Cars and other things that brand the owners

[hertamaniac]

It's almost known that darker tinted windows on a vehicle, where you can't really see the number of occupants, etc. are given a little bit more latitude with driving. At least that's my observation. In my case, I have legal limit tint on the sides and complete black-out on the rear(s).

 

[kdonnel]

What???

So people with disabilities what have a need can be pushed aside by people with a car that gets a perk?

Ain't that a let them eat cake punch in the face, pretty much sums up the values and they are utterly insane - I had no idea.

I'm not sure that paying for electricity to charge your car at a public charger is a perk. We don't think of buying gas at a gas station as a perk, it is a necessity.

I have never seen a gas station that has a pump marked for handicap only use.

The issue is that California allows spots to be designated both a handicap spot and an EV charging spot. California regulations allow for a single parking spot to be counted for both functions. Is the spot primarily a handicap spot or primarily an EV charging spot?

Should the spot only be used by an EV actively charging and being driven by a driver with a handicap placard?

Should an ICE driver who has a handicap placard be ticketed for parking in an EV charging spot?

As @tvguy says the rules are complicated to the point that often times the police don't understand them, the EV owners don't understand them, and those with a handicap placard don't understand them.

The real issue is California allowing development without sufficient handicap or EV charging.

One rule in CA says:
“ADVISORY: EVG-250.1 General. While there is no positive requirement to provide electric vehicle charging stations, when they are provided a portion of them should be accessible. When co-located with parking spaces, electric vehicle charging is considered the primary function of these stations, not parking. Accessible electric vehicle charging stations are not to be reserved exclusively for the use of persons with disabilities. They should not be identified with signage that would mistakenly indicate their use is only for vehicles with placards or license plates for individuals with disabilities.”

Other rules and laws contradict this one.

But lots of people have received tickets and some have had success in fighting the ticket, others have found they have been forced to pay the ticket.

Handicap accessible EV charging spots are I guess closely related to handicap stalls in bathrooms. If you go into a bathroom that has two stalls, one the larger handicap accessible stall and one a regular stall and the only one available is the larger one, should someone who doesn't need the extra space wait on the smaller stall or use the larger stall knowing that someone who needs the space might enter the bathroom?

That is how EV charging works at combo handicap accessible/EV charging spots. Should an EV driver wait for a non handicap accessible spot to come available or use the open one?

 

[BrianL]

So what does your license plate frame say? My other car is a doom buggy?

Ha - it should! But I actually have no fanciful decorations on my car at all.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Unfortunately for those with a legitimate need, the reality is many are being used fraudulently. They do stings in the downtown area here every once in a while where they check the cars parked in handicapped spots. Over half are being used by people who have no legal right to use them. An amazing number are being used by family members of legitimate users who are deceased. some for several years. Or family members and the legitimate owner is not with them.
I have a friend who has one. She and her 87 year old mother use walkers, and these days, there are so many placards out there that even places with lots of handicapped parking slots, all are filled.
Here in California that is complicated by a law that allows handicapped spots to also be used by EVs as charging stations parking spots.

Mine is an actual license plate. Can't fake that! Thing is, if my car was a 5 speed I would have them all beat to the curb LOL!!

 

[_19disnA]

I honestly have never given any thought to what someone next to me is driving and/or who they are. Didn't know others do that.....................LOL.

 

[kdonnel]

I honestly have never given any thought to what someone next to me is driving and/or who they are. Didn't know others do that.....................LOL.

My policy is not to judge people.

In threads in the past when I have mentioned my policy, I have received some serious push back.

People really, really, really, really, like to judge people.

 

[VandVsmama]

Teslas - self-righteous aggressive drivers of cars that have more safety recalls than they know what to do with.

