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  • Maybe this will get your attention

    I've got one customer with a downtown location. Their building is good because it actually has a loading dock and I'm allowed to leave my truck there while I'm working. That's the good. The bad is actually getting my truck into their loading dock. It's off a small sidestreet where parking is legal on the one side. It's illegal to park on the other side because that only leaves one lane available for the two way traffic. Worse than that, when there are cars illegally parked, it is between extremely difficult and literally impossible for me to make the swing to get my truck into the dock. This is a problem because there are illegally parked cars there about 90% of the time.

    Well the easy solution here is to tag and tow the illegally parked cars. That's where it gets complicated. These cars always have handicapped stickers on them, and the city has an (un)official policy of never tagging or towing handicap vehicles.

    I don't want to sound like I'm unsympathetic to the plight of the handicapped, but these are people who are abusing the system. There is more than enough ample parking in the immediate area, but those are pay lots. They use this policy to get away with free illegal parking.

    I've brought it up with the customer multiple times, and he gives me a shrug and a mumble of "whatcha gonna do?"

    So the last time I was at his place, as usual there were the illegally parked cars blocking my swing. I probably could have gotten in but it would have involved a 20 point turn, with only an inch or so to spare from hitting something. So I said fuck it. I called him to let him know that I can't get into his dock because of the illegally parked cars. We'll have to sit and wait until these cars move. I called my shop to let them know the same. In both cases they freaked - "you've been able to do it before". Yeah well, can't do it today, we'll have to wait, or geez, maybe somebody can get off their ass and put in a complaint to have the authorities deal with it. Oh no, they can't do that. Well fine, I can't get in either.

    A charged and paid hour and a half later, this "handicapped" person came out and moved her car. (The quotes around "hadicapped" are just based on my observations, while I don't know what non-obvious ailments she may be suffering from, there was nothing obvious, and she had no difficultly lifting a large briefcase into her trunk). Anyways, now I could get into the dock and get to work. I talked to the client about it and got the usual shrug. Yeah, we'll see if you feel the same way when you get the bill.

    And now I'm back there tonight, I'll have to see if the last run got his attention or if it's just going to be the same routine. I have no intention of even attempting to pull into the dock if there is a single illegally parked car in the area.
    D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.
    Quoth = Crossbow "EvilHomer, Irv, Gravekeeper, and Seraph: the Four Horsemen of the Dumbpocalypse."

  • #2
    If client shrugs and refuses to do anything to accommodate you then client can suck up the bill and be happy about it...or complain to someone who actually gives a rat's behind...

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    • #3
      In Seattle abuse and misuse of handicapped placards has been a huge problem for years. People can take up a metered spot all day long for free. The State of Washington recently instituted an expiration policy on "permanent" placards, so they cannot be used indefinitely after the death of the disabled relative who is "loaning" the placard. Legitimately disabled drivers/passengers can renew their "permanent" placard when it expires but they obviously have to be alive to do so. The state also instituted a two-tier system for acquiring a placard. The old form has to be completed and signed by a medical provider, but now there also has to be a letter on clinic letterhead attesting to the individual qualifying for disabled parking. I have no idea if it has made any significant dent in the problem. Too easy to create one's own letterhead...
      Some days, it's just not worth chewing through the restraints...
      TASTE THE LIME JELLO OF DEFEAT! -Gravekeeper

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      • #4
        Many years ago my county solved the illegal handicap parking at meters for free by establishing handicapped meters and charging everybody. No more free parking.
        "I don't have to be petty. The Universe does that for me."

        Comment


        • #5
          Quoth skeptic53 View Post
          The State of Washington recently instituted an expiration policy on "permanent" placards, so they cannot be used indefinitely after the death of the disabled relative who is "loaning" the placard. Legitimately disabled drivers/passengers can renew their "permanent" placard when it expires ....
          As someone who is legitimately using handicapped placards and plates, let me please disabuse you of the notion that it is "easy" to go through the renewal process. It is a royal pain in the effing ass, especially when one has to go thru the VA system to get the appointment to get the validations. It is a waste of my time, the doctor's time, the state clerk who has to handle the paperwork's time, and a waste of the cost of paperwork and new tags. Thankfully I can drive myself so I don't have to waste the time and money for a cab or family/friend to drive me to my appointments -- that makes it even more frustrating for a disabled person to get the renewals done. I am SO thankful I now live in a state where my plate, at least, will not expire. Even a 2- or 3-year placard is better for the disabled person than an annual renewal.

          If someone is using a placard after the death of the original recipient, that is exceedingly simple to identify and stop: police check the registration of the tag and their systems should tell them the owner is deceased. At that point the use is obviously illegal and the damned car should be impounded. If the price of using a placard illegally were high enough, it'd dissuade people from doing it. If it doesn't, well, it brings revenue in for the city and takes one more bad placard off the streets.

          But back to the OP -- I don't care if the person is disabled or not, they shouldn't be parking illegally where it screws with traffic patterns.
          Last edited by EvilEmpryss; 02-10-2016, 09:48 PM.
          Sorry, my cow died so I don't need your bull

          Comment


          • #6
            In Aussieland, we disabled people still have to park legally. In signed parking spaces, we get double the amount of time (so a 2hr zone becomes a 4hr), but we don't get all day or permanent parking!

