Disabled parking sign removed

SECUNDA – Ms June Schutte, a disabled, was upset when she found a disabled parking sign had been removed from a parking area next to her place of work.

She was involved in an accident eight years ago and a leg was amputated due to the extent of her injuries.

According to Ms Schutte the sign had been removed three day after it was put up on a brick wall in front of the located parking bay.

“We had made arrangement with our rental agency for use of this specific parking bay.

“This is the only one that is wide enough to access a wheel chair without damaging other vehicles, as well as a lower step to get onto the pavement.”

According to Ms Schutte the culprits who took the sign were from a pub.

She said: “The owner of the pub denied ever taking off the sign, but said the parking in front of the pub is for their clients.

“We are now making arrangements for a sign to be painted onto the parking bay.

“There is plenty of parking space for a person with both legs that is capable of walking, for me it is harder because I need to open my vehicle’s doors wider in order to gain access to my walking aids.

“According to the owner of the pub we are taking their customers’ parking.”

Ms Schutte said they went through the correct procedures and got permission for a sign to be put up and can understand the removal of the sign if they did not do so.

The Ridge Times spoke to the owner of the pub, Mr Deon van Rooyen.

He said he was made aware of the sign by one of his clients, but did not have an issue with it, and did not see it.

“The business owner had made a scene with his manager and thought that his approach on the matter was unacceptable.

“The business owner should have confronted him and not his management about the matter and the issue could have been resolved in a better manner.

“I confronted my staff about the sign, but they in all honesty did not take it.”

According to Mr Van Rooyen, the business owner did not make him aware of the parking facility being used for disabled persons.

“Persons with disabilities are a matter that is very close to home, so why on earth would I want to remove a sign allocated for them?”

He ended by say that if any of his customers were involved in the removing of the sign, he would be more than willing to pay for its replacement.

According to the Road Act, parking spaces are to be identified by signs incorporating the international symbol of accessibility in both the following ways:

* The ground surface needs to be marked with yellow marking paint.

* A post mounted sign at the front of the bay at a minimum height of 2.1m above ground surface measured to the bottom of the sign. It is not absolutely necessary to have a pole mounted sign, but it helps a great deal.

It is vital that the correct sign of the Road Traffic Act is displayed for law enforcement to be enforced against abusers.

A parking disc for people with disabilities was legislated. It is pale blue with a wheelchair on it.

It is displayed in the window of the vehicle and is not limited to a particular car.

It is valid, whether the person with a disability is a driver or passenger.

If he is a passenger, the driver cannot use it without the disabled person accompanying him.

The idea was to have a uniform system and disc, recognisable throughout the country.

Only people who are severely mobility impaired qualify.

This not only includes wheelchair, users but people with various walking aids as well.

The fine for parking in a parking reserved for disabled motorists (Section 58 (1) of 93/1996 Code 19952) varies from local authority to local authority, but can lead up to R500.

The Road Traffic Act 93 of 1994 at section 80 states: Any disabled person who has been exempted from the laws relating to parking in accordance with the laws of any province, and to whom proof of such exemption has been issued, shall be deemed to be so exempted from the laws applicable in the areas of jurisdiction of all local authorities in the Republic, but only to the extent to which that disabled person is exempted from the laws applicable in the area of jurisdiction of the local authority concern.

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to see vehicles that do not have parking permits displayed parking in spaces designated for people with disabilities.

People do this because they are often ignorant about the importance of these spaces to the people they are designed for.

Even short stays at these spaces by people who should not park there, can have a major impact on a person with a disability.