Common disabled parking act angers Aussies

A common parking act has been called out on social media, as drivers continue to park in yellow lined bays.

A common parking act has been slammed on social media after drivers with disabilities were left fed up.

Many drivers have taken to the Australian Disability Parking Wall of Shame Facebook group to call out those who park in bays marked with yellow diagonal lines located beside disability parking spaces.

The bays are designated for drivers with wheelchairs or mobility devices to safely move in-and-out of their vehicles.

However, that hasn’t stopped Aussies from parking in the vital areas.

Many drivers have taken to social media to call out those who park in the bays. Picture: Facebook@Australian Disability Parking Wall of Shame

A series of posts shared to the Facebook group show a number of cars and motorbikes parked in the shared access areas outside shopping centres, grocery stores and sporting grounds.

Some shared the drivers claimed they didn’t know about the bays or thought the spot was a loading zone.

One person said they received the “what are you talking about’ or ‘ughhh’ responses” from drivers when they pointed out they were not meant to park there.

According to Standards Australia, disability bays are required to be 5.4m long and 2.4m wide and should be located on the same level as the dedicated carparking space.

Drivers were seen parking in the bays outside shopping centres. Picture: Facebook@Australian Disability Parking Wall of Shame

The areas are designed for drivers with wheelchairs or mobility devices to move in-and-out of their vehicles. Picture: Facebook@Australian Disability Parking Wall of Shame

Earlier this year, a motorist told news.com.au he was “furious” when he drove to the University of Technology Sydney and found three cars allegedly parked illegally in the disabled parking area.

One of drivers had parked between the two disabled spots in the shared access bay designated for people with disabilities to get in and out of their car.

Paniora Nukunuku, a student who has a prosthetic leg claimed there were no NSW disability permit stickers or UTS disability stickers displayed on any of the vehicles in the carpark, which is managed by the company InterPark.

The uni student was "furious" to find three cars parked in the disabled parking area. Picture: Supplied to news.com.au

“I was just furious and disappointed that people would do this to students … It’s messed up,” Mr Nukunuku told news.com.au.

“That service is supposed to be for disability students on campus.”

Frustrated, the digital and social media student parked his care elsewhere and reported the issue to InterPark.

He said the staff member offered to find him a closer parking spot on occasions when the disabled sports were filled, but Mr Nukunuku said that didn’t solve the problem.

So he decided to take matters into his own hands and park across the three vehicles, blocking them in.

He later moved his car and drove off following a tense interaction with a InterPark security team member and one of the drivers.

At the time, Mr Nukunuku shared a clear message for those who park in disabled car spots.

“You being in there means someone misses out – someone who isn’t like an able-bodied person but someone who’s disabled. And it sucks.”

A UTS spokesman told news.com.au at the time they had raised the issue with InterPark as a “matter of urgency”.

InterPark declined to comment.

Originally published as Common disabled parking act angers Aussies