More L.A. drivers grab disabled parking spaces using fake placards

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More L.A. drivers grab disabled parking spaces using fake placards

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Traffic officials are cracking down on what they say is an

increasing practice in this car-packed metropolis: drivers snagging

handicapped spaces using fake placards, or ones borrowed from relatives.

Disabled drivers say the stolen spaces have contributed to a parking crunch

so severe that they sometimes have to wait up to two hours for a vacant

handicapped space.

" These parking lot sharks are violating both federal and state laws by

parking in spaces they are not entitled to, " said , president

of Californians for Disability Rights. " This is not a game. This is a

violation of the law. "

Traffic officials say abuse of the system is widespread, with some people

buying invalid permits sold at flea markets and on the street for $25 each.

Other drivers use relatives' placards or pressure doctors into writing them

prescriptions for permits they don't need.

Last year the city's 529 parking officers issued 29,727 citations for misuse

of handicapped spaces or permits. That was a 32 percent increase from the

22,487 citations in 2001.

" It's a gigantic problem, " said Betty , captain of the city's parking

enforcement Special Operations Bureau. " For us, we are just trying to stay

ahead of the wave. It's almost like taking sand off the beach with a spoon. "

People can lawfully obtain disabled parking placards or plates only if they

have " impaired mobility " certified by a doctor, or if they have heart or

lung disease, visual problems, or the loss of use of one or both legs or

both hands.

Barry Siegel, a member of the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities,

said many doctors agree to give patients permanent placards good for up to

two years instead of temporary placards good for no more than six months.

" So someone with a broken leg, when the leg is healed, still has the

disabled placard and can still get it renewed every two years, " said Siegel,

a quadriplegic. " Also, all people have to do is lie a little bit to their

doctor and they can get a placard. "

Another part of the problem is the state Department of Motor Vehicles

issuing placards that weren't received by the intended recipients.

" We admit there are instances where they get sent to the wrong address, " DMV

spokesman Botello said. " But normally, especially on the permanent

ones, they are numbered and we have certain ways of checking that they do

get to the right person. "

Across California, 1.5 million people have permanent disabled parking

placards -- 387,547 of which are in Los Angeles County. There are 178,453

temporary ones statewide, 31,905 of which are in the county.