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Woman Takes Off Prosthetic Leg To Prove Point After Altercation Over Handicapped Parking Space

Photo by AbsolutVision/Unsplash

We all try our best to go forth as out best selves each day.

(At least I hope we do)

Nobody wants drama or confrontation.

We all just want to get along. Right?

But sometimes we’re put in a situation where we may need to cause a ruckus to prove a point.

Case in point…

Redditor Superb-Watercress-28 wanted to discuss her story for some feedback. So naturally she came to visit the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit.

She asked:

“AITA for taking off my leg and making someone look dumb and feel uncomfortable?”

The Original Poster (OP) explained:

“I (21 F[emale]) was in a very bad car accident about three years ago.”

“A drunk driver ran a stop light, cut off a semi-truck, which then crashed into me, sending me crashing into two different cars and then ultimately into an embankment.”

“My car was mangled and my leg was crushed, completely destroyed, and it had to be amputated.”

“I also lost a couple fingers (the tip of one and all of another). I’m also left with some gnarly scars that used to bother me but I’m learning to deal with them.”

“I got a couple different insurance payouts and some pain and suffering money, in addition to my medical bills being paid, and with my money I purchased a custom-made leg to take the place of the one I lost.”

“When I have pants and shoes on you can hardly tell unless you’re really looking.”

“I still limp but some days I don’t have as pronounced a limp.”

“Earlier today I went to the store with my boyfriend, my sister, her girlfriend, and our mother.”

“I drove. I had to learn to drive with my left foot but I’m really good at it now.”

“I also bought a new car with my money and had to go through a ton of therapy to get past my PTSD but I’m doing well there now as well.”

“So, I drove us, and because of my injuries in addition to my leg I also have chronic hip, neck, and back pain, and some issues with my lungs from the time spent intubated in a medically-induced coma that led to pneumonia.”

“I have a handicap placard for my car.”

“I have trouble walking without getting tired so it really helps to park close to the door.”

“Today I did so and unknowingly took the space from someone who was circling back around for it.”

“Apparently the man had been looking for a close space and had missed the one I took and went down and around.”

“He was still on the other aisle when I pulled in so I didn’t cut him off or anything and had no way of knowing he wanted the spot.”

“He parked in the yellow stripe zone and got out and immediately began confronting me about stealing a space from people who actually need it.”

“How I’m just some kid who has no respect for those who are truly sick and suffering.”

“He then ordered me to move.”

“My group was urging me to just walk way but, this has happened before and once the police were even called.”

“I’m sick of people thinking that just because I’m young that I don’t have a legit need for a little extra consideration.”

“I said ‘Okay,’ and went to the car and got in like I was going to drive off.”

“I was wearing a skirt and leggings so it wasn’t quite obvious at first but when I sat down I took my leg off and showed it to the man, including my stump.”

“I then asked him if it was okay if I still parked there.”

“He walked away calling me disgusting and rude and said I could have just told him and I made him look stupid.”

“My group was embarrassed and said that I made things awkward because there was a crowd.”

“AITA?”

Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA?:

  • NTA – Not The A**hole
  • YTA – You’re The A**hole
  • NAH – No A**holes Here
  • ESH – Everyone Sucks Here

Redditors declared our OP was NOT the A**hole.

It’s a tricky situation.

Let’s hear some thoughts…

“NTA. That guy made himself look stupid.”

“All you did was provide the visual aid.”  ~ CrazyBoPeep

“I can’t believe OP’s group was embarrassed.”

“They should’ve been super proud of her for taking no bulls**t from such a jerk.”

“Especially since she said it had happened before and it involved calling police.”

“She stopped it from escalating it further this time and call out the other guy for the AH that he is at the same time.”

“A win, win in my book!”  ~ DryEquivalent9

“Seriously! I can understand the guy being embarrassed because he made a complete a** of himself, so he should be embarrassed.”

“But the group of people she was with?! I don’t get that at all!”

“There’s no excuse for them to not have her back!”

