Americans with Disabilities Act's Presence Still Felt 21 Years Later

In 1990, after years of lobbying, disability advocates applauded the signing of the Americans Disabilities Act (ADA).  Many wonderful things have happened as a result of this far reaching legislation.   One of the first, most visible changes that occurred involved the mobility and transportation accessibility for people with disabilities.

People often think of these adjustments and changes only in terms of people in wheelchairs. However, curb cuts have proven helpful to women with baby carriages and folks riding bicycles, as well as many other uses such as moving luggage carts. Most businesses were happy to see more customers having access to their stores and offices.  Cities worked quickly to install what most people called wheelchair ramps, but are really curb cuts for everyone's daily use.

The other major change was the placement of handicapped parking spots that give individuals with disabilities easier access to shopping areas, banks and businesses and other places.  Individuals with various medical conditions can apply for and be given handicapped vehicle tags or mirror hang-tags that gives them the right to park in specially designated, often prime location, parking spots.

How many people park in these spaces illegally and get away with it? How many family members use the hang-tag when they are not accompanied by the handicapped person? How can one recognize the disability of every person seen parking in those special spots? Are there enough marked spots? Too many? Too few?

What do you think? Are you tired of passing by empty handicapped spots when roaming a filled parking lot, looking for a parking spot? Are you tempted to park in one of those spots and take the chance of a parking ticket? Do you feel the fines are too high or too low for those illegally parking in a handicapped spot?