neuropathy – nerve damage in feet and hands due to diabetes
- Stroke – could cause partial paralysis and weakness
- Dysmenorrhea – intense cramping during menstruation, could include dizziness and nausea
- Pleural Effusion – also known as water on the lungs
- Crohn’s disease – intestinal disease
- Obesity – note that this may be a symptom of a larger medical issue
- Osteomalacia – weakening of the bones
- Labyrinthitis – inner ear infection causing dizziness
- Ulcerative colitis – inflammation to intestines, rectum, or both
- Cauda Equina Syndrome – caused by problem in nerves found in the lower back
- Thoracic Spinal Stenosis – narrowing of the middle of the spine
- Sciatica – weakness or pain in the legs
- Brain tumor – can affect walking or balance
- Hypothyroidism – can cause aches, pains, and swelling
- Hypophosphatasia – abnormal development of bones and teeth
- Porphyria – causes difficulty breathing, pain, numbness, sensitivity to sunlight
- Chronic migraines – could be triggered by exposure to heat, cold, or light
- Joint hypermobility syndrome – over extension of joints can cause pain and stiffness
- Myasthenia Gravis – immune disease causing muscle weakness
- Parkinson’s Disease – difficulty controlling body movements
- Cystic Fibrosis – fatigue and chronic pain
- Dystrophy- weakened muscles
- Cerebral Palsy – affects functions of the brain and nervous system
- Meniere’s Disease – inner ear disease that causes intense vertigo
- Lumbar Spinal Stenosis – narrowed spinal canal causing pain
- Throat cancer – difficulty breathing and exercising
- Pulmonary embolism – artery blockage can cause shortness of breath, chest pain, and coughing
- Coronary artery disease – damaged blood vessels in your heart, cause of heart attacks
- Ovarian cysts – especially when ruptured, can cause serious pain in pelvis
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the reasons why someone applied for and received a parking pass for accessible parking. The point is that I could put together this list of 50 conditions that make walking to a store or carrying shopping impossible. All of these conditions are completely invisible to the casual observer or at least require a closer look to realize. If I can come up with all of these based on my own experience and a bit of Googling, then your ignorance and ill-directed rage is completely unnecessary.
Just researching for this article has really angered me. So many cases of disabled people being harassed and having their property vandalized because they don’t look disabled enough. People are so ready to dole out insults and cruelty than to stop and think that they can no way understand everything that is going on in someone else’s life. You can’t look at a person for two minutes as they walk into a store and be able to diagnose them of any medical issue.
I also do realize that a lot of people illegally use these parking spots without a permit, and I don’t condone that either. But there is a way to handle this that doesn’t involve childish name calling. If you see a car parked in a accessible parking without a parking permit, record their license plate number, take a photo of the car, and report them to the authorities. Receiving a fine, demerits on their record, or suspension of their license will send a much more effective message then a condescending note anyways. But if they have a province/state issued permit, then their disabilities are absolutely none of your business.
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