UNL lawsuit over handicapped parking on gameday

First of all, I am all for making access for handicapped people as easy as possible. However, if everyone else is paying $15 to park there, then why shouldn't he need to? It doesn't matter if he is going to the game or not. All the parking on Saturday in that area is changed due to the game.

knapplc said:
This isn't just centered around Morrill Hall. UNL has made some decisions on tailgating in the north lot that affects a friend of mine. A big-money donor with perfectly healthy legs has taken over a tailgate spot that friends of the family have used for years. The spot's former owner doesn't have use of his legs.

I get that money greases the wheel at UNL. But that spot doesn't need to go to some guy because he's famous and has loads of cash. He can tailgate 30 feet further down the road and walk to the game. My friend can't walk to the game - he has to us a chair.
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Knapp....

I'm not trying to be an a$$ because it's obvious that the big donor could walk an extra 30 feet. However, if your friend is in a wheel chair, can't he also roll an extra 30 feet?

 
BigRedBuster said:
First of all, I am all for making access for handicapped people as easy as possible. However, if everyone else is paying $15 to park there, then why shouldn't he need to? It doesn't matter if he is going to the game or not. All the parking on Saturday in that area is changed due to the game.

knapplc said:
This isn't just centered around Morrill Hall. UNL has made some decisions on tailgating in the north lot that affects a friend of mine. A big-money donor with perfectly healthy legs has taken over a tailgate spot that friends of the family have used for years. The spot's former owner doesn't have use of his legs.

I get that money greases the wheel at UNL. But that spot doesn't need to go to some guy because he's famous and has loads of cash. He can tailgate 30 feet further down the road and walk to the game. My friend can't walk to the game - he has to us a chair.
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Knapp....

I'm not trying to be an a$$ because it's obvious that the big donor could walk an extra 30 feet. However, if your friend is in a wheel chair, can't he also roll an extra 30 feet?
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But it's not 30 feet. He was moved clear across the parking lot, so we're talking about 200 feet. And yes, he can roll that far, but that really isn't the point, is it? It's about the University saying money isn't everything, that some things trump money.

What I really wonder is, does the big-money guy know whose spot he bought with his donation? I'll have to see Saturday - if he's even there. He doesn't go to every game. Part of me says he doesn't, but I want to believe the best of the guy. Who knows.

 
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I understand. There are always handicapped situations where it is necessary for the person not have to travel very far. An elderly person with a walker is an example.

However, I always think back to my college days when I had a friend in a chair. On Friday and Saturday nights, we would walk down town so that we wouldn't have to drive home. We would park at his house and he lived probably 6-8 blocks from down town.

Now, if he could make it home 6-8 blocks slobbering drunk from the bars, does the same type of handicapped person need special parking to get somewhere instead of having to go just a little farther? I know he would say the same thing because I have had the same conversation with him. Now, before everyone claims I'm an a$$, I understand handicapped parking is more than just closer. It gives him more room to access his chair...etc. But, I'm just talking distance.

This situation with your friend almost sounds like maybe even someone at the university didn't know it was for a handicapped person.

 
BigRedBuster said:
First of all, I am all for making access for handicapped people as easy as possible. However, if everyone else is paying $15 to park there, then why shouldn't he need to? It doesn't matter if he is going to the game or not. All the parking on Saturday in that area is changed due to the game.

knapplc said:
This isn't just centered around Morrill Hall. UNL has made some decisions on tailgating in the north lot that affects a friend of mine. A big-money donor with perfectly healthy legs has taken over a tailgate spot that friends of the family have used for years. The spot's former owner doesn't have use of his legs.

I get that money greases the wheel at UNL. But that spot doesn't need to go to some guy because he's famous and has loads of cash. He can tailgate 30 feet further down the road and walk to the game. My friend can't walk to the game - he has to us a chair.
Click to expand...
Knapp....

