Using a Handicap Placard Without Registration Paper

[questions_questions]

My question involves a traffic citation from the state of: California

I have 3 questions actually.

1. If I have MY placard displayed but have forgotten my registration paper and a CAMPUS SECURITY GUARD asks me to prove that it is mine but again I don't have it on me do I have to move my car, when again it is my placard, as I am handicapped? (I was at a meter and not a handicapped spot and the meter was expired, I won't go into detail and I probably could have just put money into the meter but I knew I wasn't doing anything illegal and the guy became belligerent and was calling me a liar and threatening me with police action etc and at that point it became a matter of principal given the fact that I wasn't misusing the placard in question)

2. Is there way the police could run the placard number to find out whether or not the placard was registered to me had they showed up/ and is it ILLEGAL to not have the registration paper with you?

3. The registration states the obligation to show the paper to a "peace officer" upon demand does a campus security guard qualify as a "peace officer"?

As a side not I posted this in this section because the man mentioned above ticketed me later when I was not in the car for expired meter parking, even though my placard was clearly displayed- which as another note he could not contest because he wrote the placard number down on the citation, after I "moved my vehicle" as he requested, left went home got my registration paper came back and parked in another metered spot in the same lot.

[That Guy]

1. If I have MY placard displayed but have forgotten my registration paper and a CAMPUS SECURITY GUARD asks me to prove that it is mine but again I don't have it on me do I have to move my car, when again it is my placard, as I am handicapped? (I was at a meter and not a handicapped spot and the meter was expired, I won't go into detail and I probably could have just put money into the meter but I knew I wasn't doing anything illegal and the guy became belligerent and was calling me a liar and threatening me with police action etc and at that point it became a matter of principal given the fact that I wasn't misusing the placard in question)

You are required to either show your registration paper upon request, move your vehicle or put some change in the meter.

2. Is there way the police could run the placard number to find out whether or not the placard was registered to me had they showed up

If you cannot show your registration paper then you could be cited. If cited, you might be able to get it dismissed by providing proof that the placard is in fact yours... But why go through the hassle? carry your registration paper in the car/with you at all times.

is it ILLEGAL to not have the registration paper with you?

You already have the answer to that under #3 that you posted.

3. The registration states the obligation to show the paper to a "peace officer" upon demand does a campus security guard qualify as a "peace officer"?

Yes... And even if he isn't, and assuming he can cite you, why put yourself through the hassle? Again, carry your registration paper in the car/with you at all times.

As a side not I posted this in this section because the man mentioned above ticketed me later when I was not in the car for expired meter parking, even though my placard was clearly displayed- which as another note he could not contest because he wrote the placard number down on the citation, after I "moved my vehicle" as he requested, left went home got my registration paper came back and parked in another metered spot in the same lot.

I don't think its a matter of him disputing who the placard was registered to. The point is, you're supposed to provide proof that it IS in fact your placard upon request. Without such proof, you can (and obviously did) get cited.

[Scott67]

And two more points - I don't know about ALL jurisdictions in the state, but I do know that many will charge an administrative fee of $25 or more to dismiss a ticket. Why take that risk? Repeated violations can also result in your handicapped placard being revoked.

I can understand the Security Guard becoming very frustrated with you for refusing to show him the registration and asserting that you didn't need to.

This one is not worth fighting.

[cdwjava]

And to add ... yes, the placard CAN be run through the DMV by the officer in the field (and it will come back registered to a person, and that person better be with the vehicle). Whether the campus security guard had that capability through his dispatch, I don't know.

- Carl


- Carl

[questions_questions]

I can understand the Security Guard becoming very frustrated with you for refusing to show him the registration and asserting that you didn't need to.

I'm sorry but I didn't REFUSE anything, I just didn't have it with me and I didn't assert that I didn't need to, I was complying and was in the process of moving my car to leave and get the paper when he started calling me a liar because I'm young and look healthy and I didn't have to justify my condition to him or sit there and take him discriminating against me because of the way I looked or didn't look in this case.

No there was no fee. The ticket was voided since it wasn't valid and given the fact that at the time he wrote the ticket I wasn't in the car and the placard was displayed and the ticket was for expired meter parking not placard misuse. He didn't follow protocol at the time he issued the citation. That along with the completely unprofessional way the situation was handled is what I take issue with and what I will be contesting to the school's board. I just wanted those legal questions answered, so thank you to those of you who simply answered the questions at hand.

And scott before you post something um heated in return to that last statement, I thank you for your opinion on the subject but you weren't there and I feel strongly that the circumstances surrounding the situation were uncalled for and wrong.

So again thank you to those who answered my questions.

[That Guy]

He didn't follow protocol at the time he issued the citation.

Actually, he DID follow protocol... He cited someone who could NOT provide valid proof that they were legally using a handicapped placard.

You, on the other hand did not follow the specific requirement which clearly states that you MUST carry the registration paper with you at the time you are using your placard.

[questions_questions]

You, on the other hand did not follow the specific requirement which clearly states that you MUST carry the registration paper with you at the time you are using your placard.

At the time he issued the citation I was NOT in the car and by this point I in fact HAD THE REGISTRATION ON ME and could prove that it was my placard.

He himself stated that if you are present in the car they can ask for proof of registration if I hadn't been in the car at the time he came around this wouldn't have been a problem because then he wouldn't have known otherwise. This is what he stated and that he was just following protocol.

The time to issue that citation would have been at that point while I was still present not on a separate occasion when he couldn't again physically prove that I was in the wrong. He let me go and thus forfeited his right to issue that particular citation. To reiterate the citation was for expired meter parking, NOT placard misuse.

[525601minutes]

... but if you have a handicapped placard then you don't need to pay the meter. Why would you accept a ticket for an expired meter?

[That Guy]

... but if you have a handicapped placard then you don't need to pay the meter. Why would you accept a ticket for an expired meter?

Because "questions_questions" could not provide proof that the placard was in fact his/hers. Therefore he/she was properly cited for the expired meter.