No matter in a wheelchair or not those who require these spaces truly need them and should never be stared at or even questioned whenever they park in these spots. Also it's good to remember all these spaces are first come first serve so that means in many situations you may not be able to find one.
But there is no need to be upset with anyone of any ability using these spaces, unfortunately sometimes you have to be patient till one opens up, this is just a part of the parking experience we all face. Now sure we have permit abusers but you never really know anyone's story, so keying their car or leaving a nasty note should never be an option. If you truly believe someone is not parking there legitimately don't confront them or block them in - just call the police or security.
Now for those like me with a hidden disability who are often confronted when using accessible parking I do have a few suggestions:
1 - If anyone starts yelling at you just hit the panic button on your cars remote activating the alarm. Not only might this grab the attention of other people around making it safer for you, but it will also help to drown them out and best of all you will no longer be able to hear them speak their stupidity.
2 - Don't respond or yell back, don't even waste your time or energy as with some no matter how hard you try and explain there is no changing their minds. Unfortunately we do live in a time when people love confrontations and you never know how far someone might take it. So you may also just want to walk away.
3 - If it gets really bad or if they threaten you or your vehicle just call the police. In the end no one who legitimately needs to park in these spaces should ever be harassed by strangers or even by those within the disability community.
Everyone needs to know that wheelchairs are not always required when using accessible parking as not all disabilities are visible. So don’t judge!
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