San Francisco Considering Eliminating Free Parking For Those With Disability Placards

In the crowded streets of Chinatown, where cars park bumper to bumper, it's common, almost expected, to see one, two, three or more cars in a row with blue disability placards hanging in the windshield. Many belong to people with genuine disabilities, but the city's parking authority says not all of them do.

"People do use these disabled placards fraudulently, and they misuse them constantly," SFMTA spokesperson Paul Rose said.

Whether the placard belongs to a relative or was prescribed by an unscrupulous doctor, the reason for the abuse is simple - a disability placard lets people park for free all day long.

It's a bounty so tempting, even the $1,000 fine for getting caught won't deter some scofflaws.

So as the city mulls over how to curb the problem, one option on the table is taking away free parking from disabled drivers so there's no more incentive to cheat.

"Everything is on the table at this point, and it's too early to say what is and what isn't," Rose said.

In order to charge drivers with a disability placard for meter parking, local authorities would actually have to lobby for a change in state law. And when you start talking about taking away rights from people with disabilities, it becomes a hot button issue.

"People with disabilities who tend to be at the lower socioeconomic brackets would have a higher burden to be able to get around the city," Mayor's Office on Disabilities spokesperson Susan Mizner said.

Mizner says wheelchair users in particular often drive because they have trouble getting on and off buses.

On whether they should have to pay like everyone else, Metropolitan Transportation Commissioner David Campos hasn't ruled it out.

"I think it should be part of the discussion; I personally am not convinced that it's the right way to go, but I do think it's important for us to talk about it," Campos said.

But, Mizner points out San Francisco has few reserved spots for those with disabilities.

"Then why have the placard? What good does it do you?" Mizner asked.

How To Report Disabled Parking Placard Fraud To The DMV

Q: Dan Ross of Redlands asked about what he says is frequent fraudulent use of the disabled parking placards at Victoria Gardens and Ontario Mills shopping centers, as well as in the Rancho Cucamonga area in general. “A law is only as good as its enforcement. It is never enforced. Those committing fraud know it. I would just love it if they could spare one person to spot check one day for ID with placards … Why have the law if they’re not going to enforce it?” Ross asked.

A: Well, there’s just no way that law enforcement can catch every offender, and statistics show there are plenty of people using these placards who shouldn’t be. Police do issue citations and the Department of Motor Vehicles especially is trying. The DMV conducts up to 24 enforcements statewide each month. Has busted plenty of people for fraudulent use of a disabled parking placard.

For example, during the yearlong period from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, DMV investigators conducted 217 enforcement operations and issued 1,987 misdemeanor citations, according to the DMV. During the previous fiscal year (2017-2018), the DMV said it conducted 256 enforcement operations and issued 2,485 citations; in the fiscal year before that, the DMV issued 1,625 citations during 165 enforcement operations.

Related links

When using a disabled placard, do I need to also have the DMV ID card? Do golf carts need a disabled parking placard? Leave van-accessible handicapped parking spots open for wheelchair users Driving with a handicapped placard still on the rearview mirror can be a problem

These citations are misdemeanors, not just a parking ticket, so offenders have to go to court and if convicted, the offense goes on their driving record. Fines range from $250 up to $1,000 depending on jurisdiction.

The DMV has also been working with some Inland Empire cities to carry out enforcement actions at festivals like Coachella and Stagecoach and the Los Angeles County Fair. And as we’ve written before, local police issue citations when they can, and if reported by citizens. The DMV wants to know where there’s a lot of placard fraud. Encourages people to contact their local DMV office so they can consider an enforcement action in that area. Our reader could certainly report his concerns. People also can report suspected abuse on the DMV website, dmv.ca.gov.

The DMV has been raising awareness about disabled parking placard abuse for several years now by issuing news releases about their regular enforcement actions and is asking for the public’s help to spread the word and report known offenders.

California law says a disabled person parking placard can only be used by the person to whom it’s been issued. Police and DMV investigators can verify that a disabled parking placard is being appropriately used by its rightful owner by comparing the placard assignment number with an accompanying registration card and the placard owner’s personal identification. It’s illegal for family members or friends to use someone’s placard unless they are driving the disabled person and remain in the immediate area as the parking placard holder. We should also remind folks that not all disabilities are visible or outwardly apparent to others.

Q: Chris Born lives in the Mentone area near Redlands East Valley High School. King Street/Agate Avenue, which runs north/south near the high school is a “race track,” says Born. “In the middle of the night cars race down this street setting off car alarms nearly every night of the week. The two biggest issues are a lack of stop sign on the corner of Agate Avenue and Nice Avenue, in addition to the speed at which people fly up a road that is posted as 25 mph.” He asked who to contact to ask for a stop sign at Nice and Agate or some speed bumps on Agate to put an end to the nighttime racing and daytime speeding that makes the area so dangerous.

A: The area immediately around Redlands East Valley High School, east of Wabash, is in the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s jurisdiction for enforcement purposes but the roads are maintained by the San Bernardino County Public Works Department.

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The department accepts requests for traffic control from the public and you can learn more about how this works at this link: https://cms.sbcounty.gov/dpw/Transportation/Traffic.aspx#16400.

Once our reader makes his request, Public Works’ Traffic Division will conduct an engineering review to process the request. People can ask for a stop sign, traffic light, crosswalk markings and the like. Our reader can contact the Traffic Division at 909-387-8186 or by email, Dpw-traffic@dpw.sbcounty.gov. Or, he can contact Grant Mann at 909-387-8186, or GMann@dpw.sbcounty.gov.

Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address.