So this morning, a couple of us are in a local 7-11 for coffee. Besides us, there are a couple of cars each from two other departments. in fact, the parking lot on the side of the building is almost all police cars, as are the spots out by the curb, in front of the building but out along the street. The only spots open are the slots directly in front of the store, which we typically leave for the regular customers who might actually want to run in, buy stuff and leave.
So we're all sitting around, drinking coffee and talking about the night's business, when I happen to glance up and see that there's a vehicle parked in the handicapped spot out in front of the store. A quick look around shows me no one who appears handicapped, just a bunch of hispanic laborers (note to self: start inviting ICE guys to these coffees) and a large guy buying a pair of hot dogs at 5AM. (Ugh!) I wander outside and notice that in addition to having an expired inspection sticker from the neighboring state, the Cadillac SUV in the handicapped spot bears no placard or special DMV tags. I sigh, wander over to my cruiser, get my ticket book out, and start to write. This sort of thing is one of my serious pet peeves, for reasons that people who know me understand all too well.
A moment later, hot dog guy comes out and sees me scratching him the ticket. Of course he begs for a break, claiming that he didn't know, despite the big blue and white sign right above the parking lot just above eye level. Unfortunately for him, it's me writing the cite, and I don't cut slack on handicapped violators. I point out that there were and still are several other vacant slots that are not handicapped and which are still closer to the door than my car, and then I point out all of the police cars in the lot and ask him what he was thinking. Hell, doing this blatantly in front of us all is almost as disrespectful to us as it is to the actual disabled people who need those spots. He shrugs and laughs and says "Yeah, ok...you got me," in a manner that suggests that he still doesn't take it that seriously. But his good nature changed when he looked at the fine amount line: "Two hundred and fifty dollars?! Come on, man! That ain't right!"
No, parking in the one space reserved for the disabled isn't right, and doing it with six police cars in the parking lot is just ignorant. Hope he enjoyed the hot dogs. I figure they cost him $125.00 each. Dumbass.
Still Kickin'...
1 year ago
9 comments:
Dear Officer Krupke,
Sometimes I think handing out tickets for handicapped parking is the front line for good manners in this world.
I never understand why people feel they are entitled to do this. I never like that it's always expensive cars that seem to do it.
Thank you,
Ann T.
the stupidity of some people surprise's me,they do something wrong then wonder why they get in trouble...they must be as a quote says (thick as a brick)
Good on you, your doing a good job, keep it up.
That post just made my day. My dad has accused people of "mentally hadicapped parking" for years. I emailed him the post and it made his day too. The ICE line was pretty amusing as well.
That made my day! And everyone in dispatch laughed as I read your post out loud. So thanks for the laugh.
Those are always righteous cites. The last one I wrote, they were using the car owner's placard. I seized the placard too so the owner had to come get it at the PD and knew his family was abusing it.
Glad you wrote him. Expired inspection from neighboring state? Did he move to your state? How long does he have to register his vehicle in your state? He is lucky you didn't push for more violations.
Nah, he lives across the line in the other state. It's not that far away. The fact that he's deficient on that as well tells me that he just doesn't give a damn about the responsibilities that go along with owning and operating a motor vehicle. So screw him.
THANK YOU. Sometimes it makes ME insane to try to find a handicapped parking space when the only one around is being used by someone without a cripple tag or placard. Once I lost it and started screaming at a jerk who was in a handicapped spot (& most the blue stripey area next to it - parked crooked, you know, so nobody would scratch his pweshus vehicle) 'cause the cops I'd called hadn't arrived before he was leaving.
He started lecturing me on all the horrible things that were wrong with him for oh! so long! and if I "only knew" I wouldn't be so mean to him. I told him if that all was true he should get go get a handicapped placard, but since he didnt' have one he was PROBABLY FULL OF SH!T.
GAH! Sorry. But please, people if we can get one good thing out of being crippled can it AT LEAST be the parking spaces?
Really, thank you. You are my hero.
My favorite story is when I casually mentioned to a car full of blokes that they were about to pull into a handicapped spot w/o tags and received a full on "F.U. Beeyotch!". So I sauntered over to the cop in the electric wheelchair(Beach town, California) and explained the situation. Nifty ticket of $285 (fine in CA at the time) written by disabled cop. Problem solved.
Karma rules.
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