Parking woes of the disabled

Coming across disabled-friendly parking slots used to be a rarity at one time here in Malaysia.

Fortunately, that's no longer true these days.

If you live in the city or in popular towns across the country you are likely to find them popping up in various places. These include shopping centres (especially new ones), next to clinics, banks and others.

These special facilities, like in other countries, are provided by the respective local councils for drivers with disabilities. That is why they are marked with a wheelchair logo, both on the ground of the handicapped spot, as well as with a stand-up signboard.

They are not meant for those with other disabilities like the blind, deaf or a person with a learning disability. Unless, they happen to have a physical handicap too.

Despite this provision, those who need it still face problems in accessing them.        

Here's an excellent example.

My friend, a mother, and her 16-year-old daughter visited a popular mall in Kuala Lumpur earlier this month. (Mum had poliomyelitis when she was a child, leaving her with a pronounced limp on the left leg when she walks).

It was a weekday afternoon when the duo discovered, much to their dismay, that all the disabled parking lots were taken up. 

They ended up having to drive around in circles until they spotted one of the cars leaving the disabled parking area.

Mum threw her indicator switch at once to show that she was about to park her car.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a woman appeared and stood on the disabled parking slot. She did this to block any other cars from entering the spot.

The woman was middle aged and very able-bodied. She gave mum a strong glare as if to threaten mum that she had no right to park there.

Before anyone could say anything, a Honda CRV stealthily drove into the parking space which the lady had illegally "reserved."

To mum's bewilderment, a healthy-looking and overly sized man emerged from the driver's seat. He walked over to the boot of his car and pulled out a wheelchair.

The wheelchair was for another elderly man in the car. He noticeably got out and into it with no apparent physical difficulty whatsoever. Neither the driver nor the woman had to assist him.     

Now, here are the problems with this situation:

* Why didn't the driver just drop the elderly man off with the wheelchair and find parking elsewhere? After all, not only was the man obviously quite independent with his movement and mobility, but he also had the woman to help him, if needed. And it wouldn't take long before the driver joins them again.

* If there really was an issue, why wasn't there a disabled sticker on the car? To get one, the elderly man would have to get his doctor to confirm that he has a physical disability and qualify him for a disability card given by the Welfare Department (JKM).

* But then again, as I mentioned earlier, the disabled parking lots are really for disabled drivers only. To have others park in it, would deprive and severely inconvenience the target persons that the disabled parking is meant for, like my friend. She had no choice, but to go for several spins again until she found an able-bodied slot that was vacant. Fortunately, it was located near the lift.

The inconvenient part was that the place was about 300 metres from where the bookshop was, which was her destination.

Mum told me that she had no choice but to tolerate the "great difficulty" and "intense pain" she suffered to get there with her walking difficulty. It would have been worse, if her able-bodied daughter were not by her side helping her to take each step and make several stops in the process in order to rest and catch her breath.

If she had only parked in the original disabled spot, it would have taken only less than one-third of the distance and time to reach the bookshop.

However, Mum and daughter's day of unpleasantness didn't end there.

Not only did they bump into the trio from the car park in the mall later who, by the way, didn't even care to offer her an apology despite seeing her in her condition, but she also noticed that the bookshop was selling disabled stickers with wheelchair logos for cars at a very low price.

Mum also discovered from the salesperson that there was no need for authentication of any sort for anyone buying them – which would only lead to wide scale abuse by non-disabled drivers.

When I checked this with a spokesman from JKM this week, I was told that handicapped car stickers are only available and authorised from the Road Transport Department (JPJ).

To get one, the disabled driver will have to produce his or her car registration card, as well as their JKM disability identification cards.

When I asked if any action can or will be taken against unauthorised sales of disabled stickers, the answer was affirmative.

However, the JKM spokesman was quick to point out that the matter was "currently being looked into by the authorities."

Overseas, stickers for disabled drivers are provided by the respective local councils and renewed from time to time. Those with temporary disabilities can obtain them for a limited time which is strictly monitored.

Local councils in Selangor like the Petaling Jaya City Council or MBPJ, also issue parking stickers to disabled drivers.

However, the problem is, everyone from the JPJ to the local councils and JKM (together with disabled people in the committee), need to come together to discuss and decide how this matter can be best resolved in order to make the lives of disabled drivers easier. – July 13, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.