‘The City Has Stolen My Independence’

I have a spinal-cord condition that precludes much walking and some kinds of physical exertions, yet I choose to live independently in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles.

Last November I moved into an upstairs apartment, thinking it would be safer and that I could handle that much exercise.. From day one I had trouble with the stairs and I began to receive parking tickets. There is no parking attached to my building, and the street in front of my building, is largely unoccupied commercial space. By December, my car had received over 10 citations for parking at forbidden hours, although I displayed a disabled placard and the local parking-meter person knew who I was. I became worried that my car might be booted and impounded. This happened in January.

I had already sought counsel from the lawyer for the Disabled Person’s Protection Advocacy Assn., and begun to write letters to the parking violations bureau in hopes of preventing exactly what happened.

In May, I finally had my day in court. The hearing officer seemed fair-minded and tried patiently to listen to my various reasons why the violations were unavoidable, including documents from my physician and the attorney who’d advised me. The short version is that over-activity puts me into the hospital. I have been hospitalized three times this year already.

I received my court decision in the mail in mid-May. Not only had the tickets not been excused, the city had sold my car to pay liens at the towing yard. They also informed me that they wanted an additional $1,316 for said violations. My $8,000 car is gone. I’d say the city fathers made a tidy profit.

I am faced with the emotional, physical, psychological, and financial loss incurred, plus the remaining fines. In my mind, the city has stolen my vehicle and my independence. It’s like being a prisoner in my own home.

SUSAN A. GINN

Los Angeles