Autistic people and handicap spots?

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I've always been really curious about how autistic people get handicap spots. Like, what are the reasons why they would? I'm not trying to offend anyone, especially those that do... I'm just curious about how or why they can get them.

I don't believe Autism/Asperger's would gain anybody a handicapped spot.

I believe they are given only to people with "physical" disabilities.

That's true, but I've heard parents get their autistic children handicap spots. I've asked them why, and I STILL don't understand how an autistic person rates by getting one.

My dad has one because of his arthritis and also because he has bad knees as well. It's hard for him to walk long distances, but there are times when he uses regular spots if he's having a good day.

These parents must know somebody in the city/town/village government.

In NYC, unless a person has a documented PHYSICAL disability, he/she won't get a handicapped spot.

I wouldn't park in a handicap spot even if they gave me a card. I can walk and there are people who actually need them.

I have had a disabled-parking permit for about 10 years. But, it is because of my physical disabilities, not my AS. In Utah, at least, if a person has ASD characteristics severe enough to warrant a parking permit, they are probably going to be excluded from driving, anyway. I bet that those drivers with permits who have ASDs probably have physical disabilities, too.

On occasion, a handicap permit is useful to someone with autism, though it's relatively rare because usually, anyone who, because of autism-related issues, needs to be parked close or have extra room to get out of a vehicle, also cannot drive because of those same issues.

Most of the time, when a handicap permit is issued to someone with autism, they're not the one driving the vehicle. The person with autism might have extreme sensory issues that could make it dangerous for them to walk across the parking lot. They could be a child prone to running into the street without much warning. They could have problems with movement and balance that make it hard for them to walk longer distances. And of course some people with autism have multiple disabilities.

So the permit is issued to someone who is driving them around, so that they can park close to the store and have the best chance of safely making it inside without the autistic person getting overloaded or stuck.

Where I live people that are accepted for disability can get a disabled parking permit. Apperently that includes non-physical disabilities. My mom wants to get one for me, but I don't think I need one.

am a very long time user of disabled bays;have owned a blue badge for many years and before getting own one had used the national autistic societys company owned badge;every autistic that personaly know IRL has one because theyre severely or profoundly autistic.
am on high rate mobility of DLA under the 'severe mental impairment with severe behavioral difficulties' criteria which is limited to intelectual disability with accompanying severe challenging behavior-when we get awarded HRM we more than meet the requrements for blue badge so are allowed them automaticaly providing we pay for them.

if it wasnt for disabled parking bays woudnt be able to access the community, the behavior of mine can escalate very quickly, have got no sense of danger,and will also drop to the ground anywhere if there is a sudden sensory or information overload am not able to cope with and will sit or lie there bashing head on ground.

for the past two years have also being using a wheelchair for the severe challenging behaviors when out as it allows support staff to wheel self out of the situation quickly without a bigger incident building up,disabled driving bays also help because theyre wider and give staff the ability to fit in and escort/support self into the car-am supported by two support staff at all times, the wider space also lessens the severe sensory overload caused by the car next to us;this triggers severe challenging behavior in self so its vital am in a wide space.

While waiting for surgery when I was 20, I was offered a disabled permit but turned it down. The doctor was rather surprised at that.

I didn't know they got one.

It isn't done by diagnosis--it's done by whether you need it. Having a disability doesn't mean you necessarily need a handicap space; if you don't need one, why get one, right?

Lots of people who have, use, and need disabled parking permits don't seem disabled at first glance, but that doesn't mean they don't still need the permit. Personally, I think I would rather give someone the benefit of the doubt rather than assume they must be non-disabled and misusing someone else's permit.

What did they say? Do they have like severe motor/cooridination issues or any sort of other physical problem along with the autism that makes walking/movement hard for them

I can't remember. I tried to find the post where I had asked, but I know it wasn't due to the motor/coordination stuff. I've read about how some like to park close because they feel it's easier to drag out an overloaded child or adult during a meltdown. In other words, if they are closer to the store, they don't have to walk five or more miles to their car because the child might try to bolt off and get hurt or something.

That's something I can understand, but in most cases, I know that the criteria to GET a permit or plate (if they are lucky) is pretty strict if you are doing it for an autistic person.

My dad has one for himself. He has the plates, but he's more or less undiagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. I know for a fact he has it too because he just... acts like an aspie. Anyway, I do know it's not because of that because as I said above before, he has arthritis, bad knees and tendonitis as well in his joints. He can walk fine, but he just can't walk long distances. It depends on how he feels about it and whether or not it's a good day or a bad day for him. Most of the time he will park in a handicap spot IF he can find one.

to me it kinda seems like an abuse of power. i think unless your mental disability causes you to either halucinate or not eb able to see clearly then you shouldnt be aloud to do that.

I honestly think if the person with autism needed to be 'dragged' into the store perhaps the better option is to let them stay out and wait, if its a child or someone with the capacity of a child then someone should stay out with them. But yeah pretty sure I'd be concerned if I saw someone being dragged from a car into the store and wonder what makes that person think they can treat someone like that.

But I figure you didn't mean it that way