...

[glock_this]

I despise people that abuse the placard OR the spots just becuase they are in a hurry.

in 2001 I was hit by a car while on my bike. in the hospital for 3 weeks.. 2 weeks in ICU alone. My back was broken in 2 spots, leg, arm. Anyway, after I got out I used a placard sparingly as I was able to get around, slowly. 1 day I was walking to my gym after PT and a women pulled up in a huge SUV with her kids in the car and pulled into the only open handicap spot, jumped out and ran in. I could see it all from across the lot. 5 minutes later, when I reached the door she was coming out and I commented that those spots are for the handicapped... she said to me

"if you knew the day I had, you would understand".. I flipped and yelled at her as I was pissed

she didn't see the back brace I had under my jacket holding my back together... and she thought her "bad" day was justification

now, years later, I am still hyper alert to people that abuse the system and would have no problem ratting an abuser out in a quick second.

[retired]

There was a nice cellphone video on the local news last night of a City of Arvin police officer using the handicapped space at the local bank while he went in to do his private banking.

From the Chief, "Police cars are allowed to park any place in an emergency but this was not the case in this instance. The officer in the video no longer works for the Arvin PD"

I would like to believe that officer had something else in his backround to justify his firing. Tho I most heartedly agree he should have been disciplined, losing his job doesn't fit the violation IMHO. That is a rather extreme punishment. It was a stupid and inconsiderate move on his part, but a suspension, loss of pay and a notation in his file for evaluation purposes, should have been sufficient.

[Cokebottle]

I would like to believe that officer had something else in his backround to justify his firing. Tho I most heartedly agree he should have been disciplined, losing his job doesn't fit the violation IMHO. That is a rather extreme punishment. It was a stupid and inconsiderate move on his part, but a suspension, loss of pay and a notation in his file for evaluation purposes, should have been sufficient.

I agree.

It's not like Arvin is a huge town with a large police force that wouldn't miss the loss of an officer. OTOH, it could have been a way to fire someone and deny benefits when one or more officers were scheduled for layoff.

[EOD3]

We've had disabled plates on all our vehicles for a several years now. Up until a few years ago, I rode a motorcycle with a disabled plate. Talk about dirty looks!

One thing that worries me is when my wife drops me at the door and then parks the car in a handicapped spot so I can get to it while she is shopping. Sooner or later, I expect I'll have to explain it to a judge.

[Lyte-]

I have to admit I always wondered about disabled plates on motorcycles.... That was until I jacked up my knee and went back to riding against the doctors orders. My knee doesn't effect my riding at all, even when I come to a stop light and I have to put at least one leg down I put my hurt leg down. Its not till I get off the bike that I have to limp away in most cases So now I get it....

[Cokebottle]

I have to admit I always wondered about disabled plates on motorcycles.... That was until I jacked up my knee and went back to riding against the doctors orders. My knee doesn't effect my riding at all, even when I come to a stop light and I have to put at least one leg down I put my hurt leg down. Its not till I get off the bike that I have to limp away in most cases So now I get it....

Yup. I know a lot of bikers with legitimate DP plates. Mostly it's knee and hip issues. There's a guy who frequents Chad's in Big Bear who has an artificial leg... amputated above the knee... and he doesn't ride a trike!
It's his right leg, and he can still operate the rear brake and brace the bike when stopped.

[Ron-Solo]

People who mis-use disabled placards get ZERO slack from me. Recently caught an attorney using her mothers placard at the courthouse because she didn't want to pay $6 to park. On top of that, she provided false information to me when called on it. Judge didn't view it too kindly. It cost her $2,000 and 30 days of picking up trash for CalTrans, and 3 years probation. Add to it, a letter of reprimand from the State Bar Association.

[bubbagump]

I loved it so much, I wish the dept. had given me a case of them when I retired.

eltee covered it very well; especially the part about someone young not having any apparent medical disability.

When I left the field in 1997, the fine was $325 for parking in the actual space and $260 for blocking access (parking either on the line or over it while parked in the space next to a disabled one or parking on the blue diagonal lines). I don't have any idea what it is now.

Re the parking on the diagonal blue lines: I have cited people who parked there even if they have a placard/plate. That space is to allow the disabled, especially those with wheelchairs, accessibility.

I once cited a guy at the local racquetball club in D. Bar where I was a member. There was only one disabled space and people were always parking there because the lot was small.

After citing, I went inside to find out who owned the car to make them move it. Once I met him, I decided to have the Lt. void it. Turns out there was a disabled tournament being held and the driver was a double leg amputee and in a wheelchair. He had a placard, he just forgot to put it up.