“OP’s response to this guy was 100% perfection!”  ~ GrammaMcFancy

NTA. People are so cruel and awful.”

“Old people are some of the worst offenders for judging invisible disabilities, as well as able-bodied caretakers.”

“I used be be a care aid, and I would get so much harassment for parking in the disabled parking spot when picking up my client.”

“Once an old man got right in my face and screamed at me, all while my client was watching from the window while she was waiting for me to go into the building and pick her up from physio.”  ~ Lunabelle88

“Not disabled but when I broke my foot and also hurt my ankle and lower leg, instead of a traditional cast I got a plastic boot thing.”

“The way it was designed was really simple but clever and meant that I could walk unaided if I was careful with things like stairs.”

“But it did still hurt and ache very quickly and I was still a lot more unsteady.”

I actually started taking a crutch out even when I didn’t really need it just so people could see I was injured and would stop bashing into me.”  ~ hamingja-valkyrie

“NTA. No, you are a rock star. You are someone not willing to take crap from a bully.”

“You keep being you. The rest of your group could learn about courage from looking in your direction.”  ~ ManderBlues

“I have a family friend with a prosthetic leg, if he did anything like that I would probably laugh my a** off (at the jerk, of course).”

“I almost want to call her group AH’s for trying to make her feel bad about doing it.”

“That guy was out of line and deserved it.”  ~ DrWhoop87

“I hope that cranky dude learned a lesson, and it sounds like he was having a sh**ty day.”

“So I hope he learned an important lesson here and that his day turned out a little better after.”

“But it really irks me that people think that just because you can’t see a person’s disability.”

“They don’t have it, or don’t need that tiny bit of assistance for accessibility.”   ~ natidiscgirl

“NTA. You didn’t make him look stupid, he made himself look stupid.”

“He thought you were someone he could bully into giving him what he wanted.”

“He expected you to either give up the space or to walk away.”

“He did not expect you to prove to anyone who was watching that he was a jerk.”  ~ UnluckyDreamer1

“NTA, I get the frustration of people with disabilities when someone takes one of those spots without needing it.”

“But like you said you have a placard so I don’t know why he would even question it.”

“Just weird for someone to just have the confidence to question someone else’s condition especially when they themselves suffer from one.”

“You’re definitely in the right.”  ~ BrownieZombie1999

“This is something I just don’t get.”

“Why judge others?”

“You have no idea what they are going through, have gone through, or even will go through.”

“Just be kind and compassionate to everyone.”

“Assume people are mostly good. Trust they are doing what they need to to ease their own suffering.”

“Of course NTA.”

“Oh! It also would have been hilarious (to me) had OP said something like offering to allow this guy to walk a mile in her shoe to see if that might change his mind on deserving a spot.:).”

“Singular shoe.”   ~ Lorien6

“NTA AT ALL.”

“My Mom had severe fibromyalgia and Hashimotos disease.”

“She suffered severe pain and could only walk short distances without then being bed ridden for days.”

“There were so many a**holes who completely disregarded her placard and demand that she explain why she had one because she didn’t LOOK sick.”

“Sometimes she would just suck it up and park farther out anyway just to not have to deal with jerks like this guy.”

“I think you should do it every time anyone hassles you.”

“It’s harassment of people already dealing with a medical issue or disability.”

“This has to stop. And it won’t without people like you standing up to people like him.”  ~ RideTheWindForever

OP came back to give us a little more info…

“Edit: in case anyone was interested, I’m not going to post a photo of my leg because of identification reasons but I’ll describe it.”

“So the base color is ombre whiteish green to pale green and it has cherry blossoms painted on it.”

“Though sometimes I wear a silicone cover that resembles an actual foot and leg on days when I don’t want people to stare at me.”

“I even have temporary stickies I can put on the ‘toes’ to make it look like I painted my nails.”

“It’s actually really cool!”

OP definitely has Reddit on her corner.

And seems as though she has a grace and confidence to handle any of these situations.

Keep driving and inspiring OP.