Selfish drivers cause discomfort
Able-bodied drivers show no respect to those with a disability.
An anonymous resident furiously told the Herald about the audacity of inconsiderate drivers who park in assigned disabled person’s parking spaces.
The resident had foot surgery about four weeks ago and while suffering from pain and discomfort, she had to walk about two blocks to enter Randgate Spar. There she found an able-bodied driver with no wheelchair sticker on the window, waiting for her friend.
She has noticed several people casually walking out of shopping centres, with no disabilities whatsoever, straight to their vehicles in the disabled person’s parking spaces. They do not understand the inconvenience and stress they cause people in pain or simply struggling with mobility. When the car guards intervene, they simply get shouted and sworn at.
The resident added,
“Some motorists even damage the beams meant to prevent able-bodied people from parking in the allocated parking spaces. This is a law and we need to abide by it.”
Disabled parking bays are reserved for persons with physical impairment who need an assistive device for mobility. The device (wheelchair, walker, crutches, prostheses) needs you to have a wider parking bay (3,5 metres as opposed to the normal 2,5 metres) to get into and from a vehicle.
Every disabled motorist needs to apply for a permit to be able to park in the disabled parking. Application forms are obtained from your local Traffic Department.
The permit is a white disability sign on blue a background.
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