I agree about not confronting anyone parked in an accessible spot. They likely are the kind of person you don't want to mess with if they would purposely put their own interests above someone with a disability. I recently saw someone with no placard parked in a space while looking for parking at a park. My son is a quadriplegic and we must have the space for his ramp to open. A woman with two small children arrived back at the car after I circled the block a few times. I decided to ask her if she had a disabled placard because none was visible. She became extremely irate and pulled a tattered one off the floor of the car. I pointed out that it was expired and she told me it was for her uncle who passed away. I explained that my son couldn't get out of his wheelchair van because she took the spot. She said that I didn't know what she's been going through. She showed no compassion so I drove off. I won't confront anyone again. This app will help and hopefully more communities will use it to prevent abuse.

Dawn handled her incident well. From what I read in her comment, the woman she spoke to was parked in the hash marks, not the space. Many people don't realize the hash marks are used for lifts and will park there or encroach on the space because they don't think it's technically illegal to do so.

I personally own a placard and the place where I work, there is a Russian guy that always use a temporary placard and he'd been using for years. I suspect he knows some kind of doctor that help him to get the renewal everytime when it's expired... And in addition, I know that some people even walking in a "normally" way can consider as handicap, but that man seriously used to load merchandises every morning. I want to send someone to report him so badly because somehow he is taking the spot not onlh for me, also for those people who are really in need.

Being a former police officer, nothing good can EVER come from a confrontation. Please avoid them.

I am young but I have handicap placards. I served 4 combat tours and people ask me all the time about my placards. I simply tell them 1.7 million of us went to war, to expect more, and they're welcome that I gladly gave my health so that they could live in less fear.

Dawn, I don't mean to start something, but... Do I understand correctly that you feel handicapped individuals who can walk should not be able to use a handicapped parking spot? Surely you are well aware that many handicapped people are ambulatory but still have a legitimate need for that parking... yes, me being one of them. What about people on oxygen or those with heart problems, severe back issues, or the many, many other legitimate reasons for needing a handicapped spot? The laws have nothing to do with the ability to walk per se and if I were approached by a do-gooder who saw my handicapped plate and placard yet still wanted to give me a hard time because I am able to walk, my reaction might not be very polite.
I understand your frustration if you are unable to walk and need a spot yet one is not available. But, beside there being no guarantee that a spot will be available to you at the time you need it, the laws don't give an order of priority among handicapped people and all of us who qualify for such parking are considered equal unless the signage specifically states restrictions (e.g., the parking is only for those in wheelchairs).

Many disabilities are not apparent. If a vehicle displays appropriate license plate or placard, it is not reportable. We do not condone approaching a suspected violator ever. Confrontation never ends positively. If you are approached while reporting, simply state that you are part of the Parking Mobility program and you are reporting a violation of law in a public space.

Just because you can walk doesn't mean you aren't handicapped .

The lady asked me why I was taking pics of her car. I told her in a polite but firm tone that I am tired of not being able to park in the only spots I can because someone who can walk is parked there. Immoderately she began apologizing. She actually was parked on the stripes and not in the unscripted portion of the space. She asked what I was doing with the pictures. I told her I was going to send them to the cops. I could tell she was ignorant and truly sorry. So I did not submit pics. You just have to be nice but firm. Don't act angry even though you are!