I am physically disabled and must rely on a "walker" for support while walking. On Dec. 22nd, which wasa windy and rainy day during the height of the Holiday shopping season, I decided to drive to the local food market located in a neighborhood Mall. During this busy shopping season, I was fortunate to find a handicapped parking space. Upon parking, I secured my Handicapped Parking Placard to the rear view mirror and noticed the vehicle on my right protruding over his/her left line. Because this vehicle parked out of his/her designated space, I was forcing to park my vehicle to the extreme left side of my lane in order to allow ample space for me amd my "walker" to exit. At the worse, my vehicle was parked slightly "on the line"...especially considering the heavy rainy conditions which blurred the vision of parking space lines, causing most drivers not to park properly in designated sapces.
Questions: Should the City of Los Angeles employed Parking Enforcement Officers patrol and issue citations in privately owned parking lots without being summoned by store owners, etc.? Am I a victim of the City's budget short fall and their greed to make money by taking advantage of holiday shoppers during the busy Holiday season? Why are the physically handicapped persons being singled out? Why am I being charged the full amount of $353.00 as though I DID NOT or was in violation of not displaying a Handicapped Parking Placard at all? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to charge a portion (i.e. $50, etc) to satisfy the degree and magnitude of their charge that I "parked on the line" in a handicapped space?
I communicated the above concerns to the City of Los Angeles Parking Violations Bureau requesting thier consideration in dismissing the $353.00 citation and received a reply that, based on an initial administrative review, "the violation listed on the citation was not covered by my placard privileges" and am, therefore, responsible for the FULL cost of the citation.
Without a doubt, this issuance of this citation is indeed TICKEY TACKED especially when there were more serious and life threatening violations available for the Parking Enforcement Officer to cite without having to resort to targeting the physically handicapped and Seniors who, as myself, have limited incomes and do not pose a threat to Society, rather find themselves VICTIMS....Please help!!
