Ranting. Sorry. No, I'm not sorry.

I had a hair appointment today in downtown Fredericksburg. It being a nice day, I knew there would be limited parking. When I got to the salon I was delighted to see a spot close by. As I was parallel parking on the left side of the street, I saw a white SUV parking in the handicapped spot across the street.

Parallel parking for me is no easy task -- it is harder and harder to turn the steering wheel under certain circumstances. I was there, turning the wheel with my left hand and holding it in place with my right when I saw the driver of the SUV and her passenger get out and begin walking up the street. The driver and her passenger, both high school girls with no visible handicap, meandered up the street to do some shopping. I finally parked the car and was struggling to unhook my seatbelt -- another difficulty in recent days. I finally got out of the car and started toward the girls, hoping I could catch them. When I was about a half block away I called out to them. The driver turned and I asked if she was handicapped.

Her response was, "no, but I don't know how to parallel park."

I said, "learn." I turned on my heel and stormed back toward my car and the salon.

Who are these people that they feel they can park anywhere they want just because they haven't learned how to parallel park? What have their parents taught them? If not parallel parking, what about right and wrong? I am technically handicapped and could get a permit tomorrow if I chose. I do not choose because I can still walk and I would prefer leaving the reserved spaces for those who need them. The callousness and disregard evidenced by these two girls is appalling.