There are laws that are enforced and laws that are not. Though authorities are continually on the lookout for murderers, drug dealers, etc., the one of group of lawbreakers that usually seems to get away uncharged are people who park illegally in handicapped zones. 

As my brother and I were leaving the UNC – N.C. State game on Feb. 26, we came out of the PNC Arena to find a car parked next to ours in the restricted zone. This space is designated for people, such as me, who need room for the ramps we use to enter our vehicles. Though the law states that people who park illegally in these spaces are required to pay a $250 fine, I have never in my life seen this law enforced. 

If you’re an avid reader of the Technician, you’ve probably come across my movie reviews or other Features articles at some point. However, unless you know me, you wouldn’t know that I have been confined to an electric wheelchair since I was two years old. 

That being said, I’m used to seeing how inconsiderate and ignorant some people are. I say “some” because most people I know aren’t anything like this guy. Nevertheless, I’ve come across enough people like him to prompt me to write this column. 

After we waited about 20 minutes for this man to come over, all he had to say after we told him the trouble he had caused us was, “Oh, sorry.” Over the years, incidences such as this have happened to me a countless number of times, and pathetic excuses such as this are usually provided.

My favorite instance was when a nurse, of all people, did the exact same thing in the parking lot of the Zaxby’s on Hillsborough Street.

Once my brother and I finally made it out of there, I had one thought: Where were the authorities during all this? This man was parked in the restricted zone for at least three hours. During that time, shouldn’t one of the cops directing traffic also have been monitoring the parking lot? 

If this law remains unenforced, there’s no reason for rude and inconsiderate people to discontinue violating it. Two days after this incident at the PNC arena, I saw it happen again. 

As my mom was picking me up on Friday in the North Hall parking lot, a woman did the exact same thing. While my mom was backing out in order to get our ramp out, this woman finally took a moment to get off her phone and ask if we wanted her to move her vehicle. By then it was too late, and it’s unlikely she actually cared about what she had done anyway.

 Though this is just one of the many things people do unthinkingly that affect people such as me, it doesn’t have to continue being a problem. This wouldn’t be an issue if people would stop and think before parking illegally in designated handicapped spaces and instead consider the consequences of doing so.

My guess is you’ve probably seen this happen at some point in your lifetime, even if you didn’t take much notice of it. If you haven’t, there’s a good chance you will now. So do me a favor, if you ever see someone park illegally in a handicapped space, call them out for violating the law. The only way this problem will change is if more people take action.