According to California Law, wheelchair users can park in any marked handicapped parking place for as long as needed. However, one wheelchair user said a parking attendant chased and insulted her as she tried to do just that.
In a video with over 498,000 views, TikToker Madeline Delp (@madelinedelp) shares a clip of her in her car, just minutes after she says a parking attendant chased her down a hill toward her doctor's office. According to Delp, he repeatedly said, "Shame on you," as she tried to explain the California law.
"He said he was going to get my car towed," Delp says. "I tried to tell him the situation, but he would not let me speak."
Delp shares a clip of her interaction with the parking attendant. In the video, she explains the California law, but the man begins to film her and laughs—but he doesn't respond to her explanation.
"I can't park in these other spots along the road. I can only park in a handicap spot because I have a ramp," she says.
The man responds, saying, "I never touched you. I never yelled at you." He also denies saying, "Shame on you."
At the end of the clip, she asks for his manager, but he walks away.
@madelinedelp I was so shaken up by this encounter today… The hardest thing about living in LA has been the hostility and ignorant actions I’ve received from people who don’t understand what it takes to park as a wheelchair user. #storytime #wheelchair #handicapped #ada #parking
♬ original sound - Madeline Delp
Viewers respond
In the comments section, viewers express their anger toward how Delp was treated.
"I’m so confused. If not YOU, then WHO does he think is allowed to park there? Makes no sense! I’m so sorry you had to deal with that," one writes.
"Don’t stop til this man learns & understands. Unbelievable you had to go through that. So sorry," another says.
"That’s so disturbing. I’m sorry that happened to you. Where are people’s compassion?" a third adds.
A follow-up
In a part-two video, Delp says she entered a nearby business shortly after the incident to tell a worker what happened. The worker was "horrified" and assured Delp that he would call the property manager.
Delp says a customer overheard her conversation with the worker and told her that he would go outside and talk to the parking attendant himself.
"He leaves to go talk to this parking guy. Then the customer comes back with the parking attendant," she says. She explains that the customer looked like a "successful" man with "influence."
"This parking attendant changed completely. He came up to me and was like, 'I'm sorry. I didn't know this was the law,'" she says. "It was so frustrating. The second someone he thinks is highly respected came along, he changed his tune very quickly."
At the end of the video, Delp asks viewers if she should continue to escalate the situation.
"Take it further. He didn't listen until a man told him he was wrong," one suggests.
"He simple saw you as vulnerable and WANTED to harass you. he will do it again. take it to the property manager," another says.
"You need to call ADA as well as his boss. Absolutely absurd this happened to you," a third adds.
The Daily Dot reached out to Delp via email and Instagram direct message.
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