BEACH PARKING FEES!!!!

deepsix47 · Jul 22, 2009

I found out something new yesterday and just thought I'd pass it along. A friend wanted to go MD'ing. He is a disabled vet and is pretty limited in the things he can do but has always enjoyed pouring over my finds along with his wife.

Anyway, I broke out my spare detector and off we went to Clearwater Beach. He brought his disabled parking pass along so we could get as close to the sand as possible. When we got there, I started to pay the machine but he stopped me and told me that the pass negated the fees. I didn't think so but he assured me that he was correct. Not wanting to chance it I started to pay and a meter maid came by. I flagged her down and asked. She at first said yes, we had to pay but added that personally she didn't write tickets for the disabled (pretty cool of her actually).

Anyway, my friend insisted so she called in. Came back that he is correct. At least in Clearwater, the DA pass is a free ticket. He claims it is true throughout Florida and he never has to pay in public parking.

It might be worth calling and checking in your area if you have one of these passes. Parking fees, like everything else are going through the roof and every little bit helps.

A side note to the trip is that he found a little silver ring and is now hooked. He and his wife are going over to Orlando Friday and visit Kellyco. We also found that although he has to stop and rest often when up on the sand, once he is in about waist deep water he has no problem and just keeps moving right along. He now has a hobby that will give him the exercise he needs too.

Another victim of the Treasure Bug....lol.

Deepsix

mumszie · Jul 22, 2009

I have a handicap license tag on my car so you are saying that I don't have to pay for parking at the meters? WOW! I wonder where you would have to check to make sure.

Sandman · Jul 22, 2009

Having a hobby like this is very addictive and about the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

mlayers · Jul 22, 2009

Yes it is a very good hobby to have. Depends on what beach you are at, some of the babes there you can hardly tell that they have clothes on. As the swimming wear keeps getting smaller and smaller. Man if I was only 30 years younger...Matt

Bootyhunter1971 · Jul 22, 2009

I noticed on the community channel in Myrtle Beach SC last week that it said that folks with Disable Vet, or Purple Heart tags didn't have to pay the parking meters either. Can't remember about handicapped tags though.

Treasure_Hunter · Jul 22, 2009

mlayers said:
Yes it is a very good hobby to have. Depends on what beach you are at, some of the babes there you can hardly tell that they have clothes on. As the swimming wear keeps getting smaller and smaller. Man if I was only 30 years younger...Matt

Well for me that's alright, my wife is 20 years younger :icon_thumright:

and my imagination is 40 years younger.........

Dirt Fishin Dale · Jul 22, 2009

Nice post with good news. I like that!

COTTON · Jul 22, 2009

Treasure_Hunter said:
mlayers said:

Yes it is a very good hobby to have. Depends on what beach you are at, some of the babes there you can hardly tell that they have clothes on. As the swimming wear keeps getting smaller and smaller. Man if I was only 30 years younger...Matt

Click to expand...

Well for me that's alright, my wife is 20 years younger and my imagination is 40 years younger.........

47thelement · Jul 22, 2009

I'm sorry but if you are healthy enough to swing a MD for a couple hours you do not need a hadicap tag. Purple heart, disabled vet, different story! Think about it people...These spots are for people who need them, not for people who are trying to usurp parking fees!

deepsix47 · Jul 23, 2009

Piercesdad said:
I'm sorry but if you are healthy enough to swing a MD for a couple hours you do not need a handicap tag. Purple heart, disabled vet, different story! Think about it people...These spots are for people who need them, not for people who are trying to usurp parking fees!

Actually you're incorrect. There are many out there that are disabled for a variety of reasons. They can Hunt in the water because the buoyancy allows them too. My friend for instance, had to stop and rest every 15 minutes or so when he attempted to work the dry. I know a number of people that MD with various handicaps as it is the only real exercise they can tolerate.

It should also be noted that my original post does not necessarily mean that you have to be in a disabled slot. Hang the tag in your windshield and you qualify for the free access. My friend uses his whenever he parks at any meter, anywhere.

WHY does Purple Heart, Disabled Vet, have any special meaning over any other Disabled person. I have a purple heart (and a couple of other decorations), so what. Disabled is Disabled friend. They all deserve to be treated equally. It should also be noted that if the privilege of not paying parking fees is an offered benefit, then they are not avoiding the fees, should know of that benefit and take advantage of it.