I'm not trying to be an a$$ because it's obvious that the big donor could walk an extra 30 feet. However, if your friend is in a wheel chair, can't he also roll an extra 30 feet?
Click to expand...
I'm with Knapp on this. Wheelchair or not. He was there first. Unfortunately this is the world we live in. Money talks and people with a lot of it knows that it does. I know this generalization can be deemed as out of control. One of if not the most wealthy person I know is also probably the nicest I know. But i also know alot of shitbags that, let's be honest, are only that way because of them extra 0's in their checkbooks. I know I'll never make it more than I already have in life because I refuse to bow down to these types of people. If it was my spot taken, I would raise holy hell. Many would hear about. Probably wouldnt get anywhere, and would only make an a$$ of myself in the end, but I would feel better about, and that's all the matters to me.

 
knapplc said:
BigRedBuster said:
First of all, I am all for making access for handicapped people as easy as possible. However, if everyone else is paying $15 to park there, then why shouldn't he need to? It doesn't matter if he is going to the game or not. All the parking on Saturday in that area is changed due to the game.

knapplc said:
This isn't just centered around Morrill Hall. UNL has made some decisions on tailgating in the north lot that affects a friend of mine. A big-money donor with perfectly healthy legs has taken over a tailgate spot that friends of the family have used for years. The spot's former owner doesn't have use of his legs.

I get that money greases the wheel at UNL. But that spot doesn't need to go to some guy because he's famous and has loads of cash. He can tailgate 30 feet further down the road and walk to the game. My friend can't walk to the game - he has to us a chair.
Click to expand...
Knapp....

I'm not trying to be an a$$ because it's obvious that the big donor could walk an extra 30 feet. However, if your friend is in a wheel chair, can't he also roll an extra 30 feet?
Click to expand...
But it's not 30 feet. He was moved clear across the parking lot, so we're talking about 200 feet. And yes, he can roll that far, but that really isn't the point, is it? It's about the University saying money isn't everything, that some things trump money.

What I really wonder is, does the big-money guy know whose spot he bought with his donation? I'll have to see Saturday - if he's even there. He doesn't go to every game. Part of me says he doesn't, but I want to believe the best of the guy. Who knows.
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I think this is more than just a "Nebraska University" problem....money buys anything, whenever, wherever...

 
It probably sounds like I'm siding with the University on this. I'm not. It would be nice if your friend still had his spot. There are lots of examples on game day where money talks. Not trying to take this in a different direction but it still pisses me off that the student section has been moved to some of the worst seats in the house simply because donors wanted their seats. Just another example.

 
BigRedBuster said:
It probably sounds like I'm siding with the University on this. I'm not. It would be nice if your friend still had his spot. There are lots of examples on game day where money talks. Not trying to take this in a different direction but it still pisses me off that the student section has been moved to some of the worst seats in the house simply because donors wanted their seats. Just another example.
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Exactly. We must be the only program in the country that buries our students up to nowhere for homegames. What's really sad is the section is probably going to be spread thinner and farther out as the games go by.

 
BigRedBuster said:
But, then I also remember that those big donors are the ones that are funding the program I love.
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True. But what about the $15000+/year all them students spend there. Not to mention tax revenue for the city and such for living there. I know donors put out a lot, but I would like to know they do it for the sake of it, not just to get something in return to say "look at me"

 
808Husker in KCMO said:
Event parking for Morrill Hall? They weren't attending the game.
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Have you ever been to a large event? Parking lots in the proximity of the event are converted to "event parking". Just because their destination wasn't the event, doesn't mean they don't have to pay fees if they want to park in an event parking area.

We've all been in a similar situation. You go somewhere but a nearby event makes it more difficult to navigate traffic and find parking. You end up paying for "event" parking, even though you're not attending.

This is called "life". It happens when you go outside and have to interact with other people.

 
accountability said:
BigRedBuster said:
But, then I also remember that those big donors are the ones that are funding the program I love.
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True. But what about the $15000+/year all them students spend there. Not to mention tax revenue for the city and such for living there. I know donors put out a lot, but I would like to know they do it for the sake of it, not just to get something in return to say "look at me"
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And, those students are the future donors. They need to be where we sat when I went to school. Between the 40s.

