Rude Arrogent #%$

[LindaDVC]

When I took the class the police officer said that the majority of the tickets were dismissed since they were for people who forgot to hang the tags/ stickers etc in the window.

 

[Chuck S]

Here a tip, our placards have a pretty small hook area, and with some mirrors (especially those that have electronics in them) it is often difficult to properly snap it over the mirror post. Just use a strip of velcro, the soft side on the top edge of the placard the rough side on the back of the mirror...viola, works like a charm.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

What's a handicapped tag?

It is an actual officially issued license plate with the disabled emblem as tart of the tag. In some states it will also have small (one inch) letters "HP" next to the wheelchair symbol.

The rules depend on the state. I know in Virginia I had the option of either getting a plate or a hang tag. Since I rented cars fairly often I opted for the hang tag.

 

[Schmeck]

Could you tape it permanently up high on your windshield - like up on the tinted area? It would be up in the mirror area, just a bit higher up and out of the way.

I didn't know the term handicapped tag was the same as an HP plate - the word tag seems more closely related to the word placard than plate!

My mom sometimes forgets to put the placard out when she takes disabled clients out for meals, shopping, etc. She usually ends up taking them out in her car, with their placard, so it's not something that would normally be in one place in her car all the time. Luckily, she's never gotten a ticket. Does anyone know if home care agencies can get a 'business' placard - something on the lines of dealer plates for car dealers (although they seem to abuse those, don't they?) Anyways, lots of the elderly clients she works for need accessible parking, but don't have a car, don't go out with anyone else, etc. They probably don't have such a thing, but it would certainly help out my mom. She gets nervous when she has to drop an 80 yr old patient off at the restaurant, then go across the parking lot to park.

 

[Mish]

That's sort of like when you see people on the motorized scooters at Disney zoom to the front of the ride line and then get up out of the seat and walk right on to the ride- probably get around better than any of us.

This upset me. Not everyone using the motorized scooters cant walk they use them for many reasons. This is the same reason I feel Embarrassed to push my 8 year old in a stroller at Disney because people think it is just laziness. I have learned to ignore the stares. If you see my son you would wonder what he was doing in it too. But he has a hip condition that causes a lot of pain from to much walking. But we should remember people use scooters and wheelchairs for different reasons. And no one should judge.

 

[pugdog]

Could you tape it permanently up high on your windshield - like up on the tinted area? It would be up in the mirror area, just a bit higher up and out of the way.

I didn't know the term handicapped tag was the same as an HP plate - the word tag seems more closely related to the word placard than plate!

My mom sometimes forgets to put the placard out when she takes disabled clients out for meals, shopping, etc. She usually ends up taking them out in her car, with their placard, so it's not something that would normally be in one place in her car all the time. Luckily, she's never gotten a ticket. Does anyone know if home care agencies can get a 'business' placard - something on the lines of dealer plates for car dealers (although they seem to abuse those, don't they?) Anyways, lots of the elderly clients she works for need accessible parking, but don't have a car, don't go out with anyone else, etc. They probably don't have such a thing, but it would certainly help out my mom. She gets nervous when she has to drop an 80 yr old patient off at the restaurant, then go across the parking lot to park.

In most states it is illegal to put anything in your windshild, except state/federal park stickers. So taping it up there would be a violation. Would you get a ticket for it? who knows for sure ,most likely not.
I'm not sure if home care can get placards. I know that transportation and group homes can get a placard though.
There are 3 types of placards out there.
The blue ones are ment for permanent disabilities, each state decides how often, if ever, they are renewed.
The red ones are temporeary ones, under 6 months.
And the green ones, for group homes and transportation companies. I'm not sure what the requriements are for these but I do know you can only use them in the course of business for the company that it was issued to.

 

[SueM in MN]

Vandalism might be tempting, but it is also likely to get you into more trouble than the person who is parking without a permit.
I would also be very cautious confronting anyone directly because you never know what will happen. That's what police are for.
The one time that I did actually talk to someone who was parked in a handicapped spot without a placard, she got very angry and yelled at me. I was standing near my van with my DD sitting in her wheelchair. I was waiting for the police to come deal with someone who had parked in the crosshatched access area next to my van. I could see that she did not have a handicapped license plate or hangtag visible and asked if she was aware she had parked in a handicapped spot and did not have a hangtag visible. She said she had a 'right to park there because my DS has a heart condition' (the son was a toddler who she was carrying). I said I was just warning her to make sure her parking permit was visible if she had one because I had already called the police. She got real huffy and said something about "the nerve" of people questioning people's rights to park in handicapped spots with invisible disabilities. I said I was not questioning an invisible disability, just warning her that I had called the police and anyone parked in the handicapped spots without a visible permit would be ticketed when they came. She went into the store, complaining about me all the way. After she was out of view, I looked into her car and didn't see any permit anywhere in the car. When the police came, she did end up with a ticket (and the policeman made a note that she had been told the police were on their way).

