SAN FRANCISCO: 90,000 handicap cards -- 4 per S.F. parking meter

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 1/26/7 | Charlie Goodyear

[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.

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Notice the real cause of outrage is loss of tax revenue and not the abuse of the system.

Well, the liberals do have to have their priorities...

[null and void]

*shrug* I thought about blasting you, but even though I know some people who go to the gym for physical therapy (like my Dad) I still find the handicapped spaces at a gym amusing.

Does this make me a bad person?

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*ouch*

[nascarnation]

"The disabled placard may be issued to a passenger in the vehicle. It is not limited to the driver. They should still have to pay for parking like everyone else, IMO"

This is very common.

The factory where I work has most of the HC spots filled by able bodied folks who have a tag from Grandma.

[spectre]

I have a good friend who happens to be the administrator of a large medical practice. He and I were in the parking area of a a large race track waiting for our wives. the parking lot had abot 100 handicapped parking spaces.

During that period of time we observed lots of healthy looking 20, 30, and 40 somethings jump out of their handicapped spots and quick-time get to the track's entrance.

I asked him how so many apparently healthy people got those stickers.

He said something like "Al, you don't understand - for many of these people its not about a medical condition - Its a CAREER GOAL."

[daviscupper]

You are right but they are not including the mentally handicapped.

[Kirkwood]

"No - I would have noticed that when they got out of the car. "

The scooters are in most large stores and malls. I think you know that, but you are trying to just be a smartass even though you sound like a total moron. I would let you take this up with my fiesty sister-in-law who had leukemia and looked healthy, but could only walk at most 100 feet without being totally exhausted... except she died from her illness.

[Kevmo]

Nice post. Almost tagline worthy.

[art_rocks]

I think he was trying to say that some, not all, people have made bad lifestyle choices and now are having health problems where they need a placard. It these people had made better choices, diet and exercise, when they were younger, they wouldn't need the handicapped placard now.

[Shots]

"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"

I do not doubt it is a true story but if they ever catch you using one you are in for one huge fine. I believe it is 1,000 bucks here if the individual in the car is not the one who the sticker was issued too that is. IN my case I have one therefore I have to be in the car with my wife but she dare not use it on her own.

[ushr435]

According to South Park, smugness is a real health hazard in San Francisco.

[Greystoke]

What We Have Here is a Failure to Communicate

[Mike Darancette]

For fun, sit outside ANY mall in America and see who parks there with an official handicap sticker for their car.

Most are really upscale auto's Lexus, MBZ or huge SUVs. I have a sticker but cannot ever find a spot.

[george76]

Agency officials say they don't believe its employees -- or anyone else -- are stealing meter revenue as was the case in the 1990s, ...

[Darnright]

>The factory where I work has most of the HC spots filled by able bodied folks who have a tag from Grandma.<

In Virginia, they issue a card from DMV with the handicapped person's name on it. That person better doggone well be with the car, if it's parked in a HC space.

[WardMClark]

>The factory where I work has most of the HC spots filled by able bodied folks who have a tag from Grandma.<

In Virginia, they issue a card from DMV with the handicapped person's name on it. That person better doggone well be with the car, if it's parked in a HC space.

My wife's brother is married to a blind girl, and she also has a HC hanger. My brother in law used to use it himself all the time, whether his wife was with him or not. Until...

During a family get-together, he and I ran to the local grocery store for a couple of things, and he commented that I didn't park in the handicap spot.

"(My wife) isn't with me," I said. "I never use those spaces unless she's with me, and she's going in the store."

"Really?" he asked, and I could see he was thinking, Geez, I do.

"Yeah," I told him. "It's dishonest. I can't see much difference between doing that, and lying, or stealing."

I understand he doesn't abuse his wife's tag anymore. Shame does work, sometimes.

[cherry]

"One of the biggest scams is the handicap card for automobiles that allow people to park in the best spaces or not"

tell me about it....I know relatives.....not blood relatives....that wave those things around like trophys......

its too easy to get the docs to okay the issuance of these cards....often, they just don't want to make waves.....

I rarely see anyone park in a handicap spot with an official handicap sticker actually NEED that spot....RARELY....

and I am not anti-disabled parking....my father at age 80 had one and so does a relative with REAL actual dissability....ALS......

but who gets all those parking spots?...its not the people in wheelchairs ......

[cherry]

It also needs to be said that walking is one of the very best exercises for back problems, heart problems, etc....

infact, walking regularly can actually help diminish many health problems and should be encouraged, not discouraged, especially for those sick already....

so why do we tell people to get exercise and then give them cards so they don't have to exercise?...

[AmeriBrit]

If ignorance was classed as a disease then you'd definitely qualify for a handicap sticker.

[webheart]

For example, people with heart disease can't walk long distances.

Lot's of people get heart disease precisely because they never wanted to walk long distances. And lots of people who have heart disease could benefit from a little walking. So really, that is an excuse as lame as any I have ever heard. We bend over backwards giving people the benefit of the doubt, and they take advantage of it. Just like welfare, if you give people enough help, they will stop doing anything at all for themselves. Why does that surprise us?