Did you know that one in every ten California drivers is now legally registered to carry Disabled Parking Placards?  You know, those blue or red plastic ‘signs’ you hand from your rear view mirror when you park in a handicapped only parking space.  In the City of Los Angeles, there are SIX legal placards for every meter in the city.  Oh, and if you have one of those placards, you don’t have to pay when you park at a meter.  Hmmmm…do you think the city might be losing revenue from parking meters?

Maybe not so surprising is there are plenty of people fraudulently using those cute little placards.  One lady, who was fraudulently using her mother’s card, got angry at the DMV employee who confiscated the placard and told him she didn’t think it was ‘fair’ to take it away.

A male motorist spewed a tirade about meter readers even after admitting the disabled placard he was using wasn’t his.

Another lady had her mother’s placard confiscated when she (the daughter) obtained free parking at a meter while going into a gym to exercise.

The intent of those placards is to aid handicapped individuals with medical conditions.  As a caregiver for eighty-eight year-old mother, and previously for my brother who’d had a stroke and was partially paralyzed, I can’t tell you how many times we’d go to the market or other shopping center and not be able to park in a handicapped spot because all the handicapped parking places were full.  Then I’d see someone who had no visible impairment walk briskly to get in their vehicle parked in the handicapped parking space.

Now, before many of you get indignant and tell me LOTS of people have medical conditions that may not be visible to the casual observer, I know that and I understand that.  However, I also know from my prior experience as a police officer there are MANY MANY other people abusing the use of those cards designed to help the handicapped.

If you don’t legitimately need a disabled parking placard – count your blessings.  Consider the extra distance you walk to and from your car as part of your regular exercise program.

Until next time,

KMA 367

ONE FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT:  To celebrate a very successful six months running and a very special birthday,  Back of the Book Reviews bring you September Extravaganza!  Join them as they celebrate with interviews, guest posts, daily giveaways and much more!  Here’s the link: http://backofthebookreviews.com/contests/september-extravaganza/