You are parked in a space clearly designated for disabled persons

[wheelinround]

wheelin is correct when he says it is the width of the bay that is crucial. I have a roof mounted chair hoist and need the car door to open full width to unload. The distance from the shop entrance is not a big deal for me.

macca

Saw a real stupid situation some time long before using the wheelchair myself, a fellow with roof mounted type pulled up while sorting himself out getting ready to drop the chair down he hadn't checked what was a blank space when he pulled in. Imagine his horror when CRUNCH SMASH his wheelchair came down on top of the Porsche side window. The other fellow had parked in a disabled zone to do a quick errand but pulled in to close, he called the cops etc etc guess who got booked for parking where he did.


Same here Macca DR's sign off, trouble is not all disabilities are visible ones.

I drive a Range Rover and as the panels are aluminium and dent easy I have to park in the disabled spots to keep my car looking.

Trouble is those disabled people can get a bit narky sometimes...its a bit disconcerting as you walk away to hear the scratching sound of a key across Duco.

BT thats not the sound of keys thats the wheelchair, then again could be a womans hand bag a shopping trolly or even a kid swinging the door wide open.

Wheelin, parking spaces aren't made wider because you fit less in. Councils require parking conditions be met by new developers (according to AS something or other) and if the space were wider, they would need more roadway or land for their development.

That I know more spaces bigger $$$ in their pocket, knowing a town planner who went outside to measure cars in the street 80% were small as a Gemini thats what they determined the space for a new shopping centre on a few years back anyone owning a mid to large family car couldn't park let alone get out.

There is the train of thought that if people are comfortable they will visit more spend more and even come back developers and planners haven't come around to this yet.

It doesn't faze me a lot if there are no disabled spaces what fazes me is that where councils place the ramps to get to the foot paths right in front of or in the middle of where the vehicle is now these are intelligent people who do this aren't they .

Then you get this a state government who's handing money to cab companies who run disabled cabs. http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/...766905157.html

I don't use them.

Green Cabs owned by Macquarie Bank which are ALL disabled cabs wonder what deal has just been done there eh.

[Tonyz]

Sometime ago I heard and interview on the ABC local channel an interview with a policeman from the UK. The story was that in one county in the UK they decided that anyone so anti social as to park in a disabled persons parking place was probably capable of other anti social behaviour. Checking on the owners of the cars they found several wanted persons and persons who had other outstanding infringements. They claimed the population contained a significantly higher proportion of villains (major and minor) than the normal population. Apparntly the practice of double checking spread. Ever since I heard it I have wondered about the cars parked in those spots.

They did the same experiment a few years ago in Collonnades Shopping Centre south of Adelaide. The poor cops just about bust their guts with so much catching, apprehending and paperwork that they gave it the slip after only 1 week. true story.

[astrid]

how many people bother or care enough to totally embarrass these selfish btds
my 10 yo has a leg brace and although i dont need to use a disabled spot often, there are times after an op that i need to park in a disabled spot.
I dont have a permit because by the time the ap is processed I dont need it anymore.
I just write a note and pin it with the wiper and trust to the humanity of the inspector.
on occaision I either accost the parker or leave a pithily worded note.
accosting them is best, especially in a busy shopping centre.

astrid

[pawnhead]

I'm surprised that no one has actually mentioned the most common reason that you'd be parked in a disabled spot.

12. You've legitimately got a sticker and you have a right to park there.

The disabled spots at my local supermarket are usually mostly empty except for the odd car with a sticker. And yes I do check as I walk past, and no I never parked there myself when I had a car.
Of course I see the odd one without a sticker, but not so often, and there's usually always vacant spaces.

[rgum]

Hang ON!

If I'm partially disabled, should I be driving a car in which I may not be able to demonstrate full control of, thus creating potential danger to many? hmmmmm....me's thinking.

Weak legs, can't turn neck all way round to look behind. Failing reaction time, shaking hands, bung leg, sore hips and back. Many an ailment may keep some from driving.

I'm not there yet

Am I being mean or responsible ?

[wheelinround]

Hang ON!

If I'm partially disabled, should I be driving a car in which I may not be able to demonstrate full control of, thus creating potential danger to many? hmmmmm....me's thinking.

Weak legs, can't turn neck all way round to look behind. Failing reaction time, shaking hands, bung leg, sore hips and back. Many an ailment may keep some from driving.

I'm not there yet

Am I being mean or responsible ?

Sorry no such thing as partial disability either you have one or don't and all of the above are.



