Amputee gets rude letter from Karen about parking spaces.

skyking

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
22,174
5,000
146
I have been made aware by the various times my brother in law was parked in, his chair lost on the airlines, my ramp equipped van in Hawaii being lost, etc.
On that trip the small rental outfit just dropped the anonymous van into long term parking at Kona, put the key on the tire, and then proceeded to tell NO ONE about that.
I guess I missed the part about hiring a psychic in the airport terminal to help me find the van.
Nobody answered my calls so I rented a van and he sat on the floor that first trip to the timeshare, where we met with round two. This is the same day, mind you.
We had stated over and over again we needed wheelchair access. I get to the unit and we are greeted with 15 steps up.
Thier answer was " Oh the golf course side is ground level."
Seriously. There was not even a worn path through the grass and gardens, not space in the plantings etc.
We got a unit for two nights but had to move from that one to another one. The van caught up to us on the second day. Sorry for the rant but can you imagine having to ask a total stranger to move your van for you so you can get to the ramp?
 

Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
11,770
2,682
136
The legal system is more accommodating to those with confirmed disability than laypeople. The apartment gave the accommodation probably out of fear of violating discrimination laws if they didn't.

That's a fact. Intangibly disabled? Well, the laypeople care about protecting the government's finances much more than allowing a few faking grifters to take advantage.

The one time you trust lawyers over common folk in judgment.
 
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nOOky

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2004
2,887
1,903
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Vandalism is never the answer, but if holes mysteriously appeared in the sidewalls of Karen's tires and then her car towed from the handicapped spot I doubt the universe would seek karma against the one-legged lady.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
63,262
11,614
136
Vandalism is never the answer, but if holes mysteriously appeared in the sidewalls of Karen's tires and then her car towed from the handicapped spot I doubt the universe would seek karma against the one-legged lady.

Nowadays, with security cameras everywhere...and everyone having a "pocket recording device" in their smartphone...that's probably not a great idea.
 
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pcgeek11

Lifer
Jun 12, 2005
21,476
4,572
136
Just have Karen's car towed for illegal parking... I assume Karen wasn't handicapped.
 

Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
11,770
2,682
136
How about she asked, they saw her need and accomodated her? you wield occam's razor like a wet noodle.
Why would housing companies not be aware of federal discrimination laws like the ADA or Fair Housing Act. Or at least, ask the counsel they have on hire to check if they need to provide accomodations? It is precisely because the courts and HUD hit hard that companies bend the knee rather than pursue the profitable course of actions(which is to not provide).

With her condition, it's open and shut obvious, so there is no escape.

As signage was installed, that means the HOA or landlord(depending on whether these were true "apartments" or "condos") had to spend money on its installation.

Mom-and-pop landlords, yes, can just be nice. Big companies? The law always plays a role.

This is a misapplication of Occam's Razor, which is nothing more than a pragmatic presumption. You are literally using it to prove a law is nonexistent and noninfluential.

Likewise, the neighbor's actions is enough for me to file a complaint if I were in her shoes with the Fair Housing Act at the federal and state level. It might not go fair, but it's enough to report to the goverment.
 

Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
11,770
2,682
136
it is eh? you are a presumptuous tool.
It is illegal to discriminate based on disability and failure to provide reasonable accommodations can result in penalties. When determining what influences behavior in landlord-tenant, laws usually influence far more than heart-tugging. If in general, landlords were "nice guys", there wouldn't be a need for laws to force them to do things.

Just because the law compels does not mean those who processed the application were also sympathetic. They are not mutually exclusive concepts. Indeed, that they did voluntarily comply could indicate a sympathetic landlord. Although her saying "I finally get my handicapped parking space and..." implies obtaining the accommodation wasn't immediate or fast. It took at least three months of waiting(March 12, 2015 was when she got the signage) for that accommodation, which apparently was just a single sign.

The foul neighbor also at least, engaged in one act of harassment on the basis of disability, and in very clear terms.

Occam's Razor is a useless piece of garbage in the legal world or when conducting an investigation. "Objection! There are too many facts in the case and too many counts detailing violations of law. Opponent should lose his case on those grounds. "
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
63,262
11,614
136
What state was this? (I didn’t watch the video)

In MOST states, there is a required minimum number of handicapped spaces based on the number of total spaces available.

