From that article you linked: “Some of the worst abuse could be outside the Capitol and around public agency buildings throughout the city.”
This actually makes sense. State buildings and court-houses rarely have adequate parking near by. Since they are usually downtown, the only places to park are street parking and the government garages. Few of those buildings have more than 1 or 2 handicapped designated spaces on the street. Those garages can be close, but rarely are. They are usually at least a few blocks away, which is kinda far for someone who has trouble walking for whatever reason. That means all the people who work in those buildings who have a disability, have to park on the street. Thus, the high percentage of cars with placards near places like that.
It’s difficult to speculate since it’s impossible to get police to even look at it. I think they’re afraid they’ll violate ADA for asking for proof. This either isn’t written in a strong way into the rules governing enforcement, or it isn’t communicated or on the radar of enforcement (among all the other stuff they have to commit to memory). But from the article, it’s very easy to get a placard. How many of these are people using it daily but for whom “some days are bad”?
He knew exactly what he was doing. Police never let you present your ID in any kind of holder-- they always ask you to remove it. I knew a couple guys who pulled this trick with fire dept badges (legit, but volunteer firefighters no less) to try to avoid paying covers at bars. They never asked for anything, just showed their ID in ther wallet, just like this guy, and hoped they’d get waved through.
I used to be an appeals officer for a university parking enforcement department.
Spoiled Idiot Student: I’m using my Grandma’s placard.
Me: The DMV indicates that your Grandmother has been deceased for years.
Spoiled Idiot Student: So? I’m still allowed to use it. My mom does it all the time.
Me: Make your check payable to the university. Parking fines benefit the local school district. I’ll see you in hell.
Great program. I hope the offenders learn a lesson. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but my disabled mother once offered me an extra handicap tag for my own personal use. I told her there was no way I would ever use it and that I can’t stand it when able-bodied people park in those spots. She later offered it to my sister…who accepted it. :^(
Really. There’s such a thing as proportion of penalties. The real issue here is enforcement. And Cesare Beccaria stated it centuries ago, the certainty of penalty is the best deterrent.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be easy to get a temporary placard quickly. I’ve occasionally had arguments with the laws of physics and lost, resulting in a couple of days or weeks on crutches or using a cane, and getting a placard would really help at times like that.
I did recently park in a handicapped space, legitimately - driving a friend who uses a walker. I’d been about to do the autopilot of “drop her off by the door and hunt for parking” when she pointed out that she had a placard so I could actually stay parked there.
