Handicapped parking in Italy
Apr 6th, 2009, 06:45 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Handicapped parking in Italy
We are from the U.S. and have a temporary handicapped (red) tag, can we use it in Italy and What are the rules in Italy for parking in a handicapped zone?
Apr 7th, 2009, 01:48 AM
#3
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Countries in the EU will honour the international Blue Badges. And in laid-back areas, you might be able to chat to whoever's meter maiding and check that they'll treat you nicely.
But abuse of handicapped parking is a running sore in many tourist hotspots, and some parking attendants, especially in bigger cities, might be on a cash incentive to identify rules breaches. There's no legal requirement to honour handicapped badges that don't conform to international standards (American ones don't, and I think you need to live - or at least have a proper address in - a country that issues badges that do to get one), so you can't rely on being able to use handicapped zones.
Italy being Italy, you'll probably find wardens will be relaxed if you drop for a few minutes in a 'no-stopping' zone. But don't keep a car in a handicapped-only parking spaces without double-checking that whoever's on duty at the time will turn a blind eye.
Since cars are often banned in town centres and general parking can be a considerable (and hilly) way from the main sights, you might - depending on where you're planning to visit - have to rethink your whole strategy on the "worst case" assumption that you'll consistently need to use general parking. Most remote carparks do have a bus into the centre - but even that bus might be a couple of hundred yards from where you've parked the car, and few Italian town centres were designed according to modern accessibilty criteria . Specialist advice from a 'travelling with disabilities' website or even the use of specialised tours might be necessary.
But abuse of handicapped parking is a running sore in many tourist hotspots, and some parking attendants, especially in bigger cities, might be on a cash incentive to identify rules breaches. There's no legal requirement to honour handicapped badges that don't conform to international standards (American ones don't, and I think you need to live - or at least have a proper address in - a country that issues badges that do to get one), so you can't rely on being able to use handicapped zones.
Italy being Italy, you'll probably find wardens will be relaxed if you drop for a few minutes in a 'no-stopping' zone. But don't keep a car in a handicapped-only parking spaces without double-checking that whoever's on duty at the time will turn a blind eye.
Since cars are often banned in town centres and general parking can be a considerable (and hilly) way from the main sights, you might - depending on where you're planning to visit - have to rethink your whole strategy on the "worst case" assumption that you'll consistently need to use general parking. Most remote carparks do have a bus into the centre - but even that bus might be a couple of hundred yards from where you've parked the car, and few Italian town centres were designed according to modern accessibilty criteria . Specialist advice from a 'travelling with disabilities' website or even the use of specialised tours might be necessary.
Apr 7th, 2009, 01:54 AM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,416
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Only EU-wide blue disabled badge will be honoured in Italy. With anything else (including US permit), you risk being fined. EU permit is issued by the state/municipality in which you live, so tourists cannot get one.
If it's a private parking lot, they may honour it but you have to check with the operator first.
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=432&langId=en
And this is how a UK badge looks like:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Disabled...ort/DG_4001061
If it's a private parking lot, they may honour it but you have to check with the operator first.
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=432&langId=en
And this is how a UK badge looks like:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Disabled...ort/DG_4001061
Apr 7th, 2009, 08:16 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,134
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't assume the kindly parking attendant will be at his post all day. We found out the hard way, not with a US handicapped sign as I wrote in the first post, but parking in a slightly illegal area which was fine with one attendant but after he went off duty another fellow came on who was not having an illegally parked car in his lot.
Apr 11th, 2009, 07:46 PM
#6
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 961
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We've never had any problem using our blue placard from U.S. in Italy , France, Austria, UK etc. ....the international logo/symbol is the same internationally and accepted all over Europe.(though the red usually mean temporary),,the blue is 4 years.
Yes, they are often abused. I now wear an ankle brace, waiting joint fusion....husband is getting over second replacement on same knee. But when someone looking healthy jumps out of a car and strolls away,, it "could" be their heart, lungs, or other problems not visible...(so I try not to be judgemental).
If your red placard is dated properly it is worth a try...though often there are no handicapped parking places marked as such.
Yes, they are often abused. I now wear an ankle brace, waiting joint fusion....husband is getting over second replacement on same knee. But when someone looking healthy jumps out of a car and strolls away,, it "could" be their heart, lungs, or other problems not visible...(so I try not to be judgemental).
If your red placard is dated properly it is worth a try...though often there are no handicapped parking places marked as such.
