Do you drive/park on sidewalks?

[jfz6]

I live in an apartment/condo community where there is very little parking and very few childre. I work the night shift and come home very early in the morning. Everyday I turn off the road right onto the sidewalk ramp and ride to my apartment and park right outside my front door.

 

[Tailgate]

Today, I endied up parking up onto the sidewalk in front of a Chiptole (mexican fast food) rather than parking in the hash mark next to a handicap spot because I felt that there wouldn't be enough room in case a vehicle pulled up that had one of those hydraulic ramps. While I was eating, I saw a vehicle pull up into that empty spot and out comes one of those ramps.

You park on handicap hash marks around here and you risk getting a HUGE fine (over $350). Same goes if you accidentally have even a tire barely on one of the space lines. Handicapped everything has gotten OUT OF CONTROL---people going around and suing over stupid stuff. Some businesses have excessive multiple handicap parking spaces. Every Tom, Dick & Harry & Mary, it seems, is claiming "disability." One lawsuit nut (professional lawsuit file nut) filed a suit against a tiny cafe called "Squeeze In" (because you have to squeeze in to sit down in the tiny restaurant). Owner, (he himself, has a handicapped wife) always offers to personally walk outside and hand deliver an order to anybody in a wheelchair outside. But, NOOO! Person filed a lawsuit anyway which is forcing the owner to ABANDON his site and rebuild somewhere else. I commend the merchant who designates a motorcycle parking area that is visible from the entrance (for better security) and where car drivers aren't apt to knock motorcycles over. Why don't more merchants catch on? I am more likely to patronize a business if I know there's sure to be a half decent place to park my FZ6.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

You park on handicap hash marks around here and you risk getting a HUGE fine (over $350). Same goes if you accidentally have even a tire barely on one of the space lines. Handicapped everything has gotten OUT OF CONTROL---people going around and suing over stupid stuff. Some businesses have excessive multiple handicap parking spaces. Every Tom, Dick & Harry & Mary, it seems, is claiming "disability." One lawsuit nut (professional lawsuit file nut) filed a suit against a tiny cafe called "Squeeze In" (because you have to squeeze in to sit down in the tiny restaurant). Owner, (he himself, has a handicapped wife) always offers to personally walk outside and hand deliver an order to anybody in a wheelchair outside. But, NOOO! Person filed a lawsuit anyway which is forcing the owner to ABANDON his site and rebuild somewhere else. I commend the merchant who designates a motorcycle parking area that is visible from the entrance (for better security) and where car drivers aren't apt to knock motorcycles over. Why don't more merchants catch on? I am more likely to patronize a business if I know there's sure to be a half decent place to park my FZ6.

Unless it's a public street, most parking lots are private property, so it's up to a lot of the businesses to enforce the handicapped parking.

You're right though, just about every Tom, Dick and Jerry has a disabled placard, and it doesn't take much to get one. It's out of control.

As far as motorcycle parking, there is an ordinance here in the suburbs of Vegas that if you are a new business, you must provide motorcycle parking, just like you must provide a handicap space.

 

[Tailgate]

Unless it's a public street, most parking lots are private property, so it's up to a lot of the businesses to enforce the handicapped parking.

VEGASRIDER: I respect your opinion(s) but this time, you're mistaken...at least in CA (maybe NV is different). County parking enforcement (part of Sheriff's dep't) regularly patrols private parking lots around here and they can ruin your day.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

VEGASRIDER: I respect your opinion(s) but this time, you're mistaken...at least in CA (maybe NV is different). County parking enforcement (part of Sheriff's dep't) regularly patrols private parking lots around here and they can ruin your day.

Yeah, I guess it depends on the area in which you live in. Different places will have different organizations and jurisdictions. I will have to remember this next time I end up in California.

So I guess this was kind of a bad spot to take the group picture huh?

 

[Tailgate]

Too funny! Hmm. let's see, 6 X $350+ ??? I suppose if you're present during a parkcop visit you can just move before something gets writen up. Sometimes, while I'm walking in a parking lot, I see our friendly parking cops writing up somebody for a violation. Can you imagine: exiting a Wal Mart and you have a $350+ parking violation ticket flying on your windshield? OMG. I always make sure that I'm not at risk of getting a handicapped ticket. Sometimes, the disabled sign has been removed and the handicapped spaces moved but the handicap paint job, although badly faded, remains on the space. Even though I'm 90% sure that the space is no longer a handicapped space, I MAKE SURE that I'm 100% clean and DON'T park there. N' NO WAY!

 

[Rumpole of the Bailey]

I do! It is a right here in Victoria, Australia and encouraged, provided you don't block anyone's path.
Where I live in Lorne, the local shire has just modified all the sidewalks to make it easier for bikes to park between the pedestrian access and the street. Infact, they added 12 foot of extra sidewalk and did this by taking carpark space away.
Why? Bikes bring tourist dollars to the Great Ocean Road where I live and people come from all around the world to ride here. They want to encourage them to stay and eat, shop etc.
Now last weekend I had 30 friends on bikes come to stay for 4 days of riding and partying. On Saturday morning we all formed up on the sidewalk for our ride to lunch at Apollo Bay. Mums and Dads and kids were lined up watching us. A local road worker with a 'Stop / Go' sign held up the traffic so we could all depart at once.
I see your point about the BMW mate but we Aussies have got it wired!!
Cheers

 

[Tailgate]

I do! It is a right here in Victoria, Australia and encouraged, provided you don't block anyone's path.
Where I live in Lorne, the local shire has just modified all the sidewalks to make it easier for bikes to park between the pedestrian access and the street. Infact, they added 12 foot of extra sidewalk and did this by taking carpark space away.
[/IMG]

One of these days, I'm going to visit your country!

 

[vrsbrazil]

Just 36.51% never rides on sidewalks? hahaha, shame on everyone!

 

[sempul]

i park on the sidewalks as long as it is safe and unobstructed. no one seems to mind here. i have never even gotten a dirty look.

and yes here in louisiana we the police can enforce the handicapped parking and the fire lane parking. in a parking lot. but that is it. nothing else unless it is reckless operation.