Police Moderator
Global Moderator
On The Job and Tangled Up In Blue
Posts: 9,821
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Post by Police Moderator on May 22, 2011 8:02:57 GMT -5
Fraudulent use of disabled parking placards explodes in last decade With the state and municipalities in financial crisis, the California Department of Motor Vehicles is cracking down on placard fraud. The issue strikes at the nexus of parking angst, civic revenues and righteous indignation. A curbside surprise David Wisansky, an investigator with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, speaks with Magdalene Osherenko as he confiscates her disabled parking placard during a sting operation along Camden Drive in Beverly Hills. "I think it's not fair what you're doing," she told him. (Al Seib, Los Angeles Times / May 22, 2011) By Martha Groves, Los Angeles Times In Beverly Hills, a DMV agent confiscates a disabled parking placard from a woman leaving a fitness center. In downtown Los Angeles, a motorist launches into a rant about "evil" meter readers after acknowledging that he's using someone else's disabled parking pass. And in neighborhoods near UCLA, 17 students are stopped and questioned as they scurry to class, their cars parked in restricted zones, disabled parking badges dangling from their rear-view mirrors. Fraudulent use of disabled parking placards — those blue or red badges that allow motorists to park for free or in specially reserved spaces — has exploded in the last decade, according to state motor vehicle officials. With 1 in 10 California drivers now legally registered to carry the passes, transportation experts say abuse has become commonplace. At any given moment, on any given street, more than a third of the vehicles displaying the tags — and parking without paying — are doing so illegally, say officials with the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Read more: la times
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JC
Full Forumite
No Messiah
Posts: 1,919
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Post by JC on May 22, 2011 15:55:00 GMT -5
Wish they would crack down here. For me, it's more of a hassle then anything when all of the handicapped spots are taken. Parking in a regular spot is not an option for me since I need the extra room to to get in and out of my big SUV,. so if no handicapped spots are available, I have to either take up two regular spots or park where no one can park next to me - and that's usually WAY out of the way. For others, though, that extra distance may mean the difference of them not being able to go in at all. That said, I did get a ticket for parking in a handicapped spot once. My placard had unknowingly expired. Went to court on it and the judge gave me a helluva lecture about parking in handicapped spots. Me, a guy who obviously has a need for one, mind you. The bitch asked to see my new placard before dropping the ticket. I said: "you want me to bring the new placard in here for you to see... which will mean that I will then be parked illegally in a parking garage used by how cops and metermaids? If I get a ticket, can I go ahead and bring that back in too? " I received another lecture after bringing in my new placard and she still didn't want to dismiss the ticket And that's after I sat there for two hours and watched 238742873 people go without so much of a wrist slap for driving with no license and no insurance. Justice system my ass.
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duke
Senior Forumite
Mr. Tepid
Posts: 3,706
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Post by duke on May 22, 2011 17:29:05 GMT -5
"With the state and municipalities in financial crisis,"
It is not about helping the handicapped but rather about more revenue. More revenue including those renewal fees from persons that have other added expenses due to the handicap.
I often push my wife's chair from the end of the line rather than take a reserved spot that other may need more than I. I do it not to feel better than others, but it gives me added exercise.
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Post by Tsavodiner on May 23, 2011 3:49:07 GMT -5
You need to exercise something besides your mandible, and my sympathies to anybody married to you.
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HonorH957
Senior Member
The Lieutenant
Posts: 797
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Post by HonorH957 on May 25, 2011 22:13:45 GMT -5
It would be interesting if they had that sort of crackdown around the Courthouse and Courts Building!!
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osrb
Senior Forumite
Semper Fi
Mostly Harmless
Posts: 3,150
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Post by osrb on May 25, 2011 22:45:36 GMT -5
Kudos the person who decided to finally enforce this law and go after the frauds. I have had and still do someone I care for who have disabled flags for their cars. They need them and I get pissed when I see someone who is obviously not disabled using them. The fines need to be increased on these offenders I would put it at about $1000 per violation.
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Post by LimitedRecourse on May 26, 2011 9:56:30 GMT -5
Taking advantage of the disabled...how noble of those who defend the action.
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