My local disability rights group has run into a problem with the police
force: The Chief of Police has decided that he should dedicate the
efforts of his force to problems that are directly related to public
safety. Examples are enforcement of DUI, seat belt laws, and running red
lights. Enforcement of fines for illegally parking in reserved
accessible parking stalls seem unimportant to him.
Here's my disagreement: Accessible parking spaces for people with
disabilities have safety implications, not just convenience
implications. People who are slow walkers, or who are less visible to
drivers (because they are short -- like children -- possibly because
they travel in wheelchairs) are more likely to be injured in parking
lots than "full sized" agile people. So the illegal theft of an
accessible parking space creates a safety hazard for people who have
legitimate placards for the reserved accessible stalls.
Here's my problem: I have no specific examples to show the Police Chief
of people being injured because there were no reserved accessible
parking spaces available. Any wheelchair user or slow walker who
sustained an injury in a parking lot would be good enough, although it
would be better if they were forced to travel in the roadway by an
accessible-parking thief.
Anyone have any examples?
Sorry for the marginal relevance, and for duplicate postings.
Ron
Dept. of Philosophy (Emeritus)
U. of Hawaii at Hilo
Hilo, HI USA 96720
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