A hangover and a need for takeaway was just one of the many excuses given by people for parking in disabled spots, a survey has revealed.
Following the results of the survey the Disabled Drivers Association (DDA) is now calling for tougher penalties for those caught in designated spaces illegally.
Five thousand members of the organisation recently took part in an online survey and listed the absurd excuses they’ve received from drivers.
They included “I’ll move if somebody else wants the space”, “I’ll park where I like”, “I’ve a hangover” and “I’m getting my Chinese.”
DDA’s Richard Ryder believes the fine should be doubled from €80 to €160 to make sure able-bodied motorists avoid using the bays — even if they’ll “only be a minute”.
He told RTE’s Morning Ireland: “Only when it starts hurting people in the pocket will people get the message.”
“If you were going to get three penalty points on your licence you might think twice about it. In some states in the USA the fine is $400. That did work.”
“People with disabilities don’t have any other choice if they want to park — they have to be near amenities and also handicapped spaces are wider — so can they access their wheelchair. They need space to open the door.
Ryder said there is a need for more disabled parking spots especially on streets.
“There’s never enough, we could always do with more, especially on the street — local authorities do a good job but they could be better.”
While Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross said the use of these spots by people who do not need them is “totally unacceptable”.
“With regards to disabled parking spaces on the public road, I am happy to note that the fixed charge for parking illegally in such a space is double that for normal parking offences.
“There are also other enforcement tools available to local authorities in dealing with such offences, such as immobilisation and removal of the offending vehicle.”
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