In answer to the question why parking permits are attached to the vehicle rather than to the person.

The rules regarding parking permits vary from state to state and from country to country. It seems to me, with experience now in two U.S. states and another country, that the rules are as arbitrary as any other set of rules or laws set up without any real thought or experience applied to them.

For instance, in Massachusetts, way back when, and I think the rules have changed since then anyway, I could get a handicapped parking license plate OR a placard to hang from my rear view mirror. In order to get the plate, I had to take a driving test to prove that I was still capable of driving. Clearly the plate was good only for the single vehicle, and theoretically no one else should have parked the vehicle in a handicapped space if they were driving it.

When I became more disabled, more dependent on other people to drive me, I applied for a placard, which did not require a driving test or anything to determine my level of competence. I needed a letter from a dr. basically, and I was good to go. In theory at least. My handicapped placard was stolen out of my car when we moved to Vermont.

In Israel, my best guess is that they assume that you need a handicapped parking permit only if you are by yourself - no, wait, that doesn't make any sense, even though I am often asked who is the handicapped person if I am driving, or well, it doesn't make any sense. However, if I am a passenger in someone else's vehicle, there is an assumption I suppose that the other person (assuming I can't drive anyone else's vehicle) will get me to where I am going somehow so it doesn't matter how far across a parking lot I have to travel, or, since often without a handicapped parking permit it is simply impossible to park AT ALL in certain places maybe I'm just supposed to stay locked in my house at all times?

One GOOD thing about the handicapped parking permits is the reciprocity. It doesn't matter where it is issued, in the U.S. in whichever state or in another country, the permits are honoured. When I was in the U.S. for my father's funeral, I used my Israel handicapped parking permit - actually I used the expired placard rather than the new card, because I doubt anyone in the U.S. would recognize the card - and had no problems anywhere.

I have driven in other vehicles than the one with the license number listed on my card, and had absolutely no problems in Israel until the last month. We were driving a loaner car while our car was being repaired, and a ticketing agent called us over and explained how we need to write a sign that says that our car is in for repairs, and the license number that matches the car. Whatever. I don't think it is supposed to make sense.

In order to get a handicapped parking permit in Israel, I first had to go in to see a panel of people, including at least one dr., and prove to them that I couldn't walk. I was having a 'good' day for this, as I couldn't move my left leg at all, so I made a good showing of crippled-ness and was almost immediately approved.

That leaves me wondering about people with, for instance, emphysema (sp?), who can walk, just not too far particularly in our heat.

I've also not had to take any sort of a driving test since I qualified for my Israeli license. Which also doesn't make any sense to me.

All in all, I have no idea. ;-)

:: Yesterdays : Tomorrows ::

~~~Last Five Entries~~~
Hi and goodbye - 2010-10-15
I'll be moving on - 2010-10-10
Gold membership and stuff - 2010-10-10
Decisions, decisions - 2010-10-07
Days to go - 2010-10-06