Parking Criminals

[firefrog]

Hey

I read in the news that the Parking Authority will be asking city council to increase fines for parking in a handicap parking stall. $500 is the figure that's going around. Since I never park in those stalls, this shouldn't bother me at all - but it does.

Here's why:

1. Let's take two scenarios.

a) Some moron threatens life, limb, and property by driving carelessly on busy city streets. He gets a reckless driving ticket for $500. Everyone applauds and says he deserves it.

A poor schmuck slips into a store for a few minutes. He parks in a handicap stall. He gets a ticket for $500. Everyone applauds and says he deserves it.

What's wrong with this picture? When was the last time you heard of a handicapped person getting killed or seriously hurt because they didn't have immediate access to convenient parking? When was the last time you heard of someone getting injured in an auto accident? Not taking sides, but it just seems rather imbalanced.

2. The handicap parking system is one of the most abused privileges in this country. I'll wager over half of the people parked in handicap stalls aren't handicapped. They borrow permits from others, or aren't carrying anyone who is handicapped. If a $500 fine is appropriate, then these clowns should be fined DOUBLE for using false pretenses. Such people need their collective anuses (ani?) kicked. Even so, that puts us at $1000 for a parking violation. Huh?

Superstore has a unique solution. They do have handicap parking stalls, but they are not the closest ones to the store. I go there a lot and I don't see these stalls filled at all - or people parking there without a permit. Isn't that strange? Personally, I wouldn't mind if the whole handicap stall feature was scrapped. We definitely do have to cater to the handicapped, but there has to be a better system.

 

[robert]

put yourself in a wheelchair for a couple of days and see if you feel any differently after the experience - it's not fun and people are arseholes on every level. I believe that yes, the ticket value should be raised but you're right in one thing - start cracking down on the people abusing it.

 

i've damn near been in a few scraps now asking people why they are parking in a handicapped space when they are fine. claiming ignorance cause you have handicap sign is not a defense.

 

 

[canadensis]

i've damn near been in a few scraps now asking people why they are parking in a handicapped space when they are fine. claiming ignorance cause you have handicap sign is not a defense.

 

 

Robert,

 

Curious how you can visually tell if someone is fine? Heart and lung conditions come to mind.

 

 

This is one of the most asinine topics here in some time.

[robert]

well, generally when someone springs from their car and dashes into the store, they are ok...

[Teck71]

For using someone elses handicap tag, the owner of the tag can lose the privledge.

[LynnF]

I've been in the same scenario - almost kicked some chick's ass because she was parked there, no tags, "just waiting for her husband to get his prescription". I told her "too ****ing bad...you better move or I'm calling the cops" and she peeled out and came within 2 feet of running over my 2 feet.

 

As for the abusers - my mother comes to mind. She had a bad chronic back problem. She needed the tag because she had to use a walker/cane to get around. But then she had major surgery and 6 months later was a new person. They never took her tag back and she still uses it (FYI....I haven't talked to her in 14 years or I'd report her). I see lots of abuse like that, but this isn't the point. I agree with larger fines but unfortunately this is just another one of those things that falls under "cash cow" and likely won't prevent anyone from doing what they've done before.

[fishinhogdaddy]

Boy. I would say it is easy to speak when you don't know what a person with a disability goes through. Speaking with knowledge of the "handicapped" I have problems with the comparisons. As someone else said, sit in a wheelchair and see if life is "that easy" !?

One of the most stupid comments and comparisons I have seen in a while.

FHD

[robert]

on another note, I went to safeway a couple of nights ago and this elderly lady was getting out of her car and she was parked in a seniors zone - I said "you're a little young to be parking there aren't you?". I was trying to pay her a compliment in an offhand way - not being sarcastic or anything.

 

Well did she go off on me, omg fiesty little thing she was, thought she was going to beat me with her cane... I had to explain to her I was paying her a compliment - we had a good laugh over it afterward. Have to be careful what we say and how it's said I guess. People can take things the wrong way.

[gustuphson]

I think the issue here is the $500 for reckless driving not the parking fine. Reckless driving fine should be way higher....

[CTownTBoyz]

Robert,

 

Curious how you can visually tell if someone is fine? Heart and lung conditions come to mind.

 

Although I agree with you, one has to ask the question why someone with mobilty problems or heart and lung conditions need special parking so they can go for a hike through the mall?

 

One can't deny there is some abuse (see Lynn's comment above).

[canadensis]

Although I agree with you, one has to ask the question why someone with mobilty problems or heart and lung conditions need special parking so they can go for a hike through the mall?

 

One can't deny there is some abuse (see Lynn's comment above).

 

My Doc's office is at a big shopping mall..

 

It goes without saying that people who abuse the system should be delt with.

 

To say someone is not handicapped enough to warrant the handicapped tag is one of the more obtuse statements a person can make, parking at a mall or wherever.

[bigbowtrout]

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[ladystrange]

 

 

i like the disabled parking idea. designated spots that are larger than average. if you have ever tried to pull a wheel chair out of suburban while parked in a normal sized spot without whacking the car door next to you, you would appreciate the designated spots. i even like the parents with 9 kids spots and 1k worth of groceries getting the next spots over. lord knows parents trying to organize 3 kids under the age of 7 and trying to load shopping in to the vehicle is not paying too much attention to little johnny paying with the car door. at least it centralizes everyone and everyone has space.

 

i think the reckless driving ticket needs to be higher. and wonderful people like my mother who kept using her 'broken' ankle (7 years ago) as an excuse because it hurts to walk that far should be fined a larger amount to but not on par with someone who is endangering a life with a 3000lb chunk of steel and fiberglas flying down the road at 120kph. part of the abuse comes down to doctors who sign the disability forms that allow people to get the cards when they dont need them. the doctors who sign the application should also get a fine for fraud.

 

my mother is perfectly capable of walking an extra 50 yards. and when she whines i just tell her she shouldnt out walking around and she should go home and rest it. her doctor finally didnt sign her renewal application and gave her a lecture.

 

for years after she broke her ankle she whined about how hard it was to get up the stairs. she didnt appreciate it when i asked her if her other foot was broken and told her to hop. she said the jumping hurt too, so i told her to crawl. she threw a pillow at me. i have very little sympathy for those who are perfectly able to do something but play games for the attention.

 

regardless of whether you have a card or not, if you can walk the extra 50 yards without assistance (human or mechanical) or having a heart attack and dont have to get a scooter or wheelchair out of your car to move around, leave the spot for someone who cant.

[Weedy1]

For those who have a habit of freaking out on the people that don't appear disabled that park in these spots, remember, sometimes those people are picking up people who are disabled.

 

And don't forget some of these people are Grandma's that will beat you silly in a flash with their cane if you ever dared interfere with their ride.