ST. LOUIS — What is a small part of daily life may not be a small thing to someone else.
One man shared a post on Facebook Saturday that was going viral because of the important conversation it started.
John P. Garcia shared a screenshot of a photo of a truck backed into a parking spot with the truck bed and hitch hanging over most of the sidewalk.
The photo included text that read, "Public Service Announcement: If you drive a truck, especially one with a trailer hitch, please remember to be considerate of those who need to use sidewalks. I ask you to consider not backing all the way up to the sidewalk. I know it's probably difficult to remember this, but remember it's more difficult for others who now don't have an accessible pathway. Thanks!"
The photo included an avatar of a man sitting in a wheelchair with the words "I'm out" next to the cartoon.
The Facebook photo was shared 28,000 times as of Friday.
There were hundreds of comments on the post. Many people noted they had hit their shins on hitches in parking lots.
Many called these truck drivers inconsiderate, but some pointed out that trucks could be blocking traffic if they weren't backed in as far.
Some people pointed to the poor design of the parking lot and sideway, saying both should be widened to accommodate the vehicle and pedestrians.
This issue has been addressed on the internet before. A Reddit post from 2021 called the practice "mildly infuriating."
An Arizona law banned the practice in 2021. It was sponsored by a lawmaker that was paralyzed and used a wheelchair to get around.
Parking on a sidewalk is prohibited in most places, but it would likely depend on the jurisdiction to determine if this parking style was included.
