We all know the saying, ‘Don't judge a book by its cover.’ But in today's fast-paced world, it seems that some people have forgotten the importance of taking a moment to consider the full story before making snap judgments. This was all too evident in a recent incident involving a disabled woman and her car, which has sparked outrage on social media.

A Canberra local has slammed a note left on their disabled mum’s car. Picture: iStock

Imagine going about your day, running errands with a family member, only to return to your car and find a shockingly rude note accusing them of misusing a disability parking spot. This is precisely what happened to one Reddit user who shared their story, and the note left on their mother's car after a shopping trip in Canberra.

The note instructed the woman to ‘follow the rules’. Picture: Reddit

‘Hi, are you truely [sic] disabled,’ the note read. ‘You both walked from your car like athletes [sic]. Please follow the rules.’

Now, if that doesn't make your blood boil, we don't know what will. The Reddit user was understandably furious and took to the forum to vent their frustration.

‘The absolute gall to leave this on my mother's car in Gungahlin shops parking,’ they wrote. ‘My mother is disabled, her disability isn't visible. She was legally given a disability parking permit because she is DISABLED! What a moron.’

It's a heartbreaking reminder that not all disabilities are visible, and it's not our place to judge others based on appearances. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 18 per cent (or 4.4 million) of the total population in Australia has a disability, and many of those disabilities are not immediately apparent. This story resonated with many who shared similar experiences they or people they knew had been through when it came to disability parking.

One woman with arthritis said, ‘I have arthritis in my spine and elsewhere – disabling, yet completely invisible. Have had old women yell at me for parking in the disabled spots, despite having a permit.’

Another person shared their friend's experience: ‘My mate with MS cops this all the time.’

To better support people with disabilities, particularly those with invisible disabilities, it's essential to practice empathy and understanding. Here are a few tips:

1. Don't assume someone doesn't have a disability just because it isn't visible.
2. Treat everyone with respect and kindness, regardless of their abilities or appearance.
3. Offer assistance if you see someone struggling, but always ask first and respect their wishes.

There are also several initiatives and campaigns promoting disability awareness, such as Invisible Disabilities Week, which aims to raise awareness and educate the public about the challenges faced by those with invisible disabilities.

Thankfully, the Reddit community rallied around the user and their mother, offering kind words and support.

‘That is a true ****s act. Please let your mum know that the rest of society does not judge people like this; it's an act of a lonely coward,’ one social media user said.

‘I'm sorry you found this note on your car. There's no need to ever justify why you have a disabled 'sticker'. It's no one's business but your own,’ another added.

Key Takeaways

• A driver found a note on their mother's car accusing them of misusing an accessible parking spot.
• The note questioned if the mother was truly disabled and asked them to follow the rules.
• The social media user explained that their mother has a non-visible disability and has a legal parking permit.
• Others shared similar experiences and offered support to the family against such judgmental behaviour.

We couldn't agree more. It's essential to remember that everyone is fighting their own battles, some of which we may not see on the surface. So, let's all take a moment to practice kindness, understanding, and empathy, and remember not to judge others based on appearances alone.

And to our dear SDC members who may have experienced similar situations, please know that you have our support and understanding. You deserve respect and consideration, regardless of whether your disability is visible or not.

 

[Staffordshire Whippet]

Gungahlin, the Houso end of north Canberra, and it shows.
At least they didn't break the windscreen while placing the note.

 

[Julia TH]

I have an ACROD sticker (for a very visible disability) and was severely abused by some nosey idiot when there was no disabled parking bay so I used a parents with prams bay. He was most disconcerted when I pointed out that only disabled bays are legally policed. Parents' bays are not and I was perfectly within my rights to park there.

 

[Julia TH]

I have an ACROD sticker (for a very visible disability) and was severely abused by some nosey idiot when there was no disabled parking bay so I used a parents with prams bay. He was most disconcerted when I pointed out that only disabled bays are legally policed. Parents' bays are not and I was perfectly within my rights to park there.

