I agree fighting for spots *can* seem worthless at times, too, because in most
cases those who abuse it simply don't care and feel that even if they get
caught and/or ticketed once, the cdhance vof it happening again is extremely
slim... like lightning striking your car twice.
But vandalizing a car with dent, scratch, having it keyed down the side, etc.
really does nothing but serve some (illegal) self-satisfaction. The chance the
abuser will ever know *why* or *how* his/her car was damaged is nill... because
s/he parked illegally would likely never even cross their mind unless you leave
a note... and then you risk more witnesses.
(However, I'll admit there *was* a time I used pre-printed 3.5" floppy disk
labels saying:
"Your illegal parking stopped a person with a disability from using a spot
dedicated to them for their unusually special circumstances. The police have
been called to ticket your vehicle. I hope you arrived before they did. Have
a nice day." I *did* call police from a store phone... not my own. And
placing the sticker was quicker and easier than scratching it in an obvious
location... I even had passers-by volunteer to help! So, even if they didn't
get ticketed, those adhesive labels baking in the Tucson sun on someones hood
or windshield were a b!tch to remove!)
But constant legal action through ticketing and actually waiting for police to
arrive every time you can sends a message to police AND offenders. And
remember, too, that even properly licenced drivers with HC plates or placards
CAN park illegally... i.e. parking too close to or ON/Over the white line on
one side to make extra space on the exit side is a ticketable offense in most
locales.
Here in Tucson the fine for parking illegally in a HC spot is $500. It was
raised and widely discussed in the news shortly after it was found that the
recent rise from $65 to $250 was having little effect.
Only by enforcing our own rights, written right into the ADA, can we ensure we
won't lose them through non-use. Just imagine if the Civil Rights Act of 1964
hadn't been vigorously defended and implemented!
Always Remember... the ADA of 1990 (almost 19 years old now) *IS* a Civil
Rights law, not a "special rights" law as some would have us believe!
Best wishes All,
Tod E. Santee
---- RONALD L PRACHT <[email protected]> wrote:
> To: [email protected]
>
> i agree fighting for handicapped spots can seem worthless.but if each of us
> called the police or vandalized one car parked there we could take a bite out
> of the handicapped parking abuse.plus those of us that drive alone have
> little choice but to fight the battle. some days when im feeling down i admit
> i go to the back but the majority of the time i fight the battle in hopes it
> will get easier.
>
> ron c7
> --- On Wed, 1/28/09, Cullen <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> From: Cullen <[email protected]>
> Subject: [QUAD-L] It's not worth it
> To: "Quad-liST" <[email protected]>
> Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 1:51 PM
>
>
> We live in Bullhead City, Az and it seems everyone here has a handicapped
> placard, We don't expect to find an open handicapped space and then I'm not
> surprised when indeed there isn't one. We park across two regular spaces and
> we made up two 8 1/2 x 11 signs that read " RAMP VAN NEED TWO SPACES TO OPEN
> RAMP WHEN HANDICAPPED SPOTS ARE FULL " this seems to make me and everyone
> else happy. Before we made up the signs one guy parked as close as he could
> to the driver side door to keep us from getting back in, but we used the ramp
> door " no problem be happy " and then he wrote a nasty note others just wrote
> nasty notes. We embossed the signs and put them in the drivers and passenger
> side windows.
>
> The only ones that seem to get upset about people abusing
> sing the handicapped parking laws is us, the abuser just goes on his merry
> way. I just decided that I'm not going to let them ruin my day.
>
> Cullen
> C3
>
>
>
> --- On Fri, 1/23/09, Quadius <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> From: Quadius <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Bill targets handicapped parking violators
> To: "bob quinn" <[email protected]>
> Cc: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
> [email protected], [email protected]
> Received: Friday, January 23, 2009, 6:26 PM
>
>
> 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].
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
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>
>
>
> --
> Quadius
> C2-3 incomplete
> 13 years post injury
>
> ________________________________
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>
>
>
>
