Legal Question in Traffic Law in California

There was a situation I dropped off my dad at the doctors office and my friend called me and asked me to pick her up at the school because her class was cancled so I did, I parked in a handicapped spot with my fathers placard, I had no knowledge I couldn't use it unless it was he was in the car. A police officer for the school came behind my car. He gave me a ticket and took my dads placard. I asked him what my dad would have to do to get it back, he said he would have to go to the DMV and give a really good explanation to what happened. My father had no knowledge of what happened untill I picked him up and showed him the ticket, and was left with no placard. We went to the DMV and got a replacement and he wants to go to city hall to try to fight the ticket. I am more comfortable just paying the ticket. Does my father have to go to City Hall regarding his disabled placard for anything?


Asked on 10/14/10, 2:40 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
George Shers Law Offices of Georges H. Shers

If the law clearly states that the disabled person must be in the car for the placard to be used, what grounds does your father have to argue against the ticket? The purpose of the placard is to allowed disabled drivers to park closer to building or other grounds so that they have to walk a shorter distance. It is not to allow the vehicle that has a placard in it to be given a preferred parking spot. The friend you were picking up was not disabled so using a disabled person's parking spot runs counter to the purpose of the placard. The officer who gave the ticket appears to me to be perfectly correct and the placard should have been taken away. Your parking ther meant a handicapped driver could not park there. Also, school districts normally are totally separate from city governments so oe would not go to City Hall to fight it.

Read more
Answered on 10/19/10, 6:11 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Traffic Law questions and answers in California