 

[Gezzabel]

It’s not easy to get a disability permit. You can’t fake it and you commonly get rejected. When my beautiful girl got one, she was embarrassed. Her toughest time is in the school Carpark! Lazy parents park there with no permit, so my daughter often has to double park, as she can’t walk the distance to the school from regular parking spaces. We need to get Seinfeld viewers who viewed the handicapped parking episode, to sort out a few cars illegally parked there! That would be worth it as punishment. Never a council worker thjere to write a fine. Gezabel.

 

[Macarj]

Some people have these stickers because they are a persons' much needed chauffer but I have seen it first hand and have a relative that uses and abuses this priviledge simply for a chance for close up parking when not involved with either a drop off or a pick up. These people should not park in these spots. Keeping an open mind, I can see where the writer of this note is coming from and he/she may be out of place by having written it out and leaving it behind on a car. But like l said, some purely abuse the priviledge by having a label on a car when they have no right to use up a handicapped persons righted parking spot when there is nothing wrong with them.

The point is if you don't know don't judge

 

[cgraner1]

We all know the saying, ‘Don't judge a book by its cover.’ But in today's fast-paced world, it seems that some people have forgotten the importance of taking a moment to consider the full story before making snap judgments. This was all too evident in a recent incident involving a disabled woman and her car, which has sparked outrage on social media.

View attachment 18832

A Canberra local has slammed a note left on their disabled mum’s car. Picture: iStock

Imagine going about your day, running errands with a family member, only to return to your car and find a shockingly rude note accusing them of misusing a disability parking spot. This is precisely what happened to one Reddit user who shared their story, and the note left on their mother's car after a shopping trip in Canberra.

View attachment 18834

The note instructed the woman to ‘follow the rules’. Picture: Reddit

‘Hi, are you truely [sic] disabled,’ the note read. ‘You both walked from your car like athletes [sic]. Please follow the rules.’

Now, if that doesn't make your blood boil, we don't know what will. The Reddit user was understandably furious and took to the forum to vent their frustration.

‘The absolute gall to leave this on my mother's car in Gungahlin shops parking,’ they wrote. ‘My mother is disabled, her disability isn't visible. She was legally given a disability parking permit because she is DISABLED! What a moron.’

It's a heartbreaking reminder that not all disabilities are visible, and it's not our place to judge others based on appearances. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 18 per cent (or 4.4 million) of the total population in Australia has a disability, and many of those disabilities are not immediately apparent. This story resonated with many who shared similar experiences they or people they knew had been through when it came to disability parking.

One woman with arthritis said, ‘I have arthritis in my spine and elsewhere – disabling, yet completely invisible. Have had old women yell at me for parking in the disabled spots, despite having a permit.’

Another person shared their friend's experience: ‘My mate with MS cops this all the time.’

To better support people with disabilities, particularly those with invisible disabilities, it's essential to practice empathy and understanding. Here are a few tips:

1. Don't assume someone doesn't have a disability just because it isn't visible.
2. Treat everyone with respect and kindness, regardless of their abilities or appearance.
3. Offer assistance if you see someone struggling, but always ask first and respect their wishes.

There are also several initiatives and campaigns promoting disability awareness, such as Invisible Disabilities Week, which aims to raise awareness and educate the public about the challenges faced by those with invisible disabilities.

Thankfully, the Reddit community rallied around the user and their mother, offering kind words and support.

‘That is a true ****s act. Please let your mum know that the rest of society does not judge people like this; it's an act of a lonely coward,’ one social media user said.

‘I'm sorry you found this note on your car. There's no need to ever justify why you have a disabled 'sticker'. It's no one's business but your own,’ another added.

Key Takeaways

• A driver found a note on their mother's car accusing them of misusing an accessible parking spot.
• The note questioned if the mother was truly disabled and asked them to follow the rules.
• The social media user explained that their mother has a non-visible disability and has a legal parking permit.
• Others shared similar experiences and offered support to the family against such judgmental behaviour.

