AQ> Hi ed 
Hello Allan,
 EG> I  wrote a letter to the Department of Motor Vehicles  expressing my
 EG> discontent  with  the new style  California  Disabled
 EG> Person Parking  Placards.   In  response, I got a phone
 AQ> I wonder if you would mind telling me of the eligibility criteria for 
 AQ> the DPPP's and what benefits they bring.
I'll  do  what  I  can.  The  following  excerpts  are  from  the California 
Vehicle Code, section 22511.55 (b):
"Prior  to  issuing  any disabled person or  disabled  veteran  a 
distinguishing placard, the department  may require the applicant to  submit  
a  certificate signed be  the  physician  or  surgeon substantiating the 
disability. . . ."
California Vehicle Code, section 295.5 says:
"295.5 A 'disabled person' is any of the following'
     (a) Any person who has lost, or has lost the use of, one  or more  lower 
 extremities or both hands, or  who  has  significant limitations in the use 
of lower extremities, or who has diagnosed disease  or  disorder which 
substantially impairs  or  interferes with mobility, or who is so severely 
disabled as to be unable  to move without the aid of an assistance device.
     (b) Any person who is blind to the extent that the  person's central  
visual acuity does not exceed 20/200 in the better  eye, with  corrective  
lenses,  as measured by the  Snellen  test,  or visual  acuity that is 
greater than 20/200 but with a  limitation in  the   field of vision such 
that the widest  diameter  if  the visual field subtends an angle not greater 
than 20 degrees.
     (c)  Any person who suffers from lung disease to the  extent of any of 
the following:
     (1)   The persons forced respiratory) expiratory volume  for one second 
when measured by spirometry is less than one liter.
     (2) The person's arterial oxygen tension (p02) is less  than 60 mm/Hg on 
room air while the person is at rest.
     (d) Any person who is impaired by cardiovascular disease  to the   
extent  that  the  person's  functional   limitations   are classified  in  
severity  as class III or  class  IV  based  upon standards accepted by the 
American Heart Association."
The  code  continues  to  define  a  disabled  veteran.   I  will paraphrase. 
  A disabled veteran is a veteran who has been  rated as 100% disabled 
because of service related accident or  illness.  They  must need to use an 
assistive device or, have lost or  lost the  use  of  one  or more  limbs  
or,  have  suffered  permanent blindness.
 AQ> I am on a consumers taskforce in Sydney, Australia, reviewing our 
 AQ> system.  The  benefits of obtaining a DPPP are, 1) it allows the owner  
to park  at  any parking meter (you do have them down  under,  don't you?) 
without having to 'feed it,' 2) park in time parking spaces without  being 
concerned about the amount of time parked and,  3) allows  parking  in  
spaces reserved  for  disabled  persons  and certain  other  restricted  
parking  areas.   BTW,  the  disabled parking spaces are mandated by law to 
be the shortest  accessible distance to the entrance of the location.  
Good luck in setting up an effective system.  Our system has many flaws.   
The  laws,  regarding the issuance and  illegal  use  of disabled  person 
parking placards are not aggressively  enforced.  The  fines are stiff, but 
since they're not often  enforced,  the TABs think of them as an 
inconvenience and know that the odds  of getting cited are slim.  
 AQ> I usually find that authorities always say they have no problems as a 
 AQ> reflex answer.
 AQ> good luck with your campaign
 AQ> Allan
I hope this information is of some help.  If you need more,  just ask.  Good 
luck!
   Ed Grey
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