Posted on 01/26/2007 8:10:36 AM PST by SmithL
With tough questions being asked at City Hall over why San Francisco's parking meters aren't generating more revenue, one possible explanation beginning to emerge is the astonishingly high number of handicap placards that have been handed out in the city.
San Francisco has about 23,000 coin-fed parking meters, while city residents hold about 90,000 permanent and temporary handicap parking placards, issued by the state Department of Motor Vehicles, allowing them to park for free, said Judson True, spokesman for the city's Municipal Transportation Agency.
That's about four placards for every meter.
"While the MTA supports the legitimate use of disability placards, there's no doubt that they have an effect on our parking meter revenue," True said.
Tim Hornbeck is the executive director of the Arc of San Francisco, a nonprofit group that helps and advocates for people with disabilities. He agreed that better enforcement of handicap placards by the state DMV perhaps is needed. But so is parking meter enforcement, he said.
"I just walked outside of our building," Hornbeck said. "Out of 27 meters, nine were expired with no tickets, five had disability placards, and one was a city vehicle. Only 12 of those meters were getting revenue."
To obtain a handicap placard, California residents must have certain medical conditions -- such as heart disease, vision problems or impaired walking -- and have them certified by a doctor or other medical professional.
The uproar over a report revealing that the city's meters are capturing an average citywide of just 22 percent of their potential revenue showed no signs of abating Thursday.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Only 90,000? I'd have guessed that all San Franciscans were handicapped.
Man, liberals just have no clue whatsoever about the law of unintended consequences.
What type of vision problems could you have which would allow you to drive but require you to park close to a building or free at a meter?
I once had a perfectly able bodied co worker who had a handicapped parking permit.
I asked him how he got it. He said "Oh they're easy to get. Next time you go to the store and see one hanging in a car just reach in there and get it"
True story
Right! Should those people even be driving in the first place?!!!!!!!!
Technically? Loss of one eye.
Typical limosine liberal population. Taxes and rules are for the other guy. Probably most of the parked cars were gas guzzlers as well.
I wonder if AIDS is considered a handicap...
In places like SF and NYC, the nearest other place to park other than in the street in front of the building (which is usually only one or two spots, if any) is a parking structure which may be several blocks away. And since the ADA mandates handicap parking.... plus, the legitimately handicapped may not be *able* to walk the several blocks back to the building.
I hate to be insensitive, but.... I have to wonder if handicap driving passes are not being given out way to freely. Seems to be a lot more of them in recent years. And unfortunately many of the people with them do not drive very well. It almost seems like people with those stickers in their car have a license to drive badly.
"Most are healthier than you and me."
You can't say that by looking at someone. For example, people with heart disease can't walk long distances. Same for patients undergoing certain types of cancer treatments.
HA-HA-HA!!! Serves 'em right! Compassion again triumphs over common sense...SSZ
Hmmm - but they are healthy enough to go shopping at the mall? All that walking between stores?
And if you see them running, they are just trying to save their hearts by minimizing the time they are on their feet.
I see that too here in California. And I too can't walk without limping due to a leg injury. Yet I am just thankful I can still walk and wouldn't dream of asking for a handicapped sticker so long as I can manage without it. I have no qualms about giving spots to genuinely handicapped people. I have a lot of qualms about people using them. Can't tell you how many times I've wanted to have a huge windshield sticker I could place on space abusers' cars that would require some serious cleaning to even be able to see. Of course, I wouldn't do it but I can dream, can't I?
I just want to know what is with all those handicaped parking spots at the Bally Fitness Center? :-)
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