Handicap Parking Cheaters (San Antonio, Vernon, Anton: transfer, law, shop)

[cgaryc]

Also known as Handicap Parking Abuse, these people are perfectly healthy, sometimes very athletic people. They are using grandma's placard or their spouce's placard.

I know some personally who had an injury 5 or 10 years ago. The injury has long since healed but the they learned how nice it can be to have privileged parking right up front (free all day parking at downtown parking meters) and they don't want to give it up.

Fully 75% (or more) of people parking in handicap spaces in San Antonio with a placard are not handicaped.

Note, I am not talking about invisible handicaps like heart, lug, back or leg problems that are not obvious. I don't even want to hear from people with these excuses.

I am talking about the 75% or more who have no impairment.

I want a tougher law on the books that means a policeman can ticket the person even if they have a placard (the cop asks what their impairment is and uses his judgement at the scene) and it is on them to show a judge they are handicaped. Those who can prove it will get off free. Those who get caught cheating cripples and the rest of us will face stiff fines.

Right now in California it is minium $250 and max $1000 for getting caught displaying a placard or parking in a handicap space under false pretenses.

I am tired and ashamed of what I am seeing.

Lets hear some examples of blatant cheating that you have witnessed.

[sinsativ]

I see it all the time, especially at Walmart and HEB. The law states, the handicapped person must be in the car when the the car is parked in those spots also. I see all the time, its my grandmother's car, or something to that effect. These people's only handicap is that they are illiterate. I would love to see more "Teeth" put into these parking violators. Unfortunately, for an officer to wait outside while someone does their shopping to verify whether the handicapped person is really with them or not, or whether the placard even belongs to that car. I have seen several that have the one that hangs on the mirror, and when they park, it comes from out of someones purse or something magically. I'd bet it doesn't even belong to that person, let alone that car. Then the people that really need those spaces can't find one to park in, thats what the real shame is.

The disabled person to whom the State issued parking privileges have been issued must be present in any car parking in a designated handicap parking spot, which displays the disabled identification devices. Proof of Registered ADA status must be carried when using ADA parking privileges, and must be presented upon request to authorized officers or officials. Persons with authorized ADA parking privileges may park in any spaces where parking is appropriate but may not park in a restricted or prohibited area such as yellow zone/fire lane, tow-away, or marked reserved space. Vehicles with Disabled Veteran plates are not automatically allowed to park in ADA spaces unless the requirements of State Law (Vernon Civil Statues article 6675a-5e) are met and proper State issued identification device is in place.

Not that it will do a lot, but there is a wall of shame you can post Handicap Parking Fraud violators on: Here's the link.

http://www.handicappedfraud.org/

[LindaGrace]

75%? Really? That sounds awfully high.

[Deep Forest]

Originally Posted by cgaryc

Note, I am not talking about invisible handicaps like heart, lug, back or leg problems that are not obvious. I don't even want to hear from people with these excuses.

They're not excuses bubba....whatever their particular handicap is it's between them and their doctor and certainly none of the police's business nor yours. I've seen blatant violations too and I do agree that the police should have the right to verify who is driving the vehicle. Also when you get a handicap placard issued to you it lets you transfer it from vehicle to vehicle..AS LONG AS YOU ARE IN THE VEHICLE. There are serial numbers assigned to each placard so it shouldn't be hard to query a database. Now please get most of the facts straight before the rant.

[firstclassflyer]

Originally Posted by sinsativ

I see it all the time, especially at Walmart and HEB. The law states, the handicapped person must be in the car when the the car is parked in those spots also. I see all the time, its my grandmother's car, or something to that effect. These people's only handicap is that they are illiterate. I would love to see more "Teeth" put into these parking violators. Unfortunately, for an officer to wait outside while someone does their shopping to verify whether the handicapped person is really with them or not, or whether the placard even belongs to that car. I have seen several that have the one that hangs on the mirror, and when they park, it comes from out of someones purse or something magically. I'd bet it doesn't even belong to that person, let alone that car. Then the people that really need those spaces can't find one to park in, thats what the real shame is.

I re-read your post...misunderstood at first. They do need more "teeth" built into these regulations.

[Deep Forest]

Originally Posted by sinsativ

I see it all the time, especially at Walmart and HEB. The law states, the handicapped person must be in the car when the the car is parked in those spots also. I see all the time, its my grandmother's car, or something to that effect. These people's only handicap is that they are illiterate. I would love to see more "Teeth" put into these parking violators. Unfortunately, for an officer to wait outside while someone does their shopping to verify whether the handicapped person is really with them or not, or whether the placard even belongs to that car. I have seen several that have the one that hangs on the mirror, and when they park, it comes from out of someones purse or something magically. I'd bet it doesn't even belong to that person, let alone that car. Then the people that really need those spaces can't find one to park in, thats what the real shame is.

Especially the teenagers....

[Deep Forest]

Originally Posted by LindaGrace

75%? Really? That sounds awfully high.

It is....note that no facts are provided only personal opinion.

[cgaryc]

I should have said "people with these reasons". I am trying to focus on the cheaters not the examples of people who don't look handicaped but have valid impairments. I know and respect their need.

I do want people who are in danger of a heart attack and such to get special consideration, that is what the spaces are there for.

My concern is that when that heart patient etc. shows up, the cheaters haven't taken all the spaces and there's non left for the the people who really need them.

Gary

[mrstxcop]

for what it's worth --- i remember a new story being done on this subject a number of years ago --- the reporter was actually stopping people who had parked in a handicap spot and got out and had no visible handicap ...

his report came to a screeching halt when he stopped a lady who had gotten out, walked around her car and pulled out her son and was carrying him thru the parking lot --- the reporter stopped her and asked why she was parked in a handicap spot when she was obviously able bodied and able to carry her son, who appeared to be about 5yrs old at the time...the lady looked at the reporter and put her son down to walk ... her son had braces on both legs and had a noticable problem walking ... the reporter apologized and the lady picked her son back up and walked off... so the handicap placard was for her son, not for herself...

i just wanted to throw that out there because things are not always as they seem ...

[Deep Forest]

Originally Posted by cgaryc

I should have said "people with these reasons". I am trying to focus on the cheaters not the examples of people who don't look handicaped but have valid impairments. I know and respect their need.

I do want people who are in danger of a heart attack and such to get special consideration, that is what the spaces are there for.

My concern is that when that heart patient etc. shows up, the cheaters haven't taken all the spaces and there's non left for the the people who really need them.

Gary

I'm in full agreement with you. I use handicap parking and I've gotten pretty good at spotting the fakers.