Handicapped parking pwnage

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

So my co-worker and myself were taking our last break outside, sitting in front of the store, as we usually do this time of year.

A ratty old Blazer pulled into a handicapped parking spot and the driver and his wife got out.

A police officer happened to be driving by and the Blazer driver said hi to him and then went into the strip mall attached to my store.

The police officer then drove around the Blazer--and stopped right there. Yes, dear friends, the Blazer did not have handicap plates and there was no permit displayed from the rear-view mirror, or anyplace else for that matter.

Police officer went right back into his cruiser, got out his pad o' tickets, wrote one up, slapped it under the Blazer's windshield wiper, and went on his merry way. Meanwhile co-worker and I are anticipating fireworks when the driver came back.

As it turned out, the driver and his wife returned while we were still outside. All he did was take the ticket off his windshield, climb inside with his wife, and drive off. I suspect he knew he was caught when he first saw the police officer in his car.

Bet he'll think twice before illegally parking in handicapped spots anymore.

[crazylegs]

Bet he'll think twice before illegally parking in handicapped spots anymore.

Doubt it, the people who generally park illegally accept it as a part of life that they get ticketed (then moan when they do, but still they park there!).

[Aethian]

At the college my Mom goes to there is a large parking area where handicap tags can park for free. Well she went to turn in there and out of 15 spots only 3 had tags. So Mom parked the best she could and then cane hobbled over to the building across the street. Ten minuets later a group of six cops and one instructor came out with Mom behind him. Every single one of those who parked in that area got tickets if they didn't have the tag. A couple that weren't even parked in correct spots got more then one ticket. And one that HAD a ticket under it's wipers had a call put out.

They then went as a group over to the school's enforcement office and that then got tickets from the school itself with two vehicles getting towed.

Mom's still giggling on her phone.

[PepperElf]

you know. ... screw the tickets. just tow the cars at the owner's expense.
they'll learn faster that way

[Dave1982]

Why not both?

[thehippie777]

We have quite a few handicap spaces at our hotel. We have twice as many parking spaces as rooms...and people still come in saying they couldn't find a spot so they just "had to park in the hadicap spots". I have been told, "Not to tow my car..." It annoys me. Yeah so sure the spots might be all empty tonight but what gives you the right when I know good and well that there are pleanty of spots but you are just clearly afraid to walk across the parkinglot?

Glad these people got their ticket...

[One-Fang]

I agree some just consider it "the cost of the risk you take". They know that they will get ticketed maybe one time in a hundred, if that. It's worth it for "that sweet parking space".

As one friend said once about speeding tickets "They're just a way to allow the rich to speed".

I agree - tow them. Or clamp them. While clamping means a genuine user still can't have the spot, it is a visible warning to everyone else who goes past that they really do mean business at this place and would probably reduce overall non-compliant attempts to park.

[Hyndis]

I never understood why people circle the parking lot like vultures to grab a parking space right up front, often times parking in the handicapped spots or even the fire land, just to avoid walking for a few seconds.

When I'm looking for a parking spot I grab the first availible one. Often times its at the very edge of the parking lot, but so what? Ohnoes, I might have to walk for 15 seconds to reach the store!!!!

Often times by taking a parking spot at the edge of the lot I get to the store before those vultures do. In extreme cases, I've even finished my shopping only to see the very same vulture still looking for a parking spot.

And its not like the exercise is bad either. I could certainly use it, and so could quite a few of those blobs driving those massive SUV's who try to park in handicapped or fire lands in a futile attempt to save a few seconds which costs them many minutes.

C'mon, walking is good for you and it saves both time and money. Its also polite and keeps you from getting in trouble with the law. I don't see a downside to it, aside to those people who are staggeringly lazy and selfish.

[Mamadrae]

I certainly can't understand this need to part right in front of the doors of anyplace myself. Short of handicap folks who can't walk far, pregnant women about to pop, and the occasional mom with a heavy car seat for a baby who can't sit up yet; I don't see why anyone needs to park right up front.

I myself park where I can. Usually in the back where there are less cars cause I have a habit of flinging my door open and I don't feel like denting someone else's car.

[blas]

I've never understood that either. Unless it's like a typhoon or extreme snowy blizzard or double digits below zero, I always park out in Bum Egypt. Walking is good for you. I walk past everyone who is all tangled up trying to get the closest spot.

[Chromatix]

As a cyclist, I get the privilege of seeing parking arrangements up close too. The British supermarkets I'm most familiar with have separate disabled and parent/child parking, both of which are near the entrance. So is the cycle rack.

The Finns seem to be less concerned about parking arrangements. I think they assume that if you can make it around the store itself, you can get across the car park without too much difficulty. But perhaps that's because I'm looking at city supermarkets which are within easy walking distance of just about everywhere. It might be different for suburbs and rural areas.

[Andrew B.]

My family prefers to park close to the door, mainly because we don't want to lug the carts back and we think it's stupid to just ditch them wherever. If we can't find a place near the door, we look for a place near the cart corral.

A little exercise never hurt anyone.

We'd never use a handicapped spot unless we needed it.

[One-Fang]

Does one dare suggest the wild assumption you ask us to leap to with the last sentence is "by way of having a disability and acquiring the card for said usage" as opposed to "because we're running really late and will only be a minute!"?

[eltf177]

Had one of those myself many years ago. My brother and I were coming back from college for the Christmas break and he _insisted_ on stopping at a mall (that's another rant entirely). He told me I could wait in the car for him.

"Oh really, and how will you find me?"

"Won't be hard."

Yeah. Not a parking spot to be found anywhere. I had to wait at the entrance where he went in so he could find me (I got lucky and found a spot in a parking garage, he never would have found me there).

Well, while standing outside in the freezing weather some biddy and her two daughters drive up. Not finding a space, they pull into a handicapped spot. Needless to say they did _not_ have a handicapped tag or placard. They are smug walking into the mall, thinking they're smarter than everybody else.

A little while later a cop is driving by. I and about 6 other people waiting flag him down and point at Biddy's car. He stops, gets out, looks over the vehicle, then writes out a ticket.

It was still freezing but that warmed our hearts!

[taxguykarl]

This guy must have money to burn as the penalties in my neck of the woods run $100-300.

Our office friend is glad to fill his quota with the d**s**s who use that in our strip mall.