[skyguy79]

Originally Posted by mrfixit

Just for info only......When You saw a Golf Car in Handicapped Spot in Colony.. You stated that You "waited in car " while the wife ran in the store.... IF you park in a Handicapped Spot in Florida.. State Statute # 316.1955...... AND use a Handicapped Sticker.... the person to whom the Handicapped status is issued MUST EXIT the Vehicle... therefore IF You also parked in a Handicapped SPOT AND did not EXIT THE CAR... YOU ARE IN VIOLATION ....UNLESS your wife ALSO has a Handicapped sticker issued to her ..and that one was displayed......Just Sayin'

Although you did not indicate you thought that I was in another space requiring a permit, I want to state that we were not in such a space but in a general space. But now in hind-sight, you've made me think about our having parked in a general spot and if it were the right thing for us to do. I'll need to give you some background to understand.

We purchased the vehicle more than a year ago and had to buy it without personally driving it because of my condition at the time. Once I could try it I found that I could not safely drive it and my wife has had to do all the driving since. I can't even get myself up and into the passenger seat.

So what I've had to do is either drive my mobility scooter in (or walk in) via the deployed ramp then move off my scooter to the bench seat in the back. What we haven't thought about until I read your message is that... if I am waiting in the back while my wife runs in someplace and we are parked in a standard spot, I wouldn't be able to deploy the ramp to exit and wouldn't be able to get out if necessary while she was gone. The necessity could be anything from an emergency like the unlikely chance that the my vehicle or a vehicle on either side of me catches fire to the need to exit to find a rest room.

So this prompted me (and I'm glad it did) to find and read the statute you gave. I did find it on a Florida .gov website and having read it over twice I found that it did not indicate or even imply what you claimed it did. If I missed it you can point out where it was specifically stated by underlining. I'm providing that section below.

So I want to thank you for making that post, not for bring to my attention what you thought, but rather because it brought to my attention (and possible other disabled individuals) of the potential danger that would exist if a standard parking space is used in the future under similar situations. It's funny how sometimes being wrong can turn out being right!

316.1955 Enforcement of parking requirements for persons who have disabilities.—
(1) It is unlawful for any person to stop, stand, or park a vehicle within, or to obstruct, any such specially designated and marked parking space provided in accordance with s. 553.5041, unless the vehicle displays a disabled parking permit issued under s. 316.1958 or s. 320.0848 or a license plate issued under s. 320.084, s. 320.0842, s. 320.0843, or s. 320.0845, and the vehicle is transporting the person to whom the displayed permit is issued. The violation may not be dismissed for failure of the marking on the parking space to comply with s. 553.5041 if the space is in general compliance and is clearly distinguishable as a designated accessible parking space for people who have disabilities. Only a warning may be issued for unlawfully parking in a space designated for persons with disabilities if there is no above-grade sign as provided in s. 553.5041.
(a) Whenever a law enforcement officer, a parking enforcement specialist, or the owner or lessee of the space finds a vehicle in violation of this subsection, that officer, owner, or lessor shall have the vehicle in violation removed to any lawful parking space or facility or require the operator or other person in charge of the vehicle immediately to remove the unauthorized vehicle from the parking space. Whenever any vehicle is removed under this section to a storage lot, garage, or other safe parking space, the cost of the removal and parking constitutes a lien against the vehicle.
(b) The officer or specialist shall charge the operator or other person in charge of the vehicle in violation with a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as provided in s. 316.008(4) or s. 318.18(6). The owner of a leased vehicle is not responsible for a violation of this section if the vehicle is registered in the name of the lessee.
(c) All convictions for violations of this section must be reported to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles by the clerk of the court.
(d) A law enforcement officer or a parking enforcement specialist has the right to demand to be shown the person's disabled parking permit and driver's license or state identification card when investigating the possibility of a violation of this section. If such a request is refused, the person in charge of the vehicle may be charged with resisting an officer without violence, as provided in s. 843.02.
(2) It is unlawful for any person to obstruct the path of travel to an accessible parking space, curb cut, or access aisle by standing or parking a vehicle within any such designated area. The violator is subject to the same penalties as are imposed for illegally parking in a space that is designated as an accessible parking space for persons who have disabilities.
(3) Any person who is chauffeuring a person who has a disability is allowed, without need for a disabled parking permit or a special license plate, to stand temporarily in any such parking space, for the purpose of loading or unloading the person who has a disability. A penalty may not be imposed upon the driver for such temporary standing.
(4)(a) A vehicle that is transporting a person who has a disability and that has been granted a permit under s. 320.0848(1)(a) may be parked for a maximum of 30 minutes in any parking space reserved for persons who have disabilities. (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a theme park or an entertainment complex as defined in s. 509.013(9) which provides parking in designated areas for persons who have disabilities may allow any vehicle that is transporting a person who has a disability to remain parked in a space reserved for persons who have disabilities throughout the period the theme park is open to the public for that day.

Ref: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FileStores/Web/Statutes/FS08/CH0316/Section_0316.1955.HTM