Handicap Spaces---Illegal???

I know we've discussed this topic before....about spaces reserved as Handicapped Only. I just returned from our Timeshare Resort; one we've owned for 26 years. This is not only an "ownership" property but also one that is treated as a resort where people can rent units by the day or the week.

There have never been any "reserved" or "marked" handicapped spaces on the property, and this year they resorted to something I really question as being legal, at all. I noticed that when someone requests the use of a "handicap only" space, they simply placed an orange traffic cone, with a blue/white HANDICAP sign attached to the top of it in front of whichever space was closest to the unit they were renting. The dang things just popped up all over the parking lot and were continually changing as the people moved in and out.

ALL the parking spaces are ONLY 100 inches wide (yes, I measured them)and the spaces are all side by side with no walkways in between. One night I was woken up by screaming and yelling and looked out to see that someone had parked in one of these "reserved" handicap spaces and the handicapped person for whom it was intended for could not park there. I went back to bed.

The following morning I went out and my outside review mirrow was pushed all the way back and there was a deep scratch from my rear fender all the way to the wheel well at the front of my car. Someone told me that several people tried to get the gentleman and his motorized scooter between the parked cars to get into his unit. I noticed where they finally had to move a car stop/bumper in order to have enough room for his scooter.

I'm not writing to rant about my car being damaged....I've taken that up with the management company........but to question if this type of practice is common or legal? I'm becoming more and more enraged to think that someone who is handicapped is lead to believe they'll have access to a proper/properly marked space. They cannot open a side door, if they have a side lift; there is less than three feet between each car bumper; one handicap space/cone was directly in front of a set of stairs; etc. I took lots of pictures....I'm so mad about this situation.

I know that a lot of you know the laws about such things. I really want to report them to "someone" but I don't know if it would do any good, or where I should even start.

Thanks everyone.

Where's your board in all this? Shame on them for not having designated slots long before this. Get the Code officer from your local municipality in there to help out on this.

Well, the private property issue may have some play here, but at least they can give you some general guidelines for how many handicapped spaces vs. units is suggested.

DJ...I agree with you. I've been measuring handicap spaces around the "hood" and they're all a minimum of 12 feet wide, WITH an additional three foot space to the side to unload.

One thing I forgot to add is that the security officer that "helped" the disabled gentleman get into his unit (after being removed from his handicap van) said that the people who are assigned a handicap space are "supposed" to pull up, let the wheelchair or scooter bound person use the entire space to wheel up, THEN move the vehicle into the space. After the person is safely in their unit.

But there isn't even three feet between the car stop/bumpers to do even that. It just ALL seems illegal to me.