Vehicle legally parked in handicapped space is towed

[Reba]

CHICAGO (CBS) — The signs are clear: Parking spaces in a lot outside of the Whole Foods on Canal Street in Chicago are for drivers with disabilities.

2 Investigator Dave Savini reports witnessed drivers using those spaces illegally while not getting ticketed or towed. Meanwhile, a family with a legitimate parking placard for the disabled was towed.

One motorist was parking in a spot reserved for people with disabilities but he did not have a placard.

“I just had to get my brother,” he told Savini.

Another man caught on camera had a placard for parking in a disabled spot, but it was not his.

“It’s my mom’s,” he admitted.

These illegal parkers were in the same lot where Nicole Nordman and her teenage-daughter, Josie, parked legally using Josie’s placard. The Nordman family car, however, was towed.

Seventeen-year-old Josie suffers from diabetes and cystic fibrosis and has a lot of trouble breathing. She needs various medications to help her breathe and control other medical issues.

“There are a lot of times when my lungs get very congested and I cannot walk long distances without being very short of breath,” Josie says.

While shopping, Josie says she needed her inhaler and other prescription medicine, so she went to the car to get it. But the vehicle had been towed.

A Whole Foods spokesman says the vehicle was towed because the family left the store for a period of time to shop elsewhere in the mall — a violation of the parking lot rules.

Nicole Nordman says the two left briefly to get coffee in the adjoining mall. When they returned to the grocery shop, Josie started feeling ill and needed to get her medicine from the car.

“They were looking for a car to tow for the money,” Nicole Nordman says.

When Nicole questioned why the car was towed, she says she got this response: “There’s clearly no one disabled. You walked all the way through the store. You shopped for an hour.”

It took three hours to get the car and Josie’s medication from the tow lot.

“I don’t want this happening to anyone else,” Josie Nordman says. “It’s not fair.”

A Whole Foods spokesman says they twice announced the Nordman license plate before the tow and says their signs clearly state you cannot leave their premises. However, they also say they learned a lesson and are no longer towing people legitimately parked in spots for drivers with disabilities.

The Nordman family has been refunded the towing fees.

State Rep. Anthony DeLuca is looking into legislation that could prevent this from happening again. The Illinois Attorney General’s Office is investigating the parking situation at the mall.

2 Investigators: Disabled Teen’s Vehicle Towed From Handicapped Parking Spot « CBS Chicago

 

[DeafCaroline]

this video was posted on youtube and it really sends the message as to why handicapped zones are for people with disabilities only. It's called "Just 2 Minutes".

It's in french but has english subtitles.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9EYh_Tr_Sc]YouTube - ‪Just 2 Minutes (English subtitles)‬‏[/ame]

 

[Reba]

 

[Banjo]

Sad, isn't it?

 

[Reba]

Sad, isn't it?

Yes. People with handicapped tags get towed but people without handicaps park in handicapped spaces with impunity. Totally wrong.

 

[lanapoo]

Deaf people who can walk just fine and have no other needs for a placard use their deafness as an advantage to get a placard. I have a deaf friend with absolutely no health problems here in NY and she uses it occasionally. It irks me, knowing that there are people far more in need of a handicap space. It's not cool to say "I'm deaf, I want to park in a handicapped space." Can we have the laws be more strict on getting a placard?

 

[Reba]

Deaf people who can walk just fine and have no other needs for a placard use their deafness as an advantage to get a placard. I have a deaf friend with absolutely no health problems here in NY and she uses it occasionally. It irks me, knowing that there are people far more in need of a handicap space. It's not cool to say "I'm deaf, I want to park in a handicapped space." Can we have the laws be more strict on getting a placard?

The laws of South Carolina don't allow a handicap tag for just deafness. There has to be another medical reason.

Here's the part of the application form that shows the requirements:

 

[KristinaB]

I have a handicapped placard. In Missouri, the license office asked me if it was due to my hearing loss or what. I said it was due to my neuropathy. Here in Florida, I have one for the neuropathy and fibromyalgia. Florida does not allow on for hearing loss alone.

Also, large places of business (Walmart) do not have enough handicapped places. Most frequently, I am forced to park out in "BFE" and walk in. I have fallen 4 times in their parking lot and now, if I have to park out there, the security guard gives me a ride.

 

[Steinhauer]

I have a friend whom is deaf and has muscular dystrophy as well as cerebral palsy. He was born with his kneecaps facing each other. 17 surgeries later, he can walk without too much assistance. He used to have to wear football padding and a helmet because he would fall often. He drools all over himself, and looks like an invalid.

