Monday, March 9, 1998
Parking enforcement targets misuse of disabled placards
HANDICAPPED: Abuses of system spur re-evaluation of current UCLA
policies
By Scot Sargeant
Daily Bruin Contributor
UCLA parking enforcement has decided to begin charging disabled
drivers to park on campus.
Because some may be tempted to borrow disabled parking placards,
UCLA Parking Enforcement has implemented measures to prevent the
misuse of disabled parking placards.
"We do have a big disabled placard parking problem on the campus
– in terms of misuse of placards," said Steve Rand, manager of
enforcement, traffic and adjudication.
Three years ago, legislature added a section to the California
Vehicle Code that allows parking enforcement officers, rather than
just sworn police officers, to approach people who are driving
vehicles displaying placards.
"It is designed to ensure that placards are being used by
legitimate placard holders, and they’re being used appropriately,"
Rand said.
People who aren’t legitimately disabled are borrowing placards
from disabled drivers, therefore allowing them to park close to
campus resources and not pay parking fees. Also, people are
acquiring placards when they are not actually disabled.
Currently, drivers with a placard are not required to pay UCLA
parking fees when parking in handicapped spots, regular spots,
along green curbs and at meters.
However, this will soon change.
"Because of this problem, we will now be implementing the
requirement that staff, students and faculty display both the
placard and the UCLA parking permit," he continued. Disabled
drivers will be paying full price for UCLA parking permits.
This enforcement program works by having teams of two
enforcement officers choose a parking area. They will approach
someone who is parking or getting into a car with a placard
displayed, state who they are and explain the purpose of the
program.
They will then ask to see the placard, the registration card
that goes with the placard and photo identification.
"If everything matches, then great, the placard is being used
appropriately, and the people can go on their way," Rand said.
However, if they do not possess these items, three things will
happen.
The placard will be confiscated, a citation will be issued and
the driver will be accounted for the spot in which they are
parked.
The fine for misuse of a placard is $500 – the highest fine a
parking enforcement can issue. If the driver is found parked in a
disabled spot, an additional fine of $300 will be assessed.
"The point of the enforcement program on the campus is to make
sure that people who (misuse the placards) are not going to be
allowed to get away with it," Rand said.
"It is not the intent of the placards, and it is absolutely
having a negative impact on legitimate disabled users of parking
facilities on campus," he continued.
However, some confusion may arise for drivers who transport
disabled drivers.
"The law requires that a person who is transporting a disabled
person, which they are perfectly legally able to do, must park
within reasonable proximity of the disabled person’s destination,"
Rand said.
Therefore, drivers are not permitted to drop off a disabled
person at one destination and then use the placard to park in a
location that is not near the disabled person.
UCLA parking enforcement has seen an increase in the number of
complaints from disabled drivers unable to find parking. He said
that the Dixon Court parking area, which runs throughout most of
central campus, has seen the most complaints.
"I have encountered difficulty finding a parking space at times.
I can see how the convenience would appeal to those who use our
placards, but it is truly inconsiderate that healthy people would
take advantage of the benefits offered to us," said one disabled
driver, who wished to remain anonymous.
According to Rand, well over 100 citations have been issued for
misuse of placards since the initiation of this program. He added,
however, that the rate of abuse has been declining.
"We have absolutely no intention of stopping this program. I
understand it’s difficult for people to find parking on this
campus," Rand said. "But there is absolutely no excuse, in my mind,
for using a disabled person’s parking placard, if you’re not
disabled yourself."