Hi Jessica, Is there anyway you could bring a reporter from your local paper with you during your hearing? It sounds like your town reps need some negative publicity.
Dan V At 10:57 AM 3/21/2007 -0400, Jessica Ann Gordon said: >here's the scenario: > >it's a cold winter day in maine -- snow on the ground. i have a hair >appointment about 20 miles from my home in a small city. the salon is >located on main street which has ONE handicap parking space for a >large downtown area. when i arrive, this spot is taken and i have my >PCA drive around to search the area for another -- unsuccesful. after >a few circles around the main street loop i am almost late for my >appt so i tell her to just "invent a space" at the end of the >diagonal parking row b/c i need space on the passenger side to get my >bruno seat in and out. there was snow on the ground which covered the >lines. if i had not been familiar with the area i wouldn't have known >any different. i figured it was worth the risk of getting ticketed b/ c i >would have a strong argument as to why i violated the parking >laws. as luck would have it, i did get a ticket which i refuse to pay >(it's only $20 but it's the principle). so now i have a court date >and need to come up with some strong arguments. some other factoids >to consider: even in the summer this downtown area is difficult to >navigate in a manual chair -- there are brick sidewalks that need >repair and the curb cuts are a joke after the abuse from many >winters, there is no way i could get around this area without help in >the winter especially with improper snow removal. also, i am not sure >what the ratio for handicap spaces to regular spaces is, but it >doesn't seem like this meets code. does anyone know that ratio? i >wanna say 1/25 or around that. the one space that is there is on a >severe slope which makes the transfer outside of the vehicle tricky. >are accessible spaces supposed to be level? > >so basically i need some ammo and strong arguments so i can get my >point across to an unsympathetic police dept. any suggestions on >things to say to make them see it from my (and our) point of view? >parking is such a struggle -- a battle we are always fighting -- and >i'm fed up! > >=jessica
