People parking in handicapped spot

[Superfly]

Then it would seem the simple answer is report it to the store management and let them handle it.

Or just mind ya ****ing business. That works, too.

You are not the parking lot police. If I never complained about after carrying around a severely disabled husband as well as having my own mobility problems, pretty sure everybody else can manage as well.

 

[nota bene]

Yeah it sure is! I don’t know what go Tallulah has, but she’s a turbo and has gotten me in more trouble.

Sir has "only" 186, and he loves to hit the road, where I can take him past 100 mph. (Just a little, of course.)

 

[dairyair]

Or just mind ya ****ing business. That works, too.

You are not the parking lot police. If I never complained about after carrying around a severely disabled husband as well as having my own mobility problems, pretty sure everybody else can manage as well.

Letting the owner know about something in their store or parking lot and then walking away is minding one's own business.
Just letting said owner be aware and leaving it up to the owner to decide.

 

[Gaius46]

I got so mad at Kroger at the beginning of the pandemic that I haven't been back and instead grocery shop at a multi-ethnic H.E.B. close to home, one of this Texas chain's smaller stores. Very often I'm the only Anglo/Caucasian. It doesn't have the incredible offering of a huge store, but I just love it. Great long-time manager who works 7 days a week (and I've seen her gathering shopping cars herself) and friendly, gracious shoppers. (I won't lie; I find the folks who drag the entire family including abuelitas to the store to experience this exciting social adventure very irritating because 7-8 people around one cart really do clog the aisles, and never mind the wailing toddlers and naughty little kids bouncing balls, etc., LOL.)

About the knee, it's just infuriating. I didn't do anything to set it off this last time, I swear. No option but to keep moving, but I hate having to think through the suddenly difficult decision of just how to sit down or stand up. Right now it's just fine...but that's how it was 3 months ago too until suddenly it wasn't. Bah!

I wound up buying a tall desk chair that allows me to varying the knee angle a lot more than a standard chair as well as a standing desk - it's motorized and variably adjustable from normal sitting one where I can comfortably stand and write or use the laptop.
But yeah if I sit in one of the living room chairs for too long I have to stop and think about how I'm going to get up.

I started at my store simply to save money. They were new and were constantly running sales and discounts and things were just generally cheaper. They've gone up in price over the last few years but the produce aisle always has really fresh stuff, they have a good fish guy a great deli and lots of ethnic Spanish foods. And still they are cheaper/better than the alternatives. Stop and Shop has a better variety but is much more expensive and I won't comment on our local Lidl other than to say that they are the single worst supermarket I've ever been too.

 

[nota bene]

I wound up buying a tall desk chair that allows me to varying the knee angle a lot more than a standard chair as well as a standing desk - it's motorized and variably adjustable from normal sitting one where I can comfortably stand and write or use the laptop.
But yeah if I sit in one of the living room chairs for too long I have to stop and think about how I'm going to get up.

I started at my store simply to save money. They were new and were constantly running sales and discounts and things were just generally cheaper. They've gone up in price over the last few years but the produce aisle always has really fresh stuff, they have a good fish guy a great deli and lots of ethnic Spanish foods. And still they are cheaper/better than the alternatives. Stop and Shop has a better variety but is much more expensive and I won't comment on our local Lidl other than to say that they are the single worst supermarket I've ever been too.

There's a Lidl here too, but I haven't ever shopped there. The store at which I shop has much better prices than Kroger, and its generics are generally superior too. H.E.B. from its beginning has served the Hispanic community, and these means terrific fruit selections always and good veggies (wide variety of peppers and squashes) and "comfort foods" produced by Hispanic manufacturers--cookies, fruit drinks, soups, and pasta (which is three times less expensive than Skinner, etc., and please--pasta is pasta), and even Cokes bottled in Mexico for that taste of home.

 

[ModernDiogenes]

Let's say someone illegally parks in a handicapped spot, and you witness it. Perhaps you tell them it's wrong, and they refuse to move.

Let's recognize that some people are handicapped and it's not clearly visible; but in that case the vehicle should have a placard. There's common sense; they can appear to have difficulties with or without a placard. But let's say it's obvious there are no visible issues and their response suggests they know what they're doing.

