Traveling with your placard is one of the most beneficial abilities to have a handicapped placard. It is often very convenient to hop from car to car, knowing your parking abilities do not change. However, the struggle with this is that sometimes disabled persons forget to transfer or take their placards with them when going out or traveling.
Another instance is you had your placard but forgot to display it. This can be the most frustrating as it could be partially displaced on the dash, but it still needs to be correctly displayed and lands you a ticket. Let’s review some options depending on where you are in the process.
Didn’t bring it, park and explain later?
While this idea may seem like a good idea, it is not legal. Even if you have a record of a placard, a police officer can still write you a parking ticket for parking illegally. If you cannot display a parking placard, do not use a handicapped parking space. Fines for illegally parking in accessible places can cost you hundreds of dollars.
Didn’t display it and got a ticket?
There are various options for not displaying your placard correctly. Below are the options for if you have received a ticket. If your placard is still within view, a police officer will be lenient and not issue a ticket. However, they can give you a ticket if your placard is not hanging from your rear-view mirror.
Options once you have a ticket?
A few options exist if you’ve received a ticket after illegal parking but have a placard.
Option 1: Pay the fines.
Option 2: Contest the ticket.
Some states will be more lenient than others, and this option may cost you time and effort. Look into your local laws to see if you have a valid case. This could lead to your wanting a lawyer involved.
Option 3: Write to the traffic judge.
Sometimes, explaining your situation to the judge who issued the letter and providing evidence of your owning a placard could work. However, this may lead to your wanting a lawyer involved.
In options 2-3, the decision lies with the offender; if you believe you were not in the wrong in parking and the fine is something you cannot afford, it seems a good approach is to defend yourself.
Planning
If you’ve been through the hassle and struggle of forgetting your placard, there are things you can do to avoid that experience again.
- Keep a sign on your dashboard to remind you.
- Ask a passenger if you have one.
- Keep your placard in your lap.
- Put your placard on the door handle or hang it off your keys.
- Have your wallet sit on top of your placard.
