[buggyone]

In order to get a blue handicapped hangtag for your car, I believe you have to have a form completed by your physician.

In Maryland, where I came from, you could also get a red temporary hangtag for your car which indicated something like an injury that prevented you from walking distances but is of a temporary nature - and the expiration date was printed on the tag.

I do not know what the Florida regs are on the issue since I do not need either one - and hope I never do.

[skyguy79]

IMHO, I believe that I have the ability to comment on this with a degree of authority for a couple of reasons. First because I have been a legal user of handicapped parking for more than 10 years, but more importantly having been authorized for many years by the State of New York DMV Commissioner to waive the medical proof requirement for a handicapped permit based on my personal observation or knowledge of the person applying for handicapped plates. Based on that here are some of my facts or opinions on the subject:

1) One of the biggest problems a handicapped person faces is the attitude of the know it all individual who feels that their opinion is greater than the handicapper's needs. I once complained to an officer of an organization that they only had two handicapped parking spaces and that their frequently occupied illegally. The response I got back was virtually who cares!

2) Attitudes don't end there either. A year ago I started communicating with the Chief of Police at Lady Lake because someone here on TOTV stated that a handicapped person with a legit permit cannot park in handicap parking space if they remain in the vehicle while their driver runs into a store. He agreed with the statement that I disagreed with. He followed up with a FL DMV administrator and the response was the same... she agreed that it was not permitted.

Upon my providing an explanation and proof why I believed I was right in that I could remain in the vehicle, he further pursued the issue with the DMV. The DMV administrator checked further like she should have in the beginning and found that I was correct after all, but she didn't personally agree with that fact.

Again the attitudes are not limited to the general public but also with people in a position of so called authority. Why the authorities in FL even removed the limited inability to walk beyond a reasonable distance as a valid reason for a permit. Some message this sends us... that we should remain homebound and don't have a right to do the many things that normal people do.

3)There are reasons that most people would not even realized where the handicapped space is needed, not even those people in positions of authority. Some situations are not even authorized under the usage regulations.

In my case I could not drive the accessible vehicle nor could I ride in the passenger seat. I had to sit in the back with my mobility scooter. In order to get in or out, with or without my scooter. If I had to be parked in a non handicapped space, how would I get out if I needed to use a rest room if the deployment ramp was blocked from being open.

In the unlikely chance that my vehicle or one next to my vehicle were to suddenly catch on fire. Do I have to describe what could happen if I couldn't get out because my ramp is being blocked?

4) I indicated that there could be reasons that the extra space can be needed that's not even covered by the eligibility requirements. Have you ever had a car park so close to your drivers side entry that you could barely get in if you can at all? If so can you imagine a large person that needs the car door to be open fully in order to be able to get in but can't as their limited endurance for standing may be at a critical stage?

If I thought hard I'm sure I could come up with more reasons, but what I've stated should suffice.

Now, is there a perfect solution to resolving the problem of abusers? Probably not, but it seems that when ever government tries to fix a problem, they create more. For instance... I have been on a pain killer for over 5 years now. My NY doctor never prescribe more than I could safely take. I never abused them and I usually didn't even take the max I could. Now on my first visit to a doctor here in TV I was told that he would not prescribe the medication for me because of his fear of losing his medical license, and that no other doctor in the area would risk it either.

I was reminded of this just yesterday with the news of the feds raid on the CVS pharmacy. Now because of the government's over aggression of trying to solve one problem, those of us that legitimately need those medications have to suffer.

It's unfortunate that we're seeing more and more of these kind of government failures to stay out of our lives!

[skyguy79]

Originally Posted by buggyone

In order to get a blue handicapped hangtag for your car, I believe you have to have a form completed by your physician.

In Maryland, where I came from, you could also get a red temporary hangtag for your car which indicated something like an injury that prevented you from walking distances but is of a temporary nature - and the expiration date was printed on the tag.

I do not know what the Florida regs are on the issue since I do not need either one - and hope I never do.

You are correct in what you've stated. I believe that the red tag would be good for 6 months and think that this is pretty much the same was in most or all states.

[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by The Village Girl

Loved this. Funny stuff.

Seriously, I have had people tell me were driving the handicapped person's vehicle to run errands and took the liberty to park close to the store.

Reminds me of a gym I belonged that had limited parking spaces in front.
There was a big lot store across the street they could have parked in. They would wait 20 to 30 minutes for a spot and then go inside and run three miles on a treadmill. Maybe, human nature? GO FIGURE!!!!!

I realize some people have condition that can't be seen but in some case, it is sheer laziness and I don't give a cr** attitude. The extra few steps are good for a person's health and should be utilized by handi-capped people who have a real need.

[cquick]

Originally Posted by The Village Girl

I LOVE this sign! Our son is in a wheelchair and we absolutely need a handicapped space so we can drop the ramp. But if all the spaces are filled, we have figured out a way to get around it. We park WAAY out in the parking lot and park our van at an angle, so we have room to drop the ramp AND nobody will park in the space next to us. It works like a charm. In the rain, we stop near the front of the store (NOT directly in the cross walk!) and get him out there, and then go park the van in the lot. It is easiest to use the handicapped parking spots, but c'est la vie!

Connie