Parking rules get abused

The sign says parking is limited to 15 minutes on the first block of East Davie Street in downtown Raleigh. It's supposed to guarantee quick access to Capital Bank Plaza, for couriers and bank teller customers who make short stops during the day.

But these premium spots are hogged all day, almost every day, by a few drivers who work on Fayetteville Street.

They're exploiting a state parking law that is supposed to give preferential treatment to people with doctor-certified physical handicaps. Drivers with state-issued handicapped-parking placards or license plates can ignore time limits on curbside parking.

In downtown Raleigh, that means they park all day for free. No garage fees. No parking tickets.

But some of these drivers have dubious credentials, as more than a dozen frustrated readers noted after last week's column about handicapped- parking abuse.

"If we had a little more enforcement, it would help everyone, including those who really need it," said Don Carter, who owns the Capital Bank Plaza building.

One of East Davie Street's frequent parkers hung a blue-and-white handicapped placard on the rear-view mirror of her gold Camry at 8:25 a.m. Monday. She was well-dressed and appeared healthy. She locked the car and walked briskly toward the Wake County courthouse.

When the Road Worrier asked whether she was handicapped, she said the placard belonged to somebody else. "It's registered to a family member," the woman said. She wouldn't give her name.

The Road Worrier asked whether she knew that state law allows a driver to use the placard only when the registered handicapped person is a passenger. "Umm, no, I didn't realize that," she said, quickening her pace. "But I have to get to work right now."

Ann and Michael Walowich of Raleigh frequently have found that police do enforce the handicapped parking law -- in Garner. Ann has breathing problems. She was surprised when a police officer checked her identification at a Garner shopping center, to make sure her handicapped-parking placard was not registered to somebody else.

"We commend the Garner police for what they do," Michael Walowich said. "So many people use the handicapped-parking placard that don't need it."

Sgt. Joe Binns, spokesman for the Garner police, said handicapped-parking abuse is a touchy subject for merchants and shoppers.

"It's a quality of life issue," Binns said. "It's an easy process to check, and we run the placard number through the Division of Motor Vehicles to see whom it's registered to."

In 2007, DMV says, 19,468 handicapped placards and plates were in use in Wake County alone. The agency fields complaints about handicapped parking every day.

"I think most of the abuse is not with a person that's really sick, but maybe with family members who have access to the car," said Donna Boone, head of DMV's title and license unit. "They might do some of the driving for that person. Sometimes they abuse it."

An informal count on Fayetteville Street on Monday morning found that 19 of 84 parked cars had handicapped license plates or placards. A couple of side streets had only one or two cars without them.

Denise Ferguson, a dialysis patient with a handicapped placard, said she was lucky to find a spot for her maroon Chevrolet on West Davie Street. She was running an errand to the Wake County jail, just around the corner.

"I usually have to park in the parking deck," said Ferguson, 47. "But I can't walk far because I can't breathe good. Usually there are no parking spaces out here because of all the people using the placards and parking all day. I've seen a lot of 'em -- and there ain't nothing wrong with 'em."

Enlighten the Road Worrier: blogs.newsobserver.com/crosstown or (919) 829-4527 or bruce.siceloff@newsobserver.com. Comments, questions and tips welcome. Please include address and daytime phone number.