And, I do have to add that I have forgotten once or twice to put up DD's handicapped hangtag. For many years, we had a handicapped license plate, so I didn't have to worry about putting a tag up and down. After she turned 18, we could no longer get a handicapped license plate - to get one for someone over 18 (at least in Minnesota) the handicapped person must either be the principle driver or the owner of the vehicle the license plate is on. If I forget to put it up, I am aware that I risk a fine and I have tried hard to remember. But, it's hard to remember when you are used to not using it for so many years.

 

[SueM in MN]

That's sort of like when you see people on the motorized scooters at Disney zoom to the front of the ride line and then get up out of the seat and walk right on to the ride- probably get around better than any of us.

Most of the lines are wheelchair and ECV accessible, so there are very few places where anyone using an ECV is going to "zoom to the front of the line."

 

[vonpluto]

Bit of a heads up for anyone who might be venturing near Cherry Hill, NJ. There is a woman in that area who photographs any vehicle in a HP spot that is without proper tags. She then turns the photos over to the police.
And, in the same area a few years back, someone noticed that all of a certain local official's private vehicle's displayed hanging tags when needed. Upon investigation, all were found to be fraudulent and they were revoked. The official? He was fired and sent to................... THE BIG HOUSE!
Sometimes there is justice.

 

[Gillian]

Sue, thank you for your posts about the cross hatching and what it is for. I've seen "van accessible" spots, especially at our newer shopping centers, but honestly had no idea what that meant.

I don't need special parking, but I am planning to mention it to a few people with hang tags to let them know what all that space is for, and to make sure they don't park in it. One person I know is exactly the type who would park there for her own convenience without thinking of what it means for others.

 

[LindaDVC]

My husband works for a LARGE company with many employees. Needless to say they have huge parking lots!
Of course they have a large w/c lot but they also have a second closer lot for medical conditons. If you have surgery, broken leg, or other short term condition you can get a company permit to park in that lot.

Linda

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I didn't know the term handicapped tag was the same as an HP plate - the word tag seems more closely related to the word placard than plate!

Sorry, must be a Southern thing.

 

[Poohnatic]

I just want to point out that many people use the ECVs that are abulatory. My MIL and SIL both have arthritis and use the ECV and walk short distances. Currently, depending on the day, I have severe heel pain and will use an ECV to minimize how much walking or standing I do.

There's no excuse for not displaying the placard. I would display mine and still get grief-because I looked like I didn't need it.

I agree 100% with Sue-call the police and let them sort it out. It's not worth the aggrevation trying to talk to someone who doesn't have it displayed.

Suzanne

 

[kaytieeldr]

If she has placard and just didn't display it, why are you so upset? How can you be sure she didn't have one, afterall she said she did. I dunno.

Think about it - you often just forget to display the placard (and there's a HUGE difference between a placard and a sticker, at least in regards to parking in HP spaces). The apparent offender didn't want to display her placard because the DQ girl "looked at her funny", yet the "funny look" didn't prevent her from parking there?
Funny, something similar did happen to me. There's one HP spot at the little shopping plaza near where I live. There was an apparent unqualified vehicle parked there, so I parked on the street and went into the store (there are only two) and asked whose car that was. Some twit claimed ownership and said she IS entitled to park there, she just 'forgot' to display the placard. Then she had the audacity to claim she was MORE handicapped than I was - except only one of us needed crutches to get around.

o, you can legally just leave it on your dashboard? That's good to know!

What's a handicapped tag?

Technically, no - the handicap parking placard needs to be displayed from the rear view mirror, but placing it on the dashboard is better than not displaying it at all. Problem with that is a lot of people still have - and use, illegally - the expiring placard that had to be placed on the dashboard. Look around - those things are REALLY ratty-looking. My dad's looked like it would dissolve at the slightest provocation; most of 'em are all worn, and broken, and stained. It's been a lonnnnnng time since Massachusetts changed over to the hanging placards.
And "tag" is another term for license plate.

A handicapped license plate. I thought every state had these

We do. We - who use the word 'tonic' to indicate any carbonated non-alcoholic beverage - just aren't used to the word tag

I have never had a problem placing them up or down for 20 years now. I have on an occasion forgot to put them up and only have gotten one ticket.

Funny - the only place I forget to hang it, and then only rarely, is at my apartment complex. Since it's privately policed, we don't get tickets but we do get big orange violation stickers... I've only gotten one once. Most security personnel recognize the qualifying vehicles, but if/when I DO get stickered, I don't even expect a apology. It was MY mistake.

Does anyone know if home care agencies can get a 'business' placard - something on the lines of dealer plates for car dealers

I don't think so. You should check www.massrmv.com for the restrictions (and yeah, I agree about dealer plate abuse!)

Bit of a heads up for anyone who might be venturing near Cherry Hill, NJ. There is a woman in that area who photographs any vehicle in a HP spot that is without proper tags. She then turns the photos over to the police.

