There are always a few “viral videos” of people on scooters jumping up, or people with handicapped placards running into a store, and the posters thereof always assume that the person with the disability is a fraud. That “no one with a disability could possible do X, therefore they aren’t really disabled”, yadayadaramaramadingdong. Gentle Reader, your humble Bloggespondent is here to offer up a counterexample: his own self.

The Cranky handicap placard is because of coronary insufficiencies, and those are of course largely invisible. However, if over-exertion occurs, so too will the “drop dead in one’s tracks” event occur. That is a pretty serious health issue. (An ICD will be implanted as soon as the insurer pulls its institutional thumb out.) But since there is nothing external to see, the jackasses who post such ignorant, judgemental Internet items would likely view the use of a handicapped spot as “proof” of “fraud”.

And do I get looks from such judging jackalopes? Oh f*** yeah, I get looks. People think they can f*** diagnose persons with physical limitations just by looking at us. Arrogant a**holes…even qualified medical practitioners can’t do an eyeball scan and see such cardiovascular issues. But far too many laypeople think they CAN do such an analysis. F***ing ridiculous. 

When you see someone with such a placard, or riding on a scooter in the store remember how little we can tell about a stranger’s health via a glance. Don’t assume that we are fakes. Assume we are legit, because you are almost certainly NOT our doctors.

Mr. Blunt and Cranky