However, he is one of the smartest people I know. He attends college and makes passing grades. It takes him a lot longer to express his thoughts in ASL because he does not have complete control over his muscles, but he makes himself understood with clarity.

My hero used to be John Wayne, not anymore, my friend is my hero.

 

[DeafCaroline]

I have a handicapped placard. In Missouri, the license office asked me if it was due to my hearing loss or what. I said it was due to my neuropathy. Here in Florida, I have one for the neuropathy and fibromyalgia. Florida does not allow on for hearing loss alone.

Also, large places of business (Walmart) do not have enough handicapped places. Most frequently, I am forced to park out in "BFE" and walk in. I have fallen 4 times in their parking lot and now, if I have to park out there, the security guard gives me a ride.

You know, it was because of that video "Just Two Minutes" that I no longer just walk by people illegally parking in handicapped spots. I now speak up and say something. It's so wrong that you had to fall down in parking lots because some lazy slob doesn't want to spend one minute walking from their car. Does security at Walmart address those people?

 

[lanapoo]

You know, it was because of that video "Just Two Minutes" that I no longer just walk by people illegally parking in handicapped spots. I now speak up and say something. It's so wrong that you had to fall down in parking lots because some lazy slob doesn't want to spend one minute walking from their car. Does security at Walmart address those people?

More people should be like you, speaking up for others.

 

[KristinaB]

You know, it was because of that video "Just Two Minutes" that I no longer just walk by people illegally parking in handicapped spots. I now speak up and say something. It's so wrong that you had to fall down in parking lots because some lazy slob doesn't want to spend one minute walking from their car. Does security at Walmart address those people?

Yes, security does address the people. It also helps that there are always at all times 2-3 Sheriff's officers in the parking lot. (high crime area around here) They no longer just write tickets anymore, vehicles are towed if there is no placard or handicapped license plate. Also, they routinely check the placard against the people in the car. I get asked every time to provide my registration and license when I park there. That could be an inconvenience, but it's one I appreciate. There are at least 2 vehicles towed per day.

 

[shel90]

Deaf people without any physical limitations should NOT get HC plates or cards!


I like to park as far away as possible because I walk more and burn more calories. It does add up to the day.

 

[Secretblend]

Deaf people without any physical limitations should NOT get HC plates or cards!


I like to park as far away as possible because I walk more and burn more calories. It does add up to the day.

And when you really think about it, it does save you time and gas!

There has been few times I notice a car and I enter parking lot around same time and I just park way out there and usually end up in front of store and they are still driving around looking for closer spot to park. I shake my head when I see that.

 

[shel90]

And when you really think about it, it does save you time and gas!

There has been few times I notice a car and I enter parking lot around same time and I just park way out there and usually end up in front of store and they are still driving around looking for closer spot to park. I shake my head when I see that.[/QUOTE]

That too! I have seen that before and I end up going in the building before they do with more calories burned.

My husband MUST park as close to the building as he can and he will spend a long time looking for a parking spot. Drives me nuts because I see mannnnnyyy empty parking lots far away from the building. I have no patience for searching for a parking lot and less stressful too. Plus the long walk helps our health so why not?

 

[jillio]

I have a handicapped placard. In Missouri, the license office asked me if it was due to my hearing loss or what. I said it was due to my neuropathy. Here in Florida, I have one for the neuropathy and fibromyalgia. Florida does not allow on for hearing loss alone.

Also, large places of business (Walmart) do not have enough handicapped places. Most frequently, I am forced to park out in "BFE" and walk in. I have fallen 4 times in their parking lot and now, if I have to park out there, the security guard gives me a ride.

I have a placard because of MS. However, I rarely use it because my symptoms come and go. I can sometimes go months without having a balance problem. However, if it is a day when I am having severe symptoms, I will use it for my own safety. I try not to use it just because of the fatigue, because exercise actually helps that even though I don't feel like doing it. Have to force myself to walk a longer distance by not using the spots.

People using the handicapped spots without justification is one of my pet peeves, though, so I can't in good conscious use one on the days that I can get by just as well without it.

 

[deafskeptic]

And when you really think about it, it does save you time and gas!

There has been few times I notice a car and I enter parking lot around same time and I just park way out there and usually end up in front of store and they are still driving around looking for closer spot to park. I shake my head when I see that.[/QUOTE]

That too! I have seen that before and I end up going in the building before they do with more calories burned.

My husband MUST park as close to the building as he can and he will spend a long time looking for a parking spot. Drives me nuts because I see mannnnnyyy empty parking lots far away from the building. I have no patience for searching for a parking lot and less stressful too. Plus the long walk helps our health so why not?

I'm the same way as you. I don't get your hubby's parking practices either.