What do you think of free parking for the disabled?

Question

In our left-wing city of Windsor, Ontario, parking meters can be found on many streets, in addition to governmental parking lots. While the average joe parking his car in the lot must place a few quarters in the machine, all of the handicapped spaces have no meters to be found; that is, giving them free parking. Any opinions on this? 10 pts., as always!

Answer 1

I don't think it's that bad of an idea, morally, but to be fair economically, I don't think it's fair to make others pay and them not. Some people who are disabled are rich. Just because you are disabled doesn't mean you also don't have to pay your taxes and that is essentially what parking meters are for.

I'm just making sure we look at both sides of the coin.

Not all poor people are disabled and not all disabled people are poor. I just don't think we should correlate two things that don't have a direct connection.

Sure it would be nice to do that...but the question is whether it is fair.

The purpose of disabled spots is for easier access because of the disability. That is a direct connection. Not having to pay a tax is a completely different matter.

I do think they should have more handicap spaces and punish people who violate the law and park in them illegally.

Answer 2

Well I would rather pay for parking than be disabled! Seriously though... I guess I hear a lot of people who are disabled say they want to be treated like every other person is treated... at the same time not all of them can do regular work and have to depend on Government income, which isn't always a lot and if they don't have any other choice I am sure that would leave them frustrated. I say let them have free parking - what's the big deal?

Answer 3

Speaking as an American Handicapped person, I wish that America would adopt the Windsor law. You don't realize the problems faced by people with handicaps who cannot get a parking spot because all the handicapped ones are filled with cars with either no handicapped plates or tags. I for one can only walk about 50 yards without stopping. The people in chairs have it harder. I served my country in the military and was hurt there, don't you think that this little payback is fair?

Answer 4

The reason for free metered parking is not for financial need. It is because handicapped people cannot always get to the meters. For example, the space between cars is 18". My wheelchair is 24". How do I get to the meter? Even if the space between cars was >24", there may be a curb. How do I get over the curb in a wheelchair? This is an access issue not a financial one.

Answer 5

I think it's a good thing. Think about a guy in a wheelchair who doesn't have any money and needs to do something in the area, do you want him to look for parking far away that is free and then have him try to get to the building he needs to go to.

What I am opposed to are the ones who are not in wheelchairs or even on crutches using loopholes in the laws so that they can use the spaces for themselves, like they use their mother's permit or they get one for themselves when they don't really need one.

I know people that get the handicap permit because they are fat and have a bad back, it makes me very angry when I see that. Just yesterday I was at the store and this couple walked in (both able bodied people) and then they proceeded to get themselves a pair of motorized scooters so they wouldn't have to walk while they shopped, needless to say they both had VERY wide bottoms.

Answer 6

Oh pricey. I actual have a blue badge which permits me to paintings fulltime. It skill i can park outdoors my workplace at a meter without paying something like £20 in line with day. human beings in my workplace park loose contained in the line about a 10 minute walk away, on the bottom of a steep hill - this may be not achieveable for me. I actual have arthritis in both knees and one hip it quite is amazingly painful yet i do not get any incapacity reward or allowances. If it wasn't for the loose parking i could ought to offer up operating the position I do and could likely fee the state so a lot more desirable in unemployment reward. i can stress for roughly an hour at a time with none complications and that i can swim - the discomfort is from the stress on my joints, purely from wearing my personal weight - and that i'm not in besides overweight. yet another factor, my mom has angina and a heart condition. she will 'leap out the automobile' and looks in good structure and healthful, yet after actually 5 or 10 minutes strolling round she has easily no skill and could be suffering for breath. not all blue badge holders have obvious actual indications of incapacity. you could also discover that if a driving force has a actual incapacity then his automobile could were adapted to address that, he could have hand controls for brake snatch and accelerator. i can comprehend your frustration, i must admit that I often times felt a similar earlier I became a badge holder, yet now I comprehend that without it i could be very nearly constrained to the domicile and could really be unable to paintings. it truly is a lifesaver for me.

Answer 7

Interesting question-You get a star. I guess I have a soft spot for people who are truly disabled. I feel like this-If they are disabled,they are probably not able to work and are collecting disability. If it is a legitimate disability and this person has a family to support then money is extremely tight and I don't mind if they get to park free. HOWEVER if someone were to park in a disabled parking space and get out and jog a couple blocks to wherever their appointment is, That would really tick me off. Very interesting question!

Answer 8

Being handicapped and on a fixed income I live in a small
town and all the parking spaces are free , but it burns me up
when I see somebody parked in a handicapped space
without a handicapped tag or placard it hurts for me to walk
and being close to where I'm going helps.

Answer 9

No, you should start a riot over this. Just because some one has a disability doesn't mean they aren't a citizen like you. I don't think the govt can discriminate against you regular, tax paying citizens like that. I have a better idea; pay off your doctor to say you have a disability and get a handicapped permit! But a riot would be cool, and you'd get to be on TV.

Answer 10

It’s a great idea, I’m in California and in some places there aren’t meters inforunt of a handicapped spot. But the spot is always taken buy a jackass that dose not need that spot.