Option 1: call the police; if they get there very fast, it's a big fine. Great option if it worked, but the police usually aren't that fast, and people know that, and get away.

Option 2: park your vehicle behind theirs, blocking them in, until police arrive.

I asked a police dispatcher about this. They said if you're actively sitting in your car blocking them while they try to get out, that's 'taking them hostage', a more serious crime.

But if you park behind them and leave like going in the store, it's simply 'two illegally parked vehicles'.

Then she added she things the officers would not ticket you for it. That left only one main issue - escalation, i.e., the person rams your car, has a gun, etc.

Let's hear some thoughts on how to respond. One option is 'do nothing', another is 'leave it at telling them they're breaking the law' and try to get the police there fast in the rare case they can, third is to call the police and block them in, go in the store and keep an eye, and explain it to the police.

Speaking as a retired professional in such matters….

Seriously though. One is never well off attempting to self-enforce law in manners that entrap others, even if they are in the wrong initially.

You take a photo of the vehicle, signage, etc. You take another of the license plate as attached to the vehicle. The registered owner is legally responsible for where the car is at any given time. If there is another operator they can use that as a defense. It’s not required for the complainant to have seen the operator or be able to indentify them. It’s up to the owner to bring that person into the case if it is not them.

You bring that info to the local court violations office and have a summons issued for the vehicle’s owner. They receive it in the mail. You then have to avail yourself to the court to testify in corroboration of your complaint if they decide to fight it.

Why your dispatcher acquaintance didn’t tell you that, as they usually know, I can’t guess at but as a retired city law enforcer who dealt with such things back before my promotion to investigator… that’s how it’s done.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

If they have a placard, walk on by.

How about this situation:

A vehicle with a "Disabled" placard pulls into a "Disabled" parking space and the driver (who is legitimately entitled to park in a handicapped spot) remains in the vehicle while their healthy (late teens - early twenties) walks into the store to do the shopping.

Or this one

A vehicle with a "Disabled" placard is in a handicapped spot for longer than the allowed (and clearly posted) time limit and when you, as a parking regulation enforcement person, arrive you see the driver (who is obviously perfectly healthy) and their friends (who are also obviously perfectly healthy) get into the vehicle. You ask to examine the "Disabled" placard and see that it is issued to "Jane Doe". You ask which of the occupants of the vehicle is "Jane Doe". None of the occupants of the vehicle is "Jane Doe" and the driver of the vehicle says that "Jane Doe" their mother and that they were there to pick up the other occupants of the vehicle. The driver asks you for the "Disabled" placard (which they had voluntarily given to you) back so that they can go home.

What do you do?

1. Offer to have the police officer (whom you will call) return (if appropriate) the "Disabled" placard to the driver after the police officer has written the $250 ticket for parking in a handicapped spot without legal authority to do so and let the driver crap shoot on whether or not they are going to have to explain to their mother why Mon no longer has a "Disabled" placard;

2. Offer to return the "Disabled" placard to its ACTUAL owner (which is the issuing authority) and let the driver explain to their mother why Mom no longer has a "Disabled" placard;

3. Give the "Disabled" placard back to the person who used it to deprive a handicapped person of their parking space and go about your duties.

PS - In the United States of America there is an "Option 4" which is to "Return fire."

 

[Craig234]

Why your dispatcher acquaintance didn’t tell you that, as they usually know, I can’t guess at but as a retired city law enforcer who dealt with such things back before my promotion to investigator… that’s how it’s done.

The dispatcher said 'the officer has to witness it', no option given for photos. I'll ask that of traffic division.

 

[ModernDiogenes]

The dispatcher said 'the officer has to witness it', no option given for photos. I'll ask that of traffic division.

Nope. It is an eye witness offense, not subject to other evidence as basis for probable cause (as is any offense, only indictable crimes can reach level of probable cause through circumstantial/real evidence without direct observation of the crime), but the witness can be anyone willing to testify to corroborate the probable cause for the issuance of the summons. Not only the police officer.

