handicapped = screwed?

[co_delphi]

Recently my girlfriend had been discussing some of the finer things learned from one of her Japanese friends and I have to wonder of the validity of it. According to her friend if someone has a debilitating disease, illness, or handicap they are generally considered unmarryable and undesirable. Is this something of old Japan or is this still in practice?

[hapacheese]

Japan is still pretty "anti-handicapped." It's changing little by little, but for the longest time, it was nearly impossible for someone who needs a walker, let alone someone in a wheelchair, to get around train stations. Even now, at some stations, you have to arrange for a station employee to help you up and down stairs etc.

A lot of individuals have no issues with handicapped people they know personally, but in general, the culture kind of likes to pretend they don't exist, in a sense.

[hanacker]

I like those yellow bumpy tiles they have on the sidewalk for blind people to walk on. That is what they're for, isn't it?

According to her friend if someone has a debilitating disease, illness, or handicap they are generally considered unmarryable and undesirable.

Uh, is that different anywhere else in the world? I don't consider myself unusually shallow, but there's very little chance of me ever dating a blind person or someone in a wheelchair or anything like that.

[Henjin]

I figure my only chances of marrying a cute Japanese girl are to marry a cute blind Japanese girl, so....

[Kustom]

I don't think Japan (or maybe let's say Tokyo/Osaka) is so backward when it comes to disabled people. Sure, it is behind the US, but it is better than in some European countries in many ways. In France, for instance, you cannot find yellow lines, texts written for blind people on ATMs or room in trains for wheelchairs, and there are many stairs without escalators or elevators everywhere, even in Paris. I see a lot more disabled people in Japan than I do at home, probably because life is more convenient outside for them. Besides, station employees are always there to help and seem pretty disabled-friendly to me (they have a machine that fits on wheelchairs, makes it look like a mars exploration drone but allow it to get down stairs!).

What I hate are the people who walk around all day wearing eye patches, just because they have a pimple. Eye patches are for when you've lost an eye, bitches!!! Don't scare gaijins like that!

What hanacker said sounds true to me. People without arms or legs have trouble getting married no matter which country they're in...

[Henjin]

LOL on the eyepatch comment. Is that for real? :D

[Kustom]

They're everywhere, I swear! Every time I take the metro I run into a high school girl with an eye patch, I nearly had a heart attack the first 50 times.

[PopCulturePooka]

Why do they have those fucking eye patches?
I thought it was because they had plastic surgery to westernise their eyes?

[Henjin]

Maybe they're trying to be characters from Kill Bill but they're confusing them...

[hapacheese]

Haha... It's also for people who have eye infections or whatever. Not just for pimples.

<- Trying desperately to protect the Scare a Gaijin a Day strategy...


I have a question... In the US, sometimes we take the whole serve-the-handicapped thing a bit too far. You know when you go to the drive-thru ATM? Why is it there is braile on the drive-thru ATM? Who is this for, really?

[hanacker]

I have a question... In the US, sometimes we take the whole serve-the-handicapped thing a bit too far. You know when you go to the drive-thru ATM? Why is it there is braile on the drive-thru ATM? Who is this for, really?

Because there's brail on normal ATMs and it isn't worth the effort to make a special ATM with no brail just for drive throughs? I don't think we have drive through ATMs here, though, so I can't remember ever seeing one.

[morganlefayw]

My best friend's dad is missing most of his left arm- he lost it when he was twelve when a firecracker exploded in his hand. And he married, had a couple kids (i.e., my best friend) and when they divorced, he got another girlfriend and they are still dating a year later to this day.
As for the whole handicap= screwed, here in the U.S., I've never seen it like that. Maybe I'm being too serious, but no, ppl with handicaps don't let it hold them back. I have F.A.S. and still strive to function as a normal person (getting there....) and a friend of mine, Wheels, is in a wheelchair cuz he's got spina biffitta (sorry on the spelling) just sold his comic book, got it picked up by a major label (or whatever-sorry, comics are not my territory) and he's almost got his black belt in karate.
As for other countries, I have no idea. But from the people I have come to know in the U.S., most of them don't let it hold them back. My friend and I were just talking about this yesterday and I mentioned when I think of Wheels and everything he's accomplished, my problems pale in comparison and it makes me want to work harder for the things I want to do with my life. Yes, I am slightly handicapped (I have F.A.S. afterall), but compared to other people, my life is a picnic.

[Pfalzer]

Well in the states most of the spots are for fucking handicapped poeple some of those people should not be driving if they need something they can go order it or get a taxi instead of taking up needless space. But i have a heart also being handicapped does suck there needs to be balance lol like less handifreakincapped spaces goddammit!

[hapacheese]

Pfalzer - Riiiiiiiight. "Most" spots? Hyperbole much? And ever consider that maybe the person driving might not be handicapped, but rather, they have someone in their charge that is?

Hell, a good friend of mine is in a wheelchair, but his car is modified so he can drive with his hands (accelerator and brakes on pedals on the steering wheel). So, you're saying that he shouldn't have a handicapped spot to park that gives him enough room to set up his wheelchair?

