Double Wide Love on Aisle 2
I love how we give fatties a handicap tag, when instead we should be giving them a fat tag. Why should they get a spot right next to the store when they should park at the furthest away spot.
I don’t understand how people can let themselves get that huge and not think “Hey, maybe I should take this IV full of bacon out of my arm ,or what should look like an arm, and go walk a few laps around the block!” Maybe you should not buy food if you are too fat to walk to that food. We have military veterans with blown off limbs but these land whales take up their parking spots and all of the scooters just because they have lost all self control.
Walmart used to only have a few handicap spots, but now they have a whole handicap parking section. Go to any of the theme parks now and they have scooter rentals for people too fat to actually walk around the parks. Now they can scoot around from donut shops to burger bars to ice cream stores and never have to walk a step and waste calories! The roller coasters now even have their own fat-row with bigger seats/harnesses so the lard mountains can ride them. We are now catering to the lowest common denominator, it is like “no fatty left behind”
143 Responses to “Fat Americans Should Not Get Handicap Spots”
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People who have the attitude that fat people are victims of genetics, disease, or society are as to blame for the rise in obesity as the fat asses who drive three blocks to pick up their six burgers. If we chastise fat people like we do alcoholics or druggies maybe people would be a little more likely to ride their bike to work or eat vegetables.
@ Kate
I’m glad that you read through these comments and hopefully you may of picked up some insight muddled through the plethora of fat people bashing. I know you’re the only one that can attest for your actions I respect your privacy to not divulge more details than necessary. Since you’re the only one dealing with your issues I’m not here to tell you how to live your life. Hopefully by seeing the response your post has made it will help you think more about what you can do to overcome your issues or simply seeing that what your doing is very harmful and counterproductive.
Come to my house. Let me sit on your face, but before you come, pick up several
extra large Peperoni Pizzas.
AND a diet coke.
@Kate
I don’t give a crap about your excuses. You’re fat and you’re doing it to yourself and you know it. Not only are you hurting yourself but whoever has to take care of you in your life including everyone who pays tax and for insurance.
I get that its hard, but seriously, lose the weight, get healthy and stop making excuses.
@ Kate:
These people have been kind enough to give you a solution to your problem. Get over your “psychological issues” and stop abusing your body. I’m not trying to be mean, but really, there’s a solution and you’ve chosen not to take it! That just seems pretty silly to me. Really, it’s not that hard, k?
My folks are the kind that are into fitness and sustainable/organic food and it helped me love being healthy too. I was 5’2″ and 250 lbs when I first moved in with my mom and stepdad, but over about five years I dropped down to 135 by eating healthy, keeping myself hydrated, and working out consistently without overdoing it. I walk a couple miles every day (1 mile= about 30 minutes if you’re going at a good pace), I do yoga, and when I’m with my friends we’ll do some free rolling or wrestling or something. It’s pretty fun.
The first few weeks are the hardest, but a couple other things that can help are cutting out sodas (even diet, which is nasty anyway XP), high fructose corn syrup, and keeping your total fat grams to 20 or less, with maybe one or two meals a week where that can be disregarded. There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself.
Protip: Meat has a lot of fat. If you can, try to keep your consumption of it minimal and find other protein sources—eggs, beans, nuts, etc. Look at total fat grams, not just saturated or trans fats.
Also, working out alone is a bummer after a while. Find a good friend to keep you motivated and work out with you.
So, yeah. I’m not so much frustrated with the obesity problem in America as I am with the fact that it’s because people aren’t motivated to help themselves. It can be done!
And I hope what works for me works for other people willing to give it a shot.
80 Years ago people this fat would be few and far between and they would be in a sideshow, it’s not genetic or a disease for 90% of these people. 20 years ago obesity wasnt an issue, kids were healthy, went outside, and played sports. How has this so called “genetic” problem manifested itself in 2 decades? The answer it it hasnt, it’s just a convenient excuse, obese people need to help themselves!
