Tuesday, October 30, 2001

Mistaken aim
Handicapped spaces merit exception

Parking fines, the immortal campus complaint, could be reduced for first-time offenders if the University Parking Committee and Vice Chancellor Don Mills approve a proposal from the House of Student Representatives.

House members aim to cut fines in half for all first-time parking violators except those who park in fire lanes.

Vehicles parked in fire lanes inhibit the fire department’s access to buildings and residence halls in emergency situations, thus endangering the occupants of those buildings. The fire lane exception is necessary and commended.

But the proposal overlooks at least one other major exception — handicapped spaces.

Handicapped persons need and deserve parking spaces that allow adequate room for maneuvering assisted-living devices and that are in close proximity to building entrances. As the proposal stands, those who park in handicapped spaces could wrongly inconvenience and possibly imperil disabled students, faculty or staff and receive a less than appropriate punishment — a meager $50 fine.

Handicapped parking rules are universally understood. Unless a vehicle sports a handicapped sign or license plate with a handicapped symbol, handicapped spaces are off limits.

State law prohibits both parking in fire lanes and parking in handicapped spaces. As keepers of the peace, TCU Police have an obligation to uphold those laws in the manner they see fit. Fortunately, TCU Police Chief Steve McGee recognizes that responsibility. We wholeheartedly agree with Chief McGee that the inconsistency in the House proposal is unacceptable.

Though TCU parking regulations may seem daunting at first glance, the rules are fairly simple. Students park inside white lines, faculty and staff park inside orange lines. Mistakes are natural and acceptable occurrences — but only once. In that regard, the House proposal effectively represents the will of the students.

But support of this proposal cannot be granted unless the rights of handicapped students, faculty and staff are addressed. Unjustly taking away handicapped spaces, a clear violation of state law, deserves the harshest punishment possible. There’s no mistake about that.