Next, at least in CA, there is basically a cottage industry of disabled lawyers who travel around the state suing anyone/everyone for ADA violations. (aisle in the store is 2” too narrow for wheelchair access, no ramp into your mountaineering store, etc. Up next, the State and National Park services will be getting sued for a lack of handicapped access to the tops of mountains, into wilderness lakes, etc.

As someone who is partially handicapped, (walk with a cane, stairs are not my friend, etc.) I’m all for making things easier for handicapped people…but there comes a point where we have to accept that our disability stops us from doing things.

As for the Karen…if she parked in a handicapped spot without the appropriate plates or placard…have the bitch towed.
 
Dec 10, 2005
24,295
7,155
136
I have been made aware by the various times my brother in law was parked in, his chair lost on the airlines, my ramp equipped van in Hawaii being lost, etc.
On that trip the small rental outfit just dropped the anonymous van into long term parking at Kona, put the key on the tire, and then proceeded to tell NO ONE about that.
I guess I missed the part about hiring a psychic in the airport terminal to help me find the van.
Nobody answered my calls so I rented a van and he sat on the floor that first trip to the timeshare, where we met with round two. This is the same day, mind you.
We had stated over and over again we needed wheelchair access. I get to the unit and we are greeted with 15 steps up.
Thier answer was " Oh the golf course side is ground level."
Seriously. There was not even a worn path through the grass and gardens, not space in the plantings etc.
We got a unit for two nights but had to move from that one to another one. The van caught up to us on the second day. Sorry for the rant but can you imagine having to ask a total stranger to move your van for you so you can get to the ramp?
It's amazing how inaccessible the world can be and many people don't notice until you start helping someone with mobility issues out. Outside of the obvious ones like staircases, but lips to enter buildings, bathroom access, etc... Communities where you have to drive to get anywhere and reliable public transit or safe pedestrian routes are non-existent.

In the last few years of my dad's life, he used a wheelchair to get around, but even before that we had to make adjustments. When I was in NYC, some restaurants we liked for crossed off the list because their bathrooms were down a flight of stairs, and he couldn't navigate that many anymore. I remember when my wife and I were picking out our wedding location, I specifically made sure the bathroom could be accessed by someone in a wheelchair, because so many places don't think about that.

Eventually, my parents moved into a single floor condo out of a post-WW2 home, which certainly made it a little easier for him in his last year.
 

Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
11,770
2,682
136
What state was this? (I didn’t watch the video)

In MOST states, there is a required minimum number of handicapped spaces based on the number of total spaces available.

Next, at least in CA, there is basically a cottage industry of disabled lawyers who travel around the state suing anyone/everyone for ADA violations. (aisle in the store is 2” too narrow for wheelchair access, no ramp into your mountaineering store, etc. Up next, the State and National Park services will be getting sued for a lack of handicapped access to the tops of mountains, into wilderness lakes, etc.

As someone who is partially handicapped, (walk with a cane, stairs are not my friend, etc.) I’m all for making things easier for handicapped people…but there comes a point where we have to accept that our disability stops us from doing things.

As for the Karen…if she parked in a handicapped spot without the appropriate plates or placard…have the bitch towed.
Miamisburg is a small town in Ohio. Population about 19,000.

The phrase is reasonable accommodations. It is better to push as hard in favor of the disabled the definition of "reasonable accommodations" rather than the other way. Discrimination laws puts the brakes on commerce, and as such, the laws that do exist are already not easy to access and people are not aware how to access them. Only one year to file a complaint with HUD. Two years to file a private lawsuit(and litigate it).

There is a laundry list of misconduct(maybe unintentional and just for the money) on the part of not just the neighbor, but also the management company. The installed a sign...after months and her falling multiple times(according to her).
On the HUD website, the guidance states:
  • If an individual’s disability is obvious, and their request is related to that disability, you should grant the request without delay
  • If an individual’s disability is obvious, you can only ask for additional information about the request if it is not clear how what the individual is asking for is related to their disability

March 12, 2015. That's basically an entire winter passed.

This news report mentions "management" has not decided on a course of action. A different local station mentions mediation. Well, that covers the ass of the management company because mediation is confidential.
I doubt she filed a complaint with HUD even with the Amputee Coalition of America present.