One of the initiatives pushed this year before the Connecticut legislature is the rebranding of existing "handicap" signs to display the "new" disabled logo.. The main reason, from what I understand, is that the new logo depicts a person in a wheelchair in motion, rather than the current stick figure type character . The motion logo is supposed to be less offensive to people with disabilities.
I don't really know about that. One thought that might be more offensive to some is that only people in a wheelchair are thought of as living with a disability. I now am considered one of the people living with a disability after my stroke last year and display the "handicap" parking tag.
What I consider more offensive than any logo though is the total disregard for the handicap parking spaces and the total lack of regard for their use by many.
Just pull into a Walmart or other large parking lot and look at the people that use the reserved spaces as a convenient quick stop, rather than looking for a "regular" parking spot.
I have observed everything related to abuse of the Handicap spaces , from Police Cruisers to State Reps with their legislative plates running into Dunkin Donuts for a quick coffee to a UPS truck making deliveries, parking right in front of the obvious blue handicap sign.
This past week I was trying to park for an appointment at Mt. Sinai Rehab Hospital. I pulled into the lot , a lot which has many posted handicap spaces ( it is a rehab facility and the majority of the visitors are in need of the spaces) One of the last available places was taken by a man that pulled into the lot and quickly parked in a clearly marked handicap space.
Now I know that disabilities come in all forms, but this man was dressed in a uniform for the Security Company contracted for Mount Sinai/Saint Francis. I politely asked him if he forgot to hang his handicap placard before parking. He replied that he was late for work and he was only parking there for a few minutes while he went inside to punch in. His supervisor responded with the same excuse when I complained to him.
Just punching in for work at Mount Sinai, so the Handicap spot is OK
I think until we get serious about enforcement for handicap violations, no change in the logo is going to be effective, it is just window dressing to mask the problem.
And here is just a couple more examples. If they can't even show respect for the current signage, will a new logo make a difference?
9 comments:
Well said Kevin. Your experience is not unique, sad to say. I'd much rather our state spent more time enforcing the existing laws than debating about a logo which even their own ignore.
Who's cruiser is that ? Is there a Hillary sticker on it ?
That is just plain ignorant. Enforcement is the obvious answer. I hardly ever used that space whenI had a temp sticker. I say shoot 'em. That is aperfctuse of side arm.
I was joking about shootings person that doesn't belong in handicap parking. But it is bad for to do that. Again, enforcement insthe answer. Proof with photos should = fine including the copo.
Police plate seems to be 4-H... Can't see the rest. Come on, who done it? I D the remainder.
Handicapped passes should have the person's photograph on it (from their license file) and have the expiration date - both very large so that they can be seen from at least 10 feet away. If a person uses the placard of a handicapped person and that person is not at the destination the placard should be confiscated and both the driver and the person who it was assigned to should be fined.
You are required now to put the last five digits of your drivers license on there now, but the enforcement action is also the issue. I just came back from Stew Leonard's in Newington. In the area where I parked only two of the four cars had handicap hang tags on them (and one of the four was mine). One of the cars without had New Jersey plates, but the reality is that even if I called the Newington Police, the cars would probably be long gone before an officer showed up to ticket them. I am ready to start putting out spike strips and surprise the drivers when they return to their cars
If I had a late model car, I would be especially watchful of inconveniencing others. All it takes is a little piece of glass and a casual walk along the side of a car. I have never done it but I sure have thought about it.
8:02PM
I can't condone violence or vandalism, but I also can't condone ignorance for those that abuse handicap parking spaces
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