Have you not considered that is possible to be both fat and handicapped???? If you have a handicap permit, you have to get a doctor to sign for it, at least in my state. Most doctors are too fat phobic to give one to someone who is just fat.Unless you are handicapped and denied a space because a fatty is using it, why are you so angry?
I work with overweight kids every season.
I have learned something through my career as a coach.
It is more socially acceptable to be a drunk or a coke head than it is to be fat.
Everyone has their internal battles. Everyone chooses to either fight them, or not to fight them.
The next time you laugh at a fat person, or chastise them for being weak or having made bad choices, just consider yourself lucky that you don’t have to carry around a tank on your back with all the booze you drank. Or a sack tied around your legs with all the weed you’ve ever smoked.
Simply put, worry about your own shit. Leave your self righteous opining for the birds.
@Coach
We’re not all druggies, alcoholics, or fatties. Some people live their lives responsibly taking care of themselves. I don’t know about others, but I can’t stand the thought of my ass being so fat and invalid that my loved ones will have to take care of me. Or that I’ll be a fucking drain on society when I go on medicare while everyone pays for the heart disease and other nasty health problems I’ve accrued over years of sloth and gluttony.
Hi, I’m a 21 year old 260 lb male who grew up in Europe and moved to the US 13 years ago. Although I am overweight I cannot agree more with the story. I go to a commuter college that has all of the parking lots come off in one direction and have realized that people will do anything and use any excuse to park closer. Not just fat people, everyone. Fat people just have a means of doing it, which in my opinion is BS. I have been reading some of the comments and here are my opinions on some:
@MrZero:
I’m sorry to hear about your situation. You should be allowed to park in the handicap area for your skin disease, not your weight. You can, however lose weight by dieting without exercising one bit. I’ve lost about 15 lb already doing that. I know some (very few) people have bad genes and can’t lose weight, but you didn’t mention it at all so I assume your genes are fine.
@Captain:
Maybe people with these diseases die quickly in Ethiopia. I still have most of my family in Europe. Most live in the eastern part and many in Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. I visit yearly and haven’t seen fat people get disabled parking anywhere (to be fair the countries in the east don’t really have disabled parking). Also obesity is very uncommon compared to the US even though many of these countries have superb medical care.
@Boner:
Funny how you accuse people of being stereotypical, not doing their research, not being educated doctors, making assumptions and not stating their sources. Keep that in mind and please read exactly what you have written. Karma hurts, doesn’t it?
@Billy:
Maybe we can use some of that saved money to help the handicapped not have to walk far to reach their destination. I call it a Handicap Parking Stall. Patent pending.
@Davelog
You’re looking too far into the future. With that attitude none of the world’s problems would be fixed. Imagine a half century ago if someone said, “Why eradicate small pox? What’s next? Malaria? AIDS? Cancer? Obesity?”
@Leslie
You’re awesome and very intellectual. But you called obesity a disability. I’ve always been the fat kid in class, yet in gym I played with the best while many of the skinny people needed a mellow game. My teachers were always surprised. It’s not a disability. I also don’t like it and don’t need a reward for being fat.
I totally with your third statement though. I have disabled friends who don’t use disabled parking because they can get by without it. I have great respect for them. And if someone is purely obese but needs that spot I think they should have it if it comes with a class or with some kind of help.
(As with your eyesight the world is an unfair game. I normally couldn’t see what I was typing on my laptop or see anything clearly, I’m not sure if I’m legally blind yet. I spend about $800 a year on contacts and supplies for that. I don’t feel like I should be treated special because of this.)
@anyone angry with me
This is just my story and my opinions. Please respect them. If you disagree with anything I said, I change my views better when given a clear argument instead of caps lock.
@CombatWombat
5’7″, 290 lbs and not obese? By whose definition? That’s a BMI of 45.4. Obesity STARTS at 30. That’s WAY obese, man. I’m 6’1″ and have dropped about 20 lbs to get to 220. That’s JUST under 30 BMI. My goal is 190.
