Another parking warrior leaves abusive note on disabled person’s car in Rangiora – Stuff.co.nz

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Nadia Mackle spent four months in rehab after being paralysed from the chest down in a car crash in 2015. (File photo)

A Kaikura woman was left shaken after being targeted by Rangioras latest self-appointed parking warrior.

Nadia Mackle has used a wheelchair since being paralysed in a crash in 2015, when she was 23.

Far from letting it stop her, she has been open and honest about the challenges of getting back into her own home and work, and has inspired many of her online followers.

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Nadia Mackle has fallen victim to Rangioras latest self-appointed parking warrior.

However, she could not help but feel down after finding an abusive note on her car after visiting a bakery in Rangiora last week.

READ MORE: * North Canterbury's 'shame on you' parking warrior comes forward * 'Shame on you' strike two: Another Rangiora parking warrior gets it wrong * Dad incensed by mobility pass 'shame' note on windscreen

The disabled parks were already taken when she arrived to meet her family for lunch at cafe Artisan at Rangiora Bakery, so she opted for the furthest space away, not wanting to inconvenience other customers.

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The incident happened when Mackle went to have lunch with family at cafe Artisan by Rangiora Bakery.

She needs extra space on the right side of her car to be able to unload her wheelchair, so parked to the left of the standard space and put her mobility permit on the dashboard in case anyone looked to see why she had parked that way.

When she returned to her car, she saw the note criticising her parking.

She initially brushed it off, but began to feel increasingly anxious after leaving Rangiora.

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Nadia Mackles positivity has got her through tough times, but she could not help being upset by the note.

I know the world is full of kind people, and I know the world is full of horrible people, she said.

I started to overheat, get itchy, I couldnt concentrate and my mind kept repeating over and over someone thinks youre a f...wit ... I had tears rolling down my cheeks.

One hundred people could tell you youre wonderful, but it takes one comment, and thats the only one you remember.

STUFF

A Rangiora cafe owner is appealing for people to be kind, rather than jump to conclusions when it comes to parking in disabled spaces. (First published October 2018)

Rangiora has a history of members of the public leaving notes on cars parked appropriately in mobility spaces.

In August 2018, Paul Francis was incensed by a note accusing him of misusing a mobility park when he took his son Jack, who has cerebral palsy, to the local swimming pool.

Two months later, another unjustified note was left for a woman with a disability who had parked near Gables Arcade, leading to a plea for kindness from wheelchair user and cafe owner Karl Horwarth.

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Paul Francis returned to his car with his children after a swim to discover this note in 2018. His son, who is disabled, was with him. (File photo)

Rangiora Bakery owner Ron van Til said he was not aware of Mackles incident, but urged people to be kind.

The cafe had 16 parking spaces, two of which were wider for disabled access, but it did get busy, particularly at lunchtime, and cafe staff dealt with a complaint about once every six months, he said.

CCS Disability Action access and infrastructure national manager BJ Clark said it was a shame people felt the need to attack others in such a way.

It shows a complete lack of understanding of the difficulties those with impairments have to find a park, he said.

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The second shame on you note left on a car in Rangiora in 2018. (File photo)

Standard car parks are very difficult for those with impairments to use but sometimes they are the only ones available, and they may park slightly off-centre so as not to damage the vehicle beside them.

Clark said the incident highlighted the need for more accessible parks, which were sometimes few and far between, and were often taken by drivers without permits.

A full list of mobility parking rules and regulations can be found on the CCS Disability website. A CCS Access Aware app, for reporting the location of mobility car parks, and possible infringements, is also available.

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