Just as a simple assault where the officer didn’t witness the act but a warrant is sworn based on the witness of another (usually the victim) of the act. That someone has a red mark where they were grabbed and the accused was in the area is not sufficient. Someone has to say, “I saw so and so grab this person.”

Yet in a shooting that someone owns the same gun, has motive, was seen in the same area at the same time, and the ballistics of that gun owned by the suspect match that of the bullet found in the victim may very will get that suspect indicted even though no one witnessed the actual shooting.

Now that some departments have policy, that policy doesn’t limit a party willing to sign a complaint that complies with law as to its ability to be issued. They just wouldn’t be able to avail themselves of an officer to do it. They’d have to avail themselves of the court clerk or violations bureau to exercise that right.

[SIDE NOTE: I’d not be absolutely certain the local traffic division officer would know that though. I’d hope they would but I wouldn’t risk good money betting on it. I’m always a bit surprised, even after how much I’ve witnessed it up close, how much law those enforcing it aren’t understanding of…{smh}. Though I can say that of some lawyers as well ]

 

[noonereal]

Let's say someone illegally parks in a handicapped spot, and you witness it. Perhaps you tell them it's wrong, and they refuse to move.

Let's recognize that some people are handicapped and it's not clearly visible; but in that case the vehicle should have a placard. There's common sense; they can appear to have difficulties with or without a placard. But let's say it's obvious there are no visible issues and their response suggests they know what they're doing.

Option 1: call the police; if they get there very fast, it's a big fine. Great option if it worked, but the police usually aren't that fast, and people know that, and get away.

Option 2: park your vehicle behind theirs, blocking them in, until police arrive.

I asked a police dispatcher about this. They said if you're actively sitting in your car blocking them while they try to get out, that's 'taking them hostage', a more serious crime.

But if you park behind them and leave like going in the store, it's simply 'two illegally parked vehicles'.

Then she added she things the officers would not ticket you for it. That left only one main issue - escalation, i.e., the person rams your car, has a gun, etc.

Let's hear some thoughts on how to respond. One option is 'do nothing', another is 'leave it at telling them they're breaking the law' and try to get the police there fast in the rare case they can, third is to call the police and block them in, go in the store and keep an eye, and explain it to the police.

Sadly there is nothing one can do but maintain their own moral and ethical conduct.

 

[Craig234]

Just as a simple assault where the officer didn’t witness the act but a warrant is sworn based on the witness of another (usually the victim) of the act. That someone has a red mark where they were grabbed and the accused was in the area is not sufficient. Someone has to say, “I saw so and so grab this person.”

Yes, when I was assaulted, the officer indicated that if he couldn't make an arrest of the perpetrators at the scene then - he had fled - he couldn't make one at all even if I saw the person the next day and called them. I wasn't given an option to sign a complaint. But oddly after several minutes interacting with the perpetrator, I couldn't remember their face.

 

[Gaius46]

There's a Lidl here too, but I haven't ever shopped there. The store at which I shop has much better prices than Kroger, and its generics are generally superior too. H.E.B. from its beginning has served the Hispanic community, and these means terrific fruit selections always and good veggies (wide variety of peppers and squashes) and "comfort foods" produced by Hispanic manufacturers--cookies, fruit drinks, soups, and pasta (which is three times less expensive than Skinner, etc., and please--pasta is pasta), and even Cokes bottled in Mexico for that taste of home.

My kind of place.

 

[Superfly]

Letting the owner know about something in their store or parking lot and then walking away is minding one's own business.
Just letting said owner be aware and leaving it up to the owner to decide.

Most often, this happens at big box stores. If you think the underpaid, overworked managers at these stores give two ****s where you have to park, you’re sadly mistaken.

That’s why they hire people who patrol the parking lots. So they don’t have to deal with it.

 

[Josie]

How about this situation:

A vehicle with a "Disabled" placard pulls into a "Disabled" parking space and the driver (who is legitimately entitled to park in a handicapped spot) remains in the vehicle while their healthy (late teens - early twenties) walks into the store to do the shopping.

Not sure that's illegal. If you have a placard or plate, you can park there.