I watched in sadness as my wife went from a svelte figure to 400 pounds in less than three years. She felt so terrible about herself and she felt as if things were beyond her control. Nothing she did made a difference and she was desperate, to the point of discussing having large portions of her stomach removed, even though there is a forty per cent chance of horrific side effects.
She went from walking regularly, to barely being able to cross the street.
I do understand the frustration that can be felt by seeing a person voluntarily out of control and they demonstrate it by eating too much. Such a simple problem with a seemingly simple solution. At times I wanted to scream at her to just get it under control.
Instead I let her know I accepted her decision to live life as she saw fit and to let her know I still wanted to be with her.
After two years of her gaining weight uncontrollably, we discovered she had a brain disease that kept her from being able to control her weight. And later anything else. In three years she has gone from being a very successful attorney to just being able to dress herself.
Three years ago she set a goal to lose weight and has dropped 84 pounds since. We walk all the time and have completely eliminated anything that has any sweetener in it from the house.
A year ago she was no longer able to solve the smallest problem. If something happens that has happened before, she can work from memory. If it is a new problem, there is nothing she can do and she freezes.
This past Mother’s Day she walked a 5K race to completion, her first race ever in her life. The people at the finish line cheered much to her surprise.
We are learning sign language as she recently lost the ability to speak.
She was and still is a person and deserves nothing but admiration for being courageous enough to discover the problem and try to work through what she can and live with the rest of it.
I admire her and love her dearly. She has maybe two more years of life left, then will be permanently in a coma until she eventually dies from fluid in her lungs.
I am sorry you are struggling with people that are overweight, but my wife does not deserve anything less than a bit of acceptance and understanding from others.
And maybe a smile and a pat on the back.
Thanks for listening.
P.S. When offered, she refused that handicap parking tag.
I went on a trip to China recently and have noticed how a very very small portion of their population is overweight. While there I noted quite a few societal differences that make this clear. Obviously there is the food difference, but I noticed just as much junk food there as in the states so I came to the conclusion that they are more active. After walking a park in Beijing I noticed retired individuals (and I mean ALOT) outside at 7a.m. exercising and playing sports something you NEVER see in the states. One morning I awoke at around 5a.m. and looked out of my hotel and noticed the sidewalks lined with Pizza Hut employees and other businesses employees doing exercise before business. Evidently businesses have policies to keep their employees fit. On a trip to the Great Wall military personnel were running the wall quite a feat if you’ve ever been there, but what was more interesting were civilians running and jogging the wall. I’m pretty fit and I was getting tired just walking after about a few miles. I caught up to a Chinese women and was talking with her and she said she runs the wall three times a week. Lastly walking and biking to work was the biggest and most evident change from america. We rely far to much on automobiles to transport us when there are healthier and cheaper alternatives.
After reading this small rant I also now realize that I don’t recall seeing anyone on a scooter or handicap areas. I’m sure they have them, but there is less need or want for them. These fat Americans will continue to be lazy as long as we the general population let them be lazy. I know a guy who is so fat he gets disability!!! As if he is some sort of cripple because he cant stand for five minutes. Mentalities like this just don’t exist in China because they don’t allow it to happen.
@Michael.
A loving husband like you already knows this, but your wife truly is the exception, not the rule. My comments are for the 99.999999% of the cases of obesity which are related to lifestyle. I have enormous respect for people who are overweight and actively trying to lose weight.
As an undergraduate student in my last year of my BS in Nutrition/Dietetics program, I have to say this article is very shameful. If Overweight/Obesity are as easy to treat as the author seems to allude, then there would be no such phenomenon known as Overweight/Obesity.
The author fails to take into account that variables like culture, poverty, living conditions, genetics, nutritional literacy and education, metabolic disorders (e.g. Hypothyroidism) and access to safe exercise venues all affect energy balance.
