Stop abusing parking permits

You may have noticed that most businesses have designated certain parking spaces for the exclusive use of persons with an accessible parking permit. These spaces are close to the entrance of the business and are wider to better accommodate and make it safer for customers with disabilities and certain health issues.

The recommendation of a licensed medical professional is required to obtain a permit to use these parking spots. Some permits are temporary and others are permanent, depending on the type of disability.

A permit is issued to an individual, not to the vehicle. All permits have the name of the person and the expiry date clearly printed on them. The permit also must be displayed prominently and be clearly visible.

With over 15,000 permits issued in the Windsor area, there is actually a need for these designated spaces. Maybe we should address the quantity of spaces delegated through the local municipal building code with our elected representatives. So many are actually needed and so few can be found.

My concern is that there are those people who abuse the permits by parking in a designated space even though they are not disabled and the person to whom the permit was issued is not present in the vehicle. This is a disservice to those who truly require the spaces.

Maybe with better bylaw enforcement, including fines and some permits being seized from those abusing the system, those who really need these spaces can use them instead of having to park at the rear of the lots so they can egress from their vehicles without difficulty.

Sometimes the only other option is to go to another location to shop.

But this should never be the option. R. L. Adams, Windsor