[PopCulturePooka]

Well in the states most of the spots are for fucking handicapped poeple some of those people should not be driving if they need something they can go order it or get a taxi instead of taking up needless space. But i have a heart also being handicapped does suck there needs to be balance lol like less handifreakincapped spaces goddammit!
What about the handicapped persons carer?

[hapamama]

Well in the states most of the spots are for fucking handicapped poeple some of those people should not be driving if they need something they can go order it or get a taxi instead of taking up needless space. But i have a heart also being handicapped does suck there needs to be balance lol like less handifreakincapped spaces goddammit!

My grandmother had a handicap placard... she didn't drive, but when a family member was taking her places, the placard allowed her not to have to walk all the way across a parking lot.

Handicap spots also have a bit more clearance, so people can get in and out of their cars, wheelchairs, etc without fear of getting run down by some jackass going 30 mph in the parking lot.

[hanacker]

Well in the states most of the spots are for fucking handicapped poeple...

Well, it's good to know that in America people find handicapped people sexually attractive.

[nice gaijin]

I don't know about covering up pimples, my understanding is that those eyepatches are for people who just had styes removed; at least that's why my gf had to wear one for a few days. I've got a photo of her flashing the "shocker" in front of the kaminari-mon in Asakusa, with a freaking eyepatch on. damned funny stuff.

[co_delphi]

I realize that giving the short form of the story was not the best idea in regards to this question. The friend of hers has a hereditary problem involving the inner lining of her lungs being not right making it so they damage easier. As far as physically this is not apparent but it is a handicap none the less. Her brother also has the same problem but due to it being a mainly male oriented culture they looked the other way in his case.


Uh, is that different anywhere else in the world? I don't consider myself unusually shallow, but there's very little chance of me ever dating a blind person or someone in a wheelchair or anything like that.

In my case my girlfriend has rhuemetoid arthritis and although it occasionally cases her problems I don't view her as any less attractive.

As for dating a blind person or a person missing a leg I fail to see how it would really affect things. I mean obviously it makes it a mute point to go to the movies with a blind person or something that would otherwise be a hinderance of their handicap, but lets face it..... for some people out there it would actually be a benefit that their partner would not be able to see what they look like or in the case of a woman with only one leg...... not to be perverted, but I think there are some positions available in that instance not mentioned in the karma sutra. It all depends on how you look at the handicap I guess.

[Kustom]

I see your point now, but I haven't really noticed that in Japan. Never gave it much thought either, maybe someone more familiar with the culture could point to a particular taboo...

[hanacker]

As for dating a blind person or a person missing a leg I fail to see how it would really affect things.

Seriously? Try it and let me know. I'm sure it wouldn't be so bad, but there are a lot of things that you enjoy and take for granted that would be difficult or impossible for them to do. (Assuming missing a leg implies they're in a wheelchair. They make pretty good prosthetics these days so just missing a leg isn't nearly as bad.)

[Arilou]

I'm myself handicapped (infant cataract) and I can explain at least somet things...

Drive through ATMs: It might be for people who drive *with* other people. Recall that just because you can't drive doesen't mean you can't be driven. A lot of blind people have their friends/relatives assisst them or even hire a chaffeur.

[Pfalzer]

Well if they are driven they can park at the back of the parking lot liek the rest of us theres tons of sapce back there to move around.

[Arilou]

Well if they are driven they can park at the back of the parking lot liek the rest of us theres tons of sapce back there to move around.

I believe that handicap lots actually have extra space allocated to them (at least here) so that people in wheelchairs have an easier time getting in or out.

[Pfalzer]

Here they are the same size as regualr spaces there ar eliek a few with allocated big spaces but thts liek one. I think most handicapped spaces are for the fucking elderly tht shouldnt be driving most of the time... I hav enothing against people tht have whellchairs but if u have an 80 yr old women pulling into a parking space in her cadillac scraping adjacent cars then she should be the fuck home orderign whtever the fuck she needs over the fucking phone... tht or her fucking kids or caretakers should get the shit she needs...

[Henjin]

Why does Pfalzer hate the disabled so much when he himself obviously has a learning disability?

[hanacker]

Or at least deformed fingers that can't type properly.

[hapacheese]

My ex-roommate (the crazy one) used to say, "Man... handicapped people are so damn lucky. They get the best parking spots."

[Unactuality]

This should answer the question:

http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/foia/cltr169.txt

There's Braille on drive-through ATMs because it's the law.

[co_delphi]

To give you a good idea of just how much being handicapped can be useful is with my girlfriend. She can do everything that any of us can do, but she cannot stand for prolonged periods without pain. So when she goes to Disneyland, she gets a wheelchair, and because of this gets to the front of the line immediately along with anyone else with her. Can you imagine going to disneyland and not having to wait in line?

[Henjin]

I did that when I went w/ one of my friends (his sister had leg braces and was in a chair) to Six Flags.

[Daishikaze]

Pfalzer, Sei nicht gemein, ok?

[BigJDiesel20]

The question isn't why do Handicaped people get the Best parking spaces. The question is why do laze fat ass Americans alway complain about stupid shit. :eek: Get your fat ass up a walk across that Parking lot.

Damn i love Being an American

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