If there are no sidewalks to “walk a few laps around the block”, as the author puts it, or if there are no grocery stores within walking distance for someone with no means of vehicular transportation (thereby having limited access to foods with low energy density), how can one be expected to maintain a caloric balance? If one does not know how many calories to consume each day, then how can one be expected to maintain energy balance? If one is living in poverty and fresh fruits and vegetables cost more than convenience foods, how can one be expected to maintain energy balance? There’s a reason why higher incomes and higher educational attainments are associated with lower rates of Overweight/Obesity.
Please read up on the academic literature concerning Overweight/Obesity before going on a rant for which you have very little, if any, education. It’s people like you that only hurt efforts to curb Overweight/Obesity. Let the dietitians and the medical community deal with this epidemic; you’re clearly no help.
not all of that 290 is fat..
BMI is a stupid scale on its own, because it doesn’t take into account muscle mass and body shape.
Using BMI alone, almost every weightlifter and body builder is obese
That was @AreUKiddingMe
Much of the fat epidemic is likely due to lack of education with regard to selection of food–but if you don’t think that genetics plays a large part in the role of obesity, then don’t read any scientific journals. I’d hate to spoil your convenient world-view.
Sometimes people become handicapped because of a disease, then become obese because they cannot move much. Try not to generalize.
@NoTelling
See last sentence of my post –
“Simply put, worry about your own shit. Leave your self righteous opining for the birds.”
No body cares about your straight edge lifestyle. I wouldn’t want them too. Just like I wouldn’t expect you to care about any one else’s lifestyle/choices either.
I watched a documentary once called “Why Skinny People Aren’t Fat” and the results were surprising. Given huge amounts of food to skinny people to eat (they all felt sick trying to eat it all), they barely gained any weight. One guy’s response to eating more food is that his metabolism sped up. He actually got stronger and leaner eating a horrible, doughnut-filled diet.
Psychological issues are also a root cause of over-eating. Some people, from a young age, reject food when they are not hungry, others eat snacks if they have the room for it even if they are not particularly hungry. I’m talking about young kids who don’t know about will power, etc…
Obesity is a huge problem, and one that can and should be treated through good diet and exercise, but it’s not just about people being lazy. I’m sure no one would choose to be obese if it just came down to simple self-control.
Let’s also not forget that so much of our cheap food contain things like high fructose corn syrup and preservatives while whole / organic foods are quite expensive and time consuming to prepare.
I would like to hear the thoughts of someone who is obese though.
According to a quick google search, over 32% of Americans are obese. Of course businesses are going to cater to these people. They don’t want to lose 32% of their business. Quite frankly I have a few fat/obese relatives who would love to ride roller coasters, but our local park doesn’t have the row of seats for fat people. I would be happy if they did, as I don’t like seeing my friends and relatives miss out on the fun.
My question to you is why does this upset you so much? Does the extra 20 feet it takes you to walk to the door tire you out too much? Cause if it does you know many stores have these scooters you can ride around in.
@Kate
NotTelling said:
“I don’t give a crap about your excuses. You’re fat and you’re doing it to yourself and you know it. Not only are you hurting yourself but whoever has to take care of you in your life including everyone who pays tax and for insurance.
I get that its hard, but seriously, lose the weight, get healthy and stop making excuses.”
You A) Don’t know how tall I am or how much I weigh.
And B) I have a healthy BMI. and I’m in excellent shape. I’m just overweight by my standards.
And C) Are you a troll? You know I mentioned I struggle with anorexia / bulimia, right?
@ Kate:
So you just want us to feel sorry for you even though you’re supposedly in “excellent shape?”
Stop starving and overexerting yourself, and stop throwing up your food if you’re in such great shape. That’s not healthy at all. It’s disgusting, and frankly, you sound selfish and ungrateful for what you have.
I hope your reappraise your situation and do something positive to solve it rather than cry to others about it.
