Yeah. Anyway, someone has probably already said this but the office of motor vehicles gives the placards (or licence plates with wheelchair insignias on them) out like candy. If you have white hair -- eligible!
The problem with "bills being passed" -- is whether they are actually enforced or not. Unfortunately usually not. Us in Phoenix or Tucson live in a "retirement attraction city" and they are also giving driver's *licenses* out to people who can barely think yet not recognize that their reflexes are not as sharp as they used to be and therefore cause many accidents. The winters here are great except the population doubles between October and May or somewhere around there! Therefore the traffic doubles and the stores are crowded with some folks who seem not to even know where they are let alone get back to their car and be on the road! Scary! I remember when I worked for an Independent Living Center in New York state and my supervisor would come storming in some morning saying "There ought to be a law that revokes giving out drivers licenses past the age of xx!!!" I can't remember now the exact age he said but I more than agree! At a certain age, reflexes have slowed down significantly enough that they people should not be on the road and are a danger or hazard to others as well as to themselves. Lori On Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 6:26 PM, Quadius <[email protected]> wrote: > This reminds me of the Seinfeld episode about George parking in the > disabled spot. I'm lucky that I have someone with me so I don't have to > take it disabled spots most of the time. I really feel for those > individuals who drive or actually need a disabled spots with the ramp > access. > > There are those occasions where I do need to park in an accessible spot so > that my ramp can deploy properly, so I know what it feels like to be driving > around looking for a parking place while nondisabled people are ensconced in > them. > Quadius > > On Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 5:07 PM, bob quinn <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Love the idea! I can't count the number of times I've been unable to >> get into my van because someone parked in the yellow-striped access area. >> Even non-handicapped people (on a motorcycle) think its parkable and >> policemen will not ticket someone with a placard parked there (I've asked >> them to, as they helped push my van out so I could put my ramp down). >> >> One woman who left me waiting in the rain until she returned was adamant >> about her right to park there (with her handicap placard), saying a >> policeman had told her it was ok to park there if/when there are no other >> handicap spots available. Another (able-bodied) guy said without apology, >> "don't get me started, my wife has Lou Gherig's disease," like that gave him >> the right to park anywhere in a handicapped zone (she was nowhere in site). >> Another guy with a placard and no discernible handicaps ('cept for being >> +300lbs) actually said, "you handicapped people think you're so special." I >> could go on. I was never anything but respectful in all encounters, but >> what I usually got in return was far, far from it. I guess that reflects >> the type of people that would park in a space that clearly isn't one. >> >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* "[email protected]" <[email protected]> >> *To:* [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] >> *Cc:* [email protected] >> *Sent:* Monday, January 19, 2009 4:18:55 PM >> *Subject:* [QUAD-L] Bill targets handicapped parking violators >> >> A rapid enforcement program of violations and fines, will pay off the >> National Debt, in just under 3 years. >> Within 4 years, we could pave our highways with yellow bricks too. >> Let's get the program in gear! >> Best Wishes >> W >> >> In a message dated 1/19/2009 1:53:00 P.M. Central Standard Time, >> [email protected] writes: >> >> >> http://www.charleston.net/news/2009/jan/19/bill_targets_handicapped_parking_violato68834/ >> >> Bill targets handicapped parking violators >> BY JILL COLEY (CONTACT) >> The Post and Courier >> Monday, January 19, 2009 >> >> >> Special Section: >> Watchdog >> >> People use handicap placards that don't belong to them. Drivers park in >> the striped access aisles next to designated spaces. And confusion abounds >> over who is responsible for catching violators. >> >> "There's a continual problem of people abusing handicap placards, parking >> in spaces without a placard or having a placard they're not entitled to," >> said Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Camden. >> >> Sheheen and Sen. Dick Elliott of North Myrtle Beach, both Democrats, >> introduced a bill last week to create more accountability in the process of >> acquiring a placard. The state Senate already has passed the legislation >> twice, but the bill stalled in the House both times, Sheheen said. >> >> Angela Jacildone, state advocacy manager for the mid-Atlantic chapter of >> the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, said record keeping is part of the >> problem. >> >> "There's a disconnect between the forms from the DMV and the physician who >> writes the prescription (for the placard)," Jacildone said. >> >> A Watchdog report earlier this year found the Department of Motor Vehicles >> does not record physicians' information, leaving no way to check whether a >> physician actually filled out the form. The bill would connect those dots >> with a form that will stay on file with the DMV. >> >> The proposed law also would redefine a person with a disability. >> >> "The current law may not include a person with Multiple Sclerosis because >> they may not look like they have a disease," she said. Many people with MS >> suffer fatigue, which worsens throughout the day. >> >> And finally, the legislation would connect the person and the placard with >> an identification card, which law enforcement personnel could look at and >> match. >> >> Although not part of the proposed law, the MS society would like to see >> more clarification in the law regarding who has jurisdiction for >> enforcement. >> >> "Some agencies will tell us they will go to business parking lots. Others >> say it's private property," Jacildone said. >> >> "We would also like to see more language about access aisles," she said. >> >> Cars sometimes park in the striped areas next to designated spaces. That >> aisle is necessary for a person with a disability to get in and out of their >> wheelchair or scooter. >> >> Reach Jill Coley at 937-5719 or [email protected]. >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> *A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy >> steps!<http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1215855013x1201028747/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26bcd=DecemailfooterNO62> >> * >> >> > > > -- > Quadius > C2-3 incomplete > 13 years post injury >