I love it! Gotta go get batteries for my camera...

The rules depend on the state. I know in Virginia I had the option of either getting a plate or a hang tag. Since I rented cars fairly often I opted for the hang tag.

(Sorta) funny... last night I dreamt I was in Las Vegas driving a rental car and realized I'd left my placard home (in Massachusetts); I was trying to figure out if I had time to go home and get it Never mind that I always valet park out there...

 

[Schmeck]

And the green ones, for group homes and transportation companies. I'm not sure what the requriements are for these but I do know you can only use them in the course of business for the company that it was issued to.

Thanks for the info! I'm going to have the employer check into this - she owns a licensed, private, home health care agency. They do a lot of transporting clients, to doctor appts, shopping, dining, etc. Not all of the clients have the chance to get an HP placard - and with all of the employees doing shifts, the cards get misplaced/forgotten in cars, etc! It's a tricky situation, as the placards belong to the clients, but the employees use their own cars to drive them. Most of these clients are elderly, and their kids would rather shell out the big $$$ to have someone else take care of them, so they don't even go to the doctor appts with their parents! It's really pretty sad.

 

[Absimilliard]

In Quebec, we don't have the possibility to have it put on our plate, so they give out tags.

Me and my mom once forgot to put her tag up. We were rushing out cause she had forgotten her cane at a store and we had to call to see if they had found it... They did, but when we came out, a cop had passed and written a ticket! My mom called the police station and spoke to the cop. She said she had cancelled it and not worry about it.

A month later, we receive a notice stating that my dad (who owned the car) and her were cited to go before court since they didn't pay the ticket! They went before the judge, the prosecutor insisted on having her pay it, but the judge took pity on the whole thing and cancelled the ticket...

We learned our lesson that time!

 

[bumpysheep]

Sorry, but I think it's irresponsible to "forget" to hang your placard. If you honestly can't remember to hang it, then leave it on the dashboard where it is visible. And newsflash: the placards say "remove placard while driving." If it's that big of a problem, get a handicapped tag.

When you have a driver's license you have to have it on your person or you risk the chance of being ticketed. Why should it be any different with a handicapped placard? It should be in plain view in your car.

By tag do you mean plate? If so I don't qualify for one since I'm over 18 and my parents are the owners/registrants of "my" car. So yes it is thht bg of and issue and no I can't get plates instead of a placard or I already would have. Not everyone is able to get plates.

 

[Allensfan]

Hi all Couple of things I would like to add. We have the 'flag' that hangs from our rear view mirror for handic. parking. We leave it up all the time only because it is paper and would be torn up in a week if he did not leave it alone.

I saw a woman zoom into a HP space at my office and she hopped out and ran in. I am sure she was in a hurry and felt that it was no big deal to do that but in her haste she parked between the two spots, making both of them unusable. Since I looked for a sticker or flag and there was none, I walked in and told her to move her car. She looked embarressed, which she should have, and moved it. I do look for the flag or sticker.

My dh will be in a scooter at Disney and yes, he can walk. He is getting intense chemo and can not walk very much in the heat or for a long distance. He can also not stand in line for very long. I hope no one looks down on him when he gets on rides, that would be sad. He has been through so much and just getting to take our son on his b-day trip has been stressful enough.

Good luck to all of you.

 

[MightyMom]

Today I took my son to school. I pulled into the lot and both the handicap spaces were taken. (yes, the school only has TWO!)

Neither of the cars parked there had placards or plates with the handicap symbol..... so I parked behind them and blocked them both in with my Yukon XL.

I had to carry in my two year old son, carry my seven year old son's gait trainer and push him in his wheelchair. To make matters worse.... there was no aid waiting for my son...... so I had to lug this stuff clear across the campus to the special ed room. On my way to the class I asked the school secretary to call campus police to issue a violation for the two people parked illegally.

When I came back to the parking lot there was a very upset man waiting for me. Wanting to know, "Why the hell I blocked from getting out." He was now late for work and it was all my fault.

I asked him if he had a parking tag to park in the accessible spots. "No, but I just need to drop of my kid. I was only a few minutes. "

He demanded that I move. I told him I would move just as soon as campus security arrived to give him a ticket. They arrived before I could finish my sentence.

I drove off.... I'm not sure what happened..... but I'll bet he only got a warning. Accessible parking enforcement is a joke in this town.

 

[SueM in MN]

Today I took my son to school. I pulled into the lot and both the handicap spaces were taken. (yes, the school only has TWO!)

Neither of the cars parked there had placards or plates with the handicap symbol.....

A similar thing happened to me years ago when I was dropping my DD off for school. People would park in the handicapped spots all the time without a handicapped parking permit - "just for a few minutes to drop off my child". In getting my DD out of the van in a regular spot, I slipped and dropped her. Luckily, she dropped back into the van seat. I hit my 2 front teeth on the top of the door frame and broke both off.
I wish I had blcoked them in.