 

[barkley]

The issue is that California allows spots to be designated both a handicap spot and an EV charging spot. California regulations allow for a single parking spot to be counted for both functions. Is the spot primarily a handicap spot or primarily an EV charging spot?

where I live the federal law on accessibility is interpreted a bit differently as it's applied to state law. yes, there are ev charging spots that are denoted as handicap accessable but they are not considered in the same category as a traditional handicap parking spot. the reasoning is that the ADA requires exclusive, accessible parking on the shortest accessible route of travel to an accessible facility entrance but some ev related guidance states that parking spaces associated with charging do not need to be near the parking facility’s destination because the primary activity at the parking space is recharging. for the most part (all I've seen in our region) ev charging areas in parking lots (not the stand-alone charging lots we have) tend to be located nowhere near close to entrances. much like grocery pickup spots they are on the outskirts or near the back of a building. the ev charging space's primary function is charging, their disability accessability is secondary. dh and I have to park in handicapped parking spaces and we've never seen one of the ada compliant parking spaces w/regards to building access that has doubled as an ev charger.

 

[MillauFr]

I honestly have never given any thought to what someone next to me is driving and/or who they are. Didn't know others do that.....................LOL.

99% of us don't really care that much.

 

[MillauFr]

My policy is not to judge people.

In threads in the past when I have mentioned my policy, I have received some serious push back.

People really, really, really, really, like to judge people.

If we don't judge others our own faults and shortcomings become more apparent.

 

[kdonnel]

If we don't judge others our own faults and shortcomings become more apparent.

Will have to agree to disagree.

Self reflection does not need to involve judging other people. Certainly not to the degree people relish judging others.

 

[slo]

Our WDW trips have branded our family as being really wealthy. Then, to add to it, I use Dooney & Bourke Disney purses, which adds to it.

I get all the time…..must be nice, I couldn’t afford going there all the time. OR….Those purses are expensive, must be nice to have as many as you do.

People don’t realize…..
I work a second job to help pay for our trips
We rarely go out to eat
I don't do many extra things for myself - example....I color my own hair.
Some purses were a gift
One purse a friend sold to me for $40
I ask for $ for my birthday and/or Christmas to put towards a new purse.

It just burns me up, how some people label you as a rich person just because you enjoy a certain something. We are not rich, just a regular middle class family.

I have one friend that is the worst at this, and I have to really bite my tongue. He literally just put in an entire home gym that would cost the equivalent to 2 or 3 of my WDW trips. I don't say to him.....must be nice to have a Planet Fitness in your basement.

I do think we are all a little guilty of this though, none of us are perfect, it's just some people are wayyyyy........worse about it. And some people don't know when to stop - they keep doing it.

 

[kdonnel]

where I live the federal law on accessibility is interpreted a bit differently as it's applied to state law. yes, there are ev charging spots that are denoted as handicap accessable but they are not considered in the same category as a traditional handicap parking spot. the reasoning is that the ADA requires exclusive, accessible parking on the shortest accessible route of travel to an accessible facility entrance but some ev related guidance states that parking spaces associated with charging do not need to be near the parking facility’s destination because the primary activity at the parking space is recharging. for the most part (all I've seen in our region) ev charging areas in parking lots (not the stand-alone charging lots we have) tend to be located nowhere near close to entrances. much like grocery pickup spots they are on the outskirts or near the back of a building. the ev charging space's primary function is charging, their disability accessability is secondary. dh and I have to park in handicapped parking spaces and we've never seen one of the ada compliant parking spaces w/regards to building access that has doubled as an ev charger.

It's the spots in parking decks in particular that tend to be marked as both handicap accessible and EV charging. In those cases the spots tend to be close to the entrance/elevator and close to power. And there tend to be fewer handicap marked spots than in an expansive surface lot.

Those spots are the source of much debate in the EV community.

Some say they would never use them.

Some say they would only use them if they remained with the car ready to move.

Others have used them and been ticketed.

Others have used them and not been ticketed.

 

[VandVsmama]

Big lifted pick up trucks - tend to drive too fast & always feels like they're tailgating you when the 2-story truck is right behind you at a stoplight.

Stanley cups - probably needs its own thread for that one.

Cars with super dark tinted windows & after-market loud mufflers - driven by teenage boys trying too hard to impress a girl

 

[tvguy]

Mine is an actual license plate. Can't fake that! Thing is, if my car was a 5 speed I would have them all beat to the curb LOL!!