We couldn't agree more. It's essential to remember that everyone is fighting their own battles, some of which we may not see on the surface. So, let's all take a moment to practice kindness, understanding, and empathy, and remember not to judge others based on appearances alone.

And to our dear SDC members who may have experienced similar situations, please know that you have our support and understanding. You deserve respect and consideration, regardless of whether your disability is visible or not.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIKE LAST WEEKS WRITER TO SENIORS. A serial judge and jury of what people are/aren’t doing! Leave the jobs to those whose job it is to monitor this injustice!

 

[Mr Chips]

The action in the report is reprehensible but I do have a couple of comments that may assist in what caused it. The writer f the note was most certainly a kid whose intelligence was in question and who was failing in English at school. The spelling is definitely childish so my advice is to not let it get to you, just laugh it off. Secondly, you stole his parking space, he always parks there because it's easy to get in and out of the shopping centre and he is special so doesn't give a dam about people who would legitimately park there. Hopefully, he/she/it will soon suffer from an injury or illness that leaves them with a legal reason to steal your space. Oh, it makes my blood boil. All you can really do is smile and forget it unless you want to search for possible recordings of the incident and take the kid or whoever to task. You deserve better so just put it down to experience and get on with a great day. God Bless you.

 

[Shirley Sargent]

Some people are so inconsiderate. My son with Multiple Sclerosis and his wife ...she was driving ...were parked in the Disable Bay of our Village. The Manager decided to park his buggy behind their vehicle so that they could not get out. On returning to their vehicle my daughter-in-law showed him the ACROD sticker he soon had to change his mind and remove his buggy. Obviously, the manner of walking that my son endures should have been proof alone. I can assure you a few unpleasant words were exchanged!!!!

 

[donandviv77]

We all know the saying, ‘Don't judge a book by its cover.’ But in today's fast-paced world, it seems that some people have forgotten the importance of taking a moment to consider the full story before making snap judgments. This was all too evident in a recent incident involving a disabled woman and her car, which has sparked outrage on social media.

View attachment 18832

A Canberra local has slammed a note left on their disabled mum’s car. Picture: iStock

Imagine going about your day, running errands with a family member, only to return to your car and find a shockingly rude note accusing them of misusing a disability parking spot. This is precisely what happened to one Reddit user who shared their story, and the note left on their mother's car after a shopping trip in Canberra.

View attachment 18834

The note instructed the woman to ‘follow the rules’. Picture: Reddit

‘Hi, are you truely [sic] disabled,’ the note read. ‘You both walked from your car like athletes [sic]. Please follow the rules.’

Now, if that doesn't make your blood boil, we don't know what will. The Reddit user was understandably furious and took to the forum to vent their frustration.

‘The absolute gall to leave this on my mother's car in Gungahlin shops parking,’ they wrote. ‘My mother is disabled, her disability isn't visible. She was legally given a disability parking permit because she is DISABLED! What a moron.’

It's a heartbreaking reminder that not all disabilities are visible, and it's not our place to judge others based on appearances. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 18 per cent (or 4.4 million) of the total population in Australia has a disability, and many of those disabilities are not immediately apparent. This story resonated with many who shared similar experiences they or people they knew had been through when it came to disability parking.

One woman with arthritis said, ‘I have arthritis in my spine and elsewhere – disabling, yet completely invisible. Have had old women yell at me for parking in the disabled spots, despite having a permit.’

Another person shared their friend's experience: ‘My mate with MS cops this all the time.’

To better support people with disabilities, particularly those with invisible disabilities, it's essential to practice empathy and understanding. Here are a few tips:

1. Don't assume someone doesn't have a disability just because it isn't visible.
2. Treat everyone with respect and kindness, regardless of their abilities or appearance.
3. Offer assistance if you see someone struggling, but always ask first and respect their wishes.

There are also several initiatives and campaigns promoting disability awareness, such as Invisible Disabilities Week, which aims to raise awareness and educate the public about the challenges faced by those with invisible disabilities.