Well seeing as how Americans are in a recession this is why you know, people are sunk to far down in there couches to get to work, but I’m sure there proud that god invented home delivery for all of there favorite fatty restaurants
There are better ways to fight obesity than killing fat people. My aunt has lupus and the medicine she takes forces her to be unusually overweight. A walk across the parking lot could literally kill her. Why don’t you fuck off or write a blog about education vs murder or something.
Seriously dude? You’re blaming “overweight” people for more handicap spot at Wal-mart and theme parks? So what do handicap people not deserve spaces because people you feel shouldn’t park there do? I am an amputee, and from how you worded your rant i’ll bring this word down to your level, that means I have one leg. I have had one leg since I was 5 years old, and yes I would agree that as an amputee there are times where it APPEARS that someone shouldn’t have one of those carts but do, but you never know what the real story is. On your statement about theme parks having wheelchair rentals? Really?!? what about people like me who can’t walk around a gigantic park for 12hours but still like to have fun with their friends/family. As an amputee I can only walk around for like 3-4 hours at parks like that so those services greatly help people in my situation, and for you to group the idea of wheelchair rental into a statement such as “they have scooter rentals for people too fat to actually walk around the parks.” really pisses me off. But you have you’re opinion and I have mine I just thought I’d let you know how someone else who uses those handicap spaces feels about what you’re saying.
This reminds me of the movie WALL-E. That’s the future we’re slowly (or not so slowly…) rolling towards.
Really?
Yeah, OK – it’s a problem when people eat too much. There is something to be said for semi-responsible consumption of calories. However, within those margins…
Body type does matter.
A lot!
If you are fit, and you think it’s not because you had favorable genetics – then you are just wrong. Really, it’s not just the amount of food we eat and when we eat it from birth until now that determines our body types. I can prove it – trying to eat a diet to make you shorter. Good luck.
It’s not the same? Are you sure?
Just a question, really…what about those of us who are heavy, but can still do everything we need and want? I am 6’4″ and weigh 330 lbs. I am a football player, rugby player, and wrestler. I may not be able to run a marathon, but I sure as hell can move fast over short distances, that is really all that is required of my positions. The only reason I say this, is because someone mentioned the theme parks. I can only fit in about 40% of the rides at a theme park. Now, most of that problem is height restrictions, but the other is that they are just designed for smaller people. Why should I have to sit on the sidelines? And I am not the vast minority here. Look at all the offensive lineman in the NFL, look at any college wresting team (heavy-weight division, of course). You can be big and still be athletic and still eat healthy, but being as big as you are and as active as you are, you need those calories. Yet, I still get lumped into the ‘haha, look how fat he is, he must be lazy’ crowd. Next time you want to laugh at a fat person, just remember, there is more to a person then just a gut.
The real question is… who gets to be the judge? Surely it should be a doctor? If someone has a medical condition that makes it difficult for them to lose weight, will you still hold the same tone?
@ Killian
Your Aunt’s medicine forces her to stuff her face with cake and pie?
I look at pictures of everyone in my family. No one was fat up until the 80s.
There’s nothing genetic about it, it’s diet, and laziness. Where was all this “its genetic” crap 40 years ago?
Fat fucks. Get the fuck off your asses. Fucking tubs of lard, if I could I’d round you up and dump you in the ocean, fucking stealing my oxygen.
(posted to pikk) Hooray! or Boo!? Fat Americans Should Not Get Handicap Spots | Quarter Life Crisis [POLL] – http://www.pikk.com/0c061
not only that there too fat to work, so they get a social security check from big brother.
What society needs to understand is that endomorphs can not transform into ectomorphs or mesomorphs. They can maintain a reasonable health by eating and maintaining an activity level that promotes health, but even then there’s no guarantee that they will not become disabled. Every endomorph carries extra fat to a degree. What that degree is depends on not only their choices but their propensity for illness, socioeconomic factors, psychological factors such as motivation and mood, availability of knowledge, and social support. It is not strictly a matter of choice. There are numerous barriers and confounding factors.
