Disabled parking

D

d7e7r7

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Does anyone know if there any laws relating to the legal requirements regarding disabled parking bays?

My mom got a fine for parking in the bay but there are no markings on the road demarcating that bay to be reserved for disabled persons only. She would never willfully park in a disabled parking bay, it's just that this particular bay was not marked on the road, only by a small sign on the pavement.

On http://www.acts.co.za/rt_nrta/index.htm it just says:
National Road Traffic Act, 1996
National Road Traffic Regulations, 1999
Chapter X : Rules of the road and matters relating thereto
Part I : Rules of the road
305. Parking of vehicles
...
7) No person other than a disabled person shall park a motor vehicle on a parking bay reserved for disabled persons.
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It says nothing regarding the legal requirements of the markings of such a parking bay.

Any advice would be appreciated...
 
I can't say I have ever seen a disabled bay that didn't clearly say that it was a disabled bay or even remotely look like one.

Often you go to a shop or shopping center and it may not have a big flashing neon sign, but its obvious by the location / yellow paint that it is in fact a disabled parking bay :rolleyes:
 
Grimspoon said:
I can't say I have ever seen a disabled bay that didn't clearly say that it was a disabled bay or even remotely look like one.

Often you go to a shop or shopping center and it may not have a big flashing neon sign, but its obvious by the location / yellow paint that it is in fact a disabled parking bay :rolleyes:
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There is no yellow paint on said bay and it looks just like all the other bays alongside it.
Will upload a pic 2moz...
 
There doesn't need to be any yellow paint if there's other signage present.

It would however be interesting to see the pic tomorrow, just to judge whether your mom might perhaps need a visit to your friendly local optometrist. :p
 
Well if it looks like every other parking bay, then I am sure a ton of other people that are in the same predicament :)
 
Let your mom see a public prosecutor at the local courts showing the photo. Its a bit unclear but it is there. I am sure the prosecutor will either squash or reduce the fine.
 
Bismuth said:
It's in the second photo. However, must admit it doesn't make it very clear which parking bay it is, athough disabled parking bays are generally in similar locations (space for wheelchair etc.)

B
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I must add I don't even see wheelchair access in the pic where the pedestrian crossing ends...
 
d7e7r7 said:
I must add I don't even see wheelchair access in the pic where the pedestrian crossing ends...
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Indeed, you would think there would be some sort of ramp there if it's supposed to be a disabled parking. Still, let your mom take all that to the prosecutor, and see what he/she says.

B
 
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Bismuth said:
Indeed, you would think there would be some sort of ramp there if it's supposed to be a disable parked. Still, let your mom take all that to the prosecutor, and see what he/she says.

B
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Ok thanks for the help...
 
Personally I don't see the point of disabled parking. I wouldnt have a problem if they where always full, but theyre always empty. What percentage of the population are disabled? and what percentage of those actually have cars?
 
Madman88 said:
Personally I don't see the point of disabled parking. I wouldnt have a problem if they where always full, but theyre always empty. What percentage of the population are disabled? and what percentage of those actually have cars?
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I have also wondered this. However, a disabled driver needs space to get in/out their car, as well as access to the place they are visiting. They couldn't make every single parking large enough to accomodate this (well, guess they could, but then there would be less parking bays), and you can't really expect someone in a wheelchair to park miles away from say a shopping centre's entrance, and still have to negotiate their way to it.

Personally, I hate looking for parking, and for the centres where I know they always have parking, I will go there (to that section that is generally empty). I don't mind walking a bit.

B
 
That sign isn't visible at all. And the parking bay isn't that big either, not sure what type of disabled person they're expecting to use that parking - certainly not one with a wheelchair. IMO the sign post needs to be half the current size (at least then its right in your face when you park) or they need to paint some yellow lines across the bay.

I'd dispute it with them. They really need to make reserved bays more noticeable.

Madman88 said:
Personally I don't see the point of disabled parking. I wouldnt have a problem if they where always full, but theyre always empty. What percentage of the population are disabled? and what percentage of those actually have cars?
Click to expand...

You do get disabled people that have carers, and there needs to be enough space for them to help the disabled get out the car and to have a wheelchair close by the car door. I don't have a problem with them; they're there to allow the less-enabled easier access to the facility.
 
hungrybeaver said:
You do get disabled people that have carers, and there needs to be enough space for them to help the disabled get out the car and to have a wheelchair close by the car door. I don't have a problem with them; they're there to allow the less-enabled easier access to the facility.
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I realise there is a need for this, I'm questioning the practicality of it. At Eastgate there are 3 or 4 bays reserved for the disabled at every entrance. They only ever get used by douches in German cars. I almost got battered by a steroid junkie in a z3 once there when I loudly commented "oh must be MENTALLY disabled".

Perhaps it would be better to have one central entrance where there is parking reserved for this purpose. Then it would not need to be right in front of the doors, just have a safe sectioned off pathway into the mall.

On a similar note, why would someone in a wheelchair get more preference than a mom with a baby and a pram? I see plenty of moms struggling in the parking lot trying to get babies out of cars in narrow parking spots, and I have never even seen a legitimate disabled person parked in one of those spaces?
 
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