From the Harford County Sheriff’s Office:
On December 8th, 2016, deputies with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office along with representatives from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) and Rachel Harbin, Disabilities Coordinator with Harford County Government’s Office on Disability, participated in a Handicap Parking Enforcement Initiative.
This yearly joint initiative was designed to make sure that vehicles parked in accessible parking spaces had the appropriate parking placard or designated license plate displayed. In addition to the placard or license plate, drivers were also required to produce their Motor Vehicle Administration-issued identification. The city aims to start taking care of their parking lots in a serious way, by also making sure to use car park cleaning to keep the parking lot in good condition.
Deputies issued 19 citations for fraudulent placard use which carries a $140 fine and 6 citations for no placard being displayed which carries a $120 fine. In total, 129 contacts were made, and 19 placards were seized by the MVA from numerous locations in Harford County. Deputies, along with the Disabilities Coordinator and the MVA, want to remind everyone that people with disabilities face challenges every day, not the least of which is finding adequate parking when they need it. For those with disabilities, the use of handicap parking spaces, also known as accessible parking spaces, is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Yet every day, motorists with disabilities cannot find parking spaces when they need them because their non-disabled counterparts use these spaces as a means of convenience.
Sheriff Gahler remarked, “During the holiday season, we are all busy and looking for a shortcut to get things done and make life easier. Don’t let one of those shortcuts be parking in a handicap parking space. If you don’t need it, leave it.”
“Sometimes parking in an accessible parking space is the only way that people with disabilities are able to access the community.” said Rachel Harbin, Disabilities Coordinator at the Office on Disability. “We want everyone to be able to participate to their fullest ability, so please ‘respect the space’ and only park in handicap parking spaces if you are qualified to do so.”
For more information visit the MVA’s “Everything You Need to Know” for Maryland motorists with disabilities. http://www.mva.maryland.gov/About-MVA/DISABILITIES/default.htm
This “yearly joint initiative” should be done randomly year round. I am sick and tired of the massive abuse of this handicap parking issue! More often than not, I watch vehicles park in one of those reserved spaces, the driver then hangs the tag from the rear view mirror, then walks (or jogs if it’s raining) across the parking lot into Shop Rite, Home Depot, etc. The ones that I’m talking about are the majority of users/abusers! These cheaters are perfectly capable of walking (or jogging) as good as, or better than me! Sheriff Gahler ) and municipal police departments), PLEASE step up enforcement of these handicap parking space abusers on a regular basis. And don’t do it for me, do it for the legitimate users of the same.
It sounds like your gripe is with the organization that issues said handicap placard.
If people placing an issued and valid handicap placard and walking into the store you should contact your elected representatives to seek change on whoever and however these handicap placards are issued for parking lot spaces.
Read the article again they ticketed and seized 19 placards. They don’t ticket people who were there legally.
Like everything else, im sure there are invalid placards, and or placard abuse to include unauthorized persons using them.
The poster generalized handicap persons to mobility problems, such as a wheel chair.
Call me an idiot? Whats up with that?
The poster generalized handicap persons to mobility problems, such as a wheel chair.
No the poster didn’t, you made that assumption. Read it again.
Hear I’ll halp you cuz u don’t reed so good….
“PLEASE step up enforcement of these handicap parking space abusers on a regular basis. And don’t do it for me, do it for the legitimate users of the same.”
OH YEAH. GET MAD, BRO.
“, I watch vehicles park in one of those reserved spaces, the driver then hangs the tag from the rear view mirror, then walks (or jogs if it’s raining) across the parking lot into Shop Rite, Home Depot, etc. The ones that I’m talking about are the majority of users/abusers! ”
READ THIS, MORON.
I give up, your reading finger is apparently broken.
While I see his everywhere one store in particular is the worst. BJ’s wholesale club. Every space is always occupied. I can rarely shop there anymore because I cannot walk up the slight incline in the regular lot.
How do you know people who place a handicap tag on their rearview mirror and walk normally are not handicap?
If it’s a legitimate issued tag, then they are allowed to use the handicap parking spot.
Really else to add.
You don’t know, that’s why the sheriff conducted a Handicap Parking Enforcement Initiative and 20% of the people parked in handicap spots were doing so illegally. It’s a pretty common in todays entitlement society.
Yes, blatant misuse of handicap placards is one thing.
A lot of people see handicap placard,l followed by the person walking = phony, fake.
When you dont know. They could have a legitimate issued placard.
If they really don’t need it, and gimmick’d the handicap placard people to give them one, then we need to get some over sight in the liberal missuse of issuing these placards.
The only way you can find the misuse is through enforcement. It is easy to jump to conclusions about the person using the placard but I’d guess if they aren’t disabled they are probably breaking the law. They don’t just give them to anyone that wants it. I saw one on a corvette the other day, I will boldy say if you can get in and out of a corvette you don’t need a parking space near the door.
Screw the handicap parking spaces, I like to be closer to the store so that’s why I park right in front of the store in the fire lanes.
you must be a real Moron,one of these jerks that park wherever they feel like.if i was a cop i would slap a fine on your ass
Key Words “If I was a cop”, I would take that fine and shove down your throat and you be shtting that fine for a week.
how about letting everyone in their family use the car,including the 19 year old granddaughter.it’s easier
to park close because the car has Handycap Tags
My neighbor was dead for 6 months and his daughter still used his handicap tag.
People should keep in mind that caregivers sometimes drop off the handicapped person by the door and then park. I’ve been to stores with multiple entrances and you can’t count on each entrance having a power chair cart. The handicapped person still needs to get back in the car so therefore it needs to be in a handicapped spot.
I’ve talked to parents with special needs children who get the side eye for using the handicapped parking.
I can think of a dozen reason why you see seemly able bodied people parking there.
Having said that, I hope that those who have no reason to park there will one day experience the frustration of navigating the world with a handicap.
@Eve, great points. I have a son w special needs and have experienced the sideways glance from time to time. In addition to handicap parking, I have noticed that people also abuse handicapped bathrooms. Can’t tell you how many times I have had to wait w my son only to see an able bodied person come out of the stall. Most don’t even realize they are being a jerk by doing this.
Eve I know you think you are doing the right thing but if you are dropping the person off at the door then parking, the placard is not for your convenience. If you are of able body you should be parking in a regular spot instead of taking a spot from a disabled driver.. And for Gulch the times you see the sideways glance is when your son is not in the car yet you still use the handicap space. You see I am disabled and have no one to drive me around so when you take a spot from me it physically hurts me.
Have some respect.
You are wrong Frank…I never use the placard for myself. I am helping my son out of the car or walking w him towards an establishment. You have some respect, and while you’re at it, get a brain.
Why would anyone give you a sideways glance if your are assisting a disabled person. That makes no sense. And your honesty is further eroded by your own judging people using a handicap bathroom that you deem are not handicapped and able bodied. You may wish to reevaluate your morals because you just told the world you are a hypocrite.
You are wrong again. I think many people like yourself easily jump to conclusions. Often times someone w a placard may not “look disabled” but nevertheless have a legitimate reason. Morals have nothing to do with what I am saying about my observations over the past 20 years.
From what I’ve seen, being overweight counts as a handicap, one they would not have if they did a bit more walking and less catering to their own predicament.
I would love to see enforcement at the Bel Air Athletic club. Whenever I go there with my daughter, who is confined to a wheelchair, there is always some idiot parent parking in a handicapped space because they are too lazy to park in a non-handicapped space and make their kids walk to/from the car, especially true of parents of kids on the swim team.