Don't park in disabled spots, police warn able-bodied drivers

[Paphos Life]

The laws covering illegal parking in disabled spaces allow for fines and criminal prosecution the police warned on Monday after a Greek woman last week applied to revoke her Cypriot citizenship over the matter....

Read the article and chat about it below...

[panoscouse]

The penalties for parking illegally in a disabled space are far too low. It should be a minimum of €500 for a first offence and vehicle confiscation for a second.
I am not disabled, nor have I ever parked in a disabled space or parked on a pavement like a lot of people do because they're too lazy to walk a few yards.

[zorbathejock]

[71 Trans Am]

That photo just about says it all – No discipline – No rule of law – No regard for others and probably No Proper training – And No they probably will not enforce the new rules after a couple of days - I have watched them many times cruising around Paphos and that seems to be what they are best at – They would not last 30 seconds in any UK Police Force

[Kili01]

The trouble with Paphos is that too many people are related and everyone is very careful not to offend anyone else. I guess members of the local police force may be in the same position...?

Dee

[71 Trans Am]

Kili01
I can fully understand that and you may well be correct but when a police officer has parked his vehicle in a disabled bay how can the same officer then enforce the same no parking law on others - Double Standards and it will not work and especially if they are all related to each other – Not a good basis for Law Enforcement.

[WHL]

Not defending the Police, but do we know whether they were on call and needed to be somewhere quick, reason they parked there?

[mike strand2]

Two cars in the disability spaces at the Gen Hosp this morning with no Disability badge displayed!

[Kili01]

Its disgraceful the way some apparently able bodied drivers just lob their cars into disabled spaces. I have seen this happen outside Papa’s on Mesoyi Rd. But it seems as if no one is in charge of any car parks here, and the police are seldom in evidence. So some people will take a chance and can look very annoyed if one dares to remind them, however politely.
So I tend not to risk saying anything should I see this happen as there is no one to back me up.

Dee

[Devil]

As a blue card holder, I have rarely fumed that no illicitly-used slots were available in Lidl, AlphaMega, Larnaca, Greater Nicosia etc. Where I do fume is a) Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre (inadequate no. of slots for a major hospital) and b) various Hellenic Banks (simply no blue slots!)

[Varky]

It would help if some of these institutions opened branches in places on the outskirts of town where they can provide plenty of parking. For example the two Alpha Bank branches that I use have about 4 and zero dedicated parking places respectively. The Hellenic in Geroskipou has relocated from somewhere where there was no dedicated parking to the old Co-op Banks premises which has quite a few places (but not nearly enough). Look at the new AIK offices where there are now no parking problems as compared with the old offices near the court building. Even the DOT offices up the Polis Road has plenty of parking spaces. All this just needs a bit of planning and forethought by those institutions that attract a large car using clientele.

[71 Trans Am]

In the UK I am always aware of the recent spate of TV ads pointing out that not all disabilities are visible and a one that was recently brought to light on a national radio station was a 21 year old girl that had been harassed in a parking bay at a Sainsbury store by a man who said what is wrong with you ? You do not look disabled to me you’re a disgrace get your car out of that bay now and made quite a scene and as a result had a captive audience also pointing out to this girl that she should be ashamed of herself so she moved her car not wanting to make an issue and parked further up the car park – This girl also gave an example of one night she had been pressurised by her friends to get out of the house more and come to a night club with them for a change – So she went and midway through the night she was approached by staff and asked to come to the office with them immediately – She said when she got there they asked her to hand over her bag to be searched and asked to empty her pockets, She said why I have done nothing wrong – The main security man said we have noticed that you are going to the disabled toilet every half hour which is not normal and we suspect that you are taking something so own up or we will call the police – She said I had no choice but to open my shirt and show them my colostomy bag and explain that it needs emptying every half hour when drinking to avoid an accident which is really why she never goes out drinking and said she will never go out drinking again – So yes there are Bandits but how do you really know – Not all are on blue badge schemes
and not all want to advertise that they are disabled

[WHL]

In the UK I am always aware of the recent spate of TV ads pointing out that not all disabilities are visible and a one that was recently brought to light on a national radio station was a 21 year old girl that had been harassed in a parking bay at a Sainsbury store by a man who said what is wrong with you ? You do not look disabled to me you’re a disgrace get your car out of that bay now and made quite a scene and as a result had a captive audience also pointing out to this girl that she should be ashamed of herself so she moved her car not wanting to make an issue and parked further up the car park – This girl also gave an example of one night she had been pressurised by her friends to get out of the house more and come to a night club with them for a change – So she went and midway through the night she was approached by staff and asked to come to the office with them immediately – She said when she got there they asked her to hand over her bag to be searched and asked to empty her pockets, She said why I have done nothing wrong – The main security man said we have noticed that you are going to the disabled toilet every half hour which is not normal and we suspect that you are taking something so own up or we will call the police – She said I had no choice but to open my shirt and show them my colostomy bag and explain that it needs emptying every half hour when drinking to avoid an accident which is really why she never goes out drinking and said she will never go out drinking again – So yes there are Bandits but how do you really know – Not all are on blue badge schemes
and not all want to advertise that they are disabled

Not nice for the girl. but why would you get a blue badge for having a colostomy bag ?, I have a friend of mine who has one, and she hasnt got a disabled badge...she works round it, and no one would know she had one.

[Varky]

I always thought that the disabled parking spaces were meant only for those disabled persons that had a physical mobility problem. I am happy to be contradicted.

[trevnhil]

I thought that they could be used by anyone having a valid disabled badge, no matter what their ailment may be ..

[Devil]

I always thought that the disabled parking spaces were meant only for those disabled persons that had a physical mobility problem. I am happy to be contradicted.

Not at all. Some mental problems also qualify and remember that passengers, as well as drivers, can qualify. And what about those whose disability is not obvious? E.g., I can walk fairly normally a few metres to a shop from my driving position, but after 10 or 15 m, unaided, my fractured spine gives way (supermarket trolleys are good support for me!).

[trevnhil]

I have heard other people with walking difficulties say that supermarket trolleys provide some good support.

[71 Trans Am]

I do not know how the blue badge system works having never been disabled – I do remember seeing disabled drivers putting a orange card on the dashboard with a wheelchair graphic on it when parking but have to say that I pass disabled bays regularly in my local supermarket and can’t say that I have seen anything on the dashboard or windscreen for a while – I will make a point of looking more closely next time I pass – Maybe they are all cheats after all.

[memory man]

the law applies for marked and blue spaces

as stated in the article.

There is no mention if you have to have a badge.

You could be disabled and not have a badge.

Would you be then breaking the law if you parked
(without a badge) in a disabled car space?

[trevnhil]

Yes I would think you do have to have a badge, so that you can you prove that you have disability of some sort..