 
STL Husker said:
Anyone claiming a lawsuit over this is full of crap in my book. I fully support the idea of access for persons with disabilities, but to believe that you get some sort of special treatment on a game day is BS.
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So handicapped people have rights everyday of the week except for gamedays? Special treatment? If by special treatment you mean access to the same places that everyone else has then yes, handicapped people should get "special treatment". How do you propose getting a wheelchair out of a car from one of the frat lots with cars parked no more than 3 fee from each other? Have you ever wheeled a wheelchair across a gravel parking lot? Handicapped spots aren't for the handicapped just because they are close. They are also by the ramps that makes it easier for handicapped people to maneuver. Handicapped people can't just not be handicapped for a day. This post is ridiculous.
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Because you omitted it, I will include my next paragraph which you sem to have ignored:

"There are other people - who are handicap - that are going to the game/event that day too. If you happen to decide to use that day for a school research project, then prepare to be inconvenienced with parking just like everyone else."

What I am getting at is this: If there are handicapped spaces available on game day in a pay lot, then by all means, they should be reserved for persons with accessibility needs. However, if those people with a disability wish to park there, they should not expect to be able to park in the those spaces for free. They still have to pay like everyone else.

And for the record, I do not think that any accessible spots should be removed for game day, unless the entire lot is removed for game day. If everyone in John Q public loses the spots on game day to some event/party/group, then yes, even those with a handicap permit should lose those spots too.

 
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UNL makes a lot of silly decisions. They keep removing parking lots to add more buildings, making campus parking more impossible by the year. They've also begun charging drivers $5 to park in the parking lot at Andersen Hall (the most southern campus building) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. People used to be able to park their cars there on those nights without repercussion. They saw dollar signs and pounced on the opportunity.

They also charge high prices to park in the campus garages. I have a commuter spot to the 17th and R garage that I spend about $640 a year for. If I want to use the spot on gameday weekends, I have to pay something like $5. In the past, they wouldn't let people with commuter garage passes park in the garages without paying $20.

I can't fault them for wanting to make more money, but those type of decisions come off extremely lame.

 
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Bradr said:
STL Husker said:
Anyone claiming a lawsuit over this is full of crap in my book. I fully support the idea of access for persons with disabilities, but to believe that you get some sort of special treatment on a game day is BS.
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So handicapped people have rights everyday of the week except for gamedays? Special treatment? If by special treatment you mean access to the same places that everyone else has then yes, handicapped people should get "special treatment". How do you propose getting a wheelchair out of a car from one of the frat lots with cars parked no more than 3 fee from each other? Have you ever wheeled a wheelchair across a gravel parking lot? Handicapped spots aren't for the handicapped just because they are close. They are also by the ramps that makes it easier for handicapped people to maneuver. Handicapped people can't just not be handicapped for a day. This post is ridiculous.
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Because you omitted it, I will include my next paragraph which you sem to have ignored:

"There are other people - who are handicap - that are going to the game/event that day too. If you happen to decide to use that day for a school research project, then prepare to be inconvenienced with parking just like everyone else."

What I am getting at is this: If there are handicapped spaces available on game day in a pay lot, then by all means, they should be reserved for persons with accessibility needs. However, if those people with a disability wish to park there, they should not expect to be able to park in the those spaces for free. They still have to pay like everyone else.

And for the record, I do not think that any accessible spots should be removed for game day, unless the entire lot is removed for game day. If everyone in John Q public loses the spots on game day to some event/party/group, then yes, even those with a handicap permit should lose those spots too.
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Ok I guess I misunderstood. I thought he couldn't park because the spots were taken for tailgaters. I would expect for him to have to pay the parking fee though. I thought by "inconvenienced" you meant that he would have to deal with parking farther away in a regular lot. My fault.

 
Regardless of its relevancy, don't you think the guy could have done this on a day other than a home football game? That's like a different handicapped person taking his kids to Disney World so they can do a research project on Space Mountain, getting there, and being inconvenienced that he has to wait in line...

I'm all for making handicapped parking more accessible to people who need it.

Also, there's no avoiding the people who let their handicapped state take over who they are. People handle problems differently and a major life event (which carries with it a lot of stress) is going to be handled differently by everyone. There's no way to avoid that.

Some people become miserable, some people don't let it affect them at all.

 
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