An elderly driver who needs a walking frame to get around was left furious at a motorist’s ‘selfish’ act in a shopping center car park.
John Laine, 71, had parked his car in the space reserved for people with disabilities in the car park at Campbelltown Mall, in Sydney’s south-west.
He suffered a major shock when he returned to the parking lot a short time later.
The 71-year-old returned to find another car parked between his vehicle and another car in the adjacent handicapped space.
An elderly driver was left furious after a car was parked between his vehicle and another car in disabled parking spaces (pictured) at a local shopping center
Mr Laine shared photos on Instagram of the ‘idiotic’ act which saw a white 2008 Daewoo Gentra X parked across the dividing line between the two spaces.
The parking lot is intended for motorists with disabilities and is considerably larger than the regular parking spaces used by other motorists.
Mr Laine slammed the brutal act, saying he was frustrated by the move, which left him little space to get into his car.
“When I came back the other two cars were there and what irritated me was the fact that the first white car next to me was actually on the dividing line between those two parking spaces,” he said. Yahoo.
“What an idiot.”
“I actually use a walker to walk, but there was no room, I had trouble getting into my car.”
In a shocking twist, the vehicle was found to have a disabled parking permit, which Mr Laine said infuriated him further.
The elderly motorist claims he informed the Campbelltown council and police about the matter, who said it was an issue that needed to be resolved by the shopping centre.
Ny Breaking Australia has contacted Campbelltown Mall for comment.
Mr Laine criticized authorities for failing to prevent motorists from taking up the extra space between disabled parking spaces.
He said disabled parking spaces should be protected from misuse to ensure people with disabilities are not inconvenienced.
The vehicle had a disabled parking permit (pictured), which was displayed, further infuriating Mr Laine
Disability campaigner and award-winning safety speaker James Wood said it was common for motorists to take up the space between disabled parking spaces.
Mr Wood said he once waited three hours for another driver to come out of a shopping center to move his car after parking his vehicle between two disabled parking spaces.
Under the NSW Road Rules Act 2014, a person with a disability is the only person allowed to park in a disabled parking space.
They must be in possession of and show a valid disabled parking permit for people with disabilities.
Motorists cannot park in a disabled parking space if they do not have a valid disabled parking card.
Anyone parking illegally in a disabled parking space faces an on-the-spot fine of $581 and one demerit point.
They can also face fines of up to $2,200 if they choose to challenge the sentence in local court.