Okay....

[conuly]

Nifty article. Woman goes around in semi-vigilante mode and, omg, tickets people who park in handicapped spots! I should send her a cape and a mask.

What? It'd be cool!

But... some people "don't approve of her methods" apparently. They'd be much happier, I suppose, if she just wrote evildoers nasty notes, I assume. And they think it's "inappropriate" if she tickets, say, a guy who *only* parked in the handicapped spot to pick up his kid and wife. Because he couldn't park elsewhere, I'm sure.

*shrugs*

I don't drive. Possibly there are vagaries of parking I simply don't understand.

Comments

[codeman38.livejournal.com]

I'd like to see people do some vigilante enforcement of other traffic laws. Like, for instance, actually going something vaguely resembling the speed limit, rather than 20 miles above it in the pouring rain... yeah, needless to say, trying to cross the street that day was a bit frustrating... >_<

NO. There aren't vagaries of parking.

[marveen.livejournal.com]

There are a whole lot of lazy jackasses out there, is all.

DP spaces are not for picking up family on rainy days, nor for "I'll-just-be-a-minute" trips, nor for celebrities. They are for people who HAVE TROUBLE WALKING. If you, personally, have trouble walking, you should apply for a DP parking permit so you may legally park in these spaces.

In THIS state, you can get a permanent placard (blue) or a temporary (red).

[marveen.livejournal.com]

You can't really call yourself a driver until you've been honked at and swerved around for driving the speed limit.

Being rear-ended for stopping at a red light is a good one, too.

[codeman38.livejournal.com]

I've been honked at for crossing at a crosswalk when I had the green light, because the driver really wanted to make a right turn and couldn't bother to wait about 10 seconds. >_<

[rachelkachel]

I understand the reasons and all, but it's frankly infuriating when the *only* good parking spots are three handicapped spaces which you have never seen anybody parked in... all the other open spots are literally two and a half blocks away...

[sparkofcreation.livejournal.com]

Or not using a turn signal. On a sunny day on a straight road with wide lanes (say, the NJ Turnpike), it's perfectly safe to drive 20 miles above the speed limit (which IMO is an argument for raising the speed limit) ... but pulling in front of someone without a blinker is dangerous. (Especially if the cutter-off is doing the speed limit and the cuttee-off is going considerably above it.)

[codeman38.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, that's also frustrating. A lot of people decide not to signal because they're in a turn lane... not that I can see the pavement markings through their car, of course!

[conuly]

Can't be more infuriating than being in a wheelchair, on crutches, and finding out that somebody too lazy to walk 2.5 blocks has parked in the *only* spot that you can use.

[conuly]

Of course, I'm just guessing, never having been in a wheelchair, or on crutches, or behind the wheel of a car.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

I've never had trouble with mom getting a handicapped spot. Ever.

Now, the ONLY thing that bugs me about this woman is that she loses so many cases -- what a complete waste of money if she isn't trained to do this properly and she is wasting the time of the courts for this.

Otherwise, I applaud her and hope she learns from her 'mistakes' and can better present her evidence.

Maybe her town should learn and step up enforcement so she doesn't have to?

[conuly]

Yeah, her success rate is pretty pathetic.

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

*shrug* I park in handicapped spaces on a pretty regular basis, and neither I nor anyone else in my family has any trouble walking.

When I go to pick up M from work, I hover near the door while I wait. Campus security prefers that I park in the handicapped spaces near the door rather than circle the parking lot; *I* prefer that I park there rather than park off campus and make at least one of us hike several city blocks, which is often (literally) the only other option--the parking lots really aren't big enough to handle the number of people working in these buildings, and the buildings are far apart. It's a problem for those who work odd hours and try to park; on the other hand, it encourages carpooling.

Anywizzy. That's the only time I park in handicapped spaces, and I think that there are several mitigating factors there--it's safer than repeatedly circling a parking lot with lots of pedestrians, I don't have to cross several busy roads, that's where the local security force prefers I be, and the *biggest* issue is that I never leave my car. If someone pulls up who needs to actually *park* in that space, I say "whoops! One moment!" and pull out. I don't see that as an undue strain on the legitimately-handicapped parker.

I wasn't planning to post here until I saw the mention of her ticketing a man who was waiting for his wife and son. There is a distinct possibility that he really *couldn't* park elsewhere within half a mile. Lord knows it happens often enough--parking space is tight.

It's equivalent to using the handicapped stall in a public bathroom--according to the specifics of the ADA, that space ought to be left open for the handicapped users, but, ummmmm, who does and why would we?

[lakidaa.livejournal.com]

Forgive me, for one of my major pet peeves is people who park in the Handicapped parking spot without the appropriate items. If you will allow me to be crude for a moment.

*ahem.*

Goddamn those sons of bitches who park in the handicapped spot without the appropriate items. My mom's in a wheelchair! We need those spots! AND YOU! You have a tag! Wonderful! Put it in the goddamn car like how it's supposed to go! NOT on the DASH. ASDFFL *froth*

Also: Parking in the thrice-damned lines. WTF WTF and WTF. COME ON. Stripes != PARKYSPOTS. Don't make me get out the lipstick. Or call the mallcops. Because we have in the past and we will do it again. ESPECIALLY when there are spots *points* over there. That's not that far away. Yes, it's a little hot. Tough muffins.