I apologized and told him I'd have it voided (I certainly didn't want to go to court on that one, tho technically he was in violation). My Lt. voided it after screwing with me a bit.

I guess I'll share...

The guy who trained me at the last department used to give EVERYONE handi-cap tickets. It didn't matter how old or how many legs they were missing. If they didn't have it...they got a ticket. One day, I asked why he was being such an ***. He told me that one day while writing a handi-cap cite, this little old lady runs out and tells him she has a placard but forgot it at home. He feels bad (like most people) and voids the cite. As she is driving away...she gives him her wrinkled middle finger and says "F*ck You".

Ever since then...he'd cite EVERYONE.

One day I'm driving through a parking structure and I see this car parked across two spaces. W...T...F...

So I cite the car for everything I can. Ticket ended up being over 325 (the total price would be written at the bottom of the ticket).

About 20 mins later this guy is at the station. He says he forgot to put his emergency brake on...and his car had some kind of mechanical issue...so the car reversed out of the parking space across from the handi-cap spaces and since the steering wheel was turned to the left...the car came to a complete stop across the two handi-cap spaces.

It was the best story I'd EVER heard...

[Cokebottle]

It cost her $2,000 and 30 days of picking up trash for CalTrans, and 3 years probation. Add to it, a letter of reprimand from the State Bar Association.

Yeouch!

My 1992 DUI was only 10 days... and I had a choice... 10 days or $1300.

[retired]

People who mis-use disabled placards get ZERO slack from me. Recently caught an attorney using her mothers placard at the courthouse because she didn't want to pay $6 to park. On top of that, she provided false information to me when called on it. Judge didn't view it too kindly. It cost her $2,000 and 30 days of picking up trash for CalTrans, and 3 years probation. Add to it, a letter of reprimand from the State Bar Association.

Excellent!

[eltee]

People who mis-use disabled placards get ZERO slack from me. Recently caught an attorney using her mothers placard at the courthouse because she didn't want to pay $6 to park. On top of that, she provided false information to me when called on it. Judge didn't view it too kindly. It cost her $2,000 and 30 days of picking up trash for CalTrans, and 3 years probation. Add to it, a letter of reprimand from the State Bar Association.

Superb. Justice at its finest. Don't tell me, the lawyer probably had a pretty slick car, right? Love it. $2k + 30 days of litter duty + probation.

Brothers and sisters, DO NOT forget that lawyers have to have a Bar Association card to work, and potential employers check with the Bar for disciplinary actions against lawyers. The Cal. Bar Assn. has a team of investigators who look into lawyer misconduct, so feel free to drop that dime when you encounter lawyer misconduct ... the lawyers certainly waste no time in calling I.A. or the review board if they think a cop did something wrong.

[Fjold]

I would like to believe that officer had something else in his backround to justify his firing. Tho I most heartedly agree he should have been disciplined, losing his job doesn't fit the violation IMHO. That is a rather extreme punishment. It was a stupid and inconsiderate move on his part, but a suspension, loss of pay and a notation in his file for evaluation purposes, should have been sufficient.

The chief didn't explain it and the officer could have left for another reason but I think that the chief was just trying to get the message out that it is not tolerated in his department.

[retired]

The chief didn't explain it and the officer could have left for another reason but I think that the chief was just trying to get the message out that it is not tolerated in his department.

He certainly accomplished that.

[TURBOELKY]

what if I take my mom to the store, and "we" park in the handicapped parking with her handicapped placard? She does not drive anymore. So if they run the placard, and see its not registered to me, whats going to happen?

[FLIGHT762]

what if I take my mom to the store, and "we" park in the handicapped parking with her handicapped placard? She does not drive anymore. So if they run the placard, and see its not registered to me, whats going to happen?

Nothing, if Mom is with you. If you're sitting in your car by yourself and Mom is in the store or not at the vehicle, you'll have some explaining to do. I've caught a number of people using their relatives placard and hearing the story of just waiting for them to come back. I'd get a description of the person and go into the store looking for them. If they were there, no problem, but many times it was a lie and I'd cite them and confiscate the placard for misuse of a placard.

My advice to you would be to stay with your Mom or have her nearby in case you get asked.

I always gave a legitimately H/C person a break. I once cited a car on a busy downtown street for double parking. As I put the cite on the windshield, the driver came up and said she was helping her H/C Mother into a restaurant. I asked her what restaurant it was. I parked my car and went into the restaurant. I found the woman who I cited and asked her to point out her Mom. She pointed to a woman with a walker. I then asked the driver for her copy of the cite and told her I would be voiding it for her. She was astonished I took it back. I told her I just wanted to follow up and when I found the story true, It was the right thing to do.