Parking For The Disabled
The growing problem of the illegal use of parking permits for the disabled.
How many times have you lapped a parking lot for 10 minutes, hoping a handicapped parking spot will open up, only to get frustrated and park at the end of the lot? Chanc
So you park at the back of the lot and fight your way through the unplowed snow and the often times very unhelpful crowd, only to find that the cars parked in the reserved handicapped spots are lacking the proper identification.
The pursuit for the “prime” parking spaces has some people completely ignoring traffic laws and common sense and courtesy. And not just in this country. In London, it is estimated that half of all handicapped tags that have been issued are being used illegally. There is even a black market, where one parking tag can sell for up to 500 pounds (approximately $965 US).
Police in Oakland, CA, have recently begun cracking down on violators, many of whom work for the city, state or federal government. On one particular day, officers cited 34 people for illegal use of disabled parking tags. The excuse most often heard for the violations was that the driver had “just dropped [the owner of the tag] off at a doctor’s appointment” or would be later in the day. One of the officers wrote three citations in 70 minutes.
There are many different views on the issue of reserved parking for the disabled. Many people, both disabled and able-bodied, feel that reserved spaces nearest the destination are necessary to help avoid trying to navigate a parking lot in a wheelchair or with a walker. Others, disabled and non-disabled, feel that since disabled persons expect equal treatment in every other area, that the reserved spots should be eliminated. Still others feel that these spaces are necessary, but there are too many of them in some locations.
There is no easy solution to this problem. One solution that has been proposed – the most viable in this writer’s opinion – is for police or mall security to perform frequent spot checks to find cars that are parked illegally. Another possible solution is stricter guidelines for doctors to follow when handing out disabled parking tags.
There will be no solution, however, until the law and common sense and decency find a common ground.
.
