Incredibly ignorant. People are born with conditions, toms of young disabled people and don’t forget veterans that you have no idea what they went thru. Stop being so entitled you are not a medical doctor and nobody owe you an explanation they did their explaining with the DMV. Don’t judge people by their age or looks.

*by photocopy I'm referring to my doctor's permit request that has my name on it. My actual placard of course is hanging clearly.

I actually don't put my photocopy in my window and the only person I will show it to is an officer because we don't need to explain ourselves to literally every single person who feels like a wannabe superhero for harassing an actual disabled person who doesn't feel like explaining **** to strangers. Life is so hard enough and they can get in trouble w the officer for all I care if they want to report me (with my placard up). I'm really tired of the younger members of my community being put through heck. A 20 year old gal w my rare disorder died from it last week. Explaining our legal parking is the last thing we need to be doing.

People are actually born with genetic disorders and having a disability doesn't ban you from driving your friends. I look young and didn't look disabled up until my connective tissue disorder made my second leg completely fail, I fought the pain hard because I hate being in a scooter. I've been harassed so often I have to carry self-defense items, and I carry a photocopy of my doctor's signed permit request in MY NAME so that if judgemental people actually call the police, they will be getting a charge of filing a false police report. Less issues now that I am unable to walk over 10-20 feet but I'm still furious at people who dare give my community grief for being young and disabled. Many of us are trying to survive a risk of aortic aneurysm, black out upon standing too long, are in the process of losing our mobility and are unable to walk across a parking lot, and many other reasons we need quick access to our vehicle. Leave them alone. This poor girl had some nasty hag actually slam a shopping cart into her hip, dislocating her femur and shoulder as she landed. I hope security footage got the plates of that jerk and she gets on trial for assaulting a disabled person. This girl was about 20 and now her femur will likely dislocate far more frequently than before. This very young person has so much more pain in life and ignorance of these conditions gives us crippling anxiety whenever we go out in public. Such entitled people think only they get special parking for being old.

I think a combination of South Carolina and Florida handicap placards is the solution, provided states will adopt similar practices.

South Carolina's placard contains a photo of the handicap person right on the placard.

Florida has a renewal decal (with expiration date and placard number on it) to apply directly on the placard, just like renewing a license plate. Florida also issues registration cards to placards, containing the placard number, the handicapped person's name, address, date of birth, state DL or state ID card number, etc.

With a picture on the placard, plus a registration card and an official decal with expiration date and placard number on the decal makes it much more difficult to abuse. This now becomes a more secured "document " as altering the photo, decal, or registration card makes it easier to spot and fine abuse of handicap parking spots. Additionally, this would save states money in the long run, as upon renewal of the placard, only a registration and decal would be issued, not another blue placard roaming around on the street for abuse or for sale on sites such as eBay.

Brett, there are no 'obvious' cases. Yes, we understand that placard abuse is a rampant problem and we do a lot with our law enforcement partners to help them assign resources where they can do the most good. We also do a lot to educate the public on the issue and help people understand that they cannot let others use their placard. But there are a lot of hidden disabilities and it is not appropriate or legal for a private citizen to approach another on the matter. Only a uniformed officer can require someone to produce the documentation of right to use a placard.

Samuel was talking about those obvious cases where some teenage kid will drive all of his friends to the store, park in the accesible spot with his grandma's beige Mercury Grand Marquis with accesible plates, and literally sprint into the store laughing with his friends and punching them along the way. Then, they return to the car, all of them carrying cases of beer. Those uses are quite obviously fraudulent. Trouble is, local law enforcement won't get there before those guys leave.

Coti, Only a uniformed law enforcement official can confront someone and request the identification that corresponds to a placard. You can contact your local police department's nonemergency number and report the issue although it will be a low priority report.

What if Ipersonally know of someone illegally using someone else's tag? How does one go about getting the person caught by the authorities? I have personally confronted her and her answer is always "if someone needed it they would be parked there". She needs to understand it is illegal.

Here in Florida we are also issued a placard registration paper. l have photocopied mine and taped it to a conspicuous spot on my windshield which does not impede my view while driving. l don't physically appear to be handicapped but if asked I can point it out. If you question someone's authenticity call the local law enforcement agency and have an officer of the law sort it out.

It's usually the other way around. I do not look disabled, but have COPD and have trouble walking without running out of breath. Someone approached me, got right in my face, and yelled "********! Where are your crutches?" He had me in tears.

A friend who lost a leg to cancer at 17 or 18 was constantly harassed. She was in constant pain, but it does not show, so she was fair game. Rapping on the prosthesis usually produced an embarrassed apology.

When we approach someone who we question whether they can legitimately use a handicapped parking spot, we take a significant risk. And I don't just mean that person's reaction being violent. More importantly, what about the disabled person who doesn't appear to have an issue? Is being a do-gooder and interrogating them and humiliating them in public really the best course of action? Don't you wind up hurting the very type of person you are allegedly trying to help by trying to force them to disclose their very private personal medical issues in a parking lot when you have no legal right to do so... when they legally have a placard or handicapped license plate authorized by a medical professional? All that is accomplished is to make handicapped people want to stay locked up in their homes for fear of being publicly confronted by some do-gooder who has no business questioning them. I have had many handicapped voice concern over being ambushed by do-gooders.
I can pretty much guarantee that 99% of the people who are brazen enough to park in a handicapped spot will NOT change their habits after being confronted. Instead, they will go onto Facebook and make a joke to their friends about you and how you were truly powerless to do anything. You then turn it into a game and make them want to do it again. The bottom is that the only thing accomplished by confronting someone is to let you post on your own Facebook page what a crusader you think you are so that people can praise you.
The question to ask yourself is how many legitimately-disabled people are you willing to harrass, intimidate, and humiliate in a public setting just for the slight chance of causing one illegitimate parker to stop? As they say in the justice system, it is better to let 100 criminals go free than to sentence one innocent person to jail.
Those of us who are disabled and who can legitimately can access those parking spots should be the most understanding and compassionate people when it comes to not doing anything to make a fellow handicapped individual afraid to go out in public out of fear of a do-gooder inappropriately confronting them.

If someone is parked in an accessible space with not plate or placard, they are parked illegally and should be reported using the Parking Mobility App. If a vehicle has a valid plate or placard, only a uniformed officer can request identification that corresponds with the plate or placard. Remember, not all disabilities are readily apparent.

How about the guy driving the Corvette or the monster truck that you nearly need a ladder to get into. How do you deal with these people. I once parked behind a Corvette that was parked in a handicapped space with no placard when I was driving my mother who was very handicapped at the time and we had our placard, when he returned to his sports car hopping and skipping in his tennis shorts and tennis shoes, I simply refused to move and let him out until he apologize and he did. This was in the 1980's when handicapped parking was just starting in our area.

I have seen many plaques with photos on them.

Remember, not everyone has an obvious physical disability. As a 48 year old with category 2 stage 3 heart failure, I may not appear to have a physical disability, but I need to be assisted when walking more than 20 feet.

We strongly discourage approaching any driver suspected of accessible parking abuse. Confrontation at the point of infraction is rarely effective and often leads to escalated confrontation. You can report suspected placard abuse through the Parking Mobility App using the misdisplayed violation type. This helps us map locations and times where this type of violation is suspected and direct law enforcement partners during spot checks.

Well Rhedora, I usually ask if the person is young. With a smile on my face I say hey! What happened to you? Maybe 'cause I'm in a wheelchair people don't usually get upset. When they tell me they are using moms or grandmas car and oh well. That's when I get upset!!

How can you tell that though? I look healthy and am younger but have arthritis and you can't tell that stabbing pains come from every step.