Unhandicapped woman sues over handicap parking ticket

[Scream And Fly]

Woman sues over handicap parking ticket

DANVERS, Mass. -- A battle over a handicap parking spot has turned ugly between one woman and the town of Danvers.

Janice Eberle of Lynnfield was ticketed for parking her Mercedes SUV in a BJ’s handicapped spot in Danvers.

“I don’t deny that it was wrong, but under the circumstances, the torrential rains, everything, the ticket I couldn’t even read it was soaked within two seconds,” said Eberle.

According to Eberle, she ran into the store for just a few minutes and when she came out, she had been issued a $300 ticket from Danvers Police.

“That’s the one violation that we want voluntary compliance 100 percent of the time, and a way to get that is to make sure that the fine is substantial enough to get voluntary compliance,” said Danvers Police Chief Neil Ouellette.

Eberle said that the fine is too high, and she has decided to sue the town of Danvers after the parking clerk refused to dismiss her ticket.

Although she is not technically handicapped, she said that she was disabled that day from recent shoulder surgery.

“At the time I was still in a full sling, I was still on medication and I have a huge scar,” Eberle said.

Among locals in Danvers, Eberle is not getting much sympathy.

“You got no right to park there. I don’t care what the circumstance is, she’s got a sore arm or whatever. I have a sore arm,” said one local woman on the incident.

“No, no sympathy, sorry. I’ve paid the price before for doing that too and I wasn’t proud of it at all,” said another woman.

According to Eberle, whatever happens in court, she will never make the same mistake again.

Video here: http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/l...2001338895188/ (http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/12001338895188/)

[stokernick]

arrogant bitch with a Mercedes SUV and more important and above the law that is for the little people!

[stvhelm]

oh god. I have a headache, let me go down to town hall and get a handicap permit :rolleyes:. I swear only 1 out of 10 people who have those passes actually need it. You see these people running to there car sometimes. pisses me off. enough that I make it habit to leave my shopping cart smack in the middle those empty spots

[Ted Stryker]

The inconsiderate wench complained about the torrential rain, but yet it doesn't compute to Her how inconvenient a soaking storm is to a handicapped Person and their needs... This kind of stuff just burns Me up, I wish they would've caned Her...

[1BadAction]

She's handicapped alright... Mentally that is...

[Hydrophobic guy]

Lynnfield nuff said. ;)

[john j 80 viking]

Still on medication and driving? A judge is gonna like that. Plus a bunch of lame excuses.

A typical Masshole.

[Jetsterman]

This story reminds me of the time I was stopped at a stop light in the turn lane,when the light changed green the crotch rocket in front of me roared to life an took of like a shot,I then noticed the handicapp plate on the bike.You've got to be kidding me!

[Riverman]

I make it habit to leave my shopping cart smack in the middle those empty spotsBrilliant! Most of the time the handicap is "too fat".

[2 De River]

Brilliant! Most of the time the handicap is "too fat".

Oh do the fat people ride the courtesy handicap scooters in other places than Alabama, I thought it was a fat Redneck thing? It burns my a---- to see someone FAT walk from their car then plop down in a handicap scooter and do their shopping then ride to the car and leave the scooter in the parking lot.

[mirage243]

It burns my a---- to see someone FAT walk from their car then plop down in a handicap scooter and do their shopping then ride to the car and leave the scooter in the parking lot.

Yea, me too, and they always seem to have a nice dark tan.:D

[specboatops]

Yea, me too, and they always seem to have a nice dark tan.:D

And as TON of attitude.....................

[Action Dave]

Oh do the fat people ride the courtesy handicap scooters in other places than Alabama, I thought it was a fat Redneck thing? It burns my a---- to see someone FAT walk from their car then plop down in a handicap scooter and do their shopping then ride to the car and leave the scooter in the parking lot.

I see it all the time. Some fat, trailer trailer trash woman who's too lazy to walk around the store has to use a handicapped scooter to pick up her potato chips and fried foods. Here's a hint fatties, try walking around the store and parking lot! Maybe you wouldn't look like Jabba the Hutt if you did!

