I am of several minds on this. I like the idea of having close up handicap parking, but the one-size-fits all federal mandates are stupid. Spots are mandated based on percentage of parking (rounding up) and have no relation to the activity in question.
For instance, a water skiing club is mandated the same percentage of spots as a geriatric physical rehab office.
It would also make sense to allow some normal “short term” parking up close for businesses such as dry cleaners. But quite often, if its a large parking lot, everything within 75’ of the door is given up to handicapped spots. It seems that I am always walking past a large number of empty handicap spots in otherwise packed parking lots.
This experience likely has many people thinking that they aren’t actually depriving those in need by momentarily taking a spot.
Per the theme of your question, people shouldn’t be parking in those spots unless they need them. If you are dealing with a limited number of people, perhaps you could print up some cards to slip under their wiper, stating why you need and use those spots. I imagine that would solve the problem. If not, have them ticketed.
GMTA — hammer meets nail. You just saved me a bunch of typing and probably said it better, too!
Excellent.
I was going to post the same but see you already did a heck of a job making clear the insanity of it all.
I worked with a woman who had one of those placards. I would see her car all the time in front of the gym where she worked out. I have no idea what she claimed as her handicap. Her office was two doors down from another person who was paralyzed and in a wheel chair. She had the nerve to park her car along side the paralyzed person's car.