Caughtya™
A "Hall of Shame" to expose cars parked illegally
in disability or mobility parking spaces.
A "Hall of Shame" to expose cars parked illegally
in disability or mobility parking spaces.
Today, I captured the photo of a car parking without a permit in a disability space at the supermarket. There were three adults and a toddler in the car. Immediately after I took the photo, the driver got out and asked me what I was doing. I said "Taking a photo of your illegally parked car". She said her mother was disabled and in the store. I explained that they still needed to display the parking permit to use the space. She got upset with me, saying that "especially in your condition, you should understand and be ashamed".
Before I had a chance to say anything, she said in quite an angry voice "whatever", and got back in her car.
During that time, another woman was waiting with her turn signal on, indicating she intended to park in a disability space. She was displaying a parking permit. She had seen me take the photo, grinned at me and gave me a thumbs up.
I don't necessarily disbelieve the woman who said her mother was disabled and in the store. I am intrigued as to why with three able bodied individuals in the car, it's the disabled woman who was doing the shopping though. Anyway, that's not the issue. The issue is that there was no disability parking permit displayed. The driver even admitted that her mother didn't have a permit!
Mobility parking spaces are to be used by people with disabilities who are holders of a valid parking permit, and the permit must be displayed. If I were to forget to display my parking permit, I would accept a parking ticket. I'd be upset, but upset at myself.
And if the parking permit holder is a passenger in the car, there is no real need for the vehicle to be parked in a disability parking space. The driver could drop the passenger off at the door and go park somewhere else while the person is doing their errand.
I would have thought that anyone who has a disability and is a holder of a valid parking permit would actually appreciate the efforts of others to make sure the spaces are used properly. We experience enough poaching of the few spaces we *can* use. Surely they can see why these efforts are important. But I guess it isn't so obvious, it isn't so sure.
I just don't understand...
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This entry was posted on Thursday, September 3rd, 2009 and is filed under Drive-by.
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Tags:
Disability Parking, Mobility Parking, Parking Permit, Parking Ticket
Comment by: Webmaster
Well, it's not because you don't see a sign in the photo that there wasn't one. That said, even if there was no sign, the parking space is clearly marked and designated as a disability parking space, through markings on the ground. The lack of "proper" signage does not mean the space is not a
Comment by: wut
I don't see a sign, therefor the handicap space is not valid.
Comment by: Webmaster
I do think that increased fines would make a big difference. However, the fines are really only applicable on "public" property. Anything in a store carpark, or university, it's all deemed private property and traffic warden are not allowed to ticket there... *that* would be an important change to allow.
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Really now? You think that is it okay for someone to drop their handicapped family member off at the front door while they drive around the parking lot, looking for a spot? Just because the handicapped person isn't driving?? What happens if the passenger who is handicapped is mentally retarted? Are you just going to leave them standing there waiting on god knows what to happen? That is the attitude I am getting from your mindless post on the subject? You people just need to leave well enough alone and let the LEOs out there take care of shit. It is their job to write tickets for ILLEGALLY parked cars.
Yes, really. In *most* cases, the person with a disability will not have a problem waiting a couple minutes for the driver to park the car. Obviously that is not always possible.
You'll also notice that caughtya.org only posts infractions where a valid parking permit was not displayed. There are many times where I believe a placard is being abused or misused, but as I am not in a situation to tell whether the permit actually does belong to the person using it, such instances will not be shown on the site.
As for leaving well enough alone, I would, if it was actually "well enough". But the fact is, it is not well. The rate of abuse of disability parking is enormous, and even IF there was a parking warden or police officer nearby, it is not a given that they would actually do their jobs. With all respect to these people, i have seen it happen too often where they did not deem it necessary to enforce the law.
A final point, it would behoove you to refresh your understanding of appropriate disability vocabulary. "Handicapped" and "Retarded" are particularly offensive to most people with disabilities.
Well then maybe you should get North Carolina to change their wording on the issue, as the general statutes clearly refer to the spots as handicapped spots. This site is a joke..
I used to work at Brunton Engineering,(Palmerston North) they have two Disability psrks. Most days non disabled persons park in these parks. When I worked there I had to park elce were. If I could find a park.