In my search for what is going on with the Duke lacrosse case, I ran across a story that you might think is a great idea, unless you are one of the people who park illegally in a handicapped space (from the Raleigh N&O)
For those of you who are able-bodied in every way but occasionally park in handicap spaces in Raleigh “just for a minute,” your worst nightmare is coming to life.
It’s called an accessible parking patrol.
But to Raleigh residents who use wheelchairs, walk with canes and otherwise struggle with disabilities, it might just as well be called, simply, “justice.”
 Over the next few weeks, Mayor Charles Meeker said, Allen and his staff will study the feasibility of a residents patrol to monitor the use of handicap placards and handicap spaces.
The city would advertise the patrol and seek Raleigh residents interested in volunteering. If I had to guess, this would be mainly people with disabilities and family and friends who know what it’s like to pull up in front of a store and find every handicap spot taken.
Members of the patrol would have the authority, verified by a special ID badge, to a) study handicap placards and determine whether they are still valid and b) make sure that everyone who is parked in a handicap space actually has a handicap license tag or a handicap placard — the ones issued by the DMV that hang on the rearview mirror.
And yes, the patrol would have the authority to write tickets for these violations.
Fantastic idea, straight out of the days when the People had the power to enforce laws, which they should have, at least to some degree, in this case, writing tickets.
Now, I am not handicapped, and like others, I sometimes get annoyed by an over-abundance of handicapped spaces at some stores. But those spaces are there for a reason. It is a courtesy, a way of helping out others. And people who park illegally should be ticketed. Heck, in my opinion, if they have fake handicapped tags or placards, they should have their license suspended for a month or so.
How many times have you seen a car park in a handicapped space, and a person or persons get out that are clearly not handicapped? Makes you wonder.
People who park illegally in those spaces are clearly lazy and rude. I remember a time when I was going in to a health club in Greenville, and this guy parks in a handicapped space. There was an open space two cars away. I confronted him, he blew me off, and preceeded to go into the gym! So I called my buddy Dan, who was a Greenville police officer. $250 ticket. Mwahahahahahahaha!
So look out, lazy azzes, you might be getting a ticket during a quick run into the convenience store.
Handicapped parking is a great thing. It is good for a business and I have always believed any able bodied person who uses one for a minute ought to lose his windshield – by law of course.
There is one major problem with it and that is the way it has been mandated in the states. Most require a specified number near a store entrance. When the state does that it violates the right of property owners to do business as they choose, not the state. Gosh, what’s next? Are they going to tell business owners that the state, not the owner has the right to set down “smoking rules too?” Oh never mind… they already did that too, didn’t they?
It’s all about the Power with the politico’s. If they aren’t telling us what to do, they are very unhappy ;)