In disability cases, people have mechanical breakdowns which are exacerbated by obesity, which leads to a downward spiral of limited activity and weight gain. It’s a complex problem and solutions are not as cut and dried as you might think.
To the author of this blog: You’re hanging your own shit on the fatties. Your lack of understanding is not their fault.
The overweight/obesity issue is a far more complex issue than what people realize. Although the mechanics of weight loss is quite simple, it’s something thoroughly ingrained through interrelating physiological-psychological responses from the body. Truly following a diet (emphasizing caloric deficits), one will lose weight. But actual adherence is the true issue.
When you have vast groups of our population suffering from these chronic ailments, it’s not useful to point the finger at individual responsibility. It becomes a social issue and problem, one that needs to be rectified by proper public policies. A few off the top of my head would be better education towards nutrition and weight loss, as well as putting incentives in place to stock reasonably priced “healthy” foods in urban centers.
“Healthy”- defined as foods that are typically fruits/veggies/lean-protein-sources or with particularly high fiber. Each of which can aid a dieter (increases satiety), but is consistently priced at a premium in urban areas.
As a humane society, those who are significantly disabled/impaired WILL be taken care of regardless. Someone will foot the bill; this isn’t up for argument. Before all the libertarians eat me alive, it IS important for public policy changes to be made, as disease prevention is MANY times cheaper than treating the symptoms and a full-blown problem. Let’s be practical about this.
Let’s be real. This issue is too big. So we have to make Policy and Environmental changes. I would like to sit comfortably in my seat on the plane next to you and not have to feel your fat rub or press into me.
I haven’t finished reading this yet, only the first sentence, but I want to say: that is the exact phraseology of my argument on this topic every time I have it. I’ll continue to read, but you’ve won, in my book.
I was 270 and lost 130 lbs!! I see NO excuse for this. GO TO THE GYM!!! enough is enough look in a MIRROR PEOPLE!!!!
Fat people are hurting the people around them. My obese mother has caused more disruption to me and my family than any other life event I can think of. Considering the real damage she has done, both financially and emotionally. I find it nearly impossible to have respect for people who let themselves go to that extent. They become dependent on able bodied people to the point where normal people become their slaves.
Its ridiculous; no, its beyond ridiculous. Its abhorrent.
You are right on the money! People seem to have this illusion that even though they are hundreds of pounds over weight that they are really ok and that as long as they start to work out and diet tomorrow they will be ok. No, its not your metabolism, its the lazy slothful habits!
Now lots of fat people use kind euphemisms to describe themselves like “thick” or “BBW”. Sure, keep doing that. But the ugly truth is that no one, given the choice, would want to be fat!
And while you are young you can probably get by ok, walking is easy. Just wait till you are over 40. Every part of your body that supports weight will be failing. Feet, knees, hips, they will all be causing you pain every day. Thats ok, dont worry about it, you can always get an electric wheel chair and a handicap parking sticker…
“Fat Americans Should Not Get Handicap Spots” is a statement that is difficult to claim untrue, but is so loaded that agreeing with it opens an individual up to strong criticism. The issue of obesity and its link to handicap status is by no means simple. A few thoughts to consider are
* Many people who are obese due of their own accord also suffer other maladies as a result (google “Obesity diabetes”). Thus the handicap spot may be an indirect result of their obesity.
* Our culture is one of cars and convenience. Anyone walking a long distance with a large backpack in an urban area to go shopping is assumed to be poor or homeless. A person with a bike and a trailer that isn’t holding children is assumed to be a bottle collector and destitute. We sneer and deride, even if not outright, anyone who doesn’t live our car culture. These activities are healthier, but don’t conform to social expectations.
* Inexpensive food is unhealthy, healthy food is expensive. Those with little money are at a disadvantage in feeding themselves and those they care for. Corn is, in the US, a heavily subsidized crop and thus many inexpensive foods are overly high in carbohydrates and sugars instead of protein and vitamins.