Parking violation & upcoming traffic court appearance, 1-6-9

[Guest guest]

in New York.

I have a handicapped tag, the one people hang from their rear view

mirror, not a handicapped emblemed license plate.

I love shopping for used music cds and one store that I frequent is in

a town that has limited, very limited, handicapped parking places on

the street. There are no parking fields or plazas available. Usually I

am in the store up to 2 hours. Besides shopping, I love to chat up the

people, things like that, as most know me to begin with.

Now, as an lp and one living in New York, I was informed by another

N.Y. lp that if a handicapped parking place is not available or taken

I can take a regular metered spot and as long as I hang up my

handicapped tag in window, I am allowed to park there free 'as if'

that was a spot just for the handicapped too. Well, to make a long

story short, I called the town's traffic court and they said I was

mis-informed:P. That I, like any other person, would have to come out

every 30 to 60 mins to pay the meter to stay in that spot. I also do

the lp squat for stretches of time to rest my legs frequently, because

my legs are weaker than normal from my having the typical Achon back

surgery. Thus, to walk back and forth every 30 mins to put in another

quarter would be tiresome for me. I know, I know, some may be

thinking, well, then just shop for 30 mins GRADY! haha;) But, I

actually did think and believe that having a handicapped tag gave me a

'slide', so to speak, concerning that situation and that is, if no

other handicapped spot was available I could use a regular one.

Any advice? Was I wrong? If so, oh well, I am willing to pay the fine.

Remember too, this is the state of New York, not the City tho, so

maybe handicapped parking laws and regulations may vary from state to

state, or are they uniform or one as in a federal law?

~grady, the Parking Meter Outlaw!!!!!!!!!