Description
The signs were a brainchild of a young Variety recipient, Catie, who was frustrated by having to circle parking lots, waiting for able-bodied drivers to free up the disabled parking spots up front. This is particularly problematic for families needing the extra space to put down ramps for wheelchairs. Her mother posted this frustration on Facebook and suggested coming up with some form of “traffic ticket” with a reminder for able-bodied drivers to leave those spaces open. This idea grew into a more “prevention driven” reminder; parking signs that feature Variety Kids. The signs are installed right beneath the legal “disabled parking” signs and the kind reminder, along with the youthful smiling faces, help to personalize the message.
Local police departments report that issuance of tickets at these locations using the signs have dropped to nearly zero. As the signs gained notice, even local schools began asking for them. Apparently the “park and run in for just a second” issue is very prevalent in school parking lots, buildings that primarily serve children and families! The more signs that are posted, the more requests Variety gets! Is the effort worth it? As one area police officer said, “it always makes us angry to see people disregard disabled parking signs. The success of Variety signs isn’t just in keeping those spots open for people who really need them – it frees up officers to respond to more potential serious problems in the community.”
