“Shame on You” — Lot Attendant Yells at Woman in Wheelchair for Parking in Handicapped Spot

A wheelchair user said that she was shamed for using a handicapped spot.

Madeline Delp (@madelinedelp) is a Los Angeles-based TikTok user who documents her life getting around in a wheelchair.

In a recent clip, she said that a parking attendant accosted her for parking in a private lot designated for shoppers of a business center.

Madeline says that she initially parked in the spot and had to take care of an errand at a different location outside of the business center, but was returning to shop at one of the places the lot was designated for.

Furthermore, she adds that California state law dictates wheelchair users are allowed to use handicapped spots, even if they are part of a lot meant for a specific strip mall or building complex.

This is in fact the law, however, posted signage on private properties may carry specific rulings for these spots.

Moreover, Madeline states that despite seeing her exit her wheelchair-accessible van and struggling to push herself up a hill, the attendant kept telling her, "Shame on you," for parking in the handicapped parking spot.

She detailed her experience in a TikTok that's accrued over 785,000 views on the social media application.

"I'm like shaking right now. I was going to a doctor's appointment and I parked in an ADA spot," she clarifies that this is a wheelchair accessible parking spot.

She continues, stating that the spot was located in "a business complex." Upon leaving her vehicle, she says that a man started chasing her down. He ended up being a parking attendant.

Madeline says that the man informed her that she wasn't allowed to park in this particular spot and that he was going to have her car towed for the perceived transgression. Visibly shaken, she relayed that she was attempting to explain the situation to the man, but he wouldn't allow her to speak.

Madeline explained that she is legally allowed to park in the spot that she was being maligned for leaving her car in.

"He just kept saying 'shame on you shame on you.' He wouldn't let me explain: A — I was gonna come back to one of the businesses. But B — I'm allowed to park in any wheelchair accessible spot in California. Regardless if it's a private business slot."

The TikToker continued, "Because parking is so difficult here." The video then cuts to a clip of her rolling out of a wheelchair accessible van in wheelchair. She's smiling and wearing a pink dress in the clip. "Especially for somebody who has a ramp come out." At this point in the clip she points to a red splotch forming near her clavicle, citing that she was developing a "stress rash" while discussing the situation.

"You can see it's like developing. And so, California does that in order to protect people with disabilities because it is so difficult to find parking here."

Next, she says that in her video she's going to document her attempt at educating the parking attendant on the matter. This way, others won't have to suffer through the same ignominy that she did when he accosted her.

"So I'm actually about to go tell him. Try to tell him what the situation is. So that he can have kindness for people in the future. So let's see how this goes."

Following this, the video cuts to her speaking to the parking attendant in question, who is standing in a parking lot.

Madeline's voice can be heard speaking off-camera. "I can show you that by law I'm allowed to park in this spot, OK?" The parking attendant takes out their phone, holding it horizontally, he doesn't speak.

The TikToker continues to talk, explaining her situation to the parking attendant.

"Because sir, I can't park in these other spots." At this point in the video, it is apparent that the parking attendant is recording the woman in question, holding out a phone in front of him.

"I can't park in these other spots right here, along the road I can only park in a handicapped spot, like you see, OK? I have a ramp, I can only park in a spot like this," she says to the attendant.

He still doesn't respond, opting to only hold out the phone and continue to record Madeline. "OK, so by law I'm allowed to park here."

At this point in the video, a man in the background can be seen watching the interaction between the woman and the parking attendant.

Madeline continues to speak to the attendant, "And I was going to come back but you wouldn't even hear me out, you interrupted me every single time. And you ran me out and you watched me push up a hill with all my might and just yelled at me. Do you know how — do you understand how rude that is?"

The attendant behind the camera says, "That's perfectly a lie. I never touched you. I never yelled at you."

Madeline clarifies, "I never said you touched me. I said you watched me push up this hill and just said shame on you, shame on you, shame on you."

The employee denies saying such things to Madeline. "I did not say that."

"You said shame on you."

The attendant, grinning, points to his smartphone. "I record everything with you down there," he then laughs at the woman.

"You're being recorded. Ever since you went down there, you've been recorded. Thank you very much."

The man then takes a bow and begins walking in the other direction.

"Sir, sir, who is your superior?" she asks the attendant, who ignores Madeline and walks away. As he does, he turns around one last time, "Thank you very much," he tells her.

Afterward, the video cuts back to Madeline, who is seated in her car. She speaks into the camera. "OK, well that was interesting. So you saw what happened when I tried to talk to this man. He would not listen. Like even when I, he was quiet, he couldn't hear what I was trying to say."

"And so I was so shaken up I went into a business right behind me," she turns around to look at the building. She then explained that afterward, she asked a business owner inside the shop who the parking attendant's supervisor was.

In a follow-up video, Madeline says that someone overheard her conversation with the business owner and said that he was going to contact the property manager.

Upon doing so, she not only had her parking reimbursed, but she received an apology from the parking attendant. He explained to her that he wasn't aware that the law allowed her to park even in private parking spots, even if she wasn't going to shop at one of the designated business's parking spots.