Must be something I am missing. People with placards generally have that because they travel in different cars and need something they can use on multiple cars. People with actual license plates only have one car, at least here in California. So if you have the plate because your elderly parent qualifies and you park in a handicapped spot when they are not with you, you are in violation. I am not talking about counterfeit placards. I am talking about legitimate placards and license plates that are being fraudulently used.

 

[_19disnA]

On the freeway in the winter, I do tend to notice people driving small cars tend to drive MUCH faster than is safe for those conditions (snow/ice/etc.). Never really notice WHO is driving and 30 seconds later they are behind me and I don't care.

 

[tvguy]

As @tvguy says the rules are complicated to the point that often times the police don't understand them, the EV owners don't understand them, and those with a handicap placard don't understand them.

The real issue is California allowing development without sufficient handicap or EV charging.

One rule in CA says:
“ADVISORY: EVG-250.1 General. While there is no positive requirement to provide electric vehicle charging stations, when they are provided a portion of them should be accessible. When co-located with parking spaces, electric vehicle charging is considered the primary function of these stations, not parking. Accessible electric vehicle charging stations are not to be reserved exclusively for the use of persons with disabilities. They should not be identified with signage that would mistakenly indicate their use is only for vehicles with placards or license plates for individuals with disabilities.”

Other rules and laws contradict this one.

Complicating things in the area I live in, a push for increased density in business and residential projects. They accomplish this my limiting, or eliminating a minimum number of parking spots. A new apartment apartment complex was approved with NO parking, regular, handicapped or EV charging. It is on the Light Rail line, but if you have a car it has to be parked on the street, and there really isn't a lot of on street parking.
The worst case, documented in the article below, is an apartment complex that was built in recent years that houses 800 people. It has only 330 parking spots. No idea how many are designated as handicapped, and if any are EV charging, or shared EV charging and handicapped. But I bet handicapped slots are at a premium here.

https://www.abc10.com/article/news/...king/103-5c5441c2-8aec-4d85-86d1-133d2d4e106a

 

[tvguy]

What???

So people with disabilities what have a need can be pushed aside by people with a car that gets a perk?

Ain't that a let them eat cake punch in the face, pretty much sums up the values and they are utterly insane - I had no idea.

Welcome to California.

 

[barkley]

parking decks

are decks like parking garages?

People with actual license plates only have one car, at least here in California

when we lived in California we opted for placards b/c we could use them for either car we owned or if we traveled and rented a car. in Washington State each qualified person can have both a license plate AND a placard so the DOL (same as DMV) is not burdened with requests for temporary placards by holders of long term (we also get 5 years per renewal vs. 2 years in CA on a permanant disability).

I will say though that i've seen dirty looks and heard rude comments thrown at law abiding non disabled people who were driving vehicles that have disabled license plates for other household members. when they follow the law and DONT park in a designated spot-if that non designated spot is close to the door and there are empty disabled spots available people can get very verbally nasty I cautioned my oldest when we sold him our car and we had to wait for the license plates to arrive that he would do best to park a bit further away from entrys to avoid confrontations.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

While I know there are people who are less prone to passing judgement, the reality is a lot of people size you up and make assumptions based on what you drive. My brother and I bought new vehicles back in 2021. His was hitting that point where the repair costs and frequency said it was time for something new. I was coming to the end of a lemon law battle and needed something to replace what was being sold back to the automaker. My brother liked what I bought...even tested it and said that it checked off far more boxes for wants and needs than pretty much anything else...except two. It didn't have a sports performance model option to make driving more fun and powerful and it wasn't a luxury brand...because he felt like there are certain expectations of people in his position. It was worth it to him to spend $65k more than me to have those things.

Personally, I think life in general for many is kind of like @slo 's examples. Many of us have some leftover income to spend on treats in life. The reality is that we tend to focus on those treats, not considering all of the things we may treat ourselves to that they don't. Maybe you dropped $150K on a vehicle and spent thousands on new Louis Vuitton bags, but don't really travel, have a modest home, and don't do a ton of dining out. Maybe you use all of your vacation time traveling for pricey concerts and sporting events, but drive something more modest and forgo salon trips. It's all a game of haves and have nots, yet in most cases...it's just a matter that we have different choices in splurges.