>What I wanna know is: if its illegal to park in a handicap
>spot, is it also illegal to use the handicap stall in the
>restroom? Man those things are roomy!
>Robb

And if a handicapped person parks in a non-handicap parking spot, do they get a ticket?

 

If it's law in WA, I don't think the ADA has complained much, as at my work and many similar places there is no disabled spot. I got complained at once about it a couple years ago, but I haven't really worried about it. I'm a relatively minor employee, so if I fussed about it I'd probably just bring trouble upon myself.
It does bug me the people that abuse the situation, however. My grandpa that recently passed away was short one leg and about seven toes, and walking was difficult at best. It annoyed me to have to park with him down the aisle because of the punk that parked in the handicapped spot and ran inside.

The Law
1989 F-250 HD 4x4
460, C6, BW 13-56, Sterling 10.25" (4.10:1), Dana 44 HD (4.09:1), twin K&N's, no muffler, stock lo-flo cat, Bosch Platinum Plugs (0.060") MSD 6A and TFI Blaster Coil

 

 

WOOHOO!! I'm glad to see this type of conversation going on. I use a wheelchair 24/7 and I don't necessarily need to park right up front to a building as I'm quite mobile. My one need is a slightly wider parking space. I don't drive one of those big wheelchair vans, I used too, but I need to be able get my chair between my vehicle and the next person. On the weekends I hang out at this one bar and without fail most times I come out to find a vehicle parked 6 inches from my door. The thing is when people are more focused on getting into the bar to start partyin' they're not always paying attention to where they park. Because the wheechair spot is so wide, and I park slightly to one side, there is actually enough room for two cars. So what happens, someone in a hurry see's enough room for their car and parks there blocking me from accessing my vehicle. I've ended up getting the bar manager to come out and move my vehicle to a spot where I can access it. What a pain in the ***!!

People, please pay attention to the lines on the pavement. Look for the lines to make sure you're not double parking in a disabled parking spot.

Thanks.....rant over.

 

Great thread!

I have what is known locally as 'crip' tags and a 'crip' placard for my disabilities. I have limited mobility because of my back and arthritis in my knees.
I've had these disability placards for more than 15 years. At times, the pain is terrible. Sometimes. . . not so bad.
On the days when the pain is not-so-bad, walking is actually thereputic, so, I park 'some distance' from the store, etc.

What's very disturbing is. . . according to one local news report. . . Maryland has more handicap placards issued than any other state in the country and a majority of the placards are issued to healthy individuals!

 

I have a handicap tag as well, but only use it on the days that I am really having troubles walking. Even then, I use the farthest handicap spots so as to make sure someone else that really needs more will be that much closer. I have days that I have to struggle for every step, and others that it looks like I don't have a disability. I don't bother with the handicap tag for my truck, because it generally has a trailer behind it, so a handicap spot won't do it very well... The odd thing about my disability is that I can generally drive ok as long as the seat works for me, but have troubles with walking... I can climb ladders, but not walk... really makes life interesting.

 

It appears I have to anow apply for one due to my on-going problems.

This bothers me and will not stop me from parking in regular spots.

I will still be diligient in telling people who park in the spot and run in the store...... to hand over the placard they have as THEY are not physically.

We have specific rules in Alberta and one of them is the placard is ONLY for the Disabled Person whose Name is on the registration.

No others can take advantage of it.

This means a person who drives them must either stay with the disabled person the entire time including insde the store or park elsewhere.

 

Sometimes my parents use my vehicle but don't use the spots 'cause they aren't disabled in any way. When I travel in my parents van and we generally don't use the spots 'cause I get out of the van before my dad parks and get in when he's pulled out of the parking spot. They have a Chevy Astro minivan and I have no problem lifting myself in and out.

I forgot to mention it but in the winter is really the only time I need a spot close to the building. Wheelin' through slush and snow is a pain in my chair...even with my knobby tires. If I can find an end of a row I have no problem parking in the "back 40" and wheeling to the building.

 

I'll add my .02 on this. I was an independent contractor, until I came down with a mysterious illness in 1995, unable to work in 96. I sold off what I owned, and was too proud to ask for anything from anyone until I filed for disability in 1998.

I was given a 5 minute (criminally fruadulent exam, for which no one was ever held accountable) by an SSA paid-for physician, who asked me to pick up some coins from a table, and that was about it. I was denied all benefits for 18 months.

As it turns out, I had thyroid cancer. A fantastic surgical team performed a life-saving 6.5 hr operation, paid for by the DPW, which I am sure paid them squat.