*cough.*

Alright, done now.

Lakidaa SMASH.

[amarafox.livejournal.com]

Oh, me too.

I couldn't cross a road on the walk light because people would turn right, so i just walked out, this lady honked and yelled at me and I said "EXCUSE me! I have the LITTLE WALKING MAN!' and kept walking.

Impatient bitch

[eofs.livejournal.com]

In various parts of Europe that is actually legal and standard. Having the green man as a pedestrian doesn't mean no cars can drive through the crossing, just that you have priority. Remembering this is difficult when you're used to it meaning no traffic at all, but I'm always pretty paranoid when crossing the road anyway...

[mortaine.livejournal.com]

That's what it means in the US, too. Pedestrians have right of way-- it's rare for an intersection to block *all* traffic for pedestrians.

[mortaine.livejournal.com]

I suspect that, since she's being (probably illegally) prevented from approaching cars in the parking lots, that she has a hard time getting the full information needed. I'm sure she can find out what evidence she needs to create a legitimate citation.

I'm actually surprised the police haven't just deputized her for this service.

[mortaine.livejournal.com]

In other words, you make handicapped people confront you so they can have the spot you're illegally occupying?

Campus security is DEAD WRONG-- if they don't want you to hover, they need to provide a "20 minute waiting" spot. NOT tell you to "park in the handicapped space." For them to say that does not alleviate your responsibility in this, but it means they themselves are breaking the law as well.

From the inside of a car, on the driver's side, there is no way for you to know that someone is handicapped and wants your spot unless they hover behind you and honk. Many people-- disabled as well as able-bodied-- do not always feel like getting into a confrontation every damn time they want to go somewhere. YOU certainly can't see a handicapped icon on a license plate from that spot. Handicapped placards may be hung from a rearview mirror, but they can also be a card that the person puts on the dashboard before getting out of the car-- something one would not want to drive with, and which would therefore not be visible to *you* sitting inside your car. And the person who is handicapped might drive right by, not sure if you just have a placard that's hard to see from where they are, or if you're one of the able-bodied bastards who make life just that much more difficult for them.

Advice: Stop breaking the law. Show some respect for the gimps out there who legitimately need those spaces and don't want to have to fight with able-bodied people for them.

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

I don't make anybody confront me. The closest I've ever come to a confrontation was when security asked me to move *to* the handicapped spaces. I can't *ever* remember seeing *all* the spaces full up, which pretty much negates the idea that there'd be anyone waiting for me to move, since there are generally spots to pull into at all times. The campus appears to have more spots than it needs at any given time.

Thank you for your advice. I believe I will continue to follow the advice of the security folk on the campus at this time. If circumstances change, I shall change my behavior.

[conuly]

If there's spots to wait in, why not wait there?

People in wheelchairs not only need to be close to the building, they need the space next to the handicapped spot (the little lines) to get their wheelchair out of the car. Try that in a regular spot, you may come back and find somebody's parked there, and you can not, now, get *into* the car.

Your behaviour is illegal. That's the end of it. If you want to break the law, there should really be a compelling reason.

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

Ah. When I said there were spots to wait in, I meant handicapped spots. I have never yet seen them full, at any time of day or night. I believe that they were deliberately overbuilt because they're also near to the loading docks, and there's extra space in that area.

This particular campus is notorious for not having enough 'regular' parking to satisfy the needs of its employees, and also for having unsafe parking lots to drive around in--long straightaways where people tend to speed up, and no visibility when going around tight corners. That's part of the reason the security forces prefer that people dnot cruise through the area.

My 'compelling reason' is merely that that's the behavior that the people who are in charge of where the cars go have asked me to be.

And just for the record, I should clarify my use of the word 'campus'. I don't want to give the impression that this is a public school. It's a campus for a large private company. I don't know that the fact that this is private property necessarily affects the discussion, but I should include it for the sake of precision and completeness.

[conuly]

1. OH! Okay. I thought you meant there were plenty of regular spots, which seemed, at best, inconsitant.

2. It may be a compelling reason - but it's still illegal. Instead, somebody ought to find a better solution. I mean, if this is okay with your conscience, that's not my problem, but....

Reason #239 that Connie is never gonna drive.

[leora.livejournal.com]

It varies from area to area. But it really, really sucks to have to park further away and know that you'll be sick all the next day because of it.

[leora.livejournal.com]

I second this. I need those spots a hell of a lot more than someone who doesn't have a placard/sticker/etc. If you need them that badly - get one.

I really think most people have no idea how badly so many of the people who have the right to use those spots need those spots. An able-bodied person walking two and a half blocks takes a great deal less effort than me walking two feet.

[lakidaa.livejournal.com]

My mom's in a motorised wheelchair. We can't dodge. ;_;

I mean, if you have a cast or something, they even make temporary ones! >:F