Illegal Parking In Handicapped Spots

Call the cops.

I suggest contacting a TV reporter. They hate the publicity.

I never thought of that, I'll give it a try!

I once had a complaint that I sent to our Mayor - he answered me (or at least his assistant answered) within hours. One thing I can say from him is he is responsive. Still don't like or support him, but he does at least reach out.

I don't live in Baltimore City where the truck was from, I live in Baltimore County, we have a County Executive not a mayor! We also have different police and fire departments!

Instead of email, write hardcopy/paper letters which are still the way to go in regards to actually getting the attention of the public official you seek. It's far too easy to have one's email buried in a format so readily available these days.

Then also write several letters to the editors for your local newspapers. If you have the time, try conceiving and running a petition (and I don't mean online) then send copies to the city council and mayor.

Be persistent but don't be obsessive compulsive.

Also, write to the chief of police and whatever department is associated with the management of the city truck (sanitation, zoning board, etc...) as well.


If this is a one time incident, don't expect too much to happen over this indiscretion. If it's a recurring set of violations, document the violators thoroughly. Chances are its a departmental disease where poor management is not properly supervising its staff.

Eh Victor, that's nasty. I'm glad you reported it. Next time, make sure you have your camera and take a pic. You might send a Letter to the Editor of your local paper.

What do people do when they come across one of those Families signs (mothers with small kids) in parking lots? Just curious. They're not legal, per se, more a recommendation.

Ah one of those areas....next time fake that you got really injured as a result - lay down on the ground (on the walkway), but next to the offending vehicle - then have whomever is with you run into the restaurant screaming at the top of his lungs that such and such boneheaded truck is parked in a handicap spot and as a result you can no longer move and ask everyone to come out so you can bring justice to these arrongant offender.

Then you and the whole load of angered patrons will stand outside until the offender walks out and then you all pounce on him and give him the justice he deserves.

Just watch the senfield episode for further thoughts.

And/or send another email and cc all the local media - I would betcha you would hear a more speedy response.

I've actually told a women and her teenage daughter off - and wrote a thread about it here. I'm too lazy to look for it.

But I saw this woman walk out with a teenager and begin to unload her groceries - I informed her that those spaces are supposed to be for parents with infants and pointed out the fact that her "child" was no longer an infant. Her child began to scream profanity at me. I let them know that it was no surprise her teenagers would speak that way considering that mom had no respect for others either.

Mame my local newspaper The Baltimore Sun has a forum, I post on there a lot but too many of them are very rude, so I always come back here. I've called the police a few times over the years to ticket illegal handicapped parkers but they never seem to arrive or just ride by. In this state I don't think that any officials really care about helping the handicapped!

I just got done sending messages to four local TV stations here!

About ten years ago when Dutch Ruppersberger was county executive he helped me get cars ticked in handicapped spaces that did not belong there!
http://dutch.house.gov/

It's a suggestion, Linkat, not a legal requirement. There are no stickers for mothers with children -- that I know of, anyway. There may not have been any other spaces... the mom or teen could have had a sprained ankle or whatever... but I don't see why moms with kids should get special consideration. I really think that's idiotic. I don't care if you have a two year old - When my kids were 2, we were perfectly capable of walking from anywhere in the parking lot so I don't see why they can't do that now. If they choose to have 4 or 5 kids and they're a handful, that's not my problem.

And I don't understand why anyone would say something to anyone about it. Even if you parked in a handicapped zone without a sticker, it's not my business. You may be waiting for your sticker, or your passenger may be handicapped but you're driving your car. Many handicapped people don't necessarily 'look' handicapped to some of the rest of us, but they're in pain. You know, there are a lot of variables out there.

I agree mostly with that. I have been acquainted with people who were local assembly people, state senators, etc. At least when I knew them, they were apt to read a well written letter. On the other hand, time has passed, and at least one of them was extremely tech savvy, and by now I'm sure prefers a well written email. I bet the other one does too.

So, this personal letter thing holds, I think, whether it is an email or is printed out on paper. But maybe you are right, Tsar, that the hard copy of the email is what will get talked about in the office.

I once spoke abruptly at a woman parking in HC who was visibly able bodied, almost bouncing into the store.. she hollered back at me, and I'm not completely confident now that I was right, maybe, maybe not. Not all affliction is visible.

But in my environs, people usually have had an HC placard. (If I remember, that woman I squawked at didn't).

I sympathize, Victor. BBB on a2k once had a thread about this for a similar reason. I know several people who need the distance from car to moving cart to be very short. (Don't get me going, or I'll start talking about need for benches in public spaces.)

I just think it pays to mind your own business. Both of you got screeched/hollered at. Who needs that?

Yes, I haven't done that since.

It's a quandary. If the handicapped person has a pal or mate with him or her, they can get someone from the store to come out with a cart. Those carts may or may not be locked up to start with. But I bet some with cardiac and lung or other problems sometimes have to just drive away because they can't make it.

Or, hey, a cell phone. They could call the store from the parking lot and have someone come out with a mobile cart. But a restaurant?