Doctors take spaces reserved for sick

Doctors take spaces reserved for sick

By Mike Underwood, Enterprise staff writer
Wed., March 7, 2007

STOUGHTON — An angry husband has exposed how doctors are among offenders stealing parking spaces reserved for dialysis patients at a treatment center.

A disgusted George Copeland, 53, says four spaces next to the entrance of the Goddard Brockton Kidney Center, where his wife Barbara receives dialysis treatment, are being regularly taken by non-dialysis patients.

“I have seen prescription drug salespeople and I know that even doctors are parking there. These are educated people who should know better, but they just don't seem to care,” he fumed.

His claims were backed by the Sumner Street center whose bosses have had to confront doctors caught misusing the reserved spaces, which are clearly posted “For Dialysis Patients Only.”

Copeland, a retired cab driver who is battling cancer himself, takes Barbara Copeland, 64, for dialysis at the center three times a week and is fed up hunting for alternative parking.

“This has been going on for years but it has never been addressed. Dialysis patients and caregivers are fed up with it. We are talking about sick people who have to walk around a busy parking lot with canes, wheelchairs and oxygen tanks,” he said.

“When people come out of dialysis, they are weak and feel ill. They need to be able to get into their cars quickly and easily. I take my wife there three times a week and the spaces are constantly filled with people who shouldn't be there.”

Patients there for medical treatments don't need the added stress, he added.

“If people understood how much they were hurting patients and care givers they maybe wouldn't do it,” he said.

George Copeland has taken a log of offenders' license plates and placed warning signs on their windshields. But he said the center should do more to end the misery caused to patients and their caregivers.

Arthur Bishop, manager of the center, who has worked in the building for 15 years, confirmed that doctors are among the lazy drivers who ignore warning signs and park in the dialysis spaces.

“Medical doctors have done it and I have spoken to them about it. They are just lazy and don't care about other people,” he said.

“Doctors should know better. It is even worse when they do it,” he said. “I think some people think they are better and more important than others. That is what it comes down to.”

Bishop said the center is looking at ways to deter drivers who have reacted angrily when asked to move their cars out of the dialysis spaces.

“Some people get angry and rude. They say that they are capable of making their own decisions and will park where they want,” he added.

Executive Officer Thomas Murphy, of the Stoughton Police Department, said there is nothing in law that can be done to help the patients.

“We can take action against people who park in fire lanes and designated handicap spaces, but I don't think there is anything we can do in this case,” said Murphy.

Dialysis is used to treat patients whose kidneys no longer function. Patients spend about four hours hooked up to a dialysis machine to filter the blood.

Mike Underwood can be reached at Munderwood@enterprisenews.com

URL: http://www.enterprisenews.com/articles/2007/03/07/news/news/news01.txt