Handicap (lawful Or Unlawful)

[BrianH]

I have a question. I saw a handicap parking space the other day and the gears in my head began to turn. It probably really doesn't matter on the gradner scale of things, but an interesting thought no less.

If it is illegal for a non-handicap person to park in a handicap parking space, is it also illegal to use a handicap restroom stall? Or handicap ramp on a sidewalk?

 

[Diuretic]

I have a question. I saw a handicap parking space the other day and the gears in my head began to turn. It probably really doesn't matter on the gradner scale of things, but an interesting thought no less.

If it is illegal for a non-handicap person to park in a handicap parking space, is it also illegal to use a handicap restroom stall? Or handicap ramp on a sidewalk?

You'd probably need to look at the state traffic code Brian and probably local (municipal or county) ordinances.

I can't speak for your state but where I am the handicapped persons' parking spaces are on both private and public land. On private land the land owner (say a shopping mall) can designate the spaces. The spaces are protected by state law though, so someone who breaks the specific state law can be ticketed by police or by some other authority. In the public spaces set aside then the local authority or police can also ticket offenders.

In my state it isn't illegal to use a handicapped persons restroom stall. Nor is it illegal to use a ramp on the footpath. Those things are provided as a courtesy, an acknowledgment of need. If someone used them deliberately to the exclusion of a handicapped person then it still wouldn't be an offence here, it would just be someone being obnoxious.

 

[BrianH]

cool, great answer. As you know, this wasn't meant to be extremely serious, but I thought it would be interesting to hear what people had to say about it. I appreciate the response, there for a minute, I thougt it would be too stupid of a topic for anyone to respons. lol Have a good one man.

 

[Diuretic]

Cheers Brian

 

[manifold]

...for a minute, I thought it would be too stupid of a topic for anyone to respond.

You should trust your instincts a little more.

 

[BrianH]

Fair enough...(note, more humorous than serious) I guess I should have put it in the Humor section.

 

[Ravi]

You should trust your instincts a little more.

Did you fall off the face of the earth?

 

[Diuretic]

Fair enough...(note, more humorous than serious) I guess I should have put it in the Humor section.

Away from humourless people like me

 

[midcan5]

The sidewalk ramps make safe exits for bikes in need of a way round things and provide an easy place to get away from traffic on a narrow street. And they should be illegal for anyone to use except the handicapped as that will clear out those pesky pedestrians.

 

[mattskramer]

I have a question. I saw a handicap parking space the other day and the gears in my head began to turn. It probably really doesn't matter on the gradner scale of things, but an interesting thought no less.

If it is illegal for a non-handicap person to park in a handicap parking space, is it also illegal to use a handicap restroom stall? Or handicap ramp on a sidewalk?

I doubt that it is illegal for a non-handicapped person to use a restroom stall designated for the handicapped or for a non-handicapped person to use a “handicap” ramp. I think that it is discourteous but not technically illegal.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I doubt that it is illegal for a non-handicapped person to use a restroom stall designated for the handicapped or for a non-handicapped person to use a “handicap” ramp. I think that it is discourteous but not technically illegal.

How is it discourteous to use a ramp? And if no one needs the stall and you have to CRAP, how is it discourteous to use the stall? In some small places the ONLY stall IS also handicapped. Does that mean us non handicapped should shit in the urinal? Or maybe the sink?

 

[mattskramer]

How is it discourteous to use a ramp? And if no one needs the stall and you have to CRAP, how is it discourteous to use the stall? In some small places the ONLY stall IS also handicapped. Does that mean us non handicapped should shit in the urinal? Or maybe the sink?

Okay. I guess that I did not give a full and complete explanation of my perspective. It depends on the situation. I think that it is rude to use a ramp when a handicapped person is approaching the ramp with apparent intent to use it. It is rude and discourteous to use the “handicapped” toilet when there is a handicapped person walking towards an over-crowded restroom.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Okay. I guess that I did not give a full and complete explanation of my perspective. It depends on the situation. I think that it is rude to use a ramp when a handicapped person is approaching the ramp with apparent intent to use it. It is rude and discourteous to use the “handicapped” toilet when there is a handicapped person walking towards an over-crowded restroom.

Sort of agree, but not entirely. So long as you do not block the ramp nor impede the progress of a handicapped person using a ramp there is no discourteous behavior. In a crowded bathroom with a line it would depend on several different factors whether just because a handicapped person was there everyone ahead of them should yield.