Handicapped Parking and Golf Carts
 

Went to Publix at Colony today and tried to get a handicapped spot, for which I have a hangtag. 9 handicapped spots were taken up by golf carts, NONE of which had handicapped permits of any kind. The only reason I took note of this is, when I finally found a spot (non-handicapped), I took my cane and walked around just to take a look. Don't get me wrong...perhaps someone in the golf cart is legitmately handicapped; however, without a permit or hangtag of some kind properly issued, what right do these people have to take up a handicapped spot? Very annoying, and not the first time I've seen this, but it annoyed me enough today to compel me to post it. Also (not related to handicapped parking), why do some golf cart operators think they can safely maneuver between parked cars to go into a traffic lane? Someone is going to cause a bad accident in doing this, and yet it happens all the time. Back out of your spot like you're supposed to and go around, just as a car does. Being in an unregistered vehicle (sometimes, without a valid driver's license) does not give a golf cart operator the right to make up their own driving rules. OK. I've vented.

Amen to that

The problem with having a tag/placard in a golf cart is that they are easily stolen. I think the majority of golf carts parked in handicapped spots are there legitimately. For those that aren't, shame on them. There is absolutely no excuse for parking in one when the need isn't legitimate (and being tired or having an aching back don't count).

As to the idjits who pull out between parked cars, well, you just can't fix stupid.

If you walked around the parking lot looking for handicap permit "just to take a look", sounds like you didn't need one of those spots today. I had a permit years ago after back surgery. I only used the permit when I was having a "bad day". If I felt good enough to walk around the parking lot just out of curiosity, I would not use it and save those spots for those who really needed them

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The only consolation is someday they will have to see for themselves what it's like when it's their turn to be disabled .


I'm on oxygen 24/7 and can walk a little so just because I can walk some doesn't mean I don't need a handy cap spot/permit . In fact some days if I'm feeling OK I park a little further just for the exercise

the entire handicapped space with or without hang tags and with or without real disabilities is an abused system to remain polite about it.

Like so many other ills of the day total and complete lack of enforcement and saturated with abuse!!

and how can this be policed? If the carts have no kind of registration they can't be ticketed. A police office could call for a tow pick up, but I doubt they would wait around for that to happen. The issue seems to lend some credibility to the idea of having some kind of a registration sticker on golf carts to identify the owner.

This is not true. The statue applies to any "VEHICLE.—Every device, in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, excepting devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. ". The police could simply wait for the driver to enter his golf cart and demand to see his parking permit and Florida ID. To refuse would be considered resisting a police officer without violence. The ticket and subsequent fine would be issued to the person, not the vehicle.

The ones that I like are the golf carts parked in the striped area between handicapped spots (which I think are there for wheel chair ramps in vans). I'm looking forward to seeing someone lower their ramp on one of these idiots and squashing the cart...

two handicap tags- one for cart and one for car
 

A handicapped person can get two handicap tags, one for their car and one for the cart. I used clear shipping tape to tape one card to the windshield of the golf cart. When it was time to remove it, it did not go easily, therefore, it would have been difficult for someone to steal.

Maybe TV could come up with a small handicapped sticker that could be affixed on a golf cart. They could be issued to people that already have a state handicapped sticker but wouldn't be issued by the state. It couldn't be stolen and the police would know who was legally parked in the handicapped space.

I have a handicapped tag on my car for my Mom. I don't park in a handicapped space if she isn't with me. I see a lot of people that do. I realize there are people that have medical issues that aren't visible. My Dad had a massive heart attack when he was in his 50s and would only use a handicapped space on his "bad" days.

Receiving two tags is not a possibility. We asked for two earlier in the year and were told Florida is now only allowing one tag. They said the tag should be used in whatever vehicle the disabled person was in. Too much abuse.

Could you get one handicapped license plate and one handicapped tag? In Michigan, Mom was given a plate for her car and the tag is either in my car or with her if she is riding with someone else.

