The ADA, which brought empty parking spots and ramps used twice a year to a store near you.
Seriously, whenever I see handicapped spaces full, which is rarely, usually a person gets out who then proceeds to walk, roll, or whatever, in a perfectly capable way. They get out of the car, then they go move around the mall like a regular person. Why did they need the spot? Was an extra 20 feet or whatever necessary to forestall a trip to the hospital?
“The ADA, which brought empty parking spots and ramps used twice a year to a store near you.”
So True! Thanks to stimulus bucks, CalTrans has just finished “rehabbing” Interstate 680 through the San Ramon Valley. As part of this work, crews jackhammered out all of the “handicapped” ramps in the sidewalks at each overpass ( that’s four per intersection ). They then re-poured them exactly as they had been except that now there is a “depression” for the yellow bumpy shit that’s mandated to assist the “blind.” Mind you, the yellow bumpy shit was already there, but it had been put on without the now “required depression,” hence this “repair.” My guess is that do do all the overpasses was at least a six figure subcontract, but what the hell “it’s other peoples money,” right! Lastly, like the unoccupied handicapped spaces, I’ve lived here 40 years and have yet to see either a wheelchair bound person or someone with a white cane at any of these places. It would have been cheaper to find the handicapped and have provided them with a chauffeur and a car.
I work with elderly and disabled people, most of whom are quite capable of walking the 40 odd feet or so to the store on their own. They can then use a store provided chair if they need to. 9 times out of 10, it’s a grossly obese person who parks there.