Not every Handicap that qualifies for the plate or placard is of a visual nature. And due to the specific wording of the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is Illegal to inquire as to the nature of the Handicap (regardless of the type of handicap.) Like for example Severe Angina or MS or Mental Health disabilities. The most enforcement officers can do is Run the Plate/Placard # to check : 1) Valid/Forged. 2) Owner Dead or Alive. 3) Sex/Age of Owner. 4) HCP rights suspended by state or not.

The Secretary of State (Illinois) does not state what disabilities do or do not qualify, so the State (by Federal Law) must extend to ALL, regardless of physical or non-physical.

But here is my problem with the Program…and this is just my opinion.

Non-Physical Disabilities like those of the Neurological or Mental or a Child with a Physical Disability variety should only be issued Placards.

Those of the Mobility issue variety (missing leg, arm, wheelchair) should only ever be issued a Vehicle Plate. And those of the Temporary Nature should be issued a special Colored Temporary Placard.

Since most individuals with neurological disabilities (say like MS or palsy or epilepsy for example) will usually prevent the poor soul from obtaining a Drivers License, permanent vehicle plates are not required. As such, the Mobile Placard would and should suffice since the owner takes it with them after being driven where-ever they are going for that day.

For ADA Mental Handicaps, Depression and Anxiety and Stress Disorders for example; speaking as the Child of a Handicapped Parent, I don’t think they should be allowed to drive anyways. And I say that because the ADA defines a Mental Handicap as: a mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
And again, the Mobile placard would suffice.

The New Law makes this simpler though..

Can you operate a Debit Card or Credit Card in an ATM machine? If So you are healthy enough to Operate and Pay the Meter.

You can still park for free in HCP designated spaces on the street…like on Plymouth Court @ Van Buren or on Wabash or Wells in the Loop.

I catch flack for my views on this topic…but I’m used to it.

Was it Stable, Unstable or Micro-vascular Angina?

Because while all three are valid physical conditions…only 2 of them should qualify for a HCP card…and you should probably be using crutches or a cane.

My dad, who had severe angina, needed to park near stores during the winter, and had a handicapped card. But he looked really healthy, and would get nasty comments from people so he would park further away, and try not to suffer.

So, as I have mentioned in earlier posts, don’t let appearances fool you. The person could quite properly have a handicapped placard.

That said, the totally free parking needs to be reconsidered. But not totally banned.

It can take at least an hour if not more just to catch 1 abuser…

We’d need to take every Cop off of patrol and have them Sit on Every HCP plate/placard displaying vehicle in the Loop just to nail every abuser in 1 day……and we would still miss abusers else where in the city.

Remove Free Meter’d Parking for HCP Placards and Plates for 2 years.
In that 2 year time, Suspend ALL HCP placards in current Issue (exp dates of 2012 & 2014); and Issue New ones that Expire 1/31/2016.

All HCP plates should be restricted to people that have a physical disability since they are perm mounted to Vehicles. Short a Leg, Wheel Chair, etc unfort physical disability.

Since Pay Boxes are easily accessible by all persons…people with physical disabilities should have a Pay By Phone ability for Meters in the City of Chicago…as well as be Issued Park Magic Type Dashboard devices.

It’s 2012…no one deserves Free Parking on Meter’d Streets Just because they have a physical or mental handicap.

Equal Opportunity under the Law goes both ways.