Or this one

A vehicle with a "Disabled" placard is in a handicapped spot for longer than the allowed (and clearly posted) time limit and when you, as a parking regulation enforcement person, arrive you see the driver (who is obviously perfectly healthy) and their friends (who are also obviously perfectly healthy) get into the vehicle. You ask to examine the "Disabled" placard and see that it is issued to "Jane Doe". You ask which of the occupants of the vehicle is "Jane Doe". None of the occupants of the vehicle is "Jane Doe" and the driver of the vehicle says that "Jane Doe" their mother and that they were there to pick up the other occupants of the vehicle. The driver asks you for the "Disabled" placard (which they had voluntarily given to you) back so that they can go home.

What do you do?

1. Offer to have the police officer (whom you will call) return (if appropriate) the "Disabled" placard to the driver after the police officer has written the $250 ticket for parking in a handicapped spot without legal authority to do so and let the driver crap shoot on whether or not they are going to have to explain to their mother why Mon no longer has a "Disabled" placard;

2. Offer to return the "Disabled" placard to its ACTUAL owner (which is the issuing authority) and let the driver explain to their mother why Mom no longer has a "Disabled" placard;

3. Give the "Disabled" placard back to the person who used it to deprive a handicapped person of their parking space and go about your duties.

PS - In the United States of America there is an "Option 4" which is to "Return fire."

I don't know. I'm not a "parking regulation enforcement person". I'm just a regular ole person.

 

[MaryP]

Let's say someone illegally parks in a handicapped spot, and you witness it. Perhaps you tell them it's wrong, and they refuse to move.

Let's recognize that some people are handicapped and it's not clearly visible; but in that case the vehicle should have a placard. There's common sense; they can appear to have difficulties with or without a placard. But let's say it's obvious there are no visible issues and their response suggests they know what they're doing.

Option 1: call the police; if they get there very fast, it's a big fine. Great option if it worked, but the police usually aren't that fast, and people know that, and get away.

Option 2: park your vehicle behind theirs, blocking them in, until police arrive.

I asked a police dispatcher about this. They said if you're actively sitting in your car blocking them while they try to get out, that's 'taking them hostage', a more serious crime.

But if you park behind them and leave like going in the store, it's simply 'two illegally parked vehicles'.

Then she added she things the officers would not ticket you for it. That left only one main issue - escalation, i.e., the person rams your car, has a gun, etc.

Let's hear some thoughts on how to respond. One option is 'do nothing', another is 'leave it at telling them they're breaking the law' and try to get the police there fast in the rare case they can, third is to call the police and block them in, go in the store and keep an eye, and explain it to the police.

I'm disabled and I see people park illegally in the spots at times. I don't say anything. My advice is, stay out of it. Hope for karma and let it go.

 

[Serenity]

Let's say someone illegally parks in a handicapped spot, and you witness it. Perhaps you tell them it's wrong, and they refuse to move.

Let's recognize that some people are handicapped and it's not clearly visible; but in that case the vehicle should have a placard. There's common sense; they can appear to have difficulties with or without a placard. But let's say it's obvious there are no visible issues and their response suggests they know what they're doing.

Option 1: call the police; if they get there very fast, it's a big fine. Great option if it worked, but the police usually aren't that fast, and people know that, and get away.

Option 2: park your vehicle behind theirs, blocking them in, until police arrive.

I asked a police dispatcher about this. They said if you're actively sitting in your car blocking them while they try to get out, that's 'taking them hostage', a more serious crime.

But if you park behind them and leave like going in the store, it's simply 'two illegally parked vehicles'.

Then she added she things the officers would not ticket you for it. That left only one main issue - escalation, i.e., the person rams your car, has a gun, etc.

Let's hear some thoughts on how to respond. One option is 'do nothing', another is 'leave it at telling them they're breaking the law' and try to get the police there fast in the rare case they can, third is to call the police and block them in, go in the store and keep an eye, and explain it to the police.

You never know what someone is going through in their life. Don't take matters into your own hands and go out of your way to instigate hostilities.

If you see someone exiting a vehicle in a handicapped spot, and you have some spare time, ask them if they need assistance.

