Michelle
11-25-2006, 06:23 PM
This holiday season, mind the blue lines (http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/116445157979770.xml&coll=1)
An Advance check finds scofflaws mostly parking in handicapped spots at smaller shopping centers
Saturday, November 25, 2006
By MAURA YATES
ADVANCE STAFF WRITER
On perhaps the busiest shopping day of the year, a spot check yesterday showed that motorists tend to follow handicapped parking regulations at larger stores and lots, where spaces are more plentiful and they're likely to be a while.
That wasn't the case at smaller stores, where more than a few people parked illegally. At the teeming CVS parking lot at Hylan Boulevard and Old Town Road, customers often take any space they can find, legal or not, an employee said.
When approached at CVS, one robust-looking 20-something who had parked his shiny Cadillac Escalade in a space reserved for the disabled admitted with a smirk that he is not disabled, but in fact is a dope.
Those with valid tags who are used to being forced to park elsewhere when able-bodied drivers steal their spots say it will be a long holiday season dealing with Scrooges with hearts as cold as snowmen and morals just as abominable.
"It's usually young people who can make the walk," one CVS customer pointed out, adding she is willing to walk from a farther spot, so why aren't they?
Another man with two small children parked in a handicapped spot said he only pulled in for a moment out of desperation due to the dearth of spaces, and didn't intend to leave the car. "I would never leave the car like this and get out," he said, while idling in the blue lines.
At the Staten Island Mall and the nearby Best Buy shopping plaza, blue handicapped parking spots were surprisingly plentiful, and almost every parked car had either handicap plates or a blue identification tag.
While most handicapped drivers were able to park close to the entrance, others were out of luck.
"There's never enough spots," said Guy Gigliello, an octogenarian from Concord, who had to park several rows away from a section of handicapped spots reserved outside Sears.
Luckily, he and his wife, Angie, weren't too far from the door. "If it's that far, we don't even bother stopping," Mrs. Gigliello said.
One Rossville resident with a back injury said he usually finds an open spot to park his handicap-plated vehicle, and if he has to park elsewhere, seeing scofflaws get slapped with a ticket makes up for any inconvenience.
Fines for illegally parking in a handicapped spot are $100 for the first offense and $100 and/or up to 90 days' community service for subsequent violations.
Maura Yates covers transportation news for the Advance. She may be reached at myates@siadvance.com.
An Advance check finds scofflaws mostly parking in handicapped spots at smaller shopping centers
Saturday, November 25, 2006
By MAURA YATES
ADVANCE STAFF WRITER
On perhaps the busiest shopping day of the year, a spot check yesterday showed that motorists tend to follow handicapped parking regulations at larger stores and lots, where spaces are more plentiful and they're likely to be a while.
That wasn't the case at smaller stores, where more than a few people parked illegally. At the teeming CVS parking lot at Hylan Boulevard and Old Town Road, customers often take any space they can find, legal or not, an employee said.
When approached at CVS, one robust-looking 20-something who had parked his shiny Cadillac Escalade in a space reserved for the disabled admitted with a smirk that he is not disabled, but in fact is a dope.
Those with valid tags who are used to being forced to park elsewhere when able-bodied drivers steal their spots say it will be a long holiday season dealing with Scrooges with hearts as cold as snowmen and morals just as abominable.
"It's usually young people who can make the walk," one CVS customer pointed out, adding she is willing to walk from a farther spot, so why aren't they?
Another man with two small children parked in a handicapped spot said he only pulled in for a moment out of desperation due to the dearth of spaces, and didn't intend to leave the car. "I would never leave the car like this and get out," he said, while idling in the blue lines.
At the Staten Island Mall and the nearby Best Buy shopping plaza, blue handicapped parking spots were surprisingly plentiful, and almost every parked car had either handicap plates or a blue identification tag.
While most handicapped drivers were able to park close to the entrance, others were out of luck.
"There's never enough spots," said Guy Gigliello, an octogenarian from Concord, who had to park several rows away from a section of handicapped spots reserved outside Sears.
Luckily, he and his wife, Angie, weren't too far from the door. "If it's that far, we don't even bother stopping," Mrs. Gigliello said.
One Rossville resident with a back injury said he usually finds an open spot to park his handicap-plated vehicle, and if he has to park elsewhere, seeing scofflaws get slapped with a ticket makes up for any inconvenience.
Fines for illegally parking in a handicapped spot are $100 for the first offense and $100 and/or up to 90 days' community service for subsequent violations.
Maura Yates covers transportation news for the Advance. She may be reached at myates@siadvance.com.