Thankfully, the Reddit community rallied around the user and their mother, offering kind words and support.

‘That is a true ****s act. Please let your mum know that the rest of society does not judge people like this; it's an act of a lonely coward,’ one social media user said.

‘I'm sorry you found this note on your car. There's no need to ever justify why you have a disabled 'sticker'. It's no one's business but your own,’ another added.

Key Takeaways

• A driver found a note on their mother's car accusing them of misusing an accessible parking spot.
• The note questioned if the mother was truly disabled and asked them to follow the rules.
• The social media user explained that their mother has a non-visible disability and has a legal parking permit.
• Others shared similar experiences and offered support to the family against such judgmental behaviour.

We couldn't agree more. It's essential to remember that everyone is fighting their own battles, some of which we may not see on the surface. So, let's all take a moment to practice kindness, understanding, and empathy, and remember not to judge others based on appearances alone.

And to our dear SDC members who may have experienced similar situations, please know that you have our support and understanding. You deserve respect and consideration, regardless of whether your disability is visible or not.

While on the face of this report it would appear that the writer of this note is a real moron however, if as so often happens, can all of these do gooders claim that they have not experienced a similar problem of seeing "fit" people with or without a displayed disabled parking permit attached to the vehicle using a disabled parking spot. yet the person whom was responsible allegedly sighted the mother of the allegedly disabled mother having no need for assistance to leave the vehicle to go shopping-why has no one questioned the validity of the parking permitted for the this alleged disabled mother allegedly claiming to be disabled, these parking permits are for exclusive use by disabled people who require the use of a wheeled walker or walking sticks, if this lady can apparently get around without walking aids then one must question the honesty of the holder of this disabled parking permit.

 

[Lizzylou]

I have serious spinal problems and can't stand or walk for any distance. I have never had a problem using my Acrod sticker but when I am parking my car and I can see a normal parking space vacant I use that in case someone with more difficulties than me comes and they have the disabled space. My husband says I am stupid doing this and I would use the disabled space if all the other spaces were taken but I just like to think that there is still somewhere for someone disabled to park when they come if I use a nearby normal parking space.

I myself have a disability sticker like yourself if I can use a normal park I do, but some days if the only park that is closer to the doors of the shops is a disabled one and available and I am having a particularly painful arthritic day I will use them. I have also used a pram park as it was closer which you can use with a disabled sticker, but I try not to use them either.

 

[Lizzylou]

I myself look to see if there is a disabled sticker in the car and yet I have one myself, I think because I too have seen people not able to find a park but there is a disabled one so they pop in there as well. I have also been known to forget to put mine up and then feel bad when I come back to the car and realised I had forgotten. I have also had once an older gentleman look at me and the sign and then saw that I had put the sign up, he waved and said sorry then went on his way. My disability is arthritis and heart disease so both internal but can be extremely debilitating.

 

[MindyMac]

I too have seen people abuse this and seem to have absolutely nothing wrong with them. So many selfish people that use it and can easily walk. They may have mental health issues but some like myself have physical disability. Some worse off than others.

I just my specialist to complete my Disability Parking permit. He did it a few years ago and it expired. My GP refused to do it and my specialist couldn't understand why he wouldn't. Laziness I guess. Anyway, I've had no permit for two years now and yes it's taken it's burden on me. I have to get it on Monday or Tuesday as I certainly could have used it just last night and did a later afternoon/night shop so less people, less cars. By the time I got back home I was in a state and in immense pain. When I got off the lift in the car park there one car had taken one of the spots and they were alighting from the car, the wheelchair was out and a gentleman had his body inside to lift the disabled person out. I'm guessing a late night shop and to get this person as well out of their house even for a grocery shop.

I try to do a late night shop or if I haven't slept because of a bad night I go very early when the grocery stores just open at 7.00am and next-to-nobody is there. Even when I get my Disability Permit back on my car I will always try and find a normal spot but allows me to fully open the drivers door so I can get out and back in with ease.