A plea comes fromman with a disabled parking placard
QGary, I sense from your readers that it is time for my (unfortunately) regular PSA. Here it is:
Please don’t judge a person’s use of a handicapped placard by appearances. I’m 68, in seeming good health and drive a fast sports car. I’m tall and thin, and my wife believes I’m handsome (or so she says!). You’ll see me getting out of my car, placard hanging from the mirror, with no apparent disability or discomfort.
What you can’t see is the constant pain that affects my every waking minute. I have peripheral neuropathy, a disease which impacts both feet. My three neurologists ask if it’s a sharp pain, a burning pain or an ache. I say yes, but don’t forget the numbness and the feeling of walking on glass in bare feet, or the fact that it’s there all the time, walking, sitting or standing.
You may think that I’m faking. I invite you to live with the ineffective medications, the surgeries and the “trials” that haven’t worked yet. Soon I’m having an implant inserted into my spine. It might work, it might not. I’d gladly give you my placard if you’ll take my reality. Please don’t judge before you know. — John LaLonde, Pacific Grove
AI feel your pain as I also have peripheral neuropathy and am unable to drive because of foot numbness. Never confront another motorist who may look physically able. Go to www.emailalert.dmv.ca.gov/ DPPPP/ Misuse. aspx to make a complaint about someone you suspect is illegally using a disabled placard.
QI’m not sure if anyone (or everyone?) has already complained about this, but the offramp from Interstate 580 to I- 680 has a bad expansion joint that has shifted to the point that it’s like hitting a curb at highway speeds. There is no way to avoid this jarring joint since it goes all the way across the ramp. There is also a network of potholes all around this ramp that makes it feel like driving through a minefield while dodging merging cars.
Is Caltrans aware of this? Is there a way for drivers to report these situations? — Eric Lee, Santa Clara
AYes, they know and expect pothole repairs soon but it may take longer to smooth out the joint. Go to https://csr.dot.ca.gov/ to lodge a maintenance request.
QMy 76-year old mom had to wait six hours at the DMV. No computer glitches or anything. Just typical because it has to serve Pleasanton, Dublin, Danville, San Ramon, Livermore and other places that were farm towns when it was built. She doesn’t know where another one is. — Shannon Brown
AShe will. Go go www. dmv.ca.gov to search for another office.