GRA said:
Of course, sometimes the people parking in these spaces have a tag (whether fraudulently obtained or left over from a prior period) and clearly don't need it, but can't be bothered to walk an extra space or two. I watched this happen too many times at a shopping mall near me that I eat at, and then had to watch some elderly or handicapped person struggle to make the walk from further away. Unfortunately, mall security essentially refuses to enforce the spots (wouldn't want to upset shoppers. Presumably the disabled aren't valued as much because they move slower, and thus can't visit as many shops in a trip :roll: ). Only once have I seen a local cop writing a ticket there, I'm not sure why they were called. I walked up to him and said "Finally! Now come back every day for a week until the jerks get the message," and he just smiled. Unfortunately, as I read the California ordinance, https://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22511_8.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
since it's private property only the property owner can request a tow, or I'd be on the phone in an instant.
Actually the cops can tow for a car illegally parked in a handicap zone per California Vehicle Code section 22652(a):
"A peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or any regularly employed and salaried employee engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations of a city, county, or jurisdiction of a state agency may remove any vehicle from a stall or space designated for physically disabled persons pursuant to Section 22511.7 or 22511.8, located within the jurisdictional limits in which the officer or employee is authorized to act, if the vehicle is parked in violation of Section 22507.8 and if the police or sheriff’s department or the Department of the California Highway Patrol is notified.
(b) In a privately or publicly owned or operated offstreet parking facility, this section applies only to those stalls and spaces if the posting requirements under subdivisions (a) and (d) of Section 22511.8 have been complied with and if the stalls or spaces are clearly signed or marked."
So the officer may not tow the car if no complaint was made, and the spaces do have to meet signage requirements (a lot of them don't).