Deepsix

deepsix47 · Jul 23, 2009

mumszie said:
I have a handicap license tag on my car so you are saying that I don't have to pay for parking at the meters? WOW! I wonder where you would have to check to make sure.

Hi Mumszie:

I'm not sure who exactly to call but I would imagine a call to City Hall would direct you to the people in charge of parking. I would also suggest that you actually have them look up the ordinance as the meter maid we talked to called it in to find out. My friend hung his tag from my truck windshield and I do not have a disabled plate but qualified as he was with me. The hanging tag I understand is issued to a person, not a particular conveyance.

Deepsix

Treasure_Hunter · Jul 23, 2009

No viagra needed here yet, maybe when I get old.....

Ray S ECenFL · Jul 23, 2009

Deepsix,

Thanks for sharing that bit of informaton.

Good thing to know.

Ray S

Treasure_Hunter · Jul 23, 2009

Handicap tags are like AAA card, they are good in any vehicle your in as long as the person it was issued to is riding in it.

FloridaBill · Jul 24, 2009

All I know is my purple heart plate in Florida wont even get me a cup of :coffee2:

gold-digger · Jul 26, 2009

Deepsix....

Your friend is right about the Handicap tag.
Florida statute give the holder a free pass at metered locations, some locations -like clearwater beach- will try to tell you theres a 3 hour time limit,depending on how busy it is, but state law superseeds local laws.

Some of the parking cops have been know to give a hard time to detectorist (to them, you need to be missing a limb or more).

deepsix47 · Jul 26, 2009

gold-digger said:
Deepsix....

Your friend is right about the Handicap tag.
Florida statute give the holder a free pass at metered locations, some locations -like clearwater beach- will try to tell you theres a 3 hour time limit,depending on how busy it is, but state law superseeds local laws.

Some of the parking cops have been know to give a hard time to detectorist (to them, you need to be missing a limb or more).

Thanx for the update. Yea, I did some checking also and found he was correct.

It's a shame that some of the meter cops have singled MD'ers out for "special treatment", but I guess they are frustrated wannabes and have to take it out on someone. My friend has a copy of the state statute in his wallet so if questioned he can show them. He also tells me that a couple of people he knows did receive tickets, took them to court and they were immediately dismissed.

It all goes back to Disabled is Disabled and that's the bottom line.

Deepsix

Montauk3 · Jul 27, 2009

FloridaBill said:
All I know is my purple heart plate in Florida wont even get me a cup of

You will with me Bill, you will with me.

I am one of those that say "Thanks for your service" to all vets that I meet.
Most folks don't understand that if it wasn't for the WW2 vets that we would probably be speaking German or Japanese.

I repeat, Thank you Sir for your service!

Ralph

godisnum1 · Jul 27, 2009

I went out to Clearwater Beach with my parents, my girlfriend & her parents last Friday... when we got there, I contacted the Clearwater Police Department (because all of the handicap spots were full), and they told me that even with my dad's handicap tag (he had leg reconstruction on Christmas Eve) we'd have to pay in the lot we were in. She kept saying we didn't have to at metered spots, but we did in a lot area. I tried telling the woman that it WAS a metered spot, but that the meters weren't directly in front of each vehicle, just on the median in front of the parking spots. She kept telling me we had to pay, so we did... but I have a feeling we shouldn't have. There were were spaces and a couple meter machines on the median in front of the the spaces where you put in your tag number and pay for how long you wanted to stay.

Bran <><

deepsix47 · Jul 27, 2009

godisnum1 said:
I went out to Clearwater Beach with my parents, my girlfriend & her parents last Friday... when we got there, I contacted the Clearwater Police Department (because all of the handicap spots were full), and they told me that even with my dad's handicap tag (he had leg reconstruction on Christmas Eve) we'd have to pay in the lot we were in. She kept saying we didn't have to at metered spots, but we did in a lot area. I tried telling the woman that it WAS a metered spot, but that the meters weren't directly in front of each vehicle, just on the median in front of the parking spots. She kept telling me we had to pay, so we did... but I have a feeling we shouldn't have. There were were spaces and a couple meter machines on the median in front of the the spaces where you put in your tag number and pay for how long you wanted to stay.

Bran <><

It just goes to show you that they really don't know their own laws because that's the same beach we were at. Ya have to wonder....

Deepsix