No more no less than the person taking either medicated/prescribed drugs, over the counter drugs or self administered drugs, alcohol or even just generally out of sorts.

As for turning the neck to see behind what of drivers who can do this but due to the vehcile they drive it is of no benifit ie- vans, caravan towed, trucks buses etc.

[pawnhead]

Of course a fully able bodied person may be able to handle a vehicle better under extreme conditions, but the disabled have enough hardships to contend with, without having their mobility further restricted.

If they can display that they can handle a modified vehicle under normal conditions with competence, then there's no reason that they shouldn't be given a license. Likewise with the elderly.

When anyone goes for a driving test, able bodied or not, they don't put any undue pressures on them. They just have to drive normally, at the speed limit, and not make any mistakes.

Good enough.

[jerryc]

I suspect Rgum is playing devil's advocate but I'll answer sensibly.

At one time in UK deafness was considered enough of a disability to stop a person holding a driver's license. Thought was driver couldn't hear warning signals like car horns. Reckon some of today's young bucks with massive sound systems in their cars would be considered disabled under those regs. Ideas of what constitutes disability are not set in stone. A person with no legs can drive a car. If you remember the famous case in the Second World War of Douglas Bader, a Spitfire fighter ace with no legs who still attempted to escape from POW camp you can see individual characteristics also affect whether physical problems are "disability"

What is most disabling is that some applicants who are clearly not suitable to hold a license are allowed to take the test multiple times until they fluke a pass. This type of "driver" is then let loose on the roads. Who then is the most disabled driver?

Jerry

[macca2]

In late 2006 when I felt I was not able to use my legs for driving as I thought I should I went for a driver assessment with an outfit of specialise in this, here in WA.
I was given several test including driving car with hand controls.
I was assessed as capable of driving a modified vehicle.
As soon as this process is in place there is no going back.
Your doctor is asked for an assessment on your condition. This is then referred to the licensing authority (Dept of Planning and Infrustructure) and they pay you a visit and cancel your driving license and issue you with a learners permit which is good for 12 months.
I then took driving lessons from an approved instructor in a modified vehicle. (3 lessons in my case.)
I then sat a driving test with Dept of Planning and Infrustructure which is a standard test of your driving ability. There is no written test.
I passed with out any dramas.
After getting my new license I then had to purchase a suitable vehicle and have it modified by an approved company to hand controls.
This all took about 3 mths but was well worth it as I am now driving far better than I was before starting this little journey, Albeit a little lighter in the pocket.

Macca

[Bleedin Thumb]

Lets not get this discussion confussed with the issue of letting old people drive around.......especially old people driving Volvo's......... and especially the ones that take 2 minutes to park in their parking spaces....back, forward, back, forward, back....

[wheelinround]

Lets not get this discussion confussed with the issue of letting old people drive around.......especially old people driving Volvo's.........

why BT you one of them

[DavidG]

and especially the ones that take 2 minutes to park in their parking spaces....back, forward, back, forward, back....

Seen some young ones doing that and still parking in two bays.

Best one I have ever seen was a young lass going the wrong way round a one way at McDonalds finally parking in a invalid space.

She and her mates got out and walked into Macas.

When she came out I had the misfortune of also leaving at the same time.

She backed out the invalid space and proceeded to go the wrong way again.

I was leaving and we met face to face. She expected me to get out of her way and got out the car to abuse me.

I called her a "Blond" and every one collected around laughed at her.
Talk about a dumbo........

[macca2]

Lets not get this discussion confussed with the issue of letting old people drive around.......especially old people driving Volvo's......... and especially the ones that take 2 minutes to park in their parking spaces....back, forward, back, forward, back....

Oh Bleedin you have me worried now. I may be one of the " old people" driving as well as being a disable driver.
I should have bought a Volvo

Macca

[pawnhead]

If you remember the famous case in the Second World War of Douglas Bader, a Spitfire fighter ace with no legs who still attempted to escape from POW camp,,,,

'Reach for the Sky' was a good movie about old 'tin legs' Bader.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Oh Bleedin you have me worried now. I may be one of the " old people" driving as well as being a disable driver.
I should have bought a Volvo

Macca

It could be worse Macca......you could be an old driver, you could be an old disabled driver, you could be an old, disabled Volvo driver and then you could be and old, disabled, Volvo... woman driver


Sorry only joking folks...its good to have a laugh at stereotypes Im sure that old, disabled, volvo driving woman can drive just as well as me.