 A car enters the parking lot. There are only two available parking spaces; one several spaces back, the other is a handicapped spot. It is pouring down rain and the driver really doesn’t want to get soaked. He knows it’s illegal to park there since he isn’t disabled but he sees no one else coming and only plans on being in the store a moment or two. As he pulls into the spot, he notices a police officer sitting in front of the store. He hesitates for a moment. The fine for parking here is posted at $250. This person decides the officer can’t see the car plate to know if he’s handicapped or not and, again, is only going to be a moment or two. The person illegally parks and runs into the store.The next car that just happens to pull into the lot is a person needing that handicapped spot. This is a too frequent occurrence. According to the Indiana legislation HOUSE BILL No. 1668 (1998),it is a Class C infraction for a vehicle without an appropriate parking permit to park in or block an access aisle for a handicapped parking space. Yet people tend to feel it’s not right for some people to get special treatment and privileges over others. Others are just lazy and park there because it’s the closest spot to the door. Often the local police drive past and don’t check for the appropriate stickers.
Many people have used the saying one person can make a difference. If the police department won’t do anything about the situation, someone else has too. If you see someone parked illegally, there is no need to confront the person. This could get you shot these days. However, most new cell phones come equipped with a camera. Simply snap a picture of the illegally parked car, hopefully with the police car sitting there as well. Send this picture, anonymously, to the local paper as a human interest story. If people see their car parked illegally perhaps they will think twice about doing it again. Also, it will shame the local police into enforcing all the laws, not just those they deem appropriate. There is a reason for these spaces other than convenience and should be left for those people who truly need them.
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