            I've never had cause to notice whether or not we get towed for illegal parking in my local councils....

            And to back up Empryss' point: disability is not a free pass to do whatever the f- you want!
            Seshat's self-help guide:
            1. Would you rather be right, or get the result you want?
            2. If you're consistently getting results you don't want, change what you do.
            3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
            4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.

            "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools." - Anders, Dragon Age.

            Comment


            • #7
              I'll chime in as a handicapped parking space user and agree with EE and Seshat on all points. While I am not disabled myself, I have two disabled kids and use the spots when one or both are with me.

              The handicapped parking is not something that should be abused, either by people borrowing the placard or by the handicapped individuals themselves. If I park in a no parking zone, even with one of the kids with me, I should be ticketed or towed just like anybody else.
              At the conclusion of an Irish wedding, the priest said "Everybody please hug the person who has made your life worth living. The bartender was nearly crushed to death.

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              • #8
                I've talked to parking cops before at this and other locations. They tell me that if they do write a ticket, it is automatically thrown out of court, and they can face some reprimands. My city is so obsessed with catering to special interest groups that they don't care at all about the others that are getting screwed in the process.

                Like I said, I'm not unsympathetic to the plight, just the ones who abuse this goodwill to allow themselves to break the law.

                However, there is a crackdown on people using them illegally, as in using someone else's placard. The fines are very high for this offence and they do check it. I recently saw some karma in action as an asshat driving a Tesla was getting the rundown by a cop who caught him using someone else's. The asshole was pleading ignorance, but the cop was having none of that and wrote him some hefty tickets.
                D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.
                Quoth = Crossbow "EvilHomer, Irv, Gravekeeper, and Seraph: the Four Horsemen of the Dumbpocalypse."

                Comment


                • #9
                  http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=55073

                  An absolutely _classic_ thread dealing with handicapped parking pass abuse!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Just out of interest, if you accidentally damaged a car while trying to get into the loading bay, who would be in the wrong given they are illegally parked? And no, I'm not suggesting it as an answer, I'm genuinely curious.
                    "Bring me knitting!" (The Doctor - not the one you were expecting)

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                    • #11
                      Quoth KatherineB View Post
                      Just out of interest, if you accidentally damaged a car while trying to get into the loading bay, who would be in the wrong given they are illegally parked? And no, I'm not suggesting it as an answer, I'm genuinely curious.
                      Years ago a car was illegally parked in front of a post Office. A pickup truck accidently backed into it. He left a note which read, "Sorry for hitting your car, but if you hadn't been illegally parked, you wouldn't have been hit."
                      "I don't have to be petty. The Universe does that for me."

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Quoth KatherineB View Post
                        Just out of interest, if you accidentally damaged a car while trying to get into the loading bay, who would be in the wrong given they are illegally parked? And no, I'm not suggesting it as an answer, I'm genuinely curious.
                        Not an expert by any means, but I think it would still be on me, it's the responsibility of the driver of the vehicle that is moving to avoid hitting things, even things that shouldn't be there.

                        Of course, from watching episodes of "Judge Judy", if you catch the judge on the right day and the other person pisses off the judge enough, there is room for "you shouldn't have been parked there dumbass, case dismissed".
                        D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.
                        Quoth = Crossbow "EvilHomer, Irv, Gravekeeper, and Seraph: the Four Horsemen of the Dumbpocalypse."

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Indiana and possibly other states apply a "last clear chance" doctrine. That would then hinge on the observation that evil homer could sit and wait until these cars move.

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                          • #14
                            What sucks even more Evilhomer is that I'm pretty confident there are a number of doucehbags out there who have put fake Handicap tags/placards on their vehicles to take advantage of your towns incredibly lax policy on illegal parking.

                            Maybe a few more wasted billable hours will finally convince someone to do something about the situation.
                            "If we refund your money, give you a free replacement and shoot the manager, then will you be happy?" - sign seen in a restaurant

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                            • #15
                              Quoth evilhomer View Post
                              Not an expert by any means, but I think it would still be on me, it's the responsibility of the driver of the vehicle that is moving to avoid hitting things, even things that shouldn't be there.

                              Of course, from watching episodes of "Judge Judy", if you catch the judge on the right day and the other person pisses off the judge enough, there is room for "you shouldn't have been parked there dumbass, case dismissed".
                              I would think being illegally parked would make it all but impossible to claim damages. I can't see any insurance company willing to pay under these circumstances nor a judge willing to side with the defendant...

                              Quoth CrazedClerkthe2nd View Post
                              What sucks even more Evilhomer is that I'm pretty confident there are a number of doucehbags out there who have put fake Handicap tags/placards on their vehicles to take advantage of your towns incredibly lax policy on illegal parking.

                              Maybe a few more wasted billable hours will finally convince someone to do something about the situation.
                              I hate to say it but you're probably right. It stinks that the cops can't do anything about it due to the whining of a special-interest group...

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