Should Pregnant Ladies Get Parking Privileges?

dogseat's flickr

Pregnant ladies already get to eat just about any crazy ol' thing they want, but one politician wants to make sure they can park wherever they want to as well. Councilman David Greenfield plans to introduce legislation next week that would grant special parking placards to pregnant women whose doctors say they have physical or mobility challenges. "If I'm on a train and a pregnant woman walks in, I stand up and offer her my seat. I consider this legislation to be the same thing - standing up on the City Council for women who have difficult pregnancies," said Greenfield.

It's too bad the eight-months pregnant woman who was given a $75 summons when she couldn't find a seat wasn't on the same train as Greenfield. With the new legislation, the women would be able to park for free in no-parking or no-standing zones during their pregnancies, and up to 30 days after. There are already similar laws on the books in at least two states, Georgia and Oklahoma.

Critics argue that changing the parking rules may further stigmatize pregnancy, at a time when workplace discrimination is already on the rise. "A lot of bosses just don't think you'll be as dedicated, that you're as nimble or fast, mentally or physically. You see women's career paths completely take a wrong turn as a result of getting pregnant and becoming mothers," said Sonia Ossorio of the National Organization for Women in New York City. Paul Steely White of Transportation Alternatives agrees, saying it would create another entitled parking group, when there are already too many special and illegal parking permits floating out there. Greenfield, an old fashioned gentleman if ever there was one, scoffs at those criticisms: "Pregnancy is not a disability. It's a temporary condition...This is the city providing a common courtesy."

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By Ben Yakas in News on January 23, 2011 3:28 PM

Comments [rss]

fosiacat

they do this in other countries.... handicapped/pregnant parking. not really that unreasonable if you think about it, and i think you're all a bunch of selfish dickheads that disagree. it's not that big of a deal.

robingee

My office building has Mommy-To-Be parking spots right by the door. I think it's nice!

ddhboy

It would flood the handicap parking though, creating challenges for those whom need the service. It seems unfair that all pregnant women would be entitled for handicap parking when they'd maybe only need it during their final trimester, as opposed to someone in a wheelchair who'd need it for their entire lives.

blink667

Why encourage pregnancy with free parking?

StriketheSet

I think as women carry the baby to full term one has to pee
quite often ,perhaps we should have parking permits for pregnant women
and a pass that would allow a women to use any public bathroom such as
in office buildings or nearby restaurants rapidly.
Would be wonderful for the handicapped who have the same water
retention problems.
I remember a man asking me on 26th street and Lexington avenue in
the city where he could go to a john quickly as he had an issue of
being unable to wait, I took him to a local laundrymat that had a key
to use for their toilet facilities if you were a customer.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.

ANGRYGOD11

Pregnancy is not a disability. It's a temporary condition...

What sort of condition is motherhood?

The2ndComing

I bet all the bloggers who say NO to any "pregnant woman" privileges are from the gay community...
Homosexuals and lesbians hate normal people

schmeep

You're probably new to trolling. It helps to be more subtle. Mention Hitler or something, and it'll be less obvious.

mrmanhattan

Wow, permanent gridlock in Park Slope, Williamsberg and the late West Village.

I know I'm being "grumpy old man", but I miss the days when breeders moved to the suburbs where they belong.

nolastname

Borough Park will be a real joke.
Physical or mobility challenges to me means some one other than the pregnant person should be driving in the first place.

Guest

I think women have been doing just fine so far, right? My goodness people are getting soft. Did David Greenfield's wife just get knocked up or something?

Communist

Hold on, handicapped people don't get that. But if you got knocked up (nothing special) you get them? Idiots.

neuroradical

actually, depends on your disability and situation, but there are parking permits that allow people to park in certain types of no parking/no standing zones due to disability.

Tom Giebel

They should also be allowed to drive through red lights!

nicemarmot

Pregnant ladies get to eat whatever they want? Yeah I wish dude. I could write you a list of all the shit you're not supposed to eat when you're knocked up, but that would make this a very long post. Let's just say I really really miss cookie dough.

As to parking, it's just stupid. Pregnant chicks don't need to park in the emergency lanes. If they feel good enough to drive to the store, they can walk through a parking lot. A seat on the train is nice though, but it's more because your feet are swollen and your balance is thrown way off, making it harder to not topple over when the train turns on a curve.

GP

I pooped my pants.
I pooped my pants.
I pooped my pants.
I pooped my pants.

crypstopher

Right, maybe not so harsh. . but it's not like a disability. They became pregnant knowing the risks involved, so deal with them. If their condition is like a handicap, create a temporary handicap placard rather than something completely new.