I then had severe mercury poisoning from having all my dental amalgams removed (about 30 hrs in the dentist's chair.........ouch), done at the about the same time (suspected of being a cause of cancer). This caused severe memory loss, & I had to stop driving for a few months. I had a previous meylogram & L5-S1 operation, a severe whiplash with C&T issues in 1987, permanent nerve damage and too much more to mention here. With all this, the only means I had of exercising I could still do by 2001, was lake kayaking.

To look at me then, I was 6', 185, and you would not know I had been through any of that. It would take me two days to think about it, a day to prepare, a four hour process to kayak, and a week to recover. There was only one ADA spot when I first started doing this, and many times had to return home, without having kayaked, because of not being able to access the lake. There are now about 10 lake-front ADA spaces! I actually had to threaten the park service with some DOJ intimidation. It worked.

I went through all kinds of ADA issues and all kinds of people giving me hell for using the ADA spots etc. I fought for years and finally got ADA parking, a new ADA kayak & canoe launch, which was installed last year. I think I was the very first person to park at the site the very first time I went to use the lake, and was given a ticket for being there, with the handicap placard in clear site in my front window! Good thing for my Pentax Optio and voice recorder. Then the park office gave me all kinds of crap about it being my fault....and I am really surprised someone did not loose their job. I was madder than hell.

I've also been told not to use an ADA parking spot in another State Park, with the placard, unless all the people in the car were handicapped, and we had a placard for each person! It is really quite interesting to see the crap the govt' will pull, even with ADA parking, and that is with people that have the placards. Needless to say its been more than an interesting battle. The State of Pa., has a legal team that decides how far they can push an issue like this, without costing them too much... as they really hate to spend money to do what is right.

I've had other ADA users yelling at me on the road when the would see the kayak on the roof. And yet, I've seen a quadrapalegic solo an expensive sail boat!

Some days my joints lock up, or the old sciatica kicks in and I can barely move. Other times, compared to the general population, I can offer the illusion of what might pass for a healthy person.

I am now 40+ lbs overweight, and I find it interesting that people still think I am in decent condition, compared to the poor health of the general populace.

Two years ago I started fly fishing to pass the time and try and loose some weight. I live only ten mintues from one of the greatest trout rivers in the area. Today, I can not access that either, as the large river rafting monopolies own almost all the land at the river access areas, and have posted no parking for as far as I would be able to walk to use it. I now have to drive 45 minutes to get to decent waters that I can access, to fish.

I used to live to shoot. I have so much nerve pain, 50 rds with my .45 is about all I can handle.

So, IMO the question may or may not be are these people qualified to use the spaces. It may be, what is going on that is the cause of all these disabilities. I live in NE Pa., and I can tell you that cancer is rampant, as is many other diseases. There are many ADA spaces at Walmart and the food stores, for example, and it is still not enough to handle the increasing amount of placarded cars.

Love to get into a topic on the govt's Social Security Fraud...... yikes!

Now if anyone has any doubts as to the harmful effects of the govt's Chemtrails, I would love to post some pics, if someone could direct me how to do that. I know for a fact my pain symptoms sky-rocket when we are sprayed, which is weekly.

Nonetheless, it is really not wise to pass judgement, unless you know the story.

And, if you have not seen this one, go to:http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8260059923762628848 !!!

 

Speaking of "Handicapped" mysteries...WHY, OH WHY ARE THERE BREILLE MARKINGS ON THE DRIVE IN BANK ATM MACHINES??? Take a gooood look at the driver in front and behind you next time you're at the ATM!

 

We discussed that in another thread on page 2.
the
It's because machines are universal and used everywhere in many applications.

It has nothing to do with Driving

 

call the locaL PD a nice fine and people will learn how to park quick

 

At the conservation district I worked at, we spent alot of time adapting existing siters to ada compliance.

 

It's private property so the police can't ticket a car for double parking. If it was a fire route, it's not, then they could.

I had a friend who drove a tow truck, F350, move someone's car out of my way one time. It was at a different bar. He hid the car around the corner. I can imagine the person's face as they came out of the bar to see their car not there.....ROFLMAO!

I do have warning notices to tell people that they could be ticketed for parking as they have. I've placed a few under a few windshield wipers. Says "Parking Violation" in bold letters at the top.

 

Across the street from our shop is a dance studio with 3 handicap parking spots for their side of the building. All the moms will park there and walk in with their children and then climb the stairs to the studio. A sign on a post right in front of each stall that they can see as they pull in with their Mercedes SUVs. None have handicap permits.