Just be kind.

 

[Craig234]

You never know what someone is going through in their life. Don't take matters into your own hands and go out of your way to instigate hostilities.

If you see someone exiting a vehicle in a handicapped spot, and you have some spare time, ask them if they need assistance.

Just be kind.

They're welcome to say something when told it's illegal. I don't think kind is deserved.

 

[Superfly]

They're welcome to say something when told it's illegal. I don't think kind is deserved.

May I see your badge, officer? Or maybe your medical credentials, Dr.?

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

Not sure that's illegal. If you have a placard or plate, you can park there.

Indeed, the placard permits the person rightfully in possession of the placard to park in spaces designated for them. The purpose of those spaces is so that the disabled person has an easier time getting from their car to the store and back - NOT to allow them to find an easy place to park while some healthy person runs errands for them.

I don't know. I'm not a "parking regulation enforcement person". I'm just a regular ole person.

I can tell you that the solution that was finally accepted by the person who was using someone else's handicapped placard to park in a handicapped zone when neither she nor anyone else using the car were handicapped was to surrender the placard so that it could be returned to the issuing authority and then returned to the rightful possessor IF the issuing authority decided that doing so was appropriate after the person to whom the placard had been issued had violated the terms under which they were allowed the use of it.

PS - The same "parking regulation enforcement person" nabbed another one (which had expired six months previously) that a healthy person was using to park in a handicapped space. The deciding factor in that instance was when the driver's wife told the driver to "Stop being a jerk and return the damn thing like you were supposed to do when it expired.".

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

They're welcome to say something when told it's illegal. I don't think kind is deserved.

Indeed they are. Unfortunately one of the things that you risk them saying is

"F**k you
**B*A*N*G**
**B*A*N*G**
**B*A*N*G**
A****le",​

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

May I see your badge, officer?

"Oh, I don't have a badge. But I am sure that the police officer who is going to attend in response to my call will be more than happy to show you their badge. By the way, if you attempt to leave you are evading arrest and that is a felony which will allow me to exercise my power to effect a 'Citizen's Arrest'."

Or maybe your medical credentials, Dr.?

"I don't need any medical credentials to ask you if you are legally in possession of that handicapped placard. I suspect that you are not and that means that I have reasonable grounds to believe that you are in possession of stolen property. By the way, if you attempt to leave you are evading arrest and that is a felony which will allow me to exercise my power to effect a 'Citizen's Arrest'."

 

[Super Chief]

Define "handicapped"? As in missing legs?

Yeah, most people are not handicapped to the degree that they need a special parking space.

 

[MaryP]

Define "handicapped"? As in missing legs?

Yeah, most people are not handicapped to the degree that they need a special parking space.

I do.

 

[Josie]

Indeed, the placard permits the person rightfully in possession of the placard to park in spaces designated for them. The purpose of those spaces is so that the disabled person has an easier time getting from their car to the store and back - NOT to allow them to find an easy place to park while some healthy person runs errands for them.

I'm very aware of what handicapped parking spaces, placards and plates are for.

I can tell you that the solution that was finally accepted by the person who was using someone else's handicapped placard to park in a handicapped zone when neither she nor anyone else using the car were handicapped was to surrender the placard so that it could be returned to the issuing authority and then returned to the rightful possessor IF the issuing authority decided that doing so was appropriate after the person to whom the placard had been issued had violated the terms under which they were allowed the use of it.

PS - The same "parking regulation enforcement person" nabbed another one (which had expired six months previously) that a healthy person was using to park in a handicapped space. The deciding factor in that instance was when the driver's wife told the driver to "Stop being a jerk and return the damn thing like you were supposed to do when it expired.".

That wasn't the scenario you gave me, though. You said they were legitimately parked there with the handicapped person in the car, but the handicapped person never got out of the car.

 

[Josie]

Define "handicapped"? As in missing legs?

Yeah, most people are not handicapped to the degree that they need a special parking space.

You use a wheelchair, crutches, walker or other assistance.
You have vision problems.
You have a condition which doesn't allow you to walk far.
Temporary conditions where your mobility is limited which allow you a temporary permit.