At the age of 16, Jason was in a motorcycle accident and severely damaged his left leg. Now 50, Jason is still recovering 34 years on.
Jason is a mobility card holder and has been for many years. Mobility parks make life a bit easier. But not always.
Jason says he has faced many situations where he has been approached by a member of the public about using a disability parking space. Even with his card on display.
"There have been times when I have driven into a mobility car park and people have made a judgment based on how I look - I don't look as if I have a disability when I am sitting in my car and some have started towards the car to say something to me," he says.
"But then they back off when I open the door and they see my walking stick.
"I have actually asked a couple of people 'What? What were you going to say?' and they have admitted they were actually going to have a go."
He says this less-than-divine intervention is because people make "snap judgments" based on initial appearances.
Jason is not alone. There has been a spate of recent complaints from the disabled community about abusive members of the public. A woman recently found a note on her windshield which called her "lazy" for parking in a mobility parking space. The woman was disabled and had her permit on display.
These clashes may even become more commonplace after a change to the permits becomes more widely implemented.
Mobility parking cards have changed colour from bright orange to green and white, and Jason says the new cards make the issue worse.
"The new mobility cards are problematic. Because they have done away with the bright orange cards, the new ones just look like any other paraphernalia you may have on your windscreen," he says.
"They are green and white so they don't stand out.
"It is inviting the public - even more so - to actually not register that it is a mobility card. If anything, it increases the opportunity for there to be a negative reaction."
Mobility card holder Margaret Platen agrees: "It is much harder for people to see the card so a lot of people think you are just abusing the parking space," she says. "The bright orange ones were much more effective."
David Matthews, chief executive of CCS Disability Action, says the decision to change the cards was made three years ago, in line with suggestions from the disabled community.
"We have developed an electronic system, which required a different card design, so people can jump online and renew their cards or order cards without having to go into a shop to do so," he said.
Mr Matthews says the changes also make it easier for parking wardens to check whether the permit had been reported lost or stolen.
The problem goes wider than a few put out permit holders. BJ Clark of the CCS Disability Action lobby group says illegal use of disabled parking affects many people in different ways.
"The abuse of mobility parking is a touchy subject. It gets people wound up very easily.
"Those who have a disability see their parks abused far too often and, of course, members of the public who have strong moral fibre and see people abusing car parks, will often make comment to people."
Mr Clark says those with disabilities or the general public confront people they believe to be abusing parking spaces out of frustration.
"People feel the need to confront these people because no one else is doing it. The laws are reluctant to police and rarely do they employ any sort of towing companies or clamping companies to sort it out," he said.
"People do it with the best intentions but it can be dangerous because those abusing the carparks can get aggressive when they are caught out.
"We do get comment back from people who do have mobility parking cards and have been confronted by members of the public who don't see their disability."
Conditions such as heart problems and respiratory conditions are disabilities, Mr Clark says, which aren't always apparent.
"People don't see the disability because it is a hidden disability so the people with these conditions do sometimes end up the butt of abuse which is very unfortunate."
Mr Matthews says confrontations between the public and rightful permitholders highlight a lack of understanding about disability in New Zealand.
"It is disappointing when it happens but it just reminds us that people's understanding of the mobility parking scheme and disability leaves a lot of be desired," he said.
"There are around 130,000 plus mobility parking cards in circulation and we issue around 20-30,000 new or renewed cards a year so there are a lot of people who need those mobility parks." Mr Clark says people who exploit mobility parking spaces should put themselves in the shoes of those who are disabled.
"Abuse of mobility parks is a continual problem. People who are attempting to abuse those parks should think about someone they know with a disability, be that a grandparent or some relative. They are basically being disloyal to their own 'rellies'," he says.
So what should people do if they believe a selfish, able-bodied motorist has made an illegal occupation?
Mr Matthews says concerned members of the public should contact CCS Disability Action or speak to the premises owner rather than confronting the driver.
"We don't want people to take vigilante action because often they can be wrong," he said.
"If it is a commercial vehicle like a delivery van in a mobility space then clearly it is illegally parked but if the person doesn't have a physical impairment, that doesn't mean to say they are not entitled to be part of the scheme.
"It covers a range of impairments not just the obvious impairments like a wheelchair user or a walking frame user."
Drivers caught misusing mobility parking are fined $150 but Mr Matthews says that is getting away lightly.
In some overseas countries, illegally parking in a mobility space cost motorists anywhere between $600 and $1000. A measure, Mr Matthews believes, should be taken here.
"People learn when it hits them in the pocket."
The CCS disability action group will have a review of the new cards this year. NZME.