I doubt the police have the time to wait around for a cart driver illegally parked to finish his shopping and return to the cart.

We really need a registration system for carts.

That is so true. My son had a stroke and is disabled. His handicap tag was stolen from our golf cart while parked at Barnes and Nobles. Anyone seeing a WV BLUE TAG with expiration of June, 2017, please pm me.

Exactly what my wife has done. And I don't abuse when I'm by myself or in the golf course with the cart.

This is not entirely accurate. According to 2013 State Statutes 320.0848-2(c) "The department shall not issue an additional disabled parking permit unless the applicant states that he or she is a frequent traveler or a quadriplegic. The department may not issue to any one eligible applicant more than two disabled parking permits except to an organization in accordance with paragraph (1)(e). Subsections (1), (5), (6), and (7) apply to this subsection."

You are right and I stand corrected! I do remember them mentioning that.:oops: That being said, for us average not frequent traveling Joes, we cannot get two tags.

REALLY??? I use a cane, which I need to steady myself when walking. I was parked in the 4th spot, very close to the handicapped spaces. I passed 6 going to the store. When driving around, I passed 3 more. How dare you question my need??? Clearly, having a handicapped spot would have helped me, and I have a permit to park in one. The golf carts had NO permits, and that's what I questioned. Why would someone without a permit have the right to park in a handicapped spot?? That's what my post was about, not whether or not I was qualified to use a handicapped spot with my permit. Really, what nerve you have.

After my husband had his back surgery, he still wanted to go to Sam's. That was his once a week outing. If we could find a handicapped space, we'd park there, I'd put up the hanger, then he would use his cane to slowly get inside the store. Most times he was worn slam out when it was time to go, so a very healthy wife would run the cart out to the car and quickly unload it, then pull up front where he was sitting waiting for me to help him into the car.

I got a lot of middle finger salutes, dirty looks, and horn honks while I was unloading the cart into the car. Things are not always as they seem.

Boy, you really have to have a tough hide to live around here! I hope you ignored them and didn't let it bother you.

It didn't bother me in the least. I was in corporate sales for twenty five years - I have the hide of a rhino.

:thumbup:

I understand your concern about the golf carts as I'm handicapped myself and have a permit along with a mobility scooter and a handicapped equipped vehicle that deploys a ramp for me to get in and out of the vehicle. At the same time I also understand Doug's reaction to your original post because in it you actually said "I took my cane and walked around just to take a look" (highlighted above) which caused Doug to misunderstand you. Better words could have have been used on the original post, but it is what it is... an unfortunate misunderstanding, and it's done and over with. So, I hope that it's safe to say... "Can't we all just get along?" unless of course, your part of an alien invasion, like in the movie Mars Attack, and you decide to emulsify me! :22yikes:

I thought that handicapped was replaced with Disabled like ADA american disability act and
we could get arrested or sued for using handicapped.

I saw a cart park in handicap parking one day without a permit. I politely asked the driver if someone took his tag because I didn't see a handicapped tag on his cart, and I offered to help him look for it. Trying to be nice. Well, he became very rude and pointed to his reasonable accommodation band (can't think of the actual name of it) for the golf cart, saying "there it is". I told him that that only applied on the golf course, and it was not a legal handicapped sticker. He was very irate and told me he was handicapped, and it wasn't my business anyhow. I have to wonder if other people think that the band for golfing qualifies them for handicapped parking?

Some towns here in NJ they take a photo of the back license and publish it
in the local newspaper.
I'll be coming down next month full time and though I was getting away from all
inconsiderate and heartless people but I don't know now '

You can do a Google search and you'll find that all kinds of state or local government agencies are using both terms on their websites as well as on parking space signs and the handicapped or disability placards. So I don't think that's true. As a disabled person however, I can assure you of one thing that I won't do, and that's sue myself for using the term handicapped!
Hum, let see... maybe I should check that out with a lawyer! http://cdn.eupedia.com/forum/images/...n/thinking.gif