From time to time one hears that able bodied people are using disabled parking and am wondering if that is widespread. I can see the attraction as they are closest to the shops entrance.

If the misuse of the spaces is common do people simply ignore the signs or do they use stolen or borrowed stickers on their vehicle.

I do not know how our system works as I have never had to use it and really have not taken notice of stickers on cars. I think one has to get an authority from a GP to obtain a sticker from the motor registary in each state.

A recent news article stated that at least one city in the USA is using volunteers to check if cars had an up to date sticker and report it to authorities, along with a photo of the vehicle. Apparently their stickers have a visible number that can be checked for validity.

Would that idea work here where there is a problem? Or is there another way to stop unlawful use of the designated parking spaces?

Henry L yes indeed they are often used by people who have no right to
NSW see,s women use them to park very high end cars
Men do too but hard for the police to be every place at once
Make the tag electronic and have a signal sent if no tag on parked cars

Dear Henry,

Ever since my fall some time ago when I smashed the
bones in my right leg, I need a walker when it
involves walking greater distances. I was issued
a form for disabled parking by my GP and got all
the display permit signs from my local council.

It's amazing how many times people use the
disabled parking spaces when they're not entitled
to do so.

I'm not sure how to solve this problem, especially
in large shopping centres - when security is busy
elsewhere

In NSW apparently the penalty is currently $519.00 plus one demerit point.

I think the USA idea is to use volunteers that go to the parking areas armed with cameras that have a date/time printing capability. Any photo would have to also have in the picture the cars number and the ground emblem showing the disabled sign. A simple form to be filled out showing the sticker number to be checked, if there is a windscreen sticker.

Obviously the misuse is not only affecting disabled drivers but we would need less if only used by the entitled persons.

I also have a disabled parking tag. I do find a few cars without the tag parking in shopping centres. It is at its worst at a public hospital I had to attend a few times.

I have sometimes felt like kicking a car door in on occasions when I have been in severe pain. One thing stops me, as the parker may not be illegal, just careless.

I use a number of different vehicles, & carry my parking tag in a bag along with my emergency heart medication. This goes with me almost everywhere. I have had a few occasions when I have forgotten to get my parking tag out & display it as I leave the car. As I expect something similar may happen to others, I give those with no tag the benefit of the doubt.

I don't use a walker yet Foxy, but I would not be able to do a full grocery shop, without a shopping trolley to lean on. Fortunately the trolley return is a ridiculous distance from the disabled parking at my nearest shopping centre, so people often leave the trolley in a corner of the parking bay. I grab one to lean on as the supermarket is a long way from the entrance

Dear Hassie,

Sorry to hear about your heart condition.
I fully understand your having to lean on
a trolley I do that with my walker.
I've actually had to sit on it a few times
and rest while shopping.
And its wise you taking your meds with
you.

I've got to go to the hospital in a couple
of weeks for my stress walk and echo. They may
change my meds then. We'll have to wait and
see.

Anyway, you take care.

All The Best.