Remember a few months ago, I wrote about frustration with handicap parkers straddling the lines.  This leaves inadequate space for our van ramp to deploy, especially in older parking lots that are narrower.  Unfortunately, I have become one of these parkers myself and I need to clear my conscience.

Our van ramp deploys on the passenger side, which is the industry standard, so I always need the open space on that side of the van.  That usually means only about 50% of spaces in a given lot will satisfy our needs.  That is because not all spaces are setup for van access.  For years when I was forced to use a parking spot with the open space on the driver side, I would back into the space.  Over time, I recognized that backing a big van into a small parking space was difficult and somewhat dangerous with cars and people all around me.  So I made the decision to use this type of space by parking on the hashed lines on the driver side.  This give me sufficient clearance on the passenger side for the ramp.

My new approach may cause some difficulties for other handicap vehicles.  For that, I am sorry.  I avoid parking on the lines if there are any other options available to me.  I also minimize the degree to which I park in the lines.  I feel a little better after sharing this but realize we are just trying to normalize a situation that is very stressful for both of us.