illegal use of disabled parking permits -Orlando crackdown
 

police crack down on illegal use of disabled parking permits

Police said they want to crack down on people using handicapped parking permits to illegally park

Eyewitness News has discovered that police officers are taking extreme measures to stop the problem, including arresting people.

I would be very surprised if police arrested anyone much more than they currently would. Some legitimate handicaps are not readily obvious and if the police arrested a legitimate handicapped user, they could risk a lawsuit as well as bad press for a false arrest of a handicapped individual! So I guess the question that Eyewitness News didn't state is how police are going to take extreme measures. Whatever it is I can't really see it going much beyond the issuance of a greater number of appearance tickets through greater surveillance.

Sorry, I'm not clear what you're getting at. What point are you making? Or are you just letting others know that the police are cracking down on people using these permits illegally? Thank you.

Probably family members using the vehicles not being the handicapped one and parking in the spots. IMO the handicapped permit gotten out of hand anyway should be for wheel chair access only IMO.

The handicapped permit is out of control, has gone far beyond the "handicapness" of intent to the point of abuse.......by far too many.

btk

The handicap sticker abuse also appears to apply to golf carts. This is an observation not a judgment

Agreed that this is an abused privilege. Not only do some family members use the permits (saw a teenager whip into a handicapped space yesterday and literally bound into the store), but it seems that many of these permits have been handed out too liberally in the first place.

But we must be careful not to judge prematurely, as a handicap is not always readily apparent!

I agree, it is strange when I see someone pull into a HC spot, hurry into a bar and sit there smoking and drinking longer than Me. Golfers that have no problem getting in and out of a sand trap yet have to park 10 feet from the green. Two wheel Motorcycle riders with a sticker. I am always suspect of the sticker that comes out of the dash compartment and onto to mirror when parking is limited. I do support the system and have sympathy for those with the true need. However, if you don't need a HC sticker and yet have and use one, you are as low a form of a demented personality as one can become.

If demented personality was the real reason, I could forgive that. Rather, it is a selfish mindset that causes one to abuse the permit. Me, me, me first!

IMO the biggest abuse is the one's that eat themselves into oblivion :icon_hungry: due to lack of exercise and control. Then they get rewarded by parking up front when they should have to park in the back for the chance of some improvement:pepper2:... Some are beyond the point of no return. Others have heart or lung disease and can't walk very far which one day most of us will be in that category . I got bad foot, but can still play tennis and pickleball for two hours. Guess I'll have to complain to the Doctor. Are there handicap parking up front at the tennis and pickleball courts!!:evil6::evil6:

I agree with both points. I have a handicapped tag for an intermittent and not very visible issue, so I use it only intermittently. But at those times when I have to use it, occasionally I have the self-appointed "mayor of the parking lot" give me lip about it....

The woman they busted that was on the news was using a deceased relatives handicap sticker. Apparently this is quite common. Somehow the police have the ability to run the number on the sticker and it gives them information.

I'm wondering who would even think to do something like that??? Oh yeah, the entitled ones.

This is a bit off but a month ago I saw a guy driving a big Harley with a handicap sticker on his motorcycle , just thought it was weird but he must have had something wrong with him to have it.

blue signs are for those who have visable handicaps...red are for those who do not have visable signs, such as not able to walk a great distance. my husband has a red one and yes there are many who have a comment about not looking like a handicap person..but i agree in the winter when he need to be close its hard to find a handicap spot open, so he is forced to wait until one becomes open..his doctor wanted him to have a permenent one and he told him no...he thinks he will one day not have to use one

I'm sorry but what you've stated about the colors of the handicapped placards is incorrect. The color has nothing to do with the viability of the handicapped or lack of it. The blue placard is for permanent handicaps and is good for 4 years. As of Oct. 1, 2012 a new application must be completed and signed by a certifying authority in order to renew for another 4 years. There is no charge for the blue placard. The red placard is for temporary needs, is good for 6 months and has a cost of $15. This is used for non permanent needs. i.e. someone who has an operation and the permit is needed during recuperation.