Plus, is it me or are there waaayyy more handicapped spaces than handicapped drivers? It never fails when I go to the mall and the parking lot is completely full except for the ten blue spaces in the front. I have no problem with handicapped spots but does there really have to be ten of them when only one or two is ever used?

[specboatops]

Obama is working on it :):)

[tux974]

It is very obvious she has a real handi-cap!!

We have the same issues at most of the tennis/fitness clubs. They need to park right by the door because they do not want to walk 50'. The best part is they come to play tennis or workout.
One of the problems with them is the husbands are DR's and give them a medical script :mad:
Since they stay for about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs, I have them towed every chance I get especially if they forget to hang the pass :reddevil: ;):thumbsup:
I also love when they come in and start complaining to the front desk staff because they can not find a parking spot by the door :eek::nonod: I have the front desk staff trained to respond with a smile. Just think you started your workout early :) Some really get angry and some just shut up and walk away :reddevil::D:thumbsup:
If you also notice most carry the pass in the door panel or in the glove box. They have too much pride and do not want anyone looking at them as a handi-cap.

[specboatops]

HAHA thats great that you have them towed....Good For you ! Never thought about the Dr. giving his wife a script ......makes sense though

[tux974]

HAHA thats great that you have them towed....Good For you ! Never thought about the Dr. giving his wife a script ......makes sense though

We ask them with a great big :) so sorry but did you forget to put up your handi-cap pass? ;):reddevil: :D What is even better they will not get handi-cap plates :nonod: so we make sure to remind them that they should get them so this will not happen again, they get real angry then:eek::D :) Of course they will not!!
They carry on how they will never return, we quit, you have no right to do it etc, etc. They are back next week!!

[Cleavor]

This is an issue close to me because my wife IS handicapped. We see healthy people using these spots all the time and call them on it if we see them by their cars. I never use the handicapped spots unless my wife is with me. I even have had people tell me we should take advantage of me having the placard. I tell them, If Karen was with us, we would. She's not, so we can't.

[CDave]

That lady should have to pay the fine and do 40hrs. community service at a nursing home.

I'm handicap and have a handicap mirror hang tag. I need it because of my knee, which hurts 24/7. I rarely go to stores that don't have ele. carts anymore. The pain just isn't worth what they sell at stores without the electric carts, most of the time.

It amazes me the people I see that have handicap tags. I don't know what they have them for but I'd say 90% of them seem OK. Now that doesn't meen they don't have a bad heart or something. But I wonder how many of the ones I see if the tag is actually for their elderly parents or handicap spouse. Or I see someone park in a handicap spot but the handicap person stays in the car and a non-handicap person goes into the store. While I have to park futher away from the store and get to experience pain with every step I take on my leg with the bad knee. PISSES ME OFF BIG TIME!
I love it when I catch them getting into their cars. I tell them, Be careful what ya wish for.

Don't get me started on when it rains. Damn people parking in handicap spots so they don't have to be out in the rain as much. More than one ocassion I've had to go back home and go back when it's not raining, because I'm not gonna get soaking wet because SOB parked in my spot because they are too prescious to get wet!!!!

Maybe the reason ya see all the empty handicap spots at the mall is because they don't provide electric shopping carts.
Also, I'm not sure about other states but in Louisiana your not suppose to drive with the mirror hang tags on the mirror. But I'm guilty of it.

[1 Tuff 69]

I wish I were a cop, thats all I would do in my spare time. I watched a women with no legs once who had to park 10 spots out @ walmart cause of pricks like this and it burned my ass to watch her wheel herself to the store. you see it all the time they pull up get the tag out of the glove box and run into the store, or someone is sitting in the car with it running waiting for another to come out of the store in a h/c space , WHY ?

[jerry1865]

the other side of the coin, i remember a time when i parked in a handicapped space, and as i got out of the car this woman came up to me screaming. said she was calling the cops. i wanted to slap her to the ground with my 250 lbs. but instead i didnt say a word and continued to walk around the car to help my wife get out of it. thats when she realized why i had the liscense plate. she turned quite red and tried to appologize but couldnt get any words out.
my wife told me if she hadnt started craw-fishin she was going to slap the "chit" out of her.
if she had been a man with that attitude i would certainly have bounced him off the asphalt.
as it happened tho she